The short answer
You must be legally married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and the marriage must be real, not just for papers. A petition is filed, then you adjust status in the U.S. or apply at an embassy abroad, with an interview and a medical exam.
What to know
- Proof of a real marriage: shared home, bank accounts, photos, travel, children, and people who know you as a couple.
- The U.S. spouse must show enough income or a joint sponsor (the affidavit of support, I-864).
- Spouses of U.S. citizens have no waiting line. Spouses of permanent residents usually do.
- If the marriage is less than two years old when the green card is approved, the card is first conditional for two years.
For the exact rules, forms and fees, see USCIS.
Visa Status is an unofficial site. This is general information in plain words, not legal advice. Rules, fees and forms change, so check the official website and your own papers. Written October 2026.