I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

Alert: The current edition date for Form I-129 is 03/10/21. Starting July 1, 2021, we will only accept the 03/10/21 edition. Until then, you can also use the 09/30/20 and 01/27/20 editions. 

Alert: On Nov. 2, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois vacated the Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds final rule (84 Fed. Reg. 41,292 (Aug. 14, 2019), as amended by Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds; Correction, 84 Fed. Reg. 52,357 (Oct. 2, 2019)) (Public Charge Final Rule) nationwide. That decision was stayed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. On March 9, 2021, the Seventh Circuit lifted its stay, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois’ order vacating the Public Charge Final Rule went into effect.

We immediately stopped applying the Public Charge Final Rule to all pending applications and petitions that would have been subject to the rule. USCIS continues to apply the public charge inadmissibility statute, including consideration of the statutory minimum factors in the totality of the circumstances, in accordance with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance, which was in place before the Public Charge Final Rule was implemented on Feb. 24, 2020, to the adjudication of any application for adjustment of status. In addition, USCIS will no longer apply the separate, but related, “public benefits condition” to applications or petitions for extension of nonimmigrant stay and change of nonimmigrant status.

On or after March 9, 2021, applicants and petitioners should not provide information required solely by the Public Charge Final Rule. That means that applicants for adjustment of status should not provide the Form I-944, Declaration of Self-Sufficiency, or any evidence or documentation required on that form with their Form I-485. Applicants and petitioners for extension of nonimmigrant stay and change of nonimmigrant status should not provide information related to the receipt of public benefits on prior editions of Form I-129 (Part 6), Form I-129CW (Part 6), Form I-539 (Part 5), and Form I-539A (Part 3).

If an applicant or petitioner has already provided such information, and USCIS adjudicates the application or petition on or after March 9, 2021, we will not consider any information provided that relates solely to the Public Charge Final Rule, including, for example, information provided on the Form I-944, evidence or documentation submitted with Form I-944, and information on the receipt of public benefits on prior editions of Form I-129 (Part 6), Form I-129CW (Part 6), Form I-539 (Part 5), and Form I-539A (Part 3).

If you received a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) requesting information that is solely required by the Public Charge Final Rule, including but not limited to Form I-944, and your response is due on or after March 9, 2021, you do not need to provide the information solely required by the Public Charge Final Rule. However, you need to respond to the aspects of the RFE or NOID that otherwise pertain to the eligibility for the immigration benefit you are seeking. If USCIS requires additional information or evidence to make a public charge inadmissibility determination under the statute and consistent with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance, we will send you another RFE or NOID. For information about the relevant court decisions, please see the litigation summary.

Alert: Effective Oct. 19, 2020, Pub. L. No. 116-159 increases the fee for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, from $1,440 to $2,500, for all filings except those from petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. The premium processing fee for petitioners filing Form I-129 requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status is increasing from $1,440 to $1,500. Any Form I-907 postmarked on or after Oct. 19 must include the new fee amounts. Read more here: Premium Processing Fee Increase Effective Oct. 19, 2020.

Alert: On Sept. 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Immigration Legal Resource Center et al., v. Wolf, et al., 20-cv-05883-JWS, preliminarily enjoined DHS from implementing or enforcing any part of the USCIS Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements rule.

While the rule is preliminarily enjoined, we will continue to:

  • Accept USCIS forms with the current editions and current fees; and
  • Use the regulations and guidance currently in place to adjudicate applications and petitions. This includes accepting and adjudicating fee waiver requests as provided under Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapters 10.9 (PDF, 2.87 MB) and 10.10 (PDF, 2.87 MB).

For more information, please refer to the Federal Register Notice, dated Jan. 29, 2021.

Petitioners use this form to file on behalf of a nonimmigrant worker to come to the United States temporarily to perform services or labor, or to receive training, as an H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, L-1, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-1S, P-2, P-2S, P-3, P-3S, Q-1 or R-1 nonimmigrant worker. Petitioners may also use this form to request an extension of stay in or change of status to E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B1 or TN, or one of the above classifications for an alien.

What This Form Can Help You Do

Forms and Document Downloads

Form Details

Edition Date

03/10/21. Starting July 1, 2021, we will only accept the 03/10/21 edition. Until then, you can also use the 09/30/20 and 01/27/20 editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.

Dates are listed in mm/dd/yy format.

Where to File

See Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.

Filing Tips for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

Complete all sections of the form.

Don’t forget to sign your form! We will reject any unsigned form.

Filing Fee
$460.

When you send a payment, you agree to pay for a government service. Filing and biometric service fees are final and non-refundable, regardless of any action we take on your application, petition, or request, or if you withdraw your request.

Checklist of Required Initial Evidence (for informational purposes only)

View the checklist of required initial evidence.

Special Instructions

Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds final rule implementation 

Petitioners requesting an extension of stay or change of status on behalf of aliens who are subject to the new public benefit condition do not need to report the receipt of public benefits on Form I-129 if such benefits are received before Feb. 24, 2020. Please read all references to Oct. 15, 2019, as though they refer to Feb. 24, 2020.

Duplicate Copies:

Please provide a duplicate copy of Form I-129 and all supporting documentation at the time of filing if the beneficiary is seeking a nonimmigrant visa abroad, a change of status, or an extension of stay. Additionally, please provide duplicate copies of all documents sent to us in response to a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny. We will not make duplicate copies.

Failure to submit duplicate copies may cause a delay in the Department of State issuing a visa abroad. To speed processing, copies should be double-sided and bound with a single binder clip. Please do not include staples, ribbons, or tabbed dividers in the duplicate copy.

Extension of Stay Requests for Beneficiaries Who Entered the United States Based on an Approved Blanket L Petition:

All petitioners requesting an extension of stay for a beneficiary who entered the United States based on an approved blanket L petition must file the following:

  • Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker,
  • Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition (the 06/02/16 edition only), and
  • A copy of their previously approved Form I-129S.

We may reject any Form I-129 for an L-1 blanket extension of stay request that does not also include Form I-129S.

Change of Status Request for Beneficiaries Who are in the United States:

All petitioners requesting a change of status to L-1 based on an approved blanket L petition for a beneficiary who is currently in the United States must file the following:

  • Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and
  • Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition (the 06/02/16 edition only).

We may reject any Form I-129 for an L-1 blanket change of status request that does not also include Form I-129S.

Evidence of Petition Approval Needed When Traveling:

Along with a valid passport and visa (if applicable), the alien beneficiary should carry the following documents when traveling to the United States:

  • Form I-797 USCIS petition approval notice; or
  • A copy of the approved Form I-129S (if applicable)

The beneficiary should present this documentation to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when seeking entry or re-entry into the United States in the approved Form I-129 employment classification.

Evidence of a petition approval is not a visa and the beneficiary must possess the appropriate nonimmigrant visa, if one is required, before applying for admission into the United States.

Form I-94 Validity:

When the beneficiary with an approved Form I-129 is admitted to the United States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection grants the beneficiary a period of stay documented on Form I-94 or as noted in the passport or travel document.

If the expiration date on Form I-94 ends before the end of Form I-129's validity period (as shown on Form I-797 approval notice) one of the following must occur before the expiration date on Form I-94 or as noted in the passport or travel document:

  • A petitioner must file a request for an extension of stay on behalf of the beneficiary using Form I-129; or
  • An application for some other immigration benefit that would allow the beneficiary to remain in the United States must be filed; or
  • The beneficiary must depart the United States.

If the nonimmigrant worker’s stay is limited as described above, any dependent family members who accompanied or followed to join the beneficiary must also:

  • Request an extension of stay using Form I-539;
  • Apply for some other immigration benefit that would allow the family member to remain in the United States; or
  • Depart the United States, before the expiration date on the family member’s Form I-94 or the date noted in the family member’s passport or travel document.

Part 6 - Certification Regarding the Release of Controlled Technology or Technical Data to Foreign Persons in the United States:

Petitioners must complete Part 6 of Form I-129 if they are seeking to classify a nonimmigrant worker as H-1B, H-1B1 Chile/Singapore, L-1, and O-1A. Part 6 is not required for petitions for all other classifications, including but not limited to blanket L petitions (LZ). See our Part 6 of Form I-129: Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Troubled Asset Relief Program:

Employers who received funds through the Troubled Asset Relief Program or under section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act (“covered funding”) are no longer required to answer question 1d in Part A of the H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement.

For Residence in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI):

You must follow additional guidance if you are requesting an initial grant of nonimmigrant status in the CNMI. For more information, please visit the grants of status webpage.

When completing Form I-129, please list your CNMI P.O. box when asked for a street or physical address. File your petitions for employment or services in the CNMI, regardless of classification, with the California Service Center.

U.S. Postal Service (USPS):

California Service Center
P.O. Box 10698
Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1098

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:

California Service Center
24000 Avila Road, 2nd Floor, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

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