Marriage-Based Green Card Process: Steps, Interview and Timeline

Author: Yuliia Bondarenko

Last updated: 22 October 2026

If the husband or wife of a U.S. citizen entered the country lawfully, they can get a green card without leaving – by filing the I-130 petition and the I-485 application in one package. According to USCIS, half of family-based I-485 applications decided in April – June 2026 took 7 months or less. Below – what goes into the package, how to work and travel while you wait, what the interview checks and which card you get at the end. For pricing and what we handle, see our marriage green card page.

Marriage green card steps and timeline

Step	How long	Outcome
1. I-130 + I-485 package	filed together	receipt notices
2. Work and travel	I-765 median 6.4 mo, advance parole 5.8 mo	work permit, travel document
3. Interview	usually scheduled, can be waived	decision on I-485
4. Green card	family-based I-485 median 7 mo	2-year conditional or regular card
5. Removing conditions	last 90 days before the card expires	green card without conditions

The medians come from the USCIS quarterly report for April – June 2026. USCIS does not publish a separate figure for marriage cases – the I-485 number covers all family-based applications. Updates appear on the Immigration and Citizenship Data page.

Can you adjust status in the U.S.?

Check four things before you file. If any of them is unclear, talk it through with a lawyer first.

Lawful entry. Adjustment is open to people who were inspected and admitted or paroled at the border. Entry without inspection is a separate situation decided case by case.

Marriage to a citizen. The spouse of a U.S. citizen is an immediate relative, so there is no visa queue. An overstay or unauthorized work generally does not block adjustment for an immediate relative who entered lawfully. Spouses of green card holders do not get this exception and must first wait for their Visa Bulletin date.

When you married. If someone entered on a visitor visa and within 90 days married and applied for a green card, consular rules allow a presumption that they misrepresented the purpose of the trip. It is not a ban, but be ready to explain the timeline.

Sponsor’s income. The citizen signs Form I-864 and shows income of at least 125% of the poverty guidelines – $27,050 a year for a household of two in the 48 contiguous states (I-864P, effective March 1, 2026). If income falls short, a joint sponsor can be added.

Two coffee cups, wedding rings and an envelope of documents on a kitchen table

Step 1. What goes into the package

The core is the citizen’s I-130 petition with Form I-130A and proof of the marriage, plus the foreign spouse’s I-485. Since September 18, 2026 USCIS accepts only the 09/18/26 edition of I-485 and rejects older versions. The I-485 includes the I-693 medical exam, completed by a civil surgeon and handed over in a sealed envelope.

The citizen adds Form I-864. Since October 1, 2026 only the 08/24/26 edition is accepted, and it authorizes USCIS to request the sponsor’s credit report. If the sponsor has a credit freeze, lift it in advance to avoid delays.

USCIS fees for paper filing are I-130 $675, I-485 $1,440, I-765 $260 and I-131 $630 – $3,005 in total. Filing I-130, I-485 and I-131 online costs $50 less each. The medical exam is paid to the doctor.

Step 2. Working and traveling while you wait

Along with I-485 you file I-765 for a work permit and I-131 for advance parole. Medians for April – June 2026 were 6.4 months for adjustment-based work permits and 5.8 months for advance parole.

Do not leave the U.S. without advance parole while I-485 is pending – the application is generally treated as abandoned. Exceptions exist for certain work statuses only, so check before you book a trip.

Not sure adjustment of status works for you?

Tell us how and when you entered. A lawyer will say whether you can file from inside the U.S.

Message us

Step 3. The interview

In marriage cases USCIS usually interviews both spouses, though it can waive the interview. The officer compares your answers with the file and looks at whether the marriage is genuine. A joint lease or property, shared accounts, children together and sworn statements from people who know you make the strongest case.

What helps at the interview

the same address on your documents
joint accounts and insurance
statements from friends with full details
matching dates on every form

What raises questions

marrying and filing within 90 days of entering on a visitor visa
photos but no shared documents
prior marriages without final papers
names and dates that don’t match

Step 4. The decision and which card you get

The median for family-based I-485 in April – June 2026 was 7 months. In the same quarter USCIS denied 12,240 of 66,918 family-based applications it decided, roughly one in five or six.

If you have been married less than two years on the day of approval, you receive a 2-year conditional green card. Married two years or more – a regular card without conditions.

If your spouse is still abroad

The route is different – an I-130 petition, the National Visa Center and an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The immigrant visa fee is $325 and the NVC Affidavit of Support review is $120. Spouses living in Canada are generally interviewed in Montreal. Details – on our US spouse visa CR-1 and IR-1 page.

Step 5. Two years later – removing conditions

A conditional card is replaced with a permanent one through Form I-751. You file it together in the 90 days before the card expires, and the fee is $750 by mail or $700 online. Miss that window and conditional status ends automatically. How to count the window and what to send is covered in how to remove conditions on a green card.

Three years after you became a permanent resident, if you have stayed married to and lived with your U.S. citizen spouse the whole time, you can apply to naturalize – see U.S. citizenship through marriage.

The key decision comes before filing – adjustment in the U.S. or consular processing. If anything about your entry or stay is unclear, show it to a lawyer before paying the fees, because a denied I-485 is not refunded.

Marriage green card FAQ

Can I marry on a visitor visa and apply for a green card?

The law does not prohibit it if your entry was lawful. But if the wedding and filing happen within 90 days of entry, consular rules allow a presumption that the purpose of the trip was misrepresented. Be ready to explain your timeline with documents.

Can I work while the case is pending?

Only once you have a work permit. It is requested on Form I-765 filed with I-485, and the fee in that case is $260. The median for April – June 2026 was 6.4 months.

Can I travel outside the U.S. while I-485 is pending?

Only with advance parole. Leaving without it generally means abandoning the I-485. Advance parole is requested on Form I-131 – $630 by mail or $580 online with a pending I-485.

Is the interview mandatory?

USCIS usually interviews both spouses but can waive it. Prepare anyway – your documents and answers need to match.

How much are the government fees in total?

By mail – I-130 $675, I-485 $1,440, I-765 $260, I-131 $630, for $3,005 in total, or $150 less online. The medical exam is paid to the doctor. Two years later – I-751, $750 by mail.