I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

• Form I-130 (113 KB PDF)
• Instructions for Form I-130 (78 KB PDF)
• Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (240 KB PDF)

Purpose of Form

For citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States to establish the relationship to certain alien relatives who wish to immigrate to the United States.
Note: A separate form must be filed for each eligible relative. USCIS processes Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, as a visa number becomes available. Filing and approval of an 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 for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident.

Number of Pages

Form 2; Instructions 7.

Edition Date

12/18/12; (01/08/12; 08/15/11; 11/23/10; 06/14/10; 05/27/08 and 01/31/08 editions also accepted)

Where to File

File at the Chicago or Phoenix Lockbox, depending on where you live and whether you are also filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The addresses are listed here:  Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130 web page. 

If you reside outside of the United States where USCIS has an international office, you may file at the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility or at the USCIS international office in the country in which you reside. If you reside outside of the United States where USCIS does not have an international office, you may file at the U.S. Embassy or consulate having jurisdiction over the area where you live only if exceptional circumstances exist and the USCIS Field Office Director with jurisdiction over that location determines that the Embassy or consulate may accept and adjudicate the case. For a list of USCIS international offices and filing instructions please visit www.uscis.gov/international.

Filing Fee

$420

Special Instructions

• Please read our Lockbox Filing Tips.
• To receive an email or text message when we accept your form, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance and clip it to the front of the petition.
• If you are filing for your spouse, your petition must be accompanied by a Biographical Form G-325A for you and one for your spouse (not form G-325).
• For your petition to be accepted, you must:
  • Properly sign the form. As the petitioner, you must sign Part E.
  • Submit the correct filing fee of $420.  
  • Complete the entire form. You must complete Part A. You must provide your name, complete address, marital status, and country of birth in Part B; and the beneficiary’s name, complete address, marital status, and country of birth in Part C.

This page can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/i-130