[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 38, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2007] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 38CFR3.50] [Page 177] TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PART 3_ADJUDICATION--Table of Contents Subpart A_Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Sec. 3.50 Spouse and surviving spouse. (a) Spouse. ``Spouse'' means a person of the opposite sex whose marriage to the veteran meets the requirements of Sec. 3.1(j). (b) Surviving spouse. Except as provided in Sec. 3.52, ``surviving spouse'' means a person of the opposite sex whose marriage to the veteran meets the requirements of Sec. 3.1(j) and who was the spouse of the veteran at the time of the veteran's death and: (1) Who lived with the veteran continuously from the date of marriage to the date of the veteran's death except where there was a separation which was due to the misconduct of, or procured by, the veteran without the fault of the spouse; and (2) Except as provided in Sec. 3.55, has not remarried or has not since the death of the veteran and after September 19, 1962, lived with another person of the opposite sex and held himself or herself out openly to the public to be the spouse of such other person. [62 FR 5529, Feb. 6, 1997]