Every week, families sit down with us and ask the same five questions. What does USCIS want to see? Can I bring my parents? What if I do not earn enough? How long will it take? What happens at the interview?
Here are the answers, in plain language, for people in Indiana and anywhere in the United States.
If you want the full step-by-step process for a spouse, start with our guide to petitioning for a spouse. This article picks up where that one leaves off.
What USCIS wants to see in a marriage case
When a U.S. citizen or green card holder petitions for a husband or wife, the officer is looking for three things. If all three are clear, the case is strong. If one is missing, the case stalls.
1. The marriage is legal. You need a certified marriage certificate. If either of you was married before, you need proof that every earlier marriage ended before this one began: a divorce decree, an annulment, or a death certificate. An old marriage that was never properly ended is one of the most common reasons a case is denied.
2. The marriage is real. USCIS calls this a bona fide marriage. The officer wants proof that you share a life, not just a certificate. Joint leases, joint bank accounts, insurance that names your spouse, tax returns filed as married, photos over time, and children together all count. You do not need every one. You need enough to tell a true story. See our marriage green card documents checklist for the full list.
3. The petitioner can support the immigrant. The person filing must sign an Affidavit of Support and show enough income. More on that below.
If your spouse entered without a visa, the petition itself still works. What changes is the second step. In most cases your spouse cannot get the green card inside the United States, and the path runs through a waiver and an interview abroad. Sometimes there is an exception. We cover this in full next week.
In 2026, officers are looking harder at marriage evidence than they did a few years ago. Cases with thin files get letters asking for more proof. Build the file before you send it, not after USCIS asks.
Can I petition for my parents?
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen and you are at least 21 years old. Green card holders cannot petition for parents. Citizens under 21 cannot either.
Parents of adult U.S. citizens are immediate relatives. That means there is no yearly limit and no waiting list. A visa is always available. The only wait is government processing time.
You file one Form I-130 for each parent. Your mother and your father are two separate petitions.
Where your parent lives changes the path:
- If your parent is outside the United States, the case goes through the U.S. consulate in their country.
- If your parent is inside the United States and entered with a visa, even if that visa has expired, they may be able to get the green card without leaving.
- If your parent entered without inspection, they usually cannot adjust here. The case may need a waiver and a trip abroad. Do not file without talking to a lawyer first.
Step-parents can qualify if the marriage to your biological parent happened before you turned 18. Adoptive parents can qualify if the adoption was final before you turned 16. Fathers who were not married to your mother may need extra proof of the relationship.
One caution. Since May 2026, USCIS has been reviewing adjustment cases inside the United States more strictly. Parents who have been here on an expired visa for many years should have their case reviewed before filing. Read our guide to the May 2026 adjustment of status rule.
What is a joint sponsor, and when do you need one?
Every family petition includes Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support. By signing it, the petitioner promises the government that the immigrant will not need public benefits. It is a legal contract.
To sign it, the petitioner must show income of at least 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline for their household size. For 2026, in the 48 contiguous states, that means:
- Household of 2: $27,050 per year
- Household of 3: $34,150 per year
- Household of 4: $41,250 per year
- Add $7,100 for each additional person
Your household size counts you, the immigrant, your dependents, and anyone else you have sponsored before.
If your income is below that line, you have options. You can count assets such as savings or home equity. You can count the income of certain household members. Or you can use a joint sponsor.
A joint sponsor is a second person who signs their own Affidavit of Support and takes on the same legal promise. A joint sponsor must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or green card holder
- Be at least 18 years old
- Live in the United States
- Meet the 125 percent income rule on their own, for their own household plus the immigrant
A joint sponsor does not have to be a relative. A friend, an employer, or a member of your church can serve. But the promise is real. If the immigrant ever receives certain public benefits, the government can ask the joint sponsor to pay them back. The obligation lasts until the immigrant becomes a citizen, works 40 quarters, leaves the country for good, or dies. Divorce does not end it.
Choose a joint sponsor who understands what they are signing and who has clean tax returns for the last three years.
How long does it really take from I-130 to green card?
This is the question every family asks first, and the honest answer is that it depends on two things: whether the petitioner is a citizen or a green card holder, and whether the immigrant is inside or outside the United States.
Here is what to expect in 2026. These are ranges, not promises.
Citizen petitioning for a spouse or parent inside the United States. The I-130 and the I-485 are usually filed together. Biometrics comes a few weeks after filing. The work permit and travel document often arrive in a few months. The interview and decision typically come 12 to 20 months after filing.
Citizen petitioning for a spouse or parent outside the United States. USCIS approves the I-130, then the case moves to the National Visa Center, then to the consulate. Filing to entry typically runs 14 to 24 months. Consular timelines have been less predictable in 2026. A federal court struck down the 75-country immigrant visa pause in August, but the government has appealed, and embassies have been rescheduling immigrant visa interviews for what the State Department calls staff training. Talk with your attorney before planning any travel.
Green card holder petitioning for a spouse. Add several months to a year. There is a yearly limit in this category, so the case waits for a visa number before the final step. Becoming a citizen first, if you qualify, usually speeds things up.
Three things slow cases down more than anything else: a Request for Evidence because the file was thin, a name or date that does not match across documents, and a missed deadline. All three are avoidable.
Five questions couples get asked at the green card interview
For a marriage case, both spouses attend the interview. The officer is checking one thing above all: that the marriage is real. The questions are not trick questions, but they are specific. Here are five that come up in almost every interview.
1. How did you meet? The officer wants the story, with the date, the place, and who introduced you. Both spouses should tell it the same way because it is the same story.
2. When did you decide to get married, and who proposed? A couple that lived it will answer easily. A couple that memorized it will hesitate.
3. Where do you live, and who else lives there? Expect follow-ups. Which side of the bed. What color the bathroom is. What you had for dinner last night.
4. What does your spouse do for work, and what hours? Employer name, job title, schedule. If your spouse changed jobs last month, know it.
5. Tell me about your spouse’s family. Parents’ names, siblings, where they live, whether you have met them.
If the officer has doubts, the two of you may be separated and asked the same questions apart. That is called a Stokes interview. It is rare, and a real couple has nothing to fear from it. What hurts couples is nerves, guessing, and the temptation to make an answer sound better than the truth. If you do not remember, say so.
Bring your originals: passports, birth certificates, the marriage certificate, and updated proof of your shared life since you filed. New joint bills, new photos, and a new lease all help.
Final word
Family petitions are the heart of what we do. Most of them are approved. The ones that run into trouble almost always had a problem that could have been caught before filing: an old marriage never ended, a parent who entered without inspection, a sponsor whose income was short, a date that did not match.
If you are ready to file for your spouse or parent, or just want to know where you stand, schedule your free case evaluation today or call us at (317) 455-6829. You can also start with the chat on our website, which will ask a few quick questions and connect you with our intake team. Hablamos español.
Attorney Advertising. This article is general information and is not legal advice for any specific person. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. No results are guaranteed; prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
