Filing a Form I-130 is only the first step in helping a relative immigrate to the United States. Eligible family members must wait until there is a visa number available before they can apply to become a lawful permanent resident.
Form I-130 or Petition for Alien Relative is a Department of Homeland Security — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form that a U.S. citizen or lawful resident uses to establish the existence of a relationship to a certain alien relative who wishes to migrate to the U.S. In some instances, Form I-130 is referred to as “I-130 Petition.”
The first step in obtaining a family-based permanent residence or becoming a green card holder in the U.S. is by filing Form I-130 to the USCIS. As with all petitions, the individual who submits the application to the USCIS is called the petitioner, while the individual on whose behalf the petition is made is called the beneficiary.
A U.S. citizen may file Form I-130 for the following:
A lawful permanent resident of the U.S. may file Form I-130 for the following:
The USCIS has set guidelines on who may not file Form I-130. If you are the petitioner, according to the instructions page of the form, you may not file for an individual in the following conditions:
Make sure to provide all the required information accurately. For items that are not applicable, write “N/A.” For items where the answer is none, write “none.”
Part 1. Relationship
Item 1
Select for whom you are filing the petition for — Spouse, Parent, Brother or Sister, or Child.
Item 2
Select the option that best describes your relationship with the beneficiary.
Item 3
Choose “Yes” if the beneficiary is your brother or sister, or if you are related by adoption; “No” if otherwise.
Item 4
Choose “Yes” is you gained lawful permanent resident status or citizenship through adoption; “No” if otherwise.
Part 2. Information About You
Item 1
Provide your Alien Registration Number (A-Number), if applicable.
Item 2
Provide your USCIS Online Account Number, if applicable.
Item 3
Provide your U.S. Social Security Number, if applicable.
Items 4a to 4c
Provide your full legal name.
Items 5a to 5c
Provide other names you have ever used, including aliases, maiden name, and nicknames.
Items 6 to 7
Provide city, town, or village and country of birth.
Item 8
Provide your date of birth.
Item 9
Select your gender.
Items 10a to 10i
Provide your mailing address.
Item 11
Mark “Yes” if your current mailing address is the same as your physical address; “No” if otherwise. If “No,” provide your physical address information in Items 12a to 13b
Items 12a to 13b
Provide the required information related to your physical address.
Items 14a to 15b
Provide the required information related to your other physical address, if applicable.
Item 16
Provide the number of times you have been married.
Item 17
Select your marital status.
Item 18
Provide date of current marriage, if currently married.
Items 19a to 19d
Provide the place of your current marriage.
Items 20a to 23
Provide information about your spouses, if applicable.
Items 24a to 35
Provide information about your parents.
Item 36
Select if you are a “U.S. Citizen” or “lawful Permanent Resident.”
Item 37
Select the reason how you acquired your citizenship if you are a U.S. citizen.
Item 38
Select “Yes” if you have obtained a Certificate of Neutralization or Certificate of Citizenship.
Items 39a to 39c
If you answered “Yes” to Item 38, provide your Certificate Number, its place of issuance, and its date of issuance.
Items 40a to 40d
If you are a lawful resident, provide your Class Admission, date of admission, place of admission.
Item 41
Select “Yes” if you gained lawful permanent resident status through marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Items 42 to 49b
Provide your employment history.
Part 3. Biographic Information
Items 1 to 6
Provide the required biographic information about you.
Part 4. Information About Beneficiary
Item 1
Provide the Alien Registration Number (A-Number) of the beneficiary, if applicable.
Item 2
Provide the USCIS Online Account Number of the beneficiary, if applicable.
Item 3
Provide the U.S. Social Security Number of the beneficiary, if applicable.
Items 4a to 4c
Provide the full name of the beneficiary.
Items 5a to 5c
Provide the other names used by the beneficiary.
Items 6 to 7
Provide city, town, or village and country of birth of the beneficiary.
Item 8
Provide the date of birth of the beneficiary.
Item 9
Select the gender of the beneficiary.
Item 10
Choose the appropriate option that answers if anyone has ever filed a petition for the beneficiary.
Items 11a to 11h
Provide the physical address of the beneficiary.
Items 12a to 16
Provide the other address and contact information of the beneficiary.
Items 17 to 19
Provide the marital information of the beneficiary.
Items 20a to 20d
Provide the place of beneficiary’s current marriage, if applicable.
Items 21a to 24
Provide information about the beneficiary’s spouses, if applicable.
Items 25a to 44
Provide information about the beneficiary’s family.
Items 45 to 50
Provide the beneficiary’s entry information.
Items 51a to 52
Provide the beneficiary’s employment information.
Items 53 to 62c
Provide the other information required from the beneficiary.
Part 5. Other Information
Items 1 to 9
Provide other information about you as a petitioner.
Part 6. Petitioner’s Statement, Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature
Before completing this section, read the Penalties section of Form I-130. Then, answer all the items and provide the required information.
Part 7. Interpreter’s Contact Information, Certification, and Signature
Answer the items in this section if you used an interpreter.
Part 8. Contact Information, Declaration, and Signature of the Person Preparing this Petition, if other than the Petitioner
Answer the items in this section if you used a preparer.
Part 9. Additional Information
Use this section if you need extra space to provide any additional information.