Gather identity records and documents establishing the relationship’s legal status, including where and when any marriage arose. Shared-address records may explain cohabitation but are not by themselves proof of a legally valid marriage.
Ask a specific question rather than assuming an answer
Ask for the evidence needed to determine marital validity in the relevant jurisdiction and for the immigration application. Keep documents showing a recognized marriage distinct from tax or benefit records that use common-law terminology for another purpose. Do not invent a ceremony or a legal date that the available record does not establish.
Organize relationship evidence by the legal question it proves. Identity records, marriage certificates, court orders, prior-marriage termination documents, and an opinion on common-law marriage may address validity; leases, insurance, tax filings, and shared accounts may corroborate history without establishing marriage. Record the controlling jurisdiction and formation date instead of selecting whichever document uses the word spouse. For the program itself, the applicant begins online with the US$15,000 nonrefundable DHS processing fee; after payment settles, USCIS prompts Form I-140G. The mistake is preparing an assumed spouse package before resolving legal status or misordering the official steps.
Hypothetical example: A LaSalle apiary owner plans to include a long-term partner and finds conflicting marital labels across employment-benefit and tax documents. The household should create a chronology, obtain civil records, and ask counsel which jurisdiction’s law determines whether a valid marriage arose. Separately, preserve the online payment confirmation and USCIS prompt for the Immigrant Petition for the Gold Card Program. Vetting follows the I-140G stage; the US$1 million gift is requested only after vetting. Re-verify official instructions before sending money.