15 Feb 2022
USCIS Revised Guidance on Informal ("Camp") Marriages (Feb. 14, 2022)
"As of the date of this memorandum, RAIO is rescinding marriage guidance previously issued by RAIO divisions: "Guidance for the treatment of refugee cases that include an informal marriage to an RE-2 derivative spouse {2018}1" and "Form 1-730 Informal Marriage Guidance (2019}.2 " RAIO officers shall no longer apply this previous guidance . RAIO will instead return to the prior interpretation of the place-of-celebration rule, recognizing that, in certain circumstances, a spousal relationship may exist for the purpose of obtaining derivative refugee and/ or asylee status if there is evidence of an informal marriage for adjudications of Form 1-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, Form 1-590, Registration for Classification as Refugee, and Form 1-730, Refugee/ Asylee Relative Petition."