What Forms Do I Need to Get Married and Sponsor My Spouse for a Green Card?
Sponsoring a spouse for a U.S. green card generally involves six USCIS forms: I-130, I-130A, I-864, I-485 (or DS-260 for spouses living abroad), I-765, and I-131 — plus a medical exam documented on Form I-693. Which combination applies, and in what order, depends mainly on one thing: is the immigrating spouse already living in the United States, or applying from abroad?
This article walks through the full form list, the two main paths (adjustment of status vs. consular processing), and current 2026 costs. It explains what each form does — it doesn’t tell you which path or answers apply to your marriage.
The Two Paths: Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing
Adjustment of status is used when the immigrating spouse is already living in the United States. It centers on Form I-485, filed with USCIS.
Consular processing is used when the immigrating spouse lives outside the United States. It centers on Form DS-260, filed online through the National Visa Center and a U.S. embassy or consulate — a State Department process rather than a USCIS form, and outside what Passage Forms currently supports.
Both paths start the same way: with Form I-130.
The Forms, One by One
1. Form I-130 — Petition for Alien Relative
Filed by the U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse (the petitioner) to establish that a qualifying marriage exists. It’s the foundation every other form in this process builds on. 2026 fee: $675 paper / $625 online. Full explainer: What Is Form I-130?
2. Form I-130A — Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
Filed alongside I-130 when the beneficiary is a spouse. It collects additional biographic and address history about the immigrating spouse to support the I-130 petition. There’s no separate filing fee for I-130A — it’s submitted as part of the I-130 package.
3. Form I-864 — Affidavit of Support
The petitioner’s binding financial sponsorship commitment for their spouse. Required in nearly all marriage-based cases. No separate USCIS filing fee; submitted as part of the broader application package. Full explainer: What Is Form I-864?
4. Form I-485 — Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
Used only when the immigrating spouse is already in the U.S. This is the actual green card application. In many spouse cases, it can be filed at the same time as I-130 (“concurrent filing”) rather than waiting for I-130 approval first. 2026 fee: $1,440, with no online discount. Full explainer: What Is Form I-485?
5. Form I-765 — Application for Employment Authorization
Optional but commonly filed alongside or after I-485, so the immigrating spouse can request work authorization while the green card case is pending. 2026 fee: $260, typically included at no additional cost when filed concurrently with I-485. Full explainer: What Is Form I-765?
6. Form I-131 — Application for Travel Document
Optional but commonly filed alongside I-485 to request advance parole, so the immigrating spouse can travel internationally without jeopardizing the pending green card case. 2026 fee: $630, typically included at no additional cost when filed concurrently with I-485. Full explainer: What Is Form I-131?
Also part of the process: Form I-693 (Medical Examination)
Most adjustment-of-status applicants also need a completed Form I-693, a medical examination and vaccination record filled out by an authorized civil surgeon (not something you fill out yourself). It’s a required part of the I-485 package for most applicants, but it isn’t a form Passage Forms currently supports, since it must be completed directly by a civil surgeon rather than through a guided questionnaire.
What It Costs in 2026 (Adjustment of Status Path)
| Form | 2026 USCIS Fee |
|---|---|
| I-130 | $675 (paper) / $625 (online) |
| I-130A | Included with I-130 — no separate fee |
| I-864 | No separate fee — submitted with the package |
| I-485 | $1,440 |
| I-765 | $260, often included free when concurrent with I-485 |
| I-131 | $630, often included free when concurrent with I-485 |
For a spouse already in the U.S. filing I-765 and I-131 concurrently with I-485, the government filing fees total roughly $2,115–$2,340, depending on whether I-130 is filed on paper or online. These are USCIS filing fees only — they don’t include the medical exam fee charged by the civil surgeon, translation costs, or any other service.
How Long Does the Marriage Green Card Process Take in 2026?
Reporting through 2026 has cited a wide range for marriage-based cases — commonly somewhere between about 12 and 33 months depending on filing location and whether the sponsoring spouse is a U.S. citizen or a green card holder, with some individual field offices reporting considerably longer average waits for I-130 specifically. Because timelines vary this much by office and category, USCIS’s own processing time tool is the most reliable current reference for a specific situation.
What Changed in 2026 Worth Knowing
Legal commentary in 2026 has described a shift toward treating adjustment of status more explicitly as a discretionary benefit, alongside more consistently applied interview requirements. None of this removes the marriage-based green card path — a U.S. citizen or green card holder can still file I-130 for a spouse, and immediate relatives of U.S. citizens aren’t subject to annual visa caps the way some other categories are. But it does mean an I-130 approval, by itself, isn’t a guarantee of what happens at the I-485 stage. We cover this in more detail in What Is Form I-485?.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the very first form I need to get married and sponsor my spouse? Form I-130, filed by the U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse, is the starting point for both the adjustment-of-status and consular-processing paths.
Can I file all the marriage-based forms at the same time? In many cases where the spouse is already in the U.S., I-130, I-485, I-864, I-765, and I-131 can be filed together as one package (concurrent filing). Whether that applies to a specific situation depends on the immigrating spouse’s current status.
Do I need a lawyer to file these forms? Passage Forms is not a law firm and doesn’t provide legal advice. Many people file these forms on their own; others choose to work with a licensed immigration attorney, particularly for more complex situations. That choice is yours to make.
How much do all the marriage green card forms cost together in 2026? Roughly $2,115–$2,340 in USCIS filing fees for the adjustment-of-status path, not counting the medical exam or other incidental costs.
What if my spouse lives outside the United States? That’s consular processing, which uses Form DS-260 through the National Visa Center rather than Form I-485. I-130, I-864, and the medical exam are still part of that path, but I-485 is not.
Passage Forms is not a law firm and we are not lawyers. We do not give legal advice and we are not affiliated with USCIS or any other government agency. This article explains what each form does — it does not tell you which forms apply to your marriage, what your answers should be, or predict an outcome. If you want advice about your specific situation, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative.