Married women often keep their maiden names.
Couples keep separate finances, separate assets and, sometimes, separate homes.
Although many couples benefit from these arrangements, the same arrangements can cause problems when petitioning to sponsor your spouse for legal permanent residency. Basically, too much independence in a marriage can lead the INS to assume that your marriage is not valid. Therefore, you should know which documents you must provide to show clear and convincing evidence that your marriage is valid. This can help you avoid problems at the adjustment of status or consular interview. It can also help when your spouse applies to have the conditional status of his or her permanent residency removed.