Typical Marriage Green Card Timeline

Every case is different, but most marriage-based green card cases filed through adjustment of status follow a similar overall timeline. If you are just getting started, you may want to review our main marriage green card page for an overview of eligibility, forms, and evidence. You can also see how USCIS describes the adjustment process on its website.

In a typical case, USCIS issues receipt notices a few weeks after you file, schedules biometrics within the first few months, and then processes work and travel authorization while the main case is pending. The marriage-based green card interview at the local field office often takes place many months after filing, and it is common for the entire process to take a year or longer from filing to decision, especially in busy field offices such as Chicago.

The outline below describes the usual sequence of events in a marriage-based adjustment of status case. It is a general guide only and does not guarantee any particular processing time or result.

What Is the Step-by-Step Process for a Marriage-Based Green Card?

Step-by-Step Marriage Green Card Timeline

This marriage green card timeline explains the basic steps most couples follow when they apply for a green card through marriage while living in the United States. You prepare the forms and evidence, file the packet, go to biometrics, wait for work and travel authorization, attend the marriage interview, and then get a decision. Times can change based on the field office, background checks, and USCIS workload, but the overall process is similar for most couples filing in the Chicago area.

In this marriage green card timeline, we assume the foreign-born spouse is already in the United States and is applying for a green card through adjustment of status based on marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident:

1. Gather required forms and supporting documents
   Before filing, you and your spouse should collect the forms and documents you will need. This usually includes civil documents (birth certificates, marriage certificate, and divorce decrees if needed), identity documents, proof of the petitioner’s U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, financial information for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and evidence of a bona fide marriage. Taking time to organize the packet clearly at this stage can help reduce delays and follow-up requests from USCIS.
2. File the I-130 and I-130A
   In most cases, the U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and the foreign spouse completes Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary. These forms can be filed together with the I-485 in a “one-step” filing, or the I-130 can be filed first and the I-485 filed later if needed. The I-130 package focuses on the qualifying relationship and proof that the marriage is real, not just a way to get a green card.
3. Submit the I-485 application package
   Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is the main application for the green card. It is usually filed with supporting documents such as photos, the immigration medical exam (often on
   Form I-693), proof of lawful entry or eligibility to adjust, and updated evidence of a bona fide marriage. Many couples also include Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (for work permission) and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document (for advance parole travel permission) in the same packet so that USCIS can process everything together.
4. Receive receipt notices and attend the biometrics appointment
   After filing, USCIS will mail receipt notices with case numbers for each form. Next, the applicant will be scheduled for a biometrics appointment at an Application Support Center. At biometrics, USCIS will take fingerprints, a photograph, and a signature for background checks and identity verification. This step is usually short but very important, and missing or rescheduling biom