A marriage-based green card application stands on five stacks of paper: proof the marriage is legal, proof it’s real, a sealed medical exam, proof the sponsor can support the immigrant financially, and the correct USCIS forms tying it all together. The marriage green card documents checklist below walks through each stack, what USCIS accepts, and where applicants most often trip up.
Whether you’re adjusting status inside the United States or going through a consulate abroad changes some of the forms, but the underlying evidence is largely the same. Spouses of U.S. citizens can file the petition and the green card application at the same time; spouses of lawful permanent residents wait for a visa number before the adjustment stage opens.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Concurrent Filing of Form I-485
Marriage and Identity Documents
The certified marriage certificate is the single most important document in the file. It goes in with Form I-130 and legally establishes that the marriage exists.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative If either spouse was married before, you also need proof each prior marriage ended: a final divorce decree, an annulment, or the former spouse’s death certificate.
The sponsor proves their own status separately. A U.S.-born citizen submits a birth certificate from a civil authority. A naturalized citizen submits the naturalization certificate. A citizen born abroad to U.S. citizen parents can use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or an unexpired U.S. passport. A lawful permanent resident submits a copy of both sides of the green card.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
The foreign-born spouse submits the biographical page of a valid passport and a civil birth certificate. Both spouses provide two identical passport-style color photos taken within 30 days of filing, 2 by 2 inches, on glossy thin paper with a white or off-white background. Write your name and alien registration number, if you have one, lightly on the back of each photo.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-485
If You Can’t Get a Birth Certificate
Not every country keeps reliable birth records. When the primary record isn’t available, start with an official statement from the relevant civil authority confirming no record exists. USCIS also weighs country conditions and the Department of State Reciprocity Schedule. Secondary evidence includes hospital or clinic birth records, baptismal certificates issued shortly after birth, early school records that name your parents, and government-issued identity documents showing your date and place of birth. Affidavits from parents or relatives are accepted but carry the least weight and work best as supplements.
Translations
Any document in a foreign language needs a full English translation. The translator signs a certification stating they are competent to translate the language into English and that the translation is complete and accurate, and includes their name, signature, address, and date.4U.S. Department of State. Information about Translating Foreign Documents That covers everything foreign-language in the file: birth certificates, divorce decrees, the marriage certificate itself.
Proof the Marriage Is Bona Fide
USCIS has to be convinced the marriage was entered into in good faith and not for an immigration benefit.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 6 Part B Chapter 6 – Spouses No single document decides this. Officers look at the whole picture, and a broad mix of evidence beats depth in a single category.
Financial
Joint bank statements with activity by both spouses, credit card statements in both names, and shared loans all show commingled finances. Joint tax returns filed as married are especially strong. If finances aren’t fully merged, authorized-user status on credit cards or naming your spouse as a beneficiary on a retirement account still shows interdependence.
Housing
A joint lease or mortgage is ideal. If only one spouse is on the lease, utility bills showing both names at the same address help. Renters or homeowners insurance policies naming both spouses also count. The point is to show a shared address and shared household.
Children
Birth certificates of children you have together are among the strongest evidence. If either spouse has children from a prior relationship, school or medical records listing the stepparent as an emergency contact help show the family functions as one household. A provider’s documentation of a current pregnancy or fertility treatment can also be submitted.
Social
Photos across the arc of the relationship build a timeline: courtship, wedding, family gatherings, holidays, travel. Note the date, location, and who else appears in each. Sworn affidavits from friends or family who can speak to the relationship add another layer; each should list the writer’s full name, address, contact information, and personal knowledge of the couple. Insurance policies where one spouse names the other as beneficiary, whether life, health, or auto, round out the picture.
Medical Examination
As of December 2, 2024, Form I-693 must be submitted with Form I-485. USCIS may reject the whole application package if the medical results aren’t included.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record That means scheduling the exam before you’re ready to file, not after.
Only a USCIS-designated civil surgeon can perform the exam. USCIS has an online search tool that lets you filter by ZIP code and language. Costs vary, so call a few offices before booking; many health plans don’t cover the full exam.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Find a Civil Surgeon
The exam includes a physical evaluation and proof of required vaccinations. Federal law requires vaccines for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B, and the CDC adds others depending on age.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 8 Part B Chapter 9 – Vaccination Requirement The civil surgeon can administer missing vaccines at the appointment for an added fee.
The civil surgeon returns the completed I-693 in a sealed envelope. Don’t accept it if the envelope isn’t sealed, and don’t open it. USCIS will return any form that arrives unsealed or tampered with.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record Under a June 2025 policy update, a completed I-693 is valid only while the application it was submitted with is pending. If the case is denied or withdrawn and you refile later, expect to redo the exam.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Alert – Validity of Report of Immigration Medical Examination
Financial Support Documents
The sponsor must show income of at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household size. Active-duty military members sponsoring a spouse qualify at the lower 100% threshold.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support For 2026, a household of two must show annual income of at least $27,050, a household of three needs $34,150, and a household of four needs $41,250. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures.11U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
To document income, the sponsor submits the most recent federal tax return or IRS tax transcripts, W-2 forms, and recent pay stubs. The figures should consistently sit above the threshold. Self-employed sponsors include the complete tax return with all schedules.
If the sponsor’s income doesn’t reach the threshold, there are two fallbacks. Certain assets like savings, stocks, or real estate equity can count, though USCIS applies a discounted valuation. Alternatively, a joint sponsor who independently meets the requirement can submit their own I-864 with matching financial documents. A joint sponsor takes on the same legally binding obligation to support the immigrant, so this isn’t a casual favor. Falling short of the income requirement is a ground for denial under the public charge inadmissibility provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 8 Part G Chapter 3 – Applicability
The USCIS Forms
The forms interlock. The mix depends on whether you’re adjusting status inside the U.S. or processing through a consulate.
- Form I-130, the foundational petition establishing the family relationship between sponsor and spouse. Every marriage-based green card starts here.13U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
- Form I-130A, the supplement the spouse beneficiary completes with five years of address and employment history.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
- Form I-485, the adjustment of status application, for applicants already physically in the United States. Spouses of U.S. citizens can file it concurrently with the I-130.15U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- Form I-864, the affidavit of support. It is a legally binding contract in which the sponsor promises to financially support the immigrant, generally until the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, earns 40 qualifying quarters of work, dies, or permanently leaves the country.16U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support
- Form I-693, the sealed medical examination results, included with the I-485.
- Form I-765, the application for an Employment Authorization Document that lets you work while your green card is pending.17U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
- Form I-131, the application for advance parole, a travel document that lets you leave and re-enter the U.S. without abandoning a pending application.18U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records
Consistency across forms matters more than most applicants realize. Income on the I-864 must match the tax returns exactly. Address and employment histories on the I-130A, I-485, and I-864 need to line up chronologically with no unexplained gaps. Officers flag inconsistencies, and even innocent mistakes can trigger a Request for Evidence that adds months.
After You File
USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks for paper filings. Pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by electronic bank transfer using Form G-1650. Applicants without access to banking or electronic payment can file a separate request for an exemption.19U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees Fees change periodically, so confirm current amounts with the USCIS online fee calculator before submitting.
Once USCIS accepts the filing, you receive a Form I-797C receipt notice with a receipt number you can use to check case status online.20U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action A receipt only confirms USCIS has your paperwork. Next comes the biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center, then background checks, then an in-person interview at your local field office where both spouses must attend. Missing a scheduled biometrics or interview appointment without rescheduling can close the case.
One warning about travel while all this is pending: if you have a pending I-485 and leave the United States without an advance parole document, USCIS treats the application as abandoned.21U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. While Your Green Card Application Is Pending with USCIS Don’t book international travel until the I-131 advance parole document is in hand.
If Your Marriage Is Less Than Two Years Old
One boundary worth knowing before you file: if your marriage is less than two years old when USCIS approves the green card, you receive a conditional card valid for only two years. You cannot renew it. Instead, you file Form I-751 to remove the conditions during the 90-day window right before the card expires, with a fresh round of evidence that the marriage is still genuine.22U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence Skipping the I-751 means losing permanent resident status when the card expires and becoming removable.23U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence If the marriage has ended or the spouse won’t file jointly, a waiver of the joint filing requirement is available based on circumstances like divorce, abuse, or extreme hardship.