How to Prove a Bona Fide Marriage for Form I-751 (Removal of Conditions)

If you received your green card through marriage and it was valid for two years, the next required step is filing Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. This filing allows you to request permanent resident status without conditions.

At this stage, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has already accepted that your marriage was real at the time of the initial green card approval. Now, the government is asking a slightly different question: Did the marriage continue in good faith after the green card was granted?

This article explains how USCIS evaluates bona fide marriage evidence for I-751 filings, how the expectations differ from the initial green card process, and how to present a strong, believable case that shows your marriage has continued and grown over time.

Please Note: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney.

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What “Bona Fide Marriage” Means for I-751 Filings

For Form I-751 purposes, a bona fide marriage means your relationship did not stop being real once immigration benefits were approved. USCIS is looking for proof that your marriage continued as a genuine partnership throughout the two-year conditional residence period.

Instead of asking, “Was this marriage real at the beginning?”, officers are now asking, “Did this marriage remain real?”

This distinction matters. Because you already passed the first review, USCIS expects to see evidence that reflects ongoing commitment, shared responsibilities, and a life that continued to develop after the conditional green card was issued. Evidence that only shows your relationship before the green card approval is usually not enough on its own.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-5

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How USCIS Reviews I-751 Marriage Evidence

USCIS evaluates I-751 petitions using the same legal standard applied to most family-based immigration cases: preponderance of the evidence. This means your evidence must show that it is more likely than not that your marriage has remained genuine.

However, the expectations at the I-751 stage are typically higher than during the initial green card process. Officers expect to see:

• A longer and more complete timeline
• Deeper financial and household integration
• Evidence that shows the marriage evolved naturally over time

Just like an initial marriage based green card application, all documents are reviewed together under a totality of the circumstances analysis. No single document can approve the case by itself.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-e-chapter-6

What Makes I-751 Evidence Different from I-130 Evidence

One of the most common mistakes in I-751 filings is submitting the same type of evidence used for the original green card application without updating or expanding it.

At the I-751 stage, USCIS expects to see continuity and progression in your marriage, such as:

• Finances that became more intertwined over time
• A stable shared residence, or clear documentation explaining changes
• New responsibilities taken on as a married couple 
• Evidence that the couple has invested time and resources into sharing experiences together 

For example, a joint bank account opened early in the marriage becomes much stronger evidence when paired with recent statements that show regular, ongoing use. Evidence that shows transactions that stop shortly after the green card was issued may raise questions.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-5

Core Evidence USCIS Expects for I-751

Joint Financial History Over Time

Financial evidence plays a major role in I-751 cases because it reflects long-term trust, planning, and shared responsibility.

Helpful examples include joint:

• Bank accounts with consistent activity
• Tax returns filed as a married couple
• Shared insurance policies (health, auto, or life)
• Loans, mortgages, or major purchases
• Beneficiary designations on important accounts such as 401K, life insurance, etc. 

USCIS generally prefers fewer documents that span a longer period of time rather than many documents from a single month or year. This helps show stability rather than short-term arrangements. An example of this would be 4 shared bank statements per year for the full 2 years since receiving the green card.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/evidence-of-relationship

Proof of Ongoing Shared Residence

Living together continues to be an important indicator of a real marriage during the conditional period. If you moved during the conditional period, that is completely normal. USCIS simply expects the move to make sense and be supported by documentation showing that the marriage continued during those transitions.

Strong evidence may include:

• Lease renewals or mortgage statements over multiple years
• Utility bills showing the same shared address over time
• Official mail sent to both spouses at the same residence

If you do not live together due to work, schooling, military service, or another valid reason, that does not automatically harm your case. However, if you do not have future plans to live together soon or have never lived together, your application may be treated with higher scrutiny. It can be helpful to clearly explain the situation and provide strong alternative proof that the relationship is ongoing and genuine.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/evidence-of-relationship

Evidence That Shows the Marriage Has Grown

Life Changes and Shared Responsibilities

USCIS looks favorably on evidence that shows you are building a life together and that your relationship deepened during the conditional residence period. Evidence that demonstrates this may include:

• Birth certificates of children born during the marriage
• Records from healthcare providers indicating pending child birth
• Evidence of shared caregiving responsibilities
• Shared pet ownership or veterinary records
• Updated beneficiary designations on insurance or retirement accounts
• Large purchases made together, such as vehicles or homes. 

These types of documents help show that your marriage continued in a natural, evolving way, similar to many long-term marriages.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-5

Photos That Tell a Timeline

Photos remain helpful in I-751 cases, but quality and timing matter more than quantity. A clear timeline of photos helps USCIS visually confirm that the relationship continued well beyond the initial green card approval. Try to prioritize the years since originally applying for a green card.

Strong photo evidence shows:

• Different seasons and years
• Changes in appearance, homes, or family size
• Participation in each other’s family or social events

A smaller number of photos spread across months or years is usually more persuasive than many photos taken at the same time.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/explore-my-options/evidence-of-relationship

Letters of Support (Affidavits)

Affidavits are written statements from people who know you as a couple and can describe your relationship in their own words. Effective letters focus on how the marriage continued over time and describe changes the writer observed, rather than simply explaining how the couple met.

More specifically, strong affidavits typically explain:

• How the writer knows you
• How long they have known you
• Specific examples of your life together
• Why they believe your marriage is genuine

Affidavits can be especially helpful in I-751 filings when:

• Finances are limited
• Living arrangements changed
• There were extended separations due to work, school, or military service

While affidavits can strengthen a case, USCIS generally does not consider them sufficient on their own. They are most effective when combined with financial, residential, and documentary evidence. To learn more about these affidavits and how exactly to write them, check out our article here. 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-b-chapter-2

Why Variety and Consistency Matter More Than Volume

USCIS does not expect perfection, but case officers do expect honesty and credibility. Submitting hundreds of pages that repeat the same information can be less persuasive than a smaller, well-organized packet that highlights different aspects of married life.

The strongest I-751 cases usually include:

• Financial evidence
• Residential evidence
• Personal and social evidence
• Documentation covering the full conditional period

Together, these materials show a marriage that did not pause once the green card arrived.

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Source: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-e-chapter-6

Organizing Your I-751 Packet for Clarity

A well-organized I-751 packet helps USCIS review your case efficiently and reduces the risk of delays, RFEs, or interviews.

Many successful filings include:

• A brief cover letter explaining the timeline of the marriage
• Clearly labeled evidence sections
• Documents arranged in chronological order
• English translations for any foreign-language documents

While these strategies are technically not required by USCIS but can be helpful in telling your relationship “story” to USCIS. Don’t worry, SimpleCitizen’s software will help do all of this organizational work for you. 

Please remember that any document not in English must include a complete English translation with a signed certification from the translator. To learn more about providing translations, check out our article here. 

Additionally, remember that USCIS will keep whatever you send to them. Be sure to submit copies rather than originals, and always keep a complete copy for your records.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/translations

Common I-751 Mistakes to Avoid

Providing strong, varied evidence can help avoid being issued a Request for Evidence (RFE), which is essentially just a letter from USCIS requesting additional information. While common, RFE’s can add stress and delays to application processing so they are nice to avoid, when possible. 

Some of the most common issues that lead to RFEs or interviews include:

• Submitting mostly old evidence from before the conditional green card
• Large gaps in documentation without explanation
• Inconsistent addresses or financial records
• Relying too heavily on affidavits instead of objective proof

Careful document collection, organization, and review before filing can significantly reduce the risk of delays. 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-avoid-common-mistakes

Final Thoughts

Form I-751 is not about re-proving that you were legally married or revisiting your wedding day. It is about demonstrating that your marriage continued in good faith after the green card was granted and that your life together did not pause once immigration approval was secured.

The strongest I-751 petitions tell a clear story of continuity and growth. They show how finances became more intertwined, how living arrangements evolved, how responsibilities were shared, and how the relationship matured over time. When your evidence spans the full conditional period and comes from multiple areas of your life, USCIS can more easily understand your marriage as a real, ongoing partnership.

By focusing on the story your documents tell—rather than just the documents themselves—you give your I-751 petition the strongest possible foundation and move one step closer to permanent resident status with confidence

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How SimpleCitizen Can Help with Your I-751 Filing

Form I-751 can feel stressful because so much depends on showing that your marriage has lasted and grown over time. SimpleCitizen helps couples understand what USCIS expects at this stage, guiding you step by step through evidence collection and organization.

We’re happy you’re here! If you’re preparing to remove conditions on your green card, you can get started with SimpleCitizen today and file with confidence.

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