Should I submit a marriage certificate to include my spouse?

Yes. When you include your spouse as a dependent in an EB-2 NIW petition, the marriage certificate is the document that officially establishes that the marital relationship exists and is legally recognized. It is an expected piece of the couple’s evidence package.

A few precautions help avoid complications:

• Submit the marriage certificate together with the other dependent documents.
• If the document is not in English, include a proper translation.
• Keep the complete set legible to reduce the risk of additional requests.

Well-organized documentation tends to make the review process smoother. Because there may be particularities in your case, it is worth checking USCIS official guidance or speaking with a specialist about which supporting documents to include.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.