FAMILY IMMIGRATION FAQs

Family Immigration Checklists

The same evidence lists a US family immigration lawyer uses to assemble marriage green card, K-1 fiancé, I-751, N-400, I-601A, and parent petitions. Tick items off as you go; nothing leaves your browser.

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Filter your checklist by selecting your category below, then check off your items as you go. Once completed, click the download button to print or save your copy.

Marriage Green Card (Adjustment of Status) Checklist

WHO FILES

US citizen petitioner + spouse beneficiary inside the US after lawful entry

FORMS

I-130, I-130A, I-485, I-765, I-131, I-864, I-693

GOV'T FEES

$1,440 (I-485) + $675 (I-130) = $2,115 government

TIMELINE

10-14 months to green card; EAD/AP ~5-7 months

Petitioner (US Citizen) Documents

US passport biographic page OR birth certificate OR naturalization certificate
Government-issued photo ID (driver's license)
Most recent 3 years of IRS tax transcripts (Account + Return)
Order at irs.gov/transcripts, not a tax return printout
Most recent W-2s and pay stubs (last 6 months)
Employment verification letter on company letterhead

Beneficiary (Spouse) Documents

Passport biographic page + every entry stamp
Most recent I-94 from i94.cbp.dhs.gov
Birth certificate with certified English translation
Two US-style passport photos (2x2, white background, taken in last 30 days)
Form I-693 medical exam in sealed civil surgeon envelope
Certified court dispositions for every arrest, citation, or charge, even if dismissed or expunged
Prior marriage divorce decrees / death certificates (both spouses)

Bona Fide Marriage Evidence

Marriage certificate (certified)
Joint lease, deed, or mortgage statement
Joint bank account statements covering the full marriage
Joint credit card statements
Joint federal tax return filed MFJ + transcript
Both spouses named on health, auto, renter/home insurance
401k / life insurance beneficiary forms naming the spouse
Birth certificates of children born to the marriage (strongest single piece)
Photos with date/location across the relationship (8-15 max, not 200)
Affidavits of bona fide marriage from 2+ third parties (I-130 cover)

Red flags - call an immigration attorney before filing

•Beneficiary entered without inspection (EWI) needs I-601A, not AOS
•Spouse is LPR not USC different filing strategy (F2A)
•Any prior K-1, fraud finding, or visa refusal under INA 212(a)(6)(C)(i)

K-1 Fiance Visa Checklist

WHO FILES

US citizen petitioner + fiance beneficiary outside the US

FORMS

I-129F, DS-160, I-134, Medical (panel physician)

GOV'T FEES

$675 (I-129F) + $265 (DS-160 MRV fee)

TIMELINE

8-12 months I-129F to visa in passport

Relationship Evidence (INA 214(d) Requirements)

Proof of in-person meeting within the last 2 years (boarding passes, passport stamps, hotel receipts, dated photos)
Engagement letters from both parties, signed and dated
Communication record sampling (call logs, chat 1 exports, 2 send 30-50 representative pages, not 1,000 pages)
Photos together with timestamps across the relationship
Engagement ring receipt / engagement party evidence

Petitioner Documents

Proof of US citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate)
Divorce decrees / death certificates from all prior marriages
IMBRA disclosures if the beneficiary was met through an international marriage broker
Form I-134 Affidavit of Support + 3 years of IRS tax transcripts + employment letter

Beneficiary Embassy Packet

DS-160 confirmation page
Passport valid for at least 6 months past the intended entry date
Birth certificate (certified + translated)
Police clearance certificate from every country lived in for 6+ months after age 16
Medical exam by embassy-designated panel physician (sealed)
Two passport photos adhering to embassy specifications

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Less than 2 years since the petitioner's last divorce (requires a Multiple-Filer waiver under IMBRA)
Petitioner has a prior I-129F filing for a different fiancé
Petitioner has a criminal record requiring IMBRA disclosure

CR-1 / IR-1 Spouse Visa (Consular Processing) Checklist

WHO FILES

Petitioner in the US + spouse beneficiary abroad

FORMS

I-130, DS-260, I-864, DS-261

GOV'T FEES

$675 (I-130) + $325 (IV fee) + $120 (AOS fee)

TIMELINE

12-16 months

I-130 Package (Filed With USCIS)

[ ] Form I-130 + I-130A signed
Petitioner US citizenship/LPR proof
Marriage certificate (certified, translated)
Divorce decrees / death certificates of all prior marriages
Bona fide marriage evidence (see Marriage AOS checklist)
Passport-style photos of both spouses

NVC Stage (After USCIS Approval)

DS-261 Choice of Address & Agent
AOS fee + IV fee paid in CEAC
I-864 Affidavit of Support + tax transcripts + W-2s + employment letter
DS-260 immigrant visa application submitted
Civil documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate, police clearances, court records, military records

Embassy Interview Stage

Original civil documents (NVC takes copies; embassy takes originals)
Embassy-designated panel physician medical exam
Two passport photos to embassy spec
Updated bona fide marriage evidence since I-130 filing
Appointment confirmation from CEAC

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Petitioner income below 125% FPG with no joint sponsor lined up.
Beneficiary has prior US immigration history (overstays, denials, removals).
Public charge updates to DS-260 questions answered without attorney review.

I-751 Removal of Conditions Checklist

WHO FILES

Conditional resident from marriage-based 2-year green card

FORMS

I-751

GOV'T FEES

$750 + $85 biometrics

TIMELINE

12-24 months adjudication

Core Filing

2-Year Bona Fide Marriage Evidence (Since the Original I-130)

Joint tax returns / transcripts for every year of the marriage
Joint financial accounts spanning the 2 years
Joint lease/mortgage covering the 2 years
Birth certificates of children born during the marriage
Joint health/auto/life insurance
Joint health/auto/life insurance
Affidavits from 2+ third parties with personal knowledge

Waiver Add-On (Divorce / Abuse / Hardship / Death)

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Living separately during the 2-year period without documented explanation.
No joint financial commingling at all.
Pending or finalized divorce filed without converting to a waiver.

N-400 Naturalization Checklist

WHO FILES

LPR meeting continuous residence and physical presence

FORMS

N-400

GOV'T FEES

$760 online / $710 paper (includes biometrics)

TIMELINE

8-12 months filing to oath ceremony

Identity & Status

Travel & Residence

3-Year (Marriage-Based) Rule Add-Ons

Conduct & Compliance

Certified dispositions for every arrest, citation, DUI, or charge — including dismissed and expunged
Selective Service registration confirmation (men who lived in US between 18-26)
Most recent 5 years of tax transcripts (Account + Return)
Proof of child support compliance if applicable
Civics test study (100 questions; 2008 or 2020 version per filing date)

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Trips abroad over 180 days break continuous residence.
Late or unfiled federal taxes, file before N-400, not after.
Filed taxes as 'non-resident' after becoming LPR (abandonment risk).

I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver Checklist

WHO FILES

Beneficiary with approved I-130 who triggers a 3- or 10-year unlawful presence bar

FORMS

I-601A

GOV'T FEES

$795 + $85 biometrics

TIMELINE

36-42 months I-601A adjudication, then NVC + interview abroad

Eligibility Documents

Extreme Hardship Evidence (The Case)

Personal declaration from qualifying relative (10-15 pages, covering both relocation and separation scenarios)
Psychological evaluation by a licensed clinician addressing both scenarios
Medical records of qualifying relative + physician letters
Country conditions report (US State Department, OSAC, expert affidavit)
Financial impact analysis: tax returns, debts, mortgage, dependents' costs
Children's school records and educational disruption documentation
Letters from extended family addressing care-giving dependencies
Employment / professional license evidence (proving skills cannot be transferred abroad)

Beneficiary Background

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Any other ground of inadmissibility besides unlawful presence (requires a full I-601, not an I-601A).
A final order of removal (requires a different process; must reopen the case first).
The qualifying relative listed is a child (only a spouse or parent qualifies for an I-601A waiver).

Parent Green Card Checklist (I-130 by US Citizen)

WHO FILES

US citizen 21+ petitioner + parent beneficiary

FORMS

I-130, I-130A (not required for parents but recommended)

GOV'T FEES

$675

TIMELINE

12-16 months I-130, then AOS or consular processing

Petitioner (US Citizen Child) Documents

Proof of US citizenship (US passport biographic page, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate)
Petitioner's birth certificate showing the parent's name (establishes the legal relationship)
Government-issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID)
Most recent 3 years of IRS tax transcripts
Most recent W-2s and pay stubs (last 6 months)
Employment verification letter on company letterhead

Beneficiary (Parent) Documents

Parent’s passport biographic page
Parent's birth certificate (with certified English translation if applicable)
Parent’s marriage certificate (if petitioning a father or step-parent)
Divorce decrees / death certificates of all prior marriages (for both parent and petitioner if relevant to step-relationships)
Two US-style passport photos (2x2, white background)

Special Relationship Proof (If Applicable)

For a Father: Parents' marriage certificate showing they married before the child turned 18, or proof of legitimation/financial bona fides before age 21 if born out of wedlock.
For a Step-parent: Marriage certificate between the biological parent and step-parent showing the marriage occurred before the petitioner turned 18.
For an Adoptive Parent: Final adoption decree showing adoption occurred before the child turned 16, plus proof of 2 years of legal custody and joint residence.

Red Flags - Call an immigration attorney before filing:

Petitioning a father when the parents were never married and no legal/financial relationship was established before the child turned 21.
The parent is currently inside the US after entering without inspection (requires a waiver process; cannot simply adjust status).
The parent has a prior history of immigration violations, overstays, or fraud.

How a family immigration lawyer actually uses these checklists

A document list is the easy part. The work that decides cases happens in how items are arranged, captioned, and cross-referenced inside the filing. Below is the four-step audit our family immigration attorneys run on every package before it leaves the office.

Step 1 - Eligibility audit before any form is started

We walk every INA 212(a) inadmissibility ground, every 245(c) bar to adjustment, and every prior filing in the petitioner’s and beneficiary’s A-file. A misread here invalidates the entire package no matter how clean the checklist looks.

Step 2 - Evidence hierarchy, not evidence volume

USCIS scores documentary, financial, and contemporaneous evidence higher than narrative. We rank every checklist item and remove low-signal items that dilute the strong ones three sharp pieces beat a 200-page photo album.

Step 3 - Cover letter mapped to the statute

Each filing leads with a cover letter citing the exact statute and regulation, indexing every exhibit to a numbered tab. Officers read covers; assistants read tabs. We write for both.

Step 4 - Interview prep based on the field office

Stokes interview style in Newark differs from Atlanta. We prepare the beneficiary with mock questions drawn from the office adjudicating their case, not a generic script.