What documents do you need for a marriage green card?
A marriage green card file is four piles of paper: who you both are, that the marriage is valid, that it is real, and that the sponsor can support it. The I-130 and I-485 instructions carry the controlling checklists; this page organizes their categories so the file gets built once, correctly. Every claim is cited; this is general process description, not advice about any individual case.
Pile one: status and identity
The petitioner proves citizenship or permanent residence; the beneficiary's side includes the birth certificate, passport pages, and the arrival record where applicable — the identity and status items the instructions list as initial evidence.
Pile two: the marriage itself
The marriage certificate — plus proof that every prior marriage of either spouse ended: divorce decrees, annulments, or death certificates. A file that documents the current marriage but not a prior one's ending is a classic Request-for-Evidence generator.
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Pile three: that the marriage is real
Bona fide evidence spans joint finances, shared residence, children together where applicable, and affidavits from people who know the couple. The instructions describe the categories; the strongest files cover several categories rather than stacking one.
Pile four: the sponsor's financials
The I-864's documentary showing generally includes the most recent federal tax return or IRS transcript and evidence of current income, per its instructions — the affidavit itself costs nothing to file, but arrives only as strong as its documents.
The rule that trips whole filings
Any document in a foreign language needs a full certified English translation — completeness, accuracy, and the translator's competence, certified. Untranslated documents are a known trigger for Requests for Evidence and returned packages, and filing fees are generally not refunded when a package comes back.
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What are the main document categories for a marriage green card?
Four: status/identity documents, the marriage documents (including prior-marriage terminations), bona fide marriage evidence, and the sponsor's I-864 financial documents. The I-130/I-485 instructions carry the controlling lists.
What counts as proof the marriage is real?
Joint finances, shared residence, children together where applicable, and affidavits from people who know the couple — the categories the I-130 instructions describe.
What financial documents does the sponsor need?
Generally the most recent federal tax return or IRS transcript plus evidence of current income, per the I-864 instructions.
Do foreign documents need translation?
Yes — a full certified English translation for anything not in English; untranslated documents trigger RFEs and returned packages.
What if a prior marriage isn't documented as ended?
The file must show every prior marriage of either spouse ended — missing termination documents are a classic Request-for-Evidence trigger.