I-130 Petition for Alien Relative Guide

USCIS FAMILY PETITION GUIDE

Complete Guide to Form I-130

A complete field-by-field guide to Petition for Alien Relative, explaining the petitioner, beneficiary, family relationship, addresses, immigration history, supporting information, signatures, and common filing mistakes.

Before You Start: Prepare Your Records

Form I-130 establishes a qualifying family relationship. Keep identity, citizenship or permanent-resident evidence, family records, addresses and immigration information beside you.

Petitioner Records Citizenship or permanent-resident evidence, identity and address history.
Beneficiary Records Passport, identity, birth, address and immigration information.
Relationship Evidence Marriage, birth, adoption or other records proving the claimed relationship.
Five-Year History Prepare petitioner address and employment history for the requested period.
Petitioner and beneficiary are not the same person.

The petitioner is the qualifying U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident filing Form I-130. The beneficiary is the relative for whom the petition is filed. All example names below are fictional.

FORM I-130 — PART 1

Relationship

Identify the relative for whom you are filing and, where applicable, the type of parent-child relationship.

QUESTION 1

I Am Filing This Petition for My...

SPOUSE Select when you are filing for your legal husband or wife.
PARENT A U.S. citizen who meets the applicable age requirement may petition for a qualifying parent.
BROTHER / SISTER Used when the petitioner qualifies to petition for a sibling.
CHILD Select when filing for a qualifying son or daughter. Additional relationship questions follow.
Common mistake Do not choose a relationship based on everyday terminology. Use the relationship that legally applies under the form instructions.

If Filing for a Child or Parent — Type of Relationship

CHILD BORN TO MARRIED PARENTS Use when the child's parents were married to each other at the time of the child's birth.
STEPCHILD / STEPPARENT Use only when the legal step-relationship meets immigration-law requirements.
CHILD BORN TO UNMARRIED PARENTS Use when the parents were not married to each other at the time of birth.
ADOPTED CHILD Use for an applicable adopted-child relationship, excluding categories specifically handled under orphan or Hague procedures.

If the Beneficiary Is Your Brother or Sister, Are You Related by Adoption?

YES Select if the sibling relationship is based on adoption.
NO Select if it is not based on adoption.

Did You Gain Permanent Resident Status or Citizenship Through Adoption?

Answer Yes or No according to your own immigration and citizenship history.

FORM I-130 — PART 2

Information About You — Petitioner

Your identification numbers, legal name, other names, birth information, mailing address and five-year address history.

Alien Registration Number — A-Number

Enter your A-Number if USCIS has issued one to you. If you do not have one, follow the form instructions rather than inventing a number.

A-123456789

USCIS Online Account Number

Enter your USCIS Online Account Number if one has been assigned to you. This is not the same as an A-Number or receipt number.

U.S. Social Security Number

Enter your U.S. Social Security Number if you have one. Do not enter a foreign social-security or tax number.

Your Full Legal Name

Enter Family Name, Given Name and Middle Name exactly according to your legal identity documents.

FAMILY NAME: DE VRIES
GIVEN NAME: JOHN
MIDDLE NAME: ALEXANDER

Other Names Used

Provide other names you have used, including aliases, maiden names and nicknames where applicable.

Do not omit a prior legal surname simply because you no longer use it.

City, Country and Date of Birth

Enter your city/town/village of birth, country of birth and date of birth.

CITY: AMSTERDAM
COUNTRY: NETHERLANDS
DATE OF BIRTH: 12 APR 1990

Sex

MALE Select the applicable form option.
FEMALE Select the applicable form option.

Mailing Address

Provide the In Care Of Name if applicable, street number and name, apartment/suite/floor, city, state, ZIP Code, province, postal code and country.

Use the fields appropriate to the country where the mailing address is located.

Is Your Current Mailing Address the Same as Your Physical Address?

YES Select when both addresses are genuinely the same.
NO Provide your physical-address information separately.

Physical Address History — Last Five Years

Provide physical addresses for the last five years, inside or outside the United States. Include Date From and Date To for each address.

Check for gaps Your address dates should form a clear and accurate history for the required period.
FORM I-130 — PART 2

Petitioner Marital Information

How Many Times Have You Been Married?

Count all legal marriages, including your current marriage and prior marriages.

Current Marital Status

SINGLE, NEVER MARRIED Use if you have never been legally married.
MARRIED Use if you are currently legally married.
DIVORCED Use if your last legal marriage ended by divorce.
WIDOWED Use if your spouse died and you have not remarried.
SEPARATED Use where this legal status applies.
ANNULLED Use when the applicable marriage was legally annulled.

Date and Place of Current Marriage

If currently married, provide the date, city/town, state or province and country of the current marriage.

Names of All Spouses

List your current spouse first if currently married, followed by prior spouses. For prior marriages, enter the date the marriage ended.

Do not list only the beneficiary if you had previous legal marriages.
FORM I-130 — PART 2

Information About Your Parents

Parent 1 Information

Provide Parent 1's full name, date of birth, sex, country of birth, city/town/village of residence and country of residence.

Parent 2 Information

Provide Parent 2's full name, date of birth, sex, country of birth, city/town/village of residence and country of residence.

FORM I-130 — PART 2

Petitioner's U.S. Immigration Status

I Am a...

U.S. CITIZEN Select if you are currently a U.S. citizen.
LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT Select if you currently hold lawful permanent resident status.

How Was U.S. Citizenship Acquired?

FOR U.S. CITIZENS
BIRTH IN THE UNITED STATES Select if citizenship was acquired by U.S. birth.
NATURALIZATION Select if you became a U.S. citizen through naturalization.
PARENTS Select if citizenship was acquired through qualifying parent(s).

Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship

YES Provide certificate number, place of issuance and date of issuance.
NO Select if you have not obtained such a certificate.

Lawful Permanent Resident Admission Information

FOR LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS

Provide Class of Admission, Date of Admission, and Place of Admission — city/town and state.

Did You Gain Permanent Resident Status Through Marriage?

YES Select if your permanent residence was obtained through marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
NO Select if it was obtained through another basis.
FORM I-130 — PART 2

Petitioner Employment History

Provide employment history for the last five years, inside or outside the United States.

Employer 1 — Current or Most Recent

Provide employer/company name, full address, your occupation, Date From and Date To.

If currently unemployed, follow the form instruction to enter “Unemployed” where applicable.

Employer 2

Provide the previous employer needed to complete the required five-year employment history, including address, occupation and dates.

FORM I-130 — PART 3

Biographic Information

These questions apply to the petitioner.

Ethnicity

HISPANIC OR LATINO Select if applicable.
NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO Select if applicable.

Race

The form permits selecting all applicable categories: White, Asian, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

Height and Weight

Enter height in feet and inches and weight in pounds.

Eye Color

Select one option: Black, Blue, Brown, Gray, Green, Hazel, Maroon, Pink or Unknown/Other.

Hair Color

Select one option: Bald, Black, Blond, Brown, Gray, Red, Sandy, White or Unknown/Other.

FORM I-130 — PART 4

Information About the Beneficiary

Beneficiary A-Number

Enter the beneficiary's Alien Registration Number if one exists. Do not enter a made-up number.

Beneficiary USCIS Online Account Number

Enter the beneficiary's USCIS Online Account Number if one has been assigned.

Beneficiary U.S. Social Security Number

Enter the beneficiary's U.S. Social Security Number if one exists. Do not substitute a foreign identification number.

Beneficiary Full Name

Provide Family Name, Given Name and Middle Name exactly according to legal records.

FAMILY NAME: JANSEN
GIVEN NAME: EMMA
MIDDLE NAME: SOPHIE

Other Names Used by the Beneficiary

List other names ever used, including aliases, maiden names and nicknames where applicable.

Birth Information

Provide city/town/village of birth, country of birth and date of birth.

Beneficiary Sex

MALE Select when applicable.
FEMALE Select when applicable.

Has Anyone Else Ever Filed a Petition for the Beneficiary?

YES Select if another immigration petition has previously been filed for the beneficiary.
NO Select only if no one has previously filed such a petition.
UNKNOWN Use only if both you and the beneficiary genuinely do not know.
FORM I-130 — PART 4

Beneficiary Address and Contact Information

Beneficiary Physical Address

Provide the beneficiary's current physical street address, city, state or province, ZIP/postal code and country.

If the beneficiary lives outside the United States in a home without a street number or street name, follow the specific form instructions for those fields.

Address in the United States Where the Beneficiary Intends to Live

If different from the beneficiary's current physical address, provide the intended U.S. address. If the same, follow the form instruction to indicate that it is the same.

Beneficiary Address Outside the United States

Provide the beneficiary's foreign address if different from the physical address already entered.

Daytime Telephone Number

Enter the beneficiary's daytime telephone number if applicable.

Mobile Telephone Number

Enter the beneficiary's mobile number if applicable.

Email Address

Enter the beneficiary's current email address if applicable.

FORM I-130 — PART 4

Beneficiary Marital and Family Information

How Many Times Has the Beneficiary Been Married?

Count the beneficiary's current marriage and all prior legal marriages.

Current Marital Status

Select the applicable option: Single Never Married, Married, Divorced, Widowed, Separated, or Annulled.

Date and Place of Beneficiary's Current Marriage

If married, provide date, city/town, state/province and country of the current marriage.

Names of Beneficiary's Spouses

List the current spouse first if the beneficiary is currently married, followed by prior spouses. Enter the date each prior marriage ended where requested.

Information About Beneficiary's Spouse and Children

The form provides space for Person 1 through Person 5. For each person provide: full name, relationship, date of birth, and country of birth.

Listing a family member in this section does not itself mean a separate immigration petition has been filed for that person.
FORM I-130 — PART 4

Beneficiary Entry Information

Was the Beneficiary Ever in the United States?

YES Select if the beneficiary has ever physically been in the United States.
NO Select if the beneficiary has never been in the United States.

Class of Admission

IF CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES

Enter the beneficiary's class of admission, for example the status under which the person last entered. Use the actual immigration record.

Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number

Enter the actual I-94 number where requested. Do not use a visa number or passport number instead.

Date of Arrival and Authorized Stay Expiration

Enter the last arrival date and the expiration of authorized stay shown on the applicable I-94/I-95 record. If the record shows Duration of Status, follow the form instruction to enter D/S.

Passport Number

Enter the passport number used for the relevant entry where requested.

Travel Document Number

Enter a travel document number if one was used and the field applies.

Country of Issuance and Expiration Date

Provide the issuing country and expiration date for the relevant passport or travel document.

FORM I-130 — PART 4

Beneficiary Employment Information

Current Employer

Provide the beneficiary's current employer name and address, even if the employment is outside the United States.

If currently unemployed, follow the form instruction to enter “Unemployed” in the employer-name field.

Date Employment Began

Enter the date the beneficiary began the current employment, where applicable.

FORM I-130 — PART 4

Additional Immigration Information

Was the Beneficiary Ever in Immigration Proceedings?

YES Select if the beneficiary has been in proceedings covered by this question.
NO Select only if no such proceeding occurred.

Type of Proceedings

The form includes: Removal, Exclusion/Deportation, Rescission, and Other Judicial Proceedings.

Do not guess the legal category.

If the beneficiary has immigration-court or removal history and you are uncertain which option applies, review the actual records or obtain legal guidance.

Location and Date of Proceedings

If Yes, provide the city/town, state, and date requested by the form.

Name and Foreign Address in Native Written Language

If the beneficiary's native written language does not use Roman letters, enter the beneficiary's name and foreign address in that native written language where requested.

Last Address Where You and Your Spouse Lived Together

IF FILING FOR A SPOUSE

Provide the last physical address where you lived together and the dates you lived there. If you never lived together, follow the form instruction to state “Never lived together.”

FORM I-130 — PART 4

Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing

Beneficiary Will Apply for Adjustment of Status in the United States

If the beneficiary is in the United States and intends to apply for adjustment of status, provide the requested USCIS office city/town and state.

Do not choose adjustment of status merely because the beneficiary is physically in the United States.

Eligibility to adjust status depends on the beneficiary's individual immigration circumstances.

Beneficiary Will Apply for an Immigrant Visa Abroad

If the beneficiary will use consular processing, provide the U.S. Embassy or Consulate city/town, province where applicable, and country.

Selecting a particular embassy or consulate does not guarantee that location will accept the case for processing.
FORM I-130 — PART 5

Other Information

Have You Ever Previously Filed a Petition for This Beneficiary or Any Other Alien?

YES Provide the prior beneficiary's name, place of filing, date filed, and result such as approved, denied or withdrawn.
NO Select only if you have never previously filed such a petition.
Do not answer No simply because an old petition was denied or withdrawn. It still counts as a petition previously filed.

Separate Petitions for Other Relatives

If you are submitting separate petitions for other relatives, provide the full names and your relationship to those relatives. The paper form provides spaces for Relative 1 and Relative 2.

FORM I-130 — PART 6

Petitioner's Statement, Contact Information and Signature

Petitioner's Statement

Indicate whether you can read and understand English and have read every question and instruction, or whether an interpreter read the petition to you in another language.

Person Who Prepared the Petition

If someone prepared the petition for you, identify that person as required. This may include an attorney, accredited representative or other preparer.

Petitioner's Contact Information

Provide daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number if applicable, and email address if applicable.

Petitioner's Declaration and Certification

Read the USCIS declaration and certification carefully. By signing, you certify the information and documents submitted with the petition.

Do not sign an incomplete petition without reviewing it.

The petitioner's signature is required. An invalid or missing signature can cause rejection or other filing problems.

Petitioner's Signature and Date

Sign and date the petition in the manner required for your filing method. For a paper filing, follow USCIS signature instructions.

FORM I-130 — PART 7

Interpreter Information, Certification and Signature

Complete this section when an interpreter was used.

Interpreter Full Name

Provide the interpreter's Family Name and Given Name.

Interpreter Business or Organization

Enter the interpreter's business or organization name if applicable.

Interpreter Mailing Address

Provide street address, apartment/suite/floor, city, state, ZIP Code, province, postal code, and country as applicable.

Interpreter Contact Information

Provide daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number if applicable, and email address if applicable.

Interpreter Certification

The interpreter certifies that they are fluent in English and the language used with the petitioner and that the questions, instructions and answers were interpreted.

Interpreter Signature and Date

The interpreter signs and dates this section as required.

FORM I-130 — PART 8

Preparer Information, Declaration and Signature

Complete when someone other than the petitioner prepared the petition.

Preparer Full Name

Provide the preparer's Family Name and Given Name.

Preparer Business or Organization

Enter the preparer's business or organization name if applicable.

Preparer Mailing Address

Provide all applicable mailing-address fields.

Preparer Contact Information

Provide daytime telephone number, mobile telephone number if applicable, and email address if applicable.

Preparer Statement

NOT AN ATTORNEY OR ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE Use when the preparer is not acting as an attorney or accredited representative.
ATTORNEY OR ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE Indicate whether representation extends beyond preparation of this petition, as requested by the form.

Preparer Certification, Signature and Date

The preparer certifies that the petition was prepared at the petitioner's request based on information provided or authorized by the petitioner. The preparer signs and dates the form.

FORM I-130 — PART 9

Additional Information

Name and A-Number

At the beginning of Part 9, enter the petitioner's name and A-Number if applicable.

Page Number, Part Number and Item Number

For each additional explanation, identify the exact Page Number, Part Number, and Item Number to which the extra information relates.

PAGE NUMBER: 7
PART NUMBER: 4
ITEM NUMBER: 59

Extra Sheets

If Part 9 does not provide enough space, follow the USCIS instructions for attaching additional sheets. Clearly identify the related page, part and item.

BEFORE FILING

Supporting Evidence and Final Checks

Evidence of Petitioner's Status

Submit appropriate evidence showing that the petitioner is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, according to the I-130 Instructions.

Evidence of the Qualifying Relationship

Submit the civil or other documents required for the relationship being claimed, such as marriage, birth or qualifying adoption records.

Foreign-Language Documents

Documents containing foreign-language information must be accompanied by a full English translation with the translator certification required by USCIS.

Spouse Petition — Form I-130A

Important for spouse cases

If you are filing Form I-130 for your spouse, Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary, is generally also required according to the I-130 Instructions.

Review Before Filing

Check at minimum:
Correct petitioner and beneficiary names
Relationship category
A-Numbers and USCIS account numbers
Five-year address history
Marriage history
Parents' information
Petitioner immigration status
Employment history
Beneficiary address and family details
I-94 and U.S. entry information if applicable
Immigration proceedings if applicable
Adjustment vs. consular processing choice
Prior petitions
All required signatures
Required evidence and translations
Final Rule: Never copy the sample answers.

The examples on this page are fictional. Form I-130 must reflect the actual petitioner, beneficiary, family relationship, immigration history, addresses and supporting evidence in your case.

No matching Form I-130 topic was found.
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