Edition 04/01/24Verified May 2026Not a law firm · Not legal advice

Form I-130A · Part 1, Items 4-7

I-130A Address History (Part 1, Items 4-7): Your Spouse's 5-Year List

How to fill the five-year Address History in Part 1, Items 4 through 7: every place your immigrant spouse has physically lived, current address first, with from and to dates and no gaps.

Quick answer

List every place your immigrant spouse has physically lived over the last five years, current address first, with a from and to date for each. No gaps between dates. Foreign addresses count. If you run out of room, continue in Part 7. Additional Information. This is a different field from Item 8, which asks only for the last home outside the United States of more than one year.

Summary

For most marriage-based filers, Form I-130A Part 1, Items 4 through 7 (the Address History) ask the immigrant spouse (the beneficiary, the person being sponsored) to list every physical address where they have lived for the last five years, starting with the current address. On a marriage petition your U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse (the petitioner, the person filing) submits the I-130 and you, the immigrant spouse, complete this I-130A. Each address needs a from date and a to date with no gaps in between. Addresses outside the United States count the same as US addresses. If five years covers more places than the form has room for, you continue the list in Part 7. Additional Information. This Address History is separate from Item 8 (Last Physical Address Outside the United States), and it should match the address history you give on the I-130 and, later, the I-485.

What it asks	Every physical address the beneficiary spouse has lived at over the last five years, current address first, with a from and to date for each.
Order	Current address first (Physical Address 1, Items 4 and 5), then work backward in time through Physical Address 2 (Items 6 and 7) and any more addresses in Part 7.
Dates	Each address has a Date From and a Date To (mm/dd/yyyy). The dates must connect with no gaps. The current address uses PRESENT or today's date as the to date.
Foreign addresses	Addresses outside the United States count. The instruction says to list addresses whether inside or outside the US.
Out of room	The form gives space for two addresses on page 1. Continue any earlier addresses in Part 7. Additional Information.
Different from Item 8	Items 4 through 7 are the five-year history. Item 8 is one separate field: the last address outside the US of more than one year.

Who this page is for

This page covers the standard case: listing the addresses where your spouse has lived over the last five years and lining up the dates. If your spouse's residential history overlaps with time spent in the United States without authorization, with periods you would rather not document, or with addresses that differ across passports and prior filings in ways that could raise questions, a licensed immigration attorney can review your situation before you complete these fields.

What the Address History looks like on the form

This section sits in Part 1 (Information About You (Spouse Beneficiary)), just below your spouse's name. The section header reads “Address History.” Items 4 and 5 cover Physical Address 1 (the current address and its dates), Items 6 and 7 cover Physical Address 2. Item 8 below it is a separate field, the last address outside the US.

Form I-130A, Part 1 (Information About You, Address History) : Items 4 through 7 as they appear on edition 04/01/24 — Form I-130A, Part 1, Items 4 through 7. Edition 04/01/24. Source: USCIS.

Verbatim · Part 1 Address History instruction (Form I-130A, edition 04/01/24, page 1)
“Provide your physical addresses for the last five years, whether inside or outside the United States. Provide your current address first. If you need extra space to complete this section, use the space provided in Part 7. Additional Information.”
4.a. Street Number and Name (Physical Address 1)
4.b. Apt. Ste. Flr.
4.c. City or Town
4.d. State 4.e. ZIP Code
4.f. Province
4.g. Postal Code
4.h. Country
5.a. Date From (mm/dd/yyyy) 5.b. Date To (mm/dd/yyyy)
6.a. through 6.h. Physical Address 2 (same fields)
7.a. Date From (mm/dd/yyyy) 7.b. Date To (mm/dd/yyyy)

The combined I-130/I-130A Instructions do not separately walk through the Address History items; the instruction printed in this section of the form is the controlling guidance. Always complete the current edition from uscis.gov/i-130; USCIS rejects outdated editions.

How is this different from Item 8?

Items 4 through 7 are the Address History: every physical address your spouse lived at over the last five years, current address first. Item 8 is a single, separate field that asks only for the last address outside the United States where your spouse lived for more than one year.

The two can point to the same foreign address, and that is fine. The difference is the lens: the history is a five-year timeline of every home, while Item 8 is one specific foreign home no matter how long ago your spouse lived there. You complete both.

	Address History (4-7)	Item 8
Item numbers	Items 4 through 7 (Address History)	Item 8 (Last Physical Address Outside the United States)
How many addresses	Every physical address from the last five years	One address only
What it covers	US and foreign addresses, current first, with from and to dates	The last home outside the US of more than one year
Time window	Strictly the last five years	Any time, however long ago
If never lived abroad	Still complete it with US addresses	No qualifying address; filers commonly write N/A

How to fill it in

Five steps. Work from the current address backward until you have covered five years.

Start with the current address

Put your spouse's current physical address in Physical Address 1 (Items 4.a through 4.h). The current address always goes first. Physical means where your spouse actually lives, not a mailing address, P.O. box, or a relative's address used only for mail.

Add the date range for each address

Item 5 holds the dates for Physical Address 1: 5.a is the Date From and 5.b is the Date To, both in mm/dd/yyyy. For the current address, the to date is today or PRESENT. Item 7 holds the dates for Physical Address 2 the same way.

Work backward with no gaps

List the next most recent address in Physical Address 2 (Items 6.a through 6.h). The Date To of an earlier address should line up with the Date From of the next one so the five years connect with no unexplained gaps. If your spouse was between leases or staying with family, use the address where they actually slept.

Count foreign addresses too

The instruction says to list addresses whether inside or outside the United States. A spouse who lived abroad during the last five years lists those foreign addresses here, using the Province, Postal Code, and Country fields instead of State and ZIP Code.

Continue extra addresses in Part 7

Page 1 has room for two addresses. If five years covers three or more, list the rest in Part 7. Additional Information, writing the Page Number, Part Number, and Item Number for each continued entry so a reviewer can match it back to the Address History.

Marriage-based filers: keep this history matching across your forms

Form I-130A is the supplement only the spouse beneficiary fills out. Your U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse (the petitioner) files the I-130; you, the immigrant spouse being sponsored (the beneficiary), complete this I-130A. So the Address History in Items 4 through 7 is your information, the immigrant's, not the sponsor's.

The most common pattern is a spouse who lived abroad and has recently joined their partner in the United States, or who is still abroad. Either way, the five years usually mix foreign and US addresses, and foreign addresses belong here just like US ones.

The addresses and dates here should agree with what the same spouse reports on the I-130 and, for an adjustment of status case (applying for the green card from inside the United States), on the later I-485. Reconcile all three before filing so the residential timeline tells one consistent story.

Not sure how to lay out a five-year address history?

Our software asks a few plain questions about where your spouse has lived and builds the history the right way, current address first with no gaps, and keeps it consistent across your whole I-130 and I-130A packet.

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What USCIS does with the address history

USCIS uses the five-year address history to confirm the immigrant spouse's whereabouts, to run background and security checks against the right jurisdictions, and to see that the residential timeline lines up across filings. The address history on the I-130A should match the petitioner's and beneficiary's information on the I-130 and, for an adjustment of status case (applying for the green card from inside the United States), the address history the same spouse gives later on Form I-485. Gaps in the dates, a missing address, or a history that conflicts with another form is one of the more common reasons a marriage case draws a Request for Evidence (an RFE, a USCIS notice asking for more information) or a question at the interview.

Common mistakes

These are the ones that show up most often on this section.

1
Listing a mailing address instead of a physical one
This field asks for physical addresses, the places your spouse actually lived. A P.O. box, a mail-forwarding service, or a relative's address used only to receive mail does not belong here. If your spouse's mailing address differs from where they live, use where they live.
2
Leaving date gaps between addresses
The Date To of one address should meet the Date From of the next so the five years connect. A gap suggests a missing address. If your spouse moved a lot or stayed with family between homes, list the place where they actually slept rather than leaving the timeline broken.
3
Skipping foreign addresses
The instruction says to list addresses whether inside or outside the United States. A spouse who lived abroad during the last five years lists those foreign homes here, not just their US addresses. Foreign addresses use Province, Postal Code, and Country.
4
Confusing this with Item 8
Items 4 through 7 are the five-year history. Item 8 is a separate, single field for the last home outside the US of more than one year. Filling one does not fill the other. Answer the Address History on its own terms, then answer Item 8 separately.
5
A history that does not match the I-130 or I-485
The addresses and dates here should agree with what the same spouse reports on the I-130 and later on the I-485. A timeline that conflicts across forms is a common trigger for follow-up questions. Reconcile the three before filing.

Related guides

Form and pathway context

Frequently asked questions

How far back does the I-130A address history go?

Five years. Items 4 through 7 ask for every physical address where the beneficiary spouse lived during the last five years, starting with the current address and working backward.

Do I list foreign addresses in the I-130A address history?

Yes. The form instruction says to list addresses whether inside or outside the United States. A spouse who lived abroad during the last five years lists those foreign homes using the Province, Postal Code, and Country fields.

What if my spouse lived at more than two addresses in five years?

Page 1 has room for two addresses. List the current address and the next most recent in Items 4 through 7, then continue any earlier addresses in Part 7. Additional Information, noting the Page, Part, and Item Number for each continued entry.

Is the address history the same as Item 8?

No. Items 4 through 7 are the five-year Address History of every physical address. Item 8 is a separate field for the last address outside the United States of more than one year. They can overlap, but they are different fields and you complete both.

What date do I use for the current address?

Use the date your spouse moved in as the Date From and today's date, or the word PRESENT, as the Date To. The to date of each earlier address should connect to the from date of the next so the five years have no gaps.

Does the I-130A address history need to match the I-130 and I-485?

Yes. The addresses and dates the spouse gives here should agree with the address information on the I-130 and, in an adjustment of status case, on the later I-485. A history that conflicts across forms is a common reason for a Request for Evidence or a question at the interview.

Key takeaways

✓
Items 4 through 7 ask for every physical address the beneficiary spouse lived at over the last five years, current address first.
✓
Each address needs a Date From and a Date To in mm/dd/yyyy, and the dates must connect with no gaps.
✓
Use physical addresses where your spouse actually lived, not mailing addresses or P.O. boxes.
✓
Foreign addresses count; the instruction says to list addresses whether inside or outside the United States.
✓
If five years covers more than two addresses, continue the list in Part 7. Additional Information.
✓
This Address History is a different field from Item 8, and it should match the I-130 and I-485 address histories.

This page is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Green Card Genius is self-help immigration software, not a law firm, and does not provide legal representation. Immigration law and USCIS policy change frequently. For advice on a specific case, consult a licensed immigration attorney. Form I-130A, edition 04/01/24. Last verified May 2026.

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