2025 Income Requirements for Green Card Sponsors The most common minimum annual income required to sponsor a spouse or family member for a green card is $25,550. This assumes that the sponsor — the U.S. citizen or current green card holder — is not on active military duty and is sponsoring only one relative.
You must file a separate Form I-130 for each eligible relative unless they can be considered a derivative beneficiary. See the form instructions for more information. If you submit a petition for your spouse, you must also submit Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary.
Can Form I-485 be filed online? You must file Form I-485 via mail to a USCIS service center. If you and your relative are filing Form I-130 and Form I-485 together, you can still file Form I-130 online, but you must physically send Form I-485 to the correct USCIS Service Center.
After USCIS made major progress in reducing wait times for many U.S. immigration applications in 2024, data for the current fiscal year (which begins in October for the U.S. Federal Government) shows that processing times are increasing with the exception of the fiancé visa petition.
The marriage green card processing time is an approximate average of 10.5 months as of December 2024. The marriage visa application costs $3,005 for couples residing in the United States or $1,120 if the spouse is residing outside the U.S.
Green Card Processing Time The length of time it takes to get a green card varies depending on several factors, including the type of application you are submitting and current USCIS processing times. A marriage green card or spousal visa, for example, can take anywhere from 10–35 months.
The minimum income for a household of 2 to sponsor a family member or spouse is $25,550 as of August 2024. Minimum income requirements are lower for active duty military members.
Note that the licenses don't become valid until the day after they are issued, so you cannot get married the same day you acquire the license.
After applying for an Illinois marriage license at the county clerk's office where the wedding is taking place, it will be issued to you immediately. There are no waiting periods and the license is valid for up to 60 days and takes effect the day after it was issued.