How to get a green card through marriage
A marriage-based green card is the most common family immigration case — and one of the easiest to get wrong, because it is really two forms, an affidavit of support, an evidence file, and an interview that all have to agree with each other. This page describes the whole process with every factual claim cited to a primary source: the two paths, the real government fees, the forms, the evidence, and what happens after approval. It describes the process in general terms only; it is not advice about any individual case.
The two paths: adjusting in the U.S. or consular processing
A couple already in the United States generally uses adjustment of status: Form I-130 (the family petition) and Form I-485 (the green card application) — for a spouse of a U.S. citizen, the two are often filed together as one package. A spouse abroad goes through consular processing: the I-130 first, then the Department of State's immigrant visa stage and an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
Spouses of U.S. citizens are immediate relatives — a visa number is always available, so there is no Visa Bulletin waiting line. Spouses of green-card holders are in the F-2A preference category, which the monthly Visa Bulletin governs.
What the government fees actually are
Under the current USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055), the core fees for a spouse adjusting status in the U.S. are $675 for the I-130 and $1,440 for the I-485 — $2,115 on paper. The I-130 can be filed online for $625, but a family-based I-485 cannot be filed online — it goes on paper to a USCIS lockbox at the full $1,440. Filing the I-130 online and the I-485 on paper brings the core total to $2,065.
Two optional filings are no longer free with the I-485: a work permit while the case is pending (Form I-765) costs $260, and a travel document (advance parole, Form I-131) costs $630. A paper case filed with both comes to $3,005 in government fees. USCIS fees change periodically — before filing, verify current amounts on the official USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) at uscis.gov/g-1055.
None of this includes what filing help costs. An immigration attorney for this kind of case typically runs $3,000–$8,000 in legal fees on top; software-guided self-filing like Pop Immigration is $197–$697 one-time. The fee comparison has its own page — see the cost breakdown in the related guides.
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The forms in the packet
Form I-130 establishes the marriage relationship. Form I-485 is the spouse's own green card application. Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support, is the sponsor's financial undertaking — it has no filing fee of its own, and the sponsor must generally show income at or above 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (100% for certain active-duty military sponsors). The optional I-765 and I-131 cover work and travel while the case is pending.
Proving the marriage is real
USCIS looks for evidence that the marriage is bona fide — genuinely a shared life, not entered for immigration. The I-130 instructions describe the categories: joint finances, shared residence, children together where applicable, and affidavits from people who know the couple. Any document in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
This evidence file is where marriage cases are won quietly or slowed loudly: USCIS issues a Request for Evidence when the record does not tell a complete story.
What filing wrong costs
USCIS returns entire filing packages over one missing form — the filing fees are not refunded, and the case loses months. With $2,115 or more of government fees in the envelope, the paperwork itself is the cheapest thing in the case and the most expensive thing to get wrong.
The interview
Marriage-based applicants are generally interviewed, and USCIS may question both spouses about the relationship — how it started, the shared household, the details two people who live together would know. The interview is a normal part of the process, and it is rehearsable.
After approval: the two-year condition
A spouse approved while the marriage is under two years old receives conditional residence. The couple then generally files Form I-751, the petition to remove conditions, in the 90 days before the two-year card expires. Case status along the way can be checked online, and USCIS publishes current processing-time estimates; this page does not claim any specific timeframe.
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How much does a marriage green card cost in government fees?
Under the current G-1055 schedule: $2,115 on paper for the core I-130 + I-485 ($2,065 if the I-130 is filed online — the family-based I-485 itself cannot be filed online). A pending-case work permit adds $260 and advance parole adds $630 — $3,005 for a full paper packet. Attorney fees, if any, are separate: typically $3,000–$8,000. Fees change — verify current amounts at uscis.gov/g-1055.
Can the I-130 and I-485 be filed together?
For a spouse of a U.S. citizen — an immediate relative — the two forms are often filed together as one package. Spouses of green-card holders are in the F-2A preference category, which the Visa Bulletin governs.
Is there an income requirement?
The sponsor files Form I-864 (no fee) and must generally show income at or above 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines — 100% for certain active-duty military sponsors. USCIS publishes the current figures on the I-864P page.
Is there an interview?
Generally yes. USCIS may question both spouses about the relationship and the shared household.
When is an attorney the right choice instead?
Criminal history, prior deportation or removal proceedings, prior denials, or complex admissibility issues are the classic reasons to hire counsel rather than self-file. Straightforward cases are what guided self-filing is built for.