Yes. Under the official terms re-verified on 2026-09-08, a spouse included in the initial application is subject to an additional nonrefundable US$15,000 DHS processing fee and a US$1 million gift after vetting. Re-verify both amounts and the payment sequence on the official site before paying.
Derivative status follows immigration law; costs follow the program's terms
Two questions are easily merged and should be kept apart. Immigration law's derivative rules for the connected employment-based category allow the principal's spouse to immigrate with the principal on the principal's eligibility, without qualifying independently; the same rules cover unmarried children under twenty-one. Whether the program charges its per-person processing fee for a derivative spouse, and whether any portion of the gift is attributed to dependants, are questions about the program's own terms, which the official page and FAQ—as checked on 2026-09-07—should be read for directly, because those terms may change and cannot be inferred from general immigration practice.
The Harrison Hot Springs couple should decide which spouse is the principal on the basis of admissibility and eligibility under the connected category, record the official answer on dependant costs with its date, and remember that the adult son's position is different from the spouse's in every respect. The first review should produce a person-by-person table: who is principal, who may be derivative under the connected category, what civil record proves the relationship, and what payment terms apply to that individual. Use passports, long-form birth certificates, marriage certificates, and the official program page captured on the review date.
Hypothetical example: A Canadian furniture-restoration entrepreneur wants to include a nineteen-year-old stepson whose other parent will not apply. The marriage record, the child's birth record, custody documentation where relevant, and the connected category's derivative rules must be checked before anyone assumes the household can pay under one application.