Getting a green card? Make sure the U.S. government recognizes your marriage as valid

You're building a life together in the U.S. -- but one of you is a citizen and the other is not. Though you've already got your marriage certificate in hand, additional proof must be gathered if you want to successfully get a green card.

Use this checklist to help you authenticate your marriage as bona fide in the eyes of The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Get details on using the following documents effectively when you go for your interview:

• leases or rental agreements
• a home mortgage
• car registration
• letters, photos and gifts
• joint bank statements or credit card accounts
• your children's birth certificates

Don't let a lack of evidence derail your application for a green card -- use Nolo's Checklist for Immigrant to Prove Bona Fide Marriage form to gain permanent U.S. residence without hassle or delay.