Marriage Green Card Checklist

This is the master document list for a spouse-based green card case, whether you will adjust status inside the U.S. or process through a consulate. Gather everything in the first four sections regardless of path, then work through the section that matches your route. Check off each item only when you have the actual document in hand (original or clean copy, plus a certified English translation for anything not in English).

Identity and civil documents — both spouses

• Birth certificate for the immigrant spouse — long-form/full version issued by the civil registry, with certified English translation if not in English
• Birth certificate or U.S. passport for the U.S. citizen or resident spouse — used to prove petitioner status
• Petitioner's proof of status — U.S. passport bio page, naturalization certificate, U.S. birth certificate, or copy of green card (front and back)
• Immigrant spouse's passport — bio page copy; passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond intended entry for consular cases
• Marriage certificate — certified copy issued by the recording authority (not the ceremonial souvenir version), with certified translation if needed
• Government-issued photo ID for both spouses — driver's license or national ID, front and back
• Any legal name-change documents — court order, prior marriage certificate showing name change

Prior marriages and other history

• For each prior marriage of either spouse: final divorce decree, annulment order, or death certificate — plus certified English translation if not in English
• Proof the divorce is final under the law of the place it was issued (some countries issue separate "final" certificates)
• Court and police records for any arrest or charge of either spouse, anywhere in the world — certified court dispositions, even if dismissed or expunged
• Records of any prior immigration filings by the petitioner for other beneficiaries (prior I-130s, K-1s) — copies of receipt/approval notices
• Immigrant spouse's prior U.S. immigration history — copies of any prior visas, denials, deportation/removal papers, or USCIS notices

Immigrant spouse's entry and status documents

• Most recent I-94 arrival record — download from the CBP I-94 website; print the current record
• All U.S. visas ever issued — copies of visa foil pages from current and old passports
• Copies of every passport page with any stamp, visa, or notation (current and expired passports)
• Current or prior status documents — I-20 (students), DS-2019 (exchange visitors), I-797 approval notices, EAD cards (front and back)
• Any prior employment authorization or advance parole documents

Financial support (Form I-864) — see the separate I-864 Sponsor Checklist for detail

• Signed Form I-864, Affidavit of Support (fee $0 when filed with the case; $120 NVC review fee applies in consular cases)
• Petitioner's federal tax return or IRS tax transcript for the most recent year — required; 3 years recommended
• W-2s and/or 1099s matching each tax return submitted
• Employment verification letter on company letterhead — position, start date, salary — plus recent pay stubs (last 2–3 months)
• Proof income meets 125% of the poverty guidelines for the household size (2026 reference: about $27,050 for 2, $34,150 for 3, $41,250 for 4 — always check the current Form I-864P)
• If income falls short: asset documentation (bank statements, property appraisals) worth 3× the shortfall for a U.S. citizen sponsoring a spouse, or a complete joint-sponsor package

Bona fide marriage evidence — see the separate Relationship Evidence Checklist for detail

• Joint financial records — joint bank statements, joint credit cards, joint tax returns
• Proof of living together — lease or deed with both names, utility bills, mail addressed to each spouse at the same address across time
• Insurance and beneficiary designations — health, auto, life insurance naming the spouse; 401(k)/pension beneficiary forms
• Children together — birth certificates listing both spouses as parents, or pregnancy records
• Photos together across the relationship — with dates, locations, and other people (family, friends) identified
• Communication history — call logs, message screenshots, travel itineraries showing trips together
• Sworn affidavits from people who know the couple — signed, dated, with the writer's contact information and how they know you

Medical, photos, and fees

• Medical exam — Form I-693 by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon if adjusting in the U.S.; panel physician exam if consular. Do not open the sealed envelope
• Vaccination records — bring to the exam to avoid repeat vaccinations
• Passport-style photos per the current USCIS/DOS photo specification — 2 of each spouse for the I-130/I-130A; more for the I-485/I-765/I-131 or DS-260 stage (check each form's instructions for the exact count)
• Filing fees, paid electronically only (USCIS has not accepted checks since 10/28/2025): I-130 $675 paper / $625 online

If adjusting status inside the U.S. (concurrent filing)

• Form I-485 with fee $1,440 ($950 for a child under 14 filing with a parent)
• Form I-765 (work permit) with fee $260 when filed with the I-485 — optional but usually worthwhile
• Form I-131 (advance parole travel document) with fee $630 — optional; do not travel without it
• Form I-130A (spouse beneficiary supplement) signed by the immigrant spouse
• I-693 timing plan — the exam is valid only while the application is pending, so schedule it against your filing date (filing with the exam included avoids a later RFE)
• Total fee budget for the standard AOS package: about $3,005 (I-130 + I-485 + I-765 + I-131)

If processing through a U.S. consulate

• Form DS-260 immigrant visa application — $325 fee per applicant; answers include 5 years of social-media handles
• Police certificate from every country where the immigrant spouse lived 12+ months since age 16 (and other categories per the reciprocity schedule)
• I-864 package uploaded to CEAC with the $120 review fee paid
• Panel physician exam scheduled near the interview date at the consulate's designated clinic
• USCIS Immigrant Fee — $235, paid online after visa issuance and before or shortly after entry so the physical green card is produced
• Total fee budget for the consular route: about $1,355 (I-130 + DS-260 + I-864 review + Immigrant Fee)

Notes: Every foreign-language document needs a complete, certified English translation — partial or uncertified translations are the most common reason packages bounce. The I-693 medical is valid only while the case is pending, so time the exam to the filing, and never open the sealed envelope. Cases filed before September 18, 2026 are reviewed under the current, narrower public charge standard; a broader rule takes effect for filings on or after that date. All USCIS fees are electronic payment only — no checks. Questions on any item: Usher Law Group, P.C., (718) 484-7510.