When couples begin researching a green card through marriage, they often assume there is a single application that leads directly to permanent residence. In reality, the process usually involves two separate legal steps that work together. Most people discover this fairly quickly — and then start wondering how the two parts relate to each other, what order they occur in, and what milestones to expect along the way. This article explains how the marriage green card process wor

For couples already living in the United States, Adjustment of Status (AOS)  is the main process used to apply for a marriage-based green card  without leaving the country. Adjustment of Status allows certain eligible people who are already in the United States to apply for permanent residence from inside the country rather than completing the immigration process abroad. In marriage-based immigration cases, this process usually works together with a family-based petition file

In This Guide: - What a Marriage Green Card Means - Marriage Immigration in the United States - Who Can Qualify for a Green Card Through Marriage - Marriage Green Card Requirements at a High Level - Marriage Green Card vs. Spouse Visa - The Two Main Paths - Major Steps in the Marriage Green Card Process - What Forms Are Usually Filed - Proving the Marriage Is Real - Marriage Green Card Timeline at a Glance - Marriage Green Card Cost at a Glance - The Interview, at a High Leve

When a couple starts a marriage-based green card case, one form usually shows up right away: Form I-130. That can be confusing at first. Some people assume it is the green card application itself. Others think the immigrant spouse files it. And once Form I-485 enters the picture, everything can start to feel like one large package instead of separate parts with separate jobs. That is exactly why this page matters. The I-130 petition for alien relative is the part of the case