I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition

Mail your petition to:

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-730
6046 N. Belt Line Rd. Ste. 730
Irving, TX 75038-0019

Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-730. It is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.

If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English.

Did you provide the following?

• Proof of your status as a principal asylee or refugee in the United States;
• One passport-style photograph of each family member you are filing for;
• A copy of both sides of your family member’s Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, if they are in the United States; and
• Primary evidence of a family relationship for each family member you are submitting a petition for:
  • Spouse (PDF, 997.34 KB): A copy of your marriage certificate, evidence you each legally terminated any previous marriages (if either you or your spouse were), and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).
    • Note: On Feb. 14, 2022, the USCIS Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate issued Revised Guidance on Informal (“Camp”) Marriages (PDF, 997.34 KB). The revised guidance recognizes certain informal marriages for the purpose of obtaining derivative refugee or asylee status and directs USCIS officers to consider evidence of an informal spousal relationship, including when a marriage certificate may not be available.
  • Child:
    • If the petitioner is the child’s mother: A copy of your child’s birth certificate showing their name and your name, and evidence of legal name changes if the names on the birth certificate do not match the names on the petition.
    • If the petitioner is the child’s father: A copy of your child’s birth certificate showing the child’s name and your name, and a copy of your marriage certificate if you were married to the child’s mother. If you were not married to the child’s mother, then you must either submit evidence that the child was legitimated by civil authorities or submit evidence that a bona fide parent/child relationship exists or existed between you and the child. Legitimation laws may vary by country. (For more information on legitimation, see the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part B, Chapter 8.)
  • Stepchild: A copy of your child’s birth certificate, a copy of the marriage certificate between you and the child’s natural parent, and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).
  • Adopted child: A certified copy of the adoption decree, evidence that you lived with the child for at least two years, a certified copy of the court order granting custody (if applicable), and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).

If primary evidence is not available from civil authorities submit the following as secondary evidence:

• Religious institution record;
• School record; or
• Census record.

If secondary evidence is not available, submit affidavits. If you submit affidavits, they must overcome the absence of primary and secondary evidence.

For a complete list of supporting documentation, see the Form I-730 Instructions (PDF, 91.59 KB).

Filing Tips: Go to our Tips for Filing Forms by Mail page for information on how to help ensure we will accept your application.

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

Initial Domestic Processing:

We receive all Form I-730 petitions at our Texas service center. Our Service Center Operations Directorate performs initial domestic processing of Form I-730 follow-to-join asylee (FTJ-A) petitions. Our Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate performs initial domestic processing of Form I-730 follow-to-join refugee (FTJ-R) petitions at the Form I-730 Processing Unit at the Asylum Vetting Center in Atlanta. If we need additional evidence, or if we identify potential grounds to deny your petition during initial domestic processing, we will give you an opportunity to respond.

For FTJ-R Petitions Only: On Feb. 1, 2018, USCIS and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) implemented procedures to ensure that all individuals admitted as refugees receive similar, consistent vetting and adjudication procedures, whether they are principal refugees, accompanying family members, or following-to-join refugees. These procedures require additional biographic information for FTJ-R beneficiaries through submission of a Form I-590, Registration for Classification as Refugee (PDF, 691.55 KB). Petitioners should submit a Form I-590 for the beneficiary along with the Form I-730 petition, but the beneficiary does not need to complete Parts 5 or 8 or sign the form. We will not deny a Form I-730 that does not have a Form I-590, but we will request this information from petitioners if they do not submit it.

You cannot use Form I-590 to request refugee status directly with USCIS. For information about the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, see our Refugees page.

Beneficiary Interview and Additional Processing:

Once we have completed initial domestic processing of your Form I-730, and if your relative appears eligible, we will send your petition to the appropriate office to interview your spouse or child and to continue processing.

If the beneficiary is located within the United States, we will forward the petition to the USCIS domestic field office with jurisdiction over the beneficiary’s residence.

If the beneficiary is located outside of the United States, we will forward the petition through the DOS National Visa Center (NVC) to either the USCIS international field office or the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over the beneficiary’s residence.

After the interviewing office receives the petition, they will notify you, your spouse or child, and any representative, and provide additional instructions. If DOS processes the beneficiary outside the United States and finds them ineligible for travel, they will return the petition to the domestic USCIS processing component for further review and action.

It is important to notify USCIS or DOS if the contact information for the petitioner or beneficiary changes. To update your or your spouse or child’s address in the United States, submit Form AR-11 to USCIS online. If the beneficiary is located outside of the United States, you should also contact the NVC and the U.S. embassy or consulate or USCIS international field office processing the case. Find contact information for USCIS international field offices at the International Immigration Offices webpage.

Find contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates at the DOS U.S. Embassy Locator webpage, which includes details on whether the U.S. embassy or consulate is open for interviews and additional processing.