IMPORTANT UPDATE — MARCH 9, 2021: Both the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) public charge rule and the Department of State (DOS) public charge policy are currently not in effect. The DHS rule was halted on March 9, 2021, while the DOS policy was paused indefinitely on July 29, 2020. This page reflects those policies, which initially took effect on Feb. 24, 2020, and will not be immediately updated according to the previous, longstanding guidance issued in 1999. Learn more.
If the spouse seeking a green card recently arrived in the United States, and they don’t yet have a U.S. credit score, then they should include their international credit report. However, if the applicant hasn’t used any credit cards or taken on debt, they can provide other evidence, such as bills paid on time, to demonstrate they are financially responsible. Learn more here about credit report and credit score requirements.