Yes! Virtual marriages are perfectly acceptable for U.S. spousal green card applications, as long as the couple can show that the marriage was legally sanctioned and consummated. Once married, they’ll have to prove the marriage was consummated. Why? As it stands, for purposes of immigration, U.S. law requires couples to be in the same place when they get married, “unless the marriage shall have been consummated” (see section 101(a)(35) of the Immigration Nationality Act (INA)).
To prove consummation, couples can collect documents showing that they have been physically together for stretches of time between the marriage ceremony and the filing of the green card application. Evidence might include:Â
- Signed affidavit provided by the couple
- Signed affidavits provided by the couple’s friends, family, and neighbors
- Time-stamped photos
- Flight itinerariesÂ
- Bills or bank statements containing both spouses’ names
- Hotel reservations
‍To be clear: the newlyweds must prove consummation occurred AFTER the ceremony.Â