USCIS

Form I-130

Rev. 12/15/23

Petition for Alien Relative

Filed by U.S. citizens or LPRs to classify a foreign relative for immigration visa.

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Plain English

Form I-130 is how a U.S. citizen or permanent resident proves their family relationship to a foreign relative so that relative can eventually apply for a Green Card. It's the first step in family-based immigration.

Quick Facts

Who: U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who want to sponsor a family member for a Green Card.
What: A petition that establishes a qualifying family relationship (spouse, child, parent, sibling) between a U.S. citizen/LPR and a foreign relative.
When: Can be filed at any time. Wait times for visa availability depend on the category and country of birth of the beneficiary.
Where: Filed with USCIS by mail. Once approved, the case goes to the National Visa Center (for consular processing) or USCIS (for adjustment of status).
Why: The I-130 is the legal foundation of family-based immigration — without it, the relative cannot begin the Green Card process.
How: Petitioner provides their info, relationship to beneficiary, beneficiary's info, and supporting evidence of the qualifying relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.).

Common Risks & Mistakes

  • •Insufficient relationship evidence — especially for marriage cases, lack of bonafide marriage proof leads to denial
  • •Petitioner not meeting income requirements — must have income at 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or get a joint sponsor
  • •Wrong filing category — selecting wrong relationship type can cause denial or processing delays
  • •Filing for an ineligible relative — U.S. citizens can sponsor spouse, children, parents, siblings; LPRs can only sponsor spouse and unmarried children
  • •Not updating address with USCIS — critical notices sent by mail will go to wrong address

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Field-by-Field Guide

Part 1
Petitioner Relationship to BeneficiaryREQUIREDselect

Your relationship: Spouse, Child, Parent, or Sibling.

Part 2
Petitioner Full NameREQUIREDtext

Your current legal name.

Petitioner Date of BirthREQUIREDdate

Your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY).

Petitioner Country of BirthREQUIREDtext

Country where you were born.

Part 3
Beneficiary Full NameREQUIREDtext

Legal name of the relative you are petitioning for.

Beneficiary Date of BirthREQUIREDdate

Relative's date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY).

Beneficiary A-Numbertext

Relative's A-Number if they have one. Leave blank if none.

Part 5
Petitioner SignatureREQUIREDsignature

Sign and date certifying all information is correct.

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Form Stats

8
Fields
7
Required
4
Sections

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Disclaimer: We do not provide legal advice. We translate legal language into plain English and help you prepare for a conversation with a lawyer.