The marriage-based green card is the most common route to permanent residence — about 343,000 people a year, one in every four green cards approved. It is still open in 2026, but USCIS has raised the level of verification, and preparation now decides how smooth the process feels.
What happened
Through 2026, USCIS has been applying a finer comb to spousal cases:
- More in-person interviews — cases that used to be approved on the paperwork alone are now being called in more often.
- Longer, more detailed verification for applicants filing from inside the US.
- Bank account review was authorized for applicants without permanent status.
- And an official reminder many people learn the hard way: per a USCIS spokesperson, “a pending or approved I-130 petition does not confer immigration status.”
On the horizon, there is also a proposed social media vetting requirement: forms would ask for 10 years of accounts — including deleted ones — for residence, naturalization and travel authorization requests. The final rules are not out yet.
What changes for you
The process did not become impossible — it became less forgiving of disorganization. A likelier interview means the couple's history has to line up across every document: dates, addresses, joint accounts, photos, trips. Financial review means bank records and tax returns need to agree with each other. And the proposed social media requirement means it is worth listing your accounts from the past 10 years calmly now, instead of scrambling under a deadline later.
In practice
- Build the couple's file in chronological order: marriage certificate, proof of shared life, joint accounts, dated photos.
- Check consistency across forms — the same address, the same dates, the same spellings of names on every document.
- Start your social media list (current and old profiles) in a private document, before any formal requirement lands.
Organizing exactly this kind of documentation — complete, consistent, and explained in your own language — is Prime's daily work. 💬 Talk to our team.
Sources
- mitú — What's Changing in U.S. Immigration This Month (Jul 2026)
- USCIS — Green Card for Family of U.S. Citizens
Educational information, not legal advice. Prime Immigration Office is a paralegal service — document preparation only. For legal advice, consult a licensed Texas attorney or DOJ-accredited representative.