# What documents do you need for a marriage green card? > The four document piles of a marriage green card: status, marriage, bona fide evidence, I-864 financials — and the translation rule that trips filings. Canonical: https://www.popimmigration.com/guides/marriage-green-card-documents Publisher: Pop Immigration (https://www.popimmigration.com) Last reviewed: 2026-07-19 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. ## 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. ## Frequently asked questions ### 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. ## Sources - USCIS — I-130; I-485 (forms + instructions): https://www.uscis.gov/i-130 - USCIS — I-130/I-485 instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/i-485 - USCIS — I-130 instructions: https://www.uscis.gov/i-130 - USCIS — I-130 instructions (bona fide evidence): https://www.uscis.gov/i-130 - USCIS — I-864, Affidavit of Support (instructions): https://www.uscis.gov/i-864 - 8 CFR § 103.2(b)(3); approved deck claims; G-1055 fee policy: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/section-103.2 --- Pop Immigration is an educational and organizational tool, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. HTML version: https://www.popimmigration.com/guides/marriage-green-card-documents