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Moving to the United States to live with your husband or wife is a big life step. The rules can look confusing, the forms feel endless, and the wait can test your patience. This guide keeps things plain and human. I’ll walk you through the types of spouse visas, the forms you’ll actually fill, the two different paths (inside the US vs. outside), the interview, work and travel permissions, and what happens after you get the green card. I’ll also add a clean FAQ and a clear disclaimer at the end. 

There are two main routes to a marriage-based green card:

  1. You’re outside the US → your case goes through the National Visa Center (NVC) and the US embassy/consulate. You apply for an immigrant visa (this is the classic IR1/CR1 route). When you land in the US with that visa, you become a permanent resident.
  2. You’re inside the US and eligible → you adjust status with USCIS. You file the family petition and a green-card application package from inside the country. While you wait, you can usually get a work permit and travel document.

Both paths start with evidence that your marriage is real, legal, and ongoing. That’s the heart of the whole process.

All spouse-related options (what each one means)

1) IR1/CR1: Immigrant visa for the spouse of a US citizen

  • IR1 = “Immediate Relative” green card if you have been married 2 years or more at the time of approval.
  • CR1 = “Conditional Resident” if you were married less than 2 years at approval (you’ll later remove conditions).
  • This is the standard consular route when the spouse lives abroad: I-130 approval → NVC case → DS-260 → interview → immigrant visa → enter US as a resident.
  • The US citizen spouse must sign the Affidavit of Support (I-864) and meet the income rules (or use a joint sponsor). 


 2) F2A: Immigrant visa for the spouse of a US permanent resident (green-card holder)

  • Similar idea to IR1/CR1, but the sponsor is not a citizen.
  • Timing is driven by the Visa Bulletin (visa numbers). When current, you proceed to NVC and the embassy interview.
  • Once admitted on the immigrant visa, you become a permanent resident on entry. (Use the same forms and steps as IR1/CR1; the category in the system is different.)

 3) K-3: Nonimmigrant visa for a citizen’s spouse (rarely used now)

  • K-3 lets a foreign spouse of a US citizen come to the US before the immigrant process finishes.
  • It requires two filings: the I-130 (family petition) and an I-129F (yes, the fiancé(e) form is reused for K-3).
  • In practice, K-3s are uncommon because I-130 approvals often arrive before the K-3 is issued, making it unnecessary.

What about K-1? 

K-1 is a fiancé(e) visa, not a spouse visa. If you’re already married, you won’t use K-1. (Link to the I-129F form is in the forms section below.)

Two pathways: Consular processing vs. Adjustment of Status

If you live outside the US: Consular Processing (IR1/CR1 or F2A)

  1. File the I-130 family petition with USCIS.
  2. After approval, your case moves to the National Visa Center (NVC).
  3. You complete DS-260 (online immigrant visa application) in CEAC, pay fees, upload civil and financial documents (I-864, police certs, marriage cert, etc.).
  4. NVC reviews, then schedules your embassy/consulate interview.
  5. If approved, the embassy issues an immigrant visa.
  6. You enter the US with that visa and become a green-card holder on arrival. Bring the DS-260 confirmation to the interview. 

If you’re inside the US and eligible: Adjustment of Status (AOS)

  • Many spouses of US citizens can file together (“concurrent filing”): the sponsor files I-130, and the applicant files I-485 at the same time.
  • With AOS, you can also file for an EAD (work permit) and Advance Parole (travel document) while the green-card case is pending.
  • After biometrics (fingerprints) and, often, an interview, USCIS approves the green card. 

Forms you will actually fill (and why they matter)

Family petition & spouse details

  • I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) — filed by the US spouse or US permanent-resident spouse.
  • I-130A (Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary) — extra background for the spouse.

  Notes: USCIS instructions explicitly require I-130A for a spouse case. If the spouse is abroad, the US sponsor can sign it. ([USCIS][6])

If you’re adjusting status in the US (AOS package)

  • I-485 — green-card application.
  • I-864 — Affidavit of Support (financial sponsorship).
  • I-693 — medical exam (from a civil surgeon), often sealed.
  • I-765 — work permit (optional but common).
  • I-131 — advance parole travel document (optional).

  Tip: USCIS has a checklist for initial evidence for I-485—helpful to avoid misses. 

 If you’re outside the US (consular processing)

  • DS-260 — immigrant visa application (online in CEAC).
  • I-864 — Affidavit of Support uploaded to NVC.

If you consider K-3 (nonimmigrant spouse of a citizen)

  • I-130 (required) and I-129F (to request K-3).

 Evidence the officer expects (keep it real)

  • Marriage proof (certificate, prior divorce decrees if any).
  • Proof your marriage is genuine (photos over time, joint lease/mortgage, joint bank accounts, kids’ birth certificates, travel history, messages, affidavits from friends/family).
  • Financial sponsorship (I-864, tax transcripts/W-2s, job letter, pay stubs).
  • Police certificates (consular cases) and medical exam.

  Tip: Tell a consistent story across forms, photos, and interviews. Officers are trained to spot contradictions.

Work and travel while you wait (AOS path)

If you filed I-485 inside the US, you can usually request:

  • I-765 (EAD) → a plastic work card that lets you work for any US employer.
  • I-131 (Advance Parole) → lets you re-enter the US after international travel while your case is pending.

  You’ll receive these as a combo card or separate documents. Timing varies, so don’t travel until approved.

The interview (what it feels like)

Most couples will have an interview either at USCIS (AOS) or at a US consulate (consular processing).

  • Bring originals of civil documents and recent relationship proof.
  • Expect simple, personal questions: how you met, wedding details, daily routines, who cooks, where you live, etc.
  • If your marriage is recent, officers might ask more follow-ups. Stay calm; answer honestly and briefly.

After approval: CR vs. IR (and removing conditions)

If you’ve been married less than 2 years on the day you become a resident, you’ll receive a 2-year conditional green card (CR1/CR6, etc.). Before it expires, you and your spouse must file I-751 to “remove conditions.”

  • Normally, you file jointly within the 90 days before the card expires.
  • Waivers exist if the marriage ended in divorce/annulment, in cases of battery/extreme cruelty, or if the sponsor died.
  • Approval removes conditions and gives a 10-year green card. 

Step-by-step: consular processing (outside the US)

  1. Start the I-130 (and I-130A) with USCIS.
  2. Wait for approval, then your case moves to NVC.
  3. Pay NVC fees, submit the I-864 package, civil documents, and complete DS-260 online.
  4. Attend the medical exam with a panel physician.
  5. Interview at the embassy/consulate with your passport and originals.
  6. Receive the visa in your passport; travel to the US and become a permanent resident on entry.
  7. Green card is mailed to your US address; keep copies of your immigrant visa and entry stamp for your records.

Step-by-step: adjustment of status (inside the US)

  1. Check eligibility (some entries/overstays affect AOS; spouses of US citizens often have flexibility).
  2. File concurrently: I-130 + I-130A + I-485 + I-864 (+ I-693, I-765, I-131).
  3. Biometrics appointment.
  4. Work/travel cards arrive if you filed I-765/I-131.
  5. Interview at the local USCIS office; bring originals and recent relationship proof.
  6. Approval → green card arrives by mail.

Common pain points (and how to avoid them)

  • Missing signatures or pages → follow the official form instructions line-by-line.
  • Weak relationship evidence → show time-based proof (then and now), not just a wedding album.
  • Income too low for I-864 → add a joint sponsor or household member using I-864A where allowed.
  • Name/Date mismatches → match your civil docs and explain any differences.
  • Moving mid-case → update addresses quickly so notices/cards arrive.

Simple timeline expectations (ballpark, not promises)

  • USCIS I-130: several months (varies by workload).
  • NVC stage: a few months, depending on document readiness and interview backlogs.
  • AOS EAD/AP: months, not weeks; green-card approval depends on office queues.

  Always check your USCIS online account or CEAC for real-time status.

Fees (don’t memorize numbers—verify before you pay)

Fees can change. The safest approach is to check the fee on each form’s official page right before you file.

  • I-130 fee is posted on the I-130 page.
  • I-485 fee, biometrics, and medical rules are on the I-485 page.
  • NVC immigrant-visa and affidavit-of-support fees appear in CEAC during the DS-260 flow.

Quick checklist you can copy

  • Forms: I-130, I-130A, I-485 (if AOS), I-864 (+ I-864A if using household income), I-693, I-765, I-131, or DS-260 (consular).
  • IDs & civil docs: passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate, divorce decrees (if any), police certificates (consular route).
  • Financials: sponsor’s tax transcripts, W-2s/1099s, employment letter, pay stubs.
  • Relationship proof: joint lease/mortgage, joint bank accounts, insurance, photos over time, chats, travel.
  • Interview prep: originals + a fresh batch of current relationship evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What’s the difference between IR1 and CR1?

If your marriage is two years or older at the time you become a resident, you’ll get IR1 (10-year green card). If it’s under two years, you’ll get CR1 (2-year conditional card) and must file I-751 later to remove conditions.

2) We’re married and I’m inside the US—can I file everything at once?

Often yes, if you are eligible to adjust status as the spouse of a US citizen. That’s called concurrent filing (I-130 + I-485 together). 

3) Do I need a joint sponsor?

If the sponsoring spouse’s income is below the required level, you can add a joint sponsor who meets the income guidelines. The commitment is made on Form I-864 (and I-864A where applicable). 

4) What is DS-260?

It’s the online immigrant visa application for consular cases. You access it in CEAC, submit it before the interview, and carry the confirmation page to the interview.

5) Is K-3 faster?

K-3 was created to shorten separation, but in practice it’s rare now. Many I-130s finish before a K-3 can be issued. 

6) What if our marriage is very new?

That’s fine. If you get a CR1 green card (conditional), you’ll later remove conditions with I-751 and show more proof your marriage stayed real. 

7) Can I travel while my AOS is pending?

Not unless you have Advance Parole (I-131) approved. Leaving without it can abandon your I-485. 

8) Do I have to memorize fees?

No. Always check the form’s own page for the current fee right before filing. Fees can change.

9) How do embassies/consulates choose an interview date?

After NVC qualifies your case as “documentarily complete,” it requests an interview slot from the embassy. Backlogs vary by post.

10) We married abroad—does it count?

USCIS accepts marriages that are legally valid where they were performed, as long as they don’t break US public policy. Bring proper civil certificates and official translations.

Disclaimer (read this part carefully)

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. US immigration rules, filing locations, evidence standards, income thresholds, forms, fees, and processing times change often and may be applied differently by office or consulate. Before you file, always confirm the latest details on the official government pages below:

If you have complications (overstays, prior removals, criminal history, income shortfalls, medical issues, or past visa denials), consider speaking with a licensed US immigration attorney. Decisions you make based on this guide are your responsibility; always rely on the official instructions linked above for final requirements. 



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