Marriage green card: I-130, I-130A, I-485 and I-864
Your marriage green card package, prepared and checked before you file
A marriage green card for the spouse of a U.S. citizen who is already in the United States usually means four forms: the I-130 petition, the I-130A, the I-485 application and the I-864 Affidavit of Support. You both answer once, we fill the forms and check them against each other, and you read the report before you pay.
No account, no card. Money-back guarantee.
- Up to 60 pre-filing checks
- Add-ons: work permit and travel document
- Money-back guarantee
Last updated
- $299Base package
- 60 + 6Maximum pre-filing checks
- I-765
I-131Work permit and travel add-ons - 100%Money-back guarantee
BEFORE YOU FILE
This package is for a spouse who is already in the United States and entered lawfully. If your spouse lives abroad, the petition goes on its own and the green card is finished at a U.S. consulate. If you are married to a green card holder instead of a citizen, the rules and the wait are different.
Build your package
Start with the green card package. Add work and travel if you need them.
You choose add-ons in the app after you sign up. They start unticked, and you can skip both. Each one reuses the answers you already gave and has its own fixed add-on price.
- 01
Green card package: Form I-130 and Form I-485
The family petition and the green card application, plus Form I-130A and Form I-864 when your case needs them. Includes the pre-filing report, one document list, and filing instructions.
$299 BASE PACKAGE - 02
Work permit (Form I-765)
Lets your relative start working while the green card application is pending. We prepare the (c)(9) work permit from answers you have already given. The USCIS fee is separate.
+ $69 ADD-ON - 03
Travel document (Form I-131)
Advance parole lets your relative leave the U.S. and come back while the I-485 is pending. Leaving without it can end the application. Filed with the work permit, both can arrive on one combo card. The USCIS fee is separate.
+ $69 ADD-ON
Which route is yours
The marriage green card has two routes
Where your spouse lives, and whether you are a citizen or a green card holder, decides the forms. Our questions work out which route fits.
- 01
Your spouse is in the U.S. and entered lawfully
Spouses of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives, so no visa number is needed. You file the I-130 petition, the I-130A, the I-485 application and the I-864 together, in one packet.
THE PACKAGE WE PREPARECheck eligibility - 02
Your spouse lives abroad
There is no I-485 in this case. You file the I-130 and the I-130A alone, and your spouse finishes the process through the National Visa Center and a U.S. consulate.
I-130 AND I-130A ONLYSee the I-130 on its own - 03
You are a green card holder, not a citizen
A green card holder can petition for a spouse, but the spouse waits for a visa number in the F2A category. Concurrent filing is open only when the date is current.
F2A CATEGORYRead about the F2A visa - 04
Your spouse did not enter lawfully, or has a court case
Entering without inspection, or an open immigration court case, can limit adjustment of status. An overstay on its own does not stop the spouse of a citizen from adjusting. Our questions flag these, and some of them belong with an immigration attorney first.
GET LEGAL ADVICE FIRSTCheck eligibility
What you get
Every form your green card case needs, made to agree
The sponsor and the relative each answer their own questions. We produce the forms, the checks, and one document list for the whole package.
- THE POINT OF IT
One set of answers fills every form
Names, dates, addresses and marriage details go in once. They fill the I-130, the I-485 and the supplements, plus the work permit and travel document if you add them. The forms cannot drift apart.
Up to 60 checks before you file
We check each form on its own, then compare the relationship and marriage details on the petition with the application. You see every result before you pay.
I-130A and I-864, added when they apply
A spouse petition needs Form I-130A. Most family cases need the Affidavit of Support on Form I-864. Your answers decide, and we prepare the ones your case needs.
One document list for the whole package
The sponsor's proof of status, the relationship evidence, the medical exam, the sponsor's tax records, and what the add-ons need, in a single list built from your answers.
How it works
Prepare your marriage green card package in four steps
You and your spouse each have your own questions. Your answers save as you go.
Check that you qualify
Answer a few questions about your citizenship, your marriage and where your spouse lives. It is free and needs no account.
Answer for the petitioner and the spouse
The U.S. citizen covers status, income and the marriage. The spouse covers how they entered the country, their history and their background.
Read your report
Every check across the package: what passed, what needs attention and how to fix it. You have not paid yet.
Gather proof and file
Your document list includes evidence that the marriage is real. Then mail the packet, or file the I-130 online first and the I-485 after the receipt notice arrives.
Pre-filing audit
See every check before you file
Every packet runs through up to 60 checks: 46 on the petition and the application, 2 on Form I-130A for spouse petitions, and 12 on Form I-864 when your case needs one. The work permit add-on brings 2 more checks and the travel document add-on 4 more. You see the full report before you pay.
Form I-130: the sponsor and the petition
- Petitioner status, citizen or green card holder
- Petitioner age threshold
- Citizenship basis and proof
- Qualifying relationship category
- Green card holder petition limits
- Prior petition history
- Petitioner name consistency
- Beneficiary name consistency
- Petitioner five-year address history
Form I-130: marriage and family
- Spouse marital status consistency
- Prior marriages legally ended
- Evidence the marriage is real
- Marriage timing and conditional residence
- Stepchild marriage timing
- Beneficiary age and age-out risk
- Family birth dates that make sense together
- Location against adjustment of status
- Removal or deportation proceedings
The petition against the application
- Marriage details match on both forms
- Relationship matches on both forms
Form I-130A, for spouse petitions
- Beneficiary five-year address history
- Beneficiary five-year employment history
Form I-485: eligibility and category
- Category matches your petition status
- Inspected, admitted or paroled, or 245(i)
- Lawful status maintained under 245(c)
- Derivative filing allowed in your category
- J-1 and J-2 two-year home residence under 212(e)
- Prior permanent residence not rescinded
- One-year physical presence for asylees and refugees
Form I-485: family, marriage and age
- Marital status consistent across the form
- Prior marriages legally ended
- K-1 marriage inside the 90-day window
- Child status and age-out risk under CSPA
- Automatic citizenship heads-up for a child
Form I-485: admissibility and background
- Criminal history grounds
- Security and terrorism grounds
- Unlawful acts and immigration violations
- Fraud or misrepresentation
- Military and other grounds
- Removal or immigration court history
- Travel while pending and advance parole
- Medical exam on Form I-693 still valid
Form I-485: public charge and history
- Affidavit of Support required or exempt
- Public charge questions complete or correctly skipped
- Five-year address history with no gaps
- Five-year employment history with no gaps
Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support
- Sponsor income against the 125% poverty guidelines
- Sponsor meets the age requirement
- Sponsor is domiciled in the United States
- Household size counted correctly
- Joint sponsor income is enough
- Household member income added correctly on I-864A
- Assets cover any income shortfall
- Right tax year and transcripts attached
- Sponsor employment and income source disclosed
- Sponsored relatives match the petition
- Sponsored children listed consistently
- Sponsor Social Security number disclosed
Add-on: work permit, Form I-765
- Category (c)(9) for a work permit filed with Form I-485
- Initial, renewal or replacement chosen correctly
Add-on: travel document, Form I-131
- Advance parole fits the rest of the package
- Departure date leaves time for the document
- Unlawful presence before you travel
- Immigration court history
Form integrity
- Required fields complete
- Field content validation
Compare your options
Three ways to prepare your adjustment of status package
A concurrent filing is up to six forms that have to agree with each other. This is who does that work in each case.
Swipe to compare all three
| Feature | Do it yourself | Immiva | Traditional immigration attorney |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay to prepare it | Free | $299 | $3,000–$10,000+ |
| Form I-130, the family petition | YesThe blank USCIS form, free to download | YesFilled in from the sponsor's answers | YesFilled in for you |
| Form I-485, the green card application | YesThe blank USCIS form, free to download | YesFilled in from the relative's answers | YesFilled in for you |
| Form I-130A, for a spouse | NoA third form, if you work out that you need it | YesAdded for spouse cases, filled from the same answers | YesFilled in for you |
| Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support | NoA fourth form, and a poverty-guideline table to read | YesPrepared, with the household size and income math done | YesPrepared for you |
| Which forms your case needs | NoYou read four sets of instructions to decide | YesDecided from your answers | YesThey decide |
| Keeping every form consistent | NoYou retype names, dates and addresses on each form | YesEntered once, then compared across the forms | YesThey cross-check |
| Inadmissibility questions on the I-485 | NoYou read and interpret them alone | YesChecked against the rest of your answers | YesReviewed with you |
| Error checking | NoNone. You find out from the rejection notice | YesUp to 60 checks, shown before you pay | YesA person reads it |
| Work permit and travel document | NoTwo more forms, each with its own instructions | YesOptional add-ons, filled from the same answers | YesFilled in for you |
| Document list | NoSeveral overlapping checklists to reconcile | YesOne list covering the whole packet | YesTailored to you |
| Filing by mail or online | NoYou work out the route and the order yourself | YesSteps for the route you choose | YesThey file for you |
| What it costs you upfront | YesNothing | Yes$299 for the base package, after you see the report | NoA retainer before anything starts |
Your complete green card package
Form I-130, Form I-485, Form I-130A and Form I-864 where they apply, the pre-filing report, one document list, and filing instructions.
$299One price for the base package. The work permit and travel document are optional add-ons, each at its own add-on price. USCIS filing fees are separate and paid to the government.
Covered by a money-back guarantee. Read the guarantee terms
Common questions
Marriage green card questions, answered
What couples ask before they start.
The U.S. citizen files Form I-130, with Form I-130A for the spouse, to prove the marriage. A spouse already in the United States can send Form I-485 at the same time, with the Affidavit of Support on Form I-864. A spouse living abroad does not file an I-485. They finish at a U.S. consulate after the petition is approved.
It is permanent residence granted because you are married to a U.S. citizen or a green card holder. A citizen spouse is an immediate relative, which means there is no yearly cap and no waiting line for a visa number. A green card holder spouse is in a numbered category, and the spouse waits for a visa to become available. Read about the F2A visa
Yes. You file Form I-130 and Form I-130A with USCIS, and after approval the case moves to the National Visa Center and then to a U.S. consulate for an interview. The I-485 is only for a spouse who is physically in the United States. See the I-130 on its own
Expect an interview. USCIS interviews adjustment applicants unless it waives the interview in your case, and normally asks the petitioning spouse to attend. If your spouse is abroad, they attend an immigrant visa interview at the consulate. The officer may ask about the marriage and the forms: how you met, where you live, and everyday details of your life together. Answer honestly, bring the originals of your evidence, and make sure your answers match your forms.
You send your marriage certificate and proof that any earlier marriage ended. You also send evidence that the marriage is real, such as a shared lease or mortgage, joint accounts, insurance, photos over time, children’s birth certificates, and sworn statements from people who know you both. Newer marriages draw closer attention, so stronger evidence helps. Read the bona fide marriage evidence guide
Form I-130 covers you and your relationship, and Form I-130A collects your spouse’s address and work history. Both go in together, along with proof of your citizenship, your marriage certificate and the evidence of a real marriage. We fill both forms from the same answers and compare them. See the I-130 documents checklist
It changes with the USCIS office, the year and your situation, so we do not quote a number here. USCIS publishes current times for each form and office on its Check Case Processing Times page. An approved I-130 and a decided I-485 are two decisions, and you receive a notice for each. Read about I-130 processing time
Not always. If you have been married less than two years on the day your spouse becomes a permanent resident, the card is conditional and lasts two years. You then file Form I-751 together to remove the conditions. See the I-751
Immiva's fee for the base package is $299, paid once, after you have seen the report. USCIS fees are separate and go to the government. Our cost calculator shows the current USCIS fee for each form. Use the green card cost calculator
Green card guides
Read this before you file
How each form works, what to send, and what happens while you wait.
- I-130 Petition for Alien Relative: 2026 Complete GuideWho can file, who you can sponsor, evidence, fees, and timing. Written in plain English.I-130 guide
- I-485 Complete Guide: Adjustment of Status to Green Card (2026)Who can adjust, the steps, evidence, fees, and timing, in plain English.I-485 guide
- I-130 for Spouse: Bona-Fide Marriage Evidence ExplainedWhat USCIS officers look for, ranked by evidence strength, and how to handle short-marriage scrutiny.Spouse
- Form I-864 for I-485: Income Requirements and Sponsor RulesWho needs a sponsor, the income thresholds, and how joint sponsors work.Affidavit of Support
- I-130 Priority Dates & the Visa Bulletin ExplainedHow priority dates work, how to read the visa bulletin, and when your category becomes current.Visa Bulletin
- Working and Traveling While I-485 Is Pending: EAD and Advance ParoleHow the combo card works and when it’s safe to leave the country.Work & Travel
- Green Card Cost CalculatorThe current USCIS fee for every form in your package, including the work permit and travel document.Cost calculator
Related pages
Other routes to a family green card
Your situation may point to a different petition.