Spousal sponsorship is a legal way for U.S. citizens or permanent residents to bring their husband or wife to the United States for family reunification and long-term residence. However, many cases are delayed or risk being denied due to insufficient evidence of a genuine marriage and a lack of understanding of the process. This article from First Consulting Group will present in detail the eligibility requirements for spousal sponsorship in 2026, the complete list of required documents, and the step-by-step process so that you can clearly understand the procedure.
A U.S. citizen (U.S. nationality) or a U.S. permanent resident (green card holder) can sponsor their spouse from Vietnam to immigrate to the United States. When a U.S. citizen sponsors a spouse, the visa category is CR1 or IR1.
A permanent resident (green card holder) sponsors a spouse under the F2A category. The process and steps are similar to spousal sponsorship by a U.S. citizen. However, the difference is that after the petition is approved by USCIS and transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC), the case cannot proceed immediately and must wait until the F2A priority date becomes current according to the Visa Bulletin.
For spousal immigrant visas, the beneficiary will receive a green card upon entering the United States without needing to complete additional procedures.
See more: Sibling Sponsorship to the United States with First Consulting Group
Before submitting a spousal sponsorship petition to USCIS, both parties must complete the single status certificate and marriage registration in accordance with Vietnamese law. Only with a valid marriage certificate will the sponsorship documents be eligible for submission to U.S. immigration authorities.
After obtaining the marriage certificate, the U.S. citizen or permanent resident may file a spousal sponsorship petition with USCIS. After approximately 4–6 weeks, USCIS will issue a receipt notice (Form I-797C) confirming the case has been received. If the petition is filed online, the receipt may be issued immediately or within a few business days, typically within 1 to 3 days.
Estimated processing times for Form I-130 are as follows:
After this period, you will receive a notice from USCIS indicating whether the petition has been approved, requires additional evidence, or has been denied.
If the spousal petition is approved, no action is required at this stage.
If additional evidence is requested, you must carefully review the request and respond to USCIS within the specified deadline.
Note: The waiting times listed above are for reference only and may vary depending on many factors such as the office processing the case, the applicant’s country, the number of pending applications, the completeness of submitted documents, as well as changes in immigration policies or laws (if any).
After USCIS approves the petition, the case will be transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC) within about 1–2 weeks.
For the F2A category, note that after USCIS approves Form I-130, the case will be transferred to the NVC and must wait until the priority date becomes current according to the Visa Bulletin before further processing. Once the case arrives at the NVC, the center will send an email notification with payment instructions and guidance on how to submit documents through the NVC’s online system. At this stage, you must submit the affidavit of support along with the required documents and pay the NVC processing fees. The NVC review process usually takes about 1–3 weeks.
After the NVC verifies that the spousal sponsorship documents are complete, the NVC will schedule an interview for the beneficiary at the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. For IR1/CR1 cases, this typically occurs within about 3–4 months. For F2A cases, the timing depends on the Visa Bulletin schedule. Once the review is complete and the case is accepted, the NVC will forward the case to the U.S. Consulate.
About 1–3 months after receiving the documentarily qualified notice, you will receive the interview appointment letter.
After receiving the interview appointment letter, you must schedule vaccination and a medical examination.
The beneficiary must attend the interview at the U.S. Consulate. You must bring your passport, interview appointment letter, all required documents, and evidence proving the relationship.
If the beneficiary’s children are included in the case, they must also attend the interview. The purpose of the interview is to confirm that the marriage is genuine and that there are no signs of fraud for immigration purposes.
After the interview, you will know whether the visa has been approved. If the consular officer keeps your passport, it usually means the case has been approved. The visa will be placed in the passport and returned to you within a few days.
After receiving the visa, you must pay the USCIS immigrant fee of $235 online.
The visa issued is an immigrant visa for marriage-based immigration and is valid for 6 months. Therefore, you should arrange to travel to the United States before the visa expires.
After arriving in the United States:
– The beneficiary becomes a lawful permanent resident (LPR).
– The green card will be mailed to the U.S. address within 2–3 months.
– You may work, study, and travel in and out of the United States.
The process of preparing a spousal sponsorship application for the United States requires complete and accurate information in every section. Even a single missing document can cause the case to be returned for additional evidence or even denied. Below is the list of documents that need to be prepared:
In addition to proving a legally valid marriage, the petitioner must be at least 18 years old and must not be maintaining a marital relationship with another person. It is also important to clearly demonstrate the intended residence in the United States and ongoing communication between the couple to strengthen the authenticity of the relationship. The reviewing authorities will carefully examine marital status to avoid legal violations, especially in cases where the applicant was previously divorced or married in another country.
If the sponsor’s income is insufficient, the applicant may meet the requirement through a joint financial sponsor — a person who will share financial responsibility with USCIS. Assets such as savings or real estate may also be accepted, but their value must equal at least three times the income shortfall required.
Costs for a U.S. spousal sponsorship include:
During the review process of a spousal sponsorship case, many applications may experience longer processing times or face risks due to one or more of the following reasons:
When deficiencies, unclear information, or additional clarification are needed, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may issue a notice requesting additional evidence or explanation within a specific time frame. Applicants must respond fully and on time according to the instructions in the notice. Failure to respond promptly or submitting insufficient additional documents may result in the application being denied according to regulations.
For USCIS to believe that the marriage is genuine and not intended to bypass immigration laws, the petitioner should prepare sufficient documentation proving both the legal validity of the marriage and the real-life relationship between the spouses. The types of evidence below are considered by USCIS as important factors when evaluating the authenticity of the relationship.
Important note when preparing evidence: USCIS does not require all of the documents listed above. However, the more complete and consistent the application is, the higher the chance of approval. Organizing evidence by category, presenting it clearly, ensuring timeline consistency, and demonstrating a real marital life will help increase credibility and reduce the risk of receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE).
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