let me be honest with you, marry someone here. sponsoring a spouse, in my opinion, is the most difficult thing ever.
i don't regret anything, i love my husband, but honestly i never thought it would take this long and that we would go through such an emotional ride.
if you have patience then go for it, and you have to make sure that your spouse and your in-laws are aware of the processing times so you don't run into conflicts later.
to answer your general question of what to look for in a spouse, i would say that look for someone who you feel comfortable with, someone who shares your beliefs and views about life. look for someone who has inner beauty, like a beautiful character, manners, and respect. you will spend the rest of your life with this person, outer beauty is important, but it doesn't last as you will both grow old, but inner beauty will last a lifetime. last but not least, don't be too picky, if you are so picky then you will never be satisfied with anyone, and you will grow old just searching. remember everyone has strengths and weaknesses, including yourself.
I will just leave you with the words of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), if you follow this, then no doubt, you made a good decision.
The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "A woman is normally sought as a wife for her wealth, her beauty, her nobility, or her deen (religiousness), so choose a religious woman and you will prosper." (Muslim)
I have heard request for second cert. mainly in male cases but this is a wife case. 
