Which immigration or naturalization forms list marital history and the dates recorded?

Checked on December 10, 2025
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Executive summary

USCIS forms that explicitly ask for marital history and dates include Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization), Form I-485 (Application to Adjust Status), and Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative); the N-400 and I-485 both contain a dedicated “Information About Your Marital History” section and the I-130 and its instructions require information and documentary proof about current and prior marriages [1] [2] [3] [4]. Recent 2025 form editions and agency guidance increased scrutiny of marriage evidence and require applicants to complete marital-history categories to permit background checks [5] [1] [4].

1. Which specific forms list marital history and dates — the direct answer

Form N-400, the naturalization application, contains “Part 5. Information About Your Marital History,” requiring applicants to list marriages and related dates and events [1] [4]. Form I-485, the adjustment-of-status application, likewise contains “Part 6. Information About Your Marital History” where the applicant must provide marital history and dates [2]. Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) asks petitioners to list current marital status and information about the marriage and prior marriages and its instructions describe documentary requirements to establish lawful termination of prior marriages [3] [6].

2. Why those dates matter — agency purpose and evidentiary weight

USCIS requires marital-history dates to check eligibility (for example, whether a naturalization applicant qualifies based on marriage to a U.S. citizen), to confirm lawful termination of prior marriages, and to run background and status checks; the N-400 instructions explicitly link marital-history reporting to eligibility and evidence obligations for marriage-based naturalization [4] [1]. The I-130 instructions stress producing documentation—divorce decrees, annulments, affidavits—so dates are used to verify that there is no overlapping marriage that would invalidate a petition [3].

3. Practical consequences and recent procedural tightening

Starting in 2025, USCIS updated and in some cases mandated new editions of several forms (including I-485 and N-400 editions cited) and signaled a higher evidentiary bar for marriage-based filings; practitioners warn that incomplete marital-history answers or missing supporting documents can cause RFEs, delays, or rejection [5] [7]. Advocacy and legal groups also documented agency moves to require current editions immediately, which increased the risk of rejection for filings with mismatched pages [8].

4. How applications document prior marriages — not just dates

Beyond dates, USCIS asks for proof that prior marriages were lawfully terminated and for evidence of the bona fides of the current relationship. I-130 instructions list affidavits and documentary proof to establish an “ongoing marital union” and to show previous marriages ended properly; N-400 guidance reiterates the need to demonstrate lawful termination of prior marriages when naturalizing based on marriage [3] [4]. The policy manual and later guidance emphasize a mix of documentary and third‑party evidence to prove a marriage is bona fide [9].

5. Disputes and alternative viewpoints in reporting

Some immigration practitioners and trade groups flagged USCIS’s rapid roll-out of new editions and immediate effective dates as procedurally aggressive; AILA litigated over grace periods for edition changes, arguing applicants and attorneys were given insufficient time to adapt [8]. Industry commentary also notes that while USCIS demands more at filing, the agency’s public pages and form instructions remain the controlling source for what information to provide [5] [1].

6. Limitations and what the sources don’t say

Available sources do not mention an exhaustive list of every USCIS form that may ever ask for marital history beyond N-400, I-485, and I-130; they also do not specify the precise date fields for every prior‑marriage entry across editions [1] [2] [3]. For forms not in the provided results—such as I-129F, I-751, or certain humanitarian forms—current reporting here does not confirm whether they list marital history and dates (not found in current reporting).

7. Practical takeaways for applicants

Complete the marital-history sections fully and attach documentary proof of any previous marriage termination and of the current relationship’s authenticity; use the edition of each USCIS form that the agency’s forms page shows as current, and expect tighter scrutiny and possible requests for evidence if dates or supporting documents are missing [1] [5] [3].

Want to dive deeper?
Which USCIS forms require listing previous marriages and divorce dates?
Do I need to include marriage history on Form N-400 naturalization application?
How far back must marital history be listed on Form I-485 adjustment of status?
What supporting documents prove past marriages for immigration forms?
How does remarriage or annulment affect required dates on citizenship paperwork?