Family green card

Marriage-based green card: your step-by-step guide

Tick items as you finish them. Your progress is saved on this device only.

The usual order

Timing varies a lot. Check current USCIS and State Department information for your route.

StartConfirm the petitioner's status and choose a route
NextGather identity and marriage records
FileForm I-130 (and I-130A)
Route AI-485 package, medical, I-864, biometrics, interview
Route BNVC, DS-260, papers, medical, embassy interview
CardCheck it. If the marriage was under 2 years old, plan the I-751

Know the words and the petitioner's status

Understand who files and who benefits.

Before anything else

Petitioner

The spouse who files the family petition: a U.S. citizen or a green card holder.

Beneficiary

The spouse who wants the immigration benefit.

Financial sponsor

Signs the legal promise of support. The petitioner normally must do this even if a joint sponsor is also needed.

Marriage green card requirements →Visa Bulletin →

Choose the right route

Decide: inside the U.S. or through an embassy.

Before you file

Route A: adjustment of status

Applying for the green card from inside the U.S., usually with Form I-485. Being in the U.S. is not enough: your entry, status and category matter.

Route B: consular processing

An immigrant visa through a U.S. embassy or consulate, after USCIS approves the petition.

Gather identity and marriage records

A neat, clear folder.

Before filing

Collect

The petitioner's proof of citizenship or green card
Both passports and identity records
Marriage certificate
Papers that ended any earlier marriage
Certified translations when a paper is not in English

Proof the marriage is real (use what you truly have)

Shared home, bills, bank accounts or insurance
Family records, travel and photos over time
Messages and calls, especially for long distance
A short explanation of any unusual situation. Do not make up joint papers you do not have

File the family petition

Ask USCIS to recognize the relationship.

First official filing

Form I-130

Petition for Alien Relative, filed by the petitioner. See the official USCIS I-130 page.

Form I-130A

Extra background on the spouse. Follow the current signature rules, including when the spouse is abroad.

Check the current form edition, fee and filing method
Save the full petition and the receipt

Visa fees →

Route A: apply from inside the U.S.

File the I-485 package and attend appointments.

If you can adjust status

Steps

Check if you can file Form I-485 now, and whether it can go with the I-130. Some immediate relatives can file both together; preference cases must check visa availability
Use the official USCIS I-485 page for the document list
Medical exam: use a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, not any doctor. Follow the current rule on Form I-693. Do not open a sealed medical envelope
Financial sponsorship: Form I-864 is a legal promise. Check household size, income level, tax records and any joint sponsor rules. A bank balance alone may not be enough
Work and travel are separate: Form I-765 for a work permit and Form I-131 for advance parole, each with its own fee. A pending green card application does not itself allow work
Get advice before you travel abroad while the case is pending
Attend biometrics (fingerprints and photo) and any interview. Save all receipts and answer notices

Route B: apply through an embassy

Get an immigrant visa and enter the U.S.

If the spouse is abroad or chooses this route

Steps

After USCIS approves the petition, the case usually goes to the National Visa Center (NVC). Preference cases may wait for a visa number
Follow the NVC welcome instructions and keep your login details private
Pay the fees and fill in Form DS-260, the immigrant visa application, accurately
Send civil papers such as birth and marriage records, police certificates, translations and sponsorship papers
"Documentarily complete" means the papers were reviewed. It is not an approval and not an interview date
Medical exam with the embassy's approved panel physician (not a U.S. civil surgeon)
Interview: bring the originals and everything on the appointment letter
The officer may approve, ask for papers, send the case to administrative processing, or refuse
Travel before the visa expires and follow the immigrant fee and entry instructions. Permanent residence usually begins when you are admitted with the immigrant visa. The border officer decides admission

Appointment waits →Visa scams →

Understand conditional residence

Do not miss the deadline to remove conditions.

After you get the card

Removing conditions →

Plan costs and time

A realistic budget.

Before you start

List the forms, medical exam, documents, translations, photos, travel and any lawyer
Check the current fee for your route, not one price for everyone
Processing varies by office, category, document review, visa availability and embassy schedule
Never accept a promise of a fixed date or a guarantee

Visa fees →Interview questions →

Who does what

1. The petitionerfiles the I-130 and signs the support promise

2. USCISapproves the petition and, in Route A, the green card

3. The embassydecides the immigrant visa in Route B

An approved I-130 is not a green card.

Visa Status is an unofficial site. This is a general guide in plain words, not legal advice. Family immigration has many exceptions. Get individual advice if there is any past immigration problem. Written October 2026.