I-485 Checklist: Forms, Fees, and Steps for a Marriage-Based Filing

A marriage-based I-485 package filed from inside the United States contains up to seven forms (I-130, I-130A, I-485, I-864, and I-693, plus the optional I-765 and I-131), the supporting documents for both spouses, and a separate fee payment for each form. Two rules changed recently and catch many couples out: the I-693 medical exam must now go in with the I-485, and starting September 18, 2026, USCIS accepts only the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485.

This checklist covers every form, document, and fee in the package, and the order to assemble it in. Everything here was checked against USCIS pages on September 11, 2026.

Who should use this checklist?

Use it if the immigrant spouse is physically in the United States after a lawful entry (inspected and admitted or paroled) and is married to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Spouses of U.S. citizens are "immediate relatives" and can usually file the whole package at once; see I-130 and I-485 concurrent filing. Spouses of green card holders must wait until a visa number is available before filing the I-485.

If the immigrant spouse lives abroad, you want consular processing instead; our step-by-step overview explains both paths.

Which forms go in a marriage-based I-485 package?

What to know about each one:

• I-130. Establishes the qualifying marriage, with proof of the sponsor's status, the marriage certificate, and evidence the marriage is genuine. If it was filed earlier, include a copy of its receipt or approval notice (Form I-797) instead.
• I-485. The longest form in the package, covering address and employment history, entries to the United States, and dozens of eligibility questions. Download the current edition from uscis.gov/i-485 right before you fill it in: from September 18, 2026, a package with the 01/20/25 or 09/04/26 edition is rejected.
• I-864. The sponsor's legally binding promise of financial support, with tax returns and income evidence attached. If the sponsor's income is below 125 percent of the poverty guidelines, add a joint sponsor's I-864.
• I-693. Completed by a civil surgeon and handed to you in a sealed envelope. Leave it sealed for a paper filing. USCIS now requires it with the I-485 and may reject the package if it is missing.
• I-765 and I-131. A work permit and advance parole while the case is pending. Advance parole lets the immigrant spouse travel abroad without abandoning the I-485; leaving without it usually does.

What documents does each spouse need?

The official list is USCIS's checklist of required initial evidence, and our marriage green card document list explains each item. In summary:

For the immigrant spouse:

• Two passport-style photos for the I-485, plus photos for the I-765 and I-131 as their instructions require
• Copy of a government-issued photo ID, such as the passport biographic page
• Birth certificate, with a certified English translation if it is not in English
• Proof of lawful entry: the visa used to enter and the Form I-94 arrival record (downloadable from CBP's I-94 site)
• Any prior immigration paperwork (approvals, extensions, changes of status)
• Certified police and court records, if the immigrant spouse has ever been arrested, charged, or convicted anywhere

For the sponsoring spouse:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate) or a copy of the green card
• Most recent federal tax return, W-2s or 1099s, and proof of current income
• Passport-style photos for the I-130, as its instructions require

For the couple:

• Marriage certificate
• Divorce decrees or death certificates ending any prior marriages
• Bona fide marriage evidence: joint accounts, lease or deed, insurance, photos, affidavits

How do you pay the fees?

Paper checks are no longer the default. USCIS now takes paper-filed fees by credit, debit, or prepaid card on Form G-1450, or by ACH debit from a U.S. bank account on Form G-1650. Paying by check or money order requires an exemption request on Form G-1651.

• Put a separate G-1450 or G-1650 on top of each form, so a problem with one payment does not sink the whole package.
• Make sure the card limit or account balance covers the total, about $2,375 for the I-130, I-485, and I-765. A declined payment gets that form rejected.
• The I-864 and I-693 have no USCIS fee, so they need no payment form.

Our cost guide has every amount in one table, plus the non-government costs like the medical exam and translations.

How should you assemble the package?

USCIS processes millions of paper filings; a clean package avoids delays.

1. Start with the payment form for each form that has a fee.
2. Follow with each form and its supporting documents in sequence: I-130 with its evidence, then I-485 with its evidence, then I-864 with financial documents, then I-765 and I-131.
3. Include the sealed I-693 envelope with the I-485.
4. Label translations and attach them behind the original-language documents.
5. Keep a complete photocopy or scan of everything you mail.

Mail to the lockbox address listed in the I-485 filing instructions for family-based cases, and use a mail service with tracking.

What happens after you file?

Receipt notices arrive first, then a biometrics appointment, then (months later) the work permit, and eventually the interview at your local field office. The full sequence with typical durations is in our I-485 timeline guide, and the interview guide covers the final step.

Which mistakes get a package rejected or denied?

• Filing an outdated I-485 edition; on or after September 18, 2026, only the 09/18/26 edition is accepted
• Leaving out the sealed I-693, which can get the whole package rejected
• Wrong fee amounts, or a card payment that is declined
• Missing or inconsistent answers across forms (the same address history told two different ways is a classic trigger)
• Forgetting certified translations for foreign-language documents
• Thin relationship evidence, which invites a tougher interview

Missing evidence no longer reliably means a Request for Evidence. USCIS policy lets officers deny a case for lack of required initial evidence without asking for it first, and the filing fees are not refunded. Build the package as if there will be no second chance to add anything.

Working through all of this by hand is doable, but it is exactly the kind of detail work software is good at. ezgreen asks you plain-language questions once, fills every form in the package consistently, generates your personalized document checklist, and assembles the print-ready package in the right order, with your data stored only on your device.