₦airaland Forum

US to recognise only civil marriages for asylum seekers, refugees seeking spousal immigration

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a major policy change that will take effect on July 3, 2025, affecting how it evaluates spousal applications tied to refugees and asylees.

Going forward, only legally registered civil marriages will be recognized for immigration benefits.

Religious, traditional, or customary unions will no longer qualify unless they are also formally registered under civil law.

“We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 4, on valid marriages between a principal asylee or principal refugee and their claimed spouse,” USCIS said.

“All marriages… must be legally valid under the law of the jurisdiction where the marriage was celebrated.”

The new rule applies to all applications filed on or after July 3, 2025, and also to pending cases that haven’t been decided. The shift is expected to impact applicants from countries like Nigeria, Uganda, India, Afghanistan, and Somalia—where non-civil marriage practices are common.

Three groups will be most affected: refugees and asylees in the U.S. trying to reunite with spouses; spouses applying for immigration benefits based on marriage to a refugee or asylee; and applicants from countries where marriages are often not legally registered.

USCIS says the change aims to reduce fraud and ensure marriages used for immigration purposes are legally valid.

The agency also noted that the update aligns with Executive Orders 14148 and 14163, signed during the Trump administration to reform immigration policies.

Couples are now urged to obtain civil marriage certificates, even if they’ve had traditional or religious weddings.

USCIS recommends submitting government-issued marriage documents and supporting evidence such as proof of cohabitation, joint bank accounts, or shared children.

RandomFellow:
Trump is playing a crazy game here. He's targeting the muslim asylum seekers from countries like Syria, Sudan, Nigeria etc!

cyberbro:
Why did you make it about Muslims and include Nigeria? How many Nigerian muslim migrants are in America to tender nikai wedding certificate to them there? Are they allowing Christians to present Church wedding certificates?

If you're moving to a western country, you must abide by their standards, which in this case, is the court. Simple as ABC.

LadyExcellency:
Churches don't consummate marriage without authorisation from the marriage registry. You first go to the marriage registry before the church weds you. Christian marriage is one man, one wife, same with court marriage hence the marriage registry.

Bwanasaraw:
Nice one from the United States.

All those jihadists migrants / asylum seekers from Middle East that marry their cousins through Islamic rites so they can breed terrorist children in the United States will now be checkmated.

Canada and UK better wake up.

Kaido:
How person wan take apply & enter USA as asylum seeker?

Eniolohunda:
Isn't it funny when Nigerians are seeking asylum. Especially, the southerners. It may even be understandable more for northerners but they don't even do it. And obviously, people doing it don't even know that it has implications.

Morbeta11:
US to recognise only civil marriages for asylum seekers, refugees seeking spousal immigration

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a major policy change that will take effect on July 3, 2025, affecting how it evaluates spousal applications tied to refugees and asylees.

Going forward, only legally registered civil marriages will be recognized for immigration benefits.

Religious, traditional, or customary unions will no longer qualify unless they are also formally registered under civil law.

“We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 4, on valid marriages between a principal asylee or principal refugee and their claimed spouse,” USCIS said.

“All marriages… must be legally valid under the law of the jurisdiction where the marriage was celebrated.”

The new rule applies to all applications filed on or after July 3, 2025, and also to pending cases that haven’t been decided. The shift is expected to impact applicants from countries like Nigeria, Uganda, India, Afghanistan, and Somalia—where non-civil marriage practices are common.

Three groups will be most affected: refugees and asylees in the U.S. trying to reunite with spouses; spouses applying for immigration benefits based on marriage to a refugee or asylee; and applicants from countries where marriages are often not legally registered.

USCIS says the change aims to reduce fraud and ensure marriages used for immigration purposes are legally valid.

The agency also noted that the update aligns with Executive Orders 14148 and 14163, signed during the Trump administration to reform immigration policies.

Couples are now urged to obtain civil marriage certificates, even if they’ve had traditional or religious weddings.

USCIS recommends submitting government-issued marriage documents and supporting evidence such as proof of cohabitation, joint bank accounts, or shared children
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/06/us-to-recognise-only-civil-marriages-for-asylum-seekers-refugees-seeking-spousal-immigration/#google_vignette