Are you reading the right guide? This guide is for people applying for a Green Card (officially known as a Permanent Resident Card) as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. In addition, the non-U.S.-citizen spouse should be physically in the U.S. at the time you file your Green Card application. If it's not you, let's find the right guide for your situation.
First, congratulations on your marriage! This guide will show you everything you need to file a successful Green Card application without hiring a lawyer. Instead, save that $4,000 lawyer’s fee for your lovely honeymoon on the beach. Did you know this cool guide makes a satisfying beach read? 🌴
In this guide, we take the official Green Card application instructions from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and explain them in a language that humans can actually understand. After completing this guide, you can file your application with confidence, and as a bonus, we’ll make the process fun!
Table of Contents
Before filing
- Green card process overview
- Make sense of the process
- Forms, documents and filing fees
- Assemble and file
- Catch mistakes before filing
After filing
1. Green Card Process Overview
To apply for a Green Card as someone currently in the U.S. and married to a U.S. citizen, you and your spouse will need to file a Petition for Alien Relative and an Adjustment of Status through marriage[1] [2] (Don’t run, you will become an expert in this in the next five minutes).
Total processing time: 10-13 months.
Total filing fee: $1,760.
If you don’t have immigration violations, past criminal offenses, or a previously denied application, then the application is pretty straightforward. You should be able to apply for a Green Card by yourself without hiring an immigration lawyer. (If you want to doubly ensure accuracy, you can cheaply hire a lawyer to review your completed application before submission. More on this later.)
The application process can be broken into two steps:
Step 1: The Paper Party – Submit Forms and Documents to USCIS
The application requires the following forms:
- Form I-130 – Petition for Alien Relatives
- Form I-130A – Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
- Form I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA
- Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization (optional)
- Form I-131 – Application for Travel Document (optional)
- G-1145 – e-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (optional)
Forms will be explained in details in the forms section of this guide.
You also need to submit the following supporting documents alongside the forms:
- Passport-style photos of both spouses
- Proof of the sponsor’s U.S. citizenship (e.g. U.S. passport, naturalization certificate)
- Proof of the applicant’s immigration status
- Current marriage certificate and documents of prior marriages
- Evidence of joint activities
- The applicant’s proof of financial support
- The applicant’s medical examination result
- The applicant’s birth certificate
Documents will be explained in details in the documents section of this guide.
USCIS charges an application fee of $1,760 [1] [2] (more details in the fees section).
Submit your application as one package to USCIS through mail [1] [2].
Step 2: The Waiting Game – Wait until the Interview and the Green Card Approval
No more paperwork at this point! Now it will be mostly waiting around until you receive a Green Card interview notice around 10-13 months later [3]. The interview will take place at a USCIS office near you, and both spouses need to attend in-person. (More on the interview later.) If everything goes well, you will receive your Green Card approval at the end of the interview, and within another month, your Green Card will arrive in the mail!
The timeline section will explain the waiting process in detail.
2. Make Sense of the Process
Why all these forms and documents? How do I know this is all that’s required? In this section, we explain the Green Card application logic that routinely confuses the world’s smartest rocket scientist. Once you understand the logic behind it, this process will make a lot more sense.
To begin, let’s meet Arnold and Maria:
Applicant: Arnold is 28 years old and hails from the snowy mountains of Austria. Arnold is not a U.S. citizen and is applying to receive a Green Card.
Sponsor (also known as a petitioner): Maria is 27 years old and is a native to the sunny Southern California. She is married to Arnold and is a U.S. citizen.
After getting married, Arnold and Maria started researching how to apply for a marriage based Green Card for Arnold. For couples like Arnold and Maria, the application paperwork contains two parts:
🔑 Application Part One : Establish Arnold’s Eligibility for a Green Card (Officially Called “Petition for Alien Relative”. We will call it “immigrant petition” in this guide.)
Since Arnold’s eligibility is based on his marriage to Maria, Maria needs to complete Application Part One (immigrant petition) to demonstrate [1]:
- Maria is a real person.
- Maria is a U.S. citizen.
- Arnold is her husband.
- Their marriage is real.
This step is mostly for Maria to complete.
🌱 Application Part Two: Apply for Arnold’s Green Card (Officially Called “Adjustment of Status to Lawful Permanent Resident”. We will call it “Green Card application” in this guide.)
After the immigrant petition has established Arnold’s Green Card eligibility, now Arnold can apply for it. Application Part Two (green card application) collects information that demonstrates [2]:
- Arnold is a real person.
- Arnold’s current immigration status doesn’t bar him from receiving a Green Card.
- Arnold can financially support himself in the U.S. without government assistance.
- Arnold is in good health.
- Arnold has no criminal history.
This step is mostly for Arnold to complete.
USCIS processes the forms and documents for the immigrant petition (Application Part One) independently from those for the green card application (Application Part Two) [1] [2], so we need to separate the paperwork of each part when we submit the application (more on that in the submit section of this guide). In the next section, we will explain all the forms, documents and filing fees you need.
3. Forms, Documents and Filing Fees
Now that we understand the concepts of the immigrant petition and the green card application, it’s time to party! The tables below list all the forms, documents and filing fees you need in order to complete the application[1] [2] [4] [5] [6] [7].
📜Forms
In this world, nothing is certain, except death, taxes, and forms.
Download your forms at the USCIS website. Make sure your printer has enough paper.
🔑 Application Part One: Establish Arnold’s Eligibility for A Green Card
Form I-130 – Petition for Alien Relatives [Maria to fill out]
No, this isn’t about your aunt Barb who claims to be an extraterrestrial 👽. Maria needs to fill out this form to confirm she is a U.S. citizen and Arnold is her husband. It asks for information about both Maria and Arnold.
Form I-130A – Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary [Arnold to fill out]
Enter Arnold’s information for a second time. Only this time it’s Arnold’s turn to fill it out.
Form G-1145 – e-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (optional) [Maria to fill out]
Ever dreamed of getting a ping from USCIS on the phone? 💌 Fill in this form to request an electronic notification when USCIS accepts the immigrant petition.
🌱 Application Part Two: Apply for Arnold’s Green Card
Form I-485 – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status [Arnold to fill out]
Arnold, please stretch your fingers. 🖐 You are about to enter your information for a third time here. And don’t forget the 66 check boxes at the end for questions such as “Does Arnold intend to sabotage the United States?”.
Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA [Maria to fill out]
Affi what? Who is David?🧜Well, it’s actually a form to show Arnold can financially support himself in the U.S. without government assistance. The simplest way to do so is if Maria can demonstrate that her income is at least 125 percent of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines for Maria’s household size (only 100 percent of the Guidelines if Maria is on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or U.S. Coast Guard). If this is not the case, the form instruction outlines other ways for Arnold and other relatives to chip in. Yeah… this form is definitely the most confusing one. So make sure to spend some time understanding the form instructions.🤷 If you are using GreenCardHero, we will guide you through this form step-by-step.
Form I-765 – Application for Employment Authorization (optional) [Arnold to fill out]
Arnold needs to do this form if he wants to work in the U.S.while his application is pending. (Arnold wants to continue his employment with Skyweb 😎, so he fills out the form.)
Form I-131 – Application for Travel Document (optional) [Arnold to fill out]
Arnold needs to do this form if he wants to travel outside of the U.S. while his application is pending. (Arnold needs to fly to Maluku to terminate a tasselled wobbegong 🐡, so he fills out the form.)
G-1145 – e-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (optional) [Arnold to fill out]
Fill in this form to request an electronic notification when USCIS accepts the green card application.
📄Documents
Forms and documents, like coffee and cream, work so much better when together.
Submit photocopies of documents instead of originals, unless USCIS Instructions specifically state that you must submit an original document.
🔑 Application Part One: Establish Arnold’s Eligibility for A Green Card
Arnold’s and Maria’s passport-style photos
Passport-style photos of both Arnold 🦊 (2 copies) and Maria 🐰(2 copies), taken within 30 days of filing the application
Proof of Maria’s U.S. citizenship
e.g. U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship, U.S birth certificate 🔖
Marriage papers
Current marriage certificate and prior marriage termination documents 📑
Evidence of Arnold and Maria’s joint activities
Documents that prove the marriage is real. 💑 For example, joint ownership of property, joint apartment lease, birth certificates of children you had together, photo collection.[1]
🌱Application Part Two: Apply for Arnold’s Green Card
Arnold’s passport-style photos
Passport-style photos of Arnold 🦊 (2 – 6 copies depending on the case), taken within 30 days of filing the application. Did you notice USCIS really loves immigrants’ photos?
Arnold’s birth certificate
Arnold’s birth certificate 🐣
Proof of Arnold’s immigration status
Evidence of continuously maintaining a lawful status since arrival in the U.S. 🤟
Arnold’s proof of financial support
E.g. (If Maria is Arnold’s financial sponsor in Form I-864) Maria’s pay stubs, Maria’s tax returns, Maria’s letter from employer🤑
Arnold’s medical examination result
Form I-693 – Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record . This form will be filled out by the doctor who provides you with the exam. At the end of the exam, the doctor will hand you the filled out Form I-693 in a sealed envelop. Do not open the envelope and mail it together with the rest of Application Part 2 to USCIS.) ⚕
🈷 Foreign Documents Translation:
If you submit a document with information in a foreign language, you also need to submit a full English translation. The translator should sign a certification that the English language translation is complete and accurate, and that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English. Here is an example certification for your download.
💰 Money Saving Tip:
You do not need to pay for a professional translation service to translate documents. For example, a friend who is competent to translate can satisfy the requirement.
💸USCIS Filing Fees
Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a free Green Card…
USCIS charges a total of $1,760 for filing fees, paid in two separate checks/ money orders. Make each check/ money order payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security”.
Filing fee for Form I-130
Filing fee for Form I-485 ($1,140) + Biometric services fee ($85), paid a total of $1,225 using one check/money order
For more information on payment, read the USCIS instructions.
4. How to Assemble and File the Application
We are all done with the hard part! Now let’s stuff this delicious paperwork feast in a hungry envelope! 📩
Submit in One Envelope, but as Two Packets
The immigrant petition and the green card application can be submitted together in the same envelope. This is called “concurrent filing” and is a special privilege given to U.S. citizens’ immediate relatives (including the spouse) who are already living in the U.S. [8]. Most other Green Card applicants have to patiently wait until the immigrant petition is approved by USCIS before submitting the green card application. So lucky you!
Even though these two parts are submitted together, USCIS processes them separately [8]. Therefore, to avoid grumpy USCIS agents, kindly organize the paperwork into two separate application packets.
Cover Each Packet with A Cover Letter
Time to organize, kids! USCIS recommends creating a cover letter for each application packet and placing the cover letter on top of the packet. A cover letter is essentially a table of contents of all the forms and documents contained within the packet. The cover letter helps you organize your papers, and also helps USCIS agents during their review.
GreenCardHero will create a customized cover letter for each of your application packet, making your submission fast and easy.
Stack It
Now stack your forms and documents in the order listed on the cover letters, and your application will be complete!
Mail It
Finally, it’s time to mail the entire application package! Place the two packets you have assembled in the previous section inside a single envelope, and mail the envelope to USCIS at the address below [10] [11].
USCIS Attn: AOS P.O. Box 805887 Chicago, IL 60680 OR USCIS Attn: AOS P.O. Box 20500 Phoenix, AZ 85036-0500
USCIS Attn: AOS (Box 805887) 131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor Chicago, IL 60603-5517 OR USCIS Attn: AOS (Box 20500) 1820 E. Skyharbor Circle S Suite 100 Phoenix, AZ 85034-4850
5. How to Catch Mistakes before Filing
Before I send this precious application that’s gonna decide my fate, how do I quadruple make sure it is all done right?
- First, take a deep breath. Hundreds of thousands of couples just like you apply for their Green Cards every year, and the vast majority get approved. The odds are on your side!
- Review each application form, document and cover letter.
- If you’re iffy about any particular section, try re-reading the form’s instructions for that section.
- If you’re still feeling antsy, consider hiring an immigration lawyer to review your completed application. An application review is affordable, usually costs under $300. In contrast, hiring a lawyer to do the whole application for you can cost $5,000 and up.
6. The Timeline after Filing
Yay, you filed! The hardest part is officially behind us! Now we move on to the second – and final – step of the process: “Game of Groans”. The groans are caused by prolonged waiting: once in a while, your application reaches a milestone and you receive a USCIS communication, and then you wait some more, until you receive a notice for a Green Card interview. Eventually, you will receive that gorgeous Green Card in the mail.
This timeline explains what happens after filing the Green Card application:
Around 2-3 Weeks after Filing
USCIS Receipt Notices Arrive
For each form you submit in the application, you will receive a receipt notice from USCIS. Each receipt notice contains a case number. You can use these case numbers to track your case status with the USCIS Case Status Checker.
Around 3-5 Weeks after Filing
Biometrics Appointment Notice Arrives for the Applicant
The biometrics services appointment is a quick, low stress procedure where the USCIS takes the applicant’s fingerprints, photograph, and/or signature. This helps USCIS confirm the applicant’s identity and run required background and security checks.1
The appointment will be at a local USCIS Application Support Center (ASC). The applicant’s appointment notice will include the date, time and location for the appointment.2
Around 4-6 Weeks after Filing
The Applicant Goes to the Biometrics Appointment
Attend the scheduled biometrics services appointment. You can learn more about what it’s like on the USCIS website.
Around 3 Months after Filing
Employment Authorization Document (EAD) Card Arrives for the Applicant
If the applicant filled out the optional forms in Step 1 for employment and travel authorization (Forms I-765 and I-131), the applicant will receive an approval notice and an EAD card in the mail. With an EAD card, the applicant can work in the U.S. and/or travel outside the U.S. while the application is pending.
Around 4-10 Months after Filing
Interview Notice Arrives for the Sponsor and Applicant
USCIS will schedule an in-person interview and mail an interview notice. Both the applicant and the sponsor need to attend. The interview notice will contain instructions on what supporting documents to bring to the interview.
Around 1-2 Months after Receiving Interview Notice
The Sponsor and Applicant Go to Green Card Interview
The interview is an opportunity for USCIS to verify the information provided in your application, to discover new information, and to determine the credibility of the applicant.3
During the interview, a USCIS officer will ask the applicant a series of questions to confirm that the applicant:
- Never committed a crime
- Hasn’t defrauded the U.S. government
- Hasn’t been deported
- Has no serious diseases
- The marriage is real
- Has financial support
Read our guide on how to prepare and what to expect at the interview.
Around 1-2 Months after Completing Interview
Green Card Arrives in the Mail! 🎉
Congratulations! You have made it!
While you are waiting, it is important to keep on top of immigration policy changes. Especially starting from Trump’s presidency, immigration policies change almost every month.
7. How to Track Processing Time
USCIS Case Status Checker is the official tool for checking your case status. Enter all the case numbers printed on the receipt notices you received, then the tool will display the processing status of each form in your particular case.
You may also use the official USCIS Case Processing Times Checker to see the current processing time of each form, so that you can anticipate when your case status will change. The processing time has been steadily increasing since Trump became president in 2017, and it varies significantly depending on where you live. The tool shows the processing time range for each form type at different USCIS office locations.
How to Preserve Sanity During the Wait
Based on my personal experience, the long wait can get very frustrating – feeling suspended in uncertainty is not fun. Unfortunately, none of us can speed up processing speed (except President Trump perhaps?).
I found it helpful to join an online immigration forum and feel like part of a community that is going through this together. I also found it helpful to keep myself engaged with other activities in life, so I wouldn’t think about “the G” (“g” from Green Card) that much.
Ultimately, the time will come when a fateful USPS letter arrives in your mailbox. You pick it up and feel a thin and sturdy object inside, perfectly rectangular with slight rounded edges. You carefully open the envelope, and there it is – a Green Card, shrouded in an ornate tapestry and soft hues; through a fine layer of misty Atlantic fog, the statue of liberty greets you with a gorgeous smile. This journey has made you older and wiser, and congratulations, you’ve now got the key to America!
| [1] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary,” 27 Feb 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-130instr.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [2] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Instructions for Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,” 13 Dec 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-485instr.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [3] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “USCIS Processing Time,” [Online]. Available: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [4] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Instructions for Application for Employment Authorization,” 31 May 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-765instr.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [5] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Instructions for Application for Travel Document,” 23 Dec 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-131instr.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [6] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “e-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance,” 26 Sept 2014. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1145. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [7] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Instructions for Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA,” 6 Mar 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-864instr.pdf. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [8] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Concurrent Filing of Form I-485,” [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/concurrent-filing-form-i-485. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [9] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Form Filing Tips,” [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
| [10] | Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, “Direct Filing Addressepars for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative,” [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/i-130-addresses. |
| [11] | Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, “Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status,” [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485-addresses. |
| [12] | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “While Your Green Card Application is Pending with USCIS,” [Online]. Available: https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/while-application-is-pending. [Accessed 26 Nov 2018]. |
Related Posts
- https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-information/preparing-your-biometric-services-appointment
- https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-information/preparing-your-biometric-services-appointment
- https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-to-expand-in-person-interview-requirements-for-certain-permanent-residency-applicants