Family Petition I-130
The I-130, or “petition for alien relative” form, is a vital first step in securing a green card as a family member or spouse of a U.S. citizen or green card holder.
On this form, you must establish that a valid familial relationship exists between yourself - the petitioner - and the other person. If establishing the validity of a marriage, this would include documents such as insurance or bank accounts in both names, a marriage certificate, and even photos taken together.
Once this form is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, you will have established your place in the queue for a green card, known as your “priority date.” The amount of time you must wait to move forward is drastically reduced if your familial relation is a U.S. citizen, but whether they are a citizen or green card holder, your wait can vary. The State Department issues regular Visa Bulletins updating the status of wait times.
Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status I-485
The purpose of an I-485 form is to allow an individual physically located in the United States the opportunity to apply for permanent resident status. This can either be filed by the individual themselves, known as the “principal applicant,” or by a family member known as the “derivative applicant.”
This form can only be submitted on USCIS has granted approval for an immigrant visa petition and the individual has their immigrant visa number in hand. That said, certain categories may be eligible for “concurrent filing.” As part of the application, you will be required to provide biographical information, evidence including government-issued ID cards or a birth certificate, and in some cases biometric data.