When you want to bring your family member to the United States, firstly you must file a Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. By the way, what is Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative? Well, in this article, we will explain about that.
Definition of Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
A form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative is a form to prove a valid family relationship between United States citizens or Green Card holders and a relative who wants to immigrate to the United States. If you want to bring your relative or family member to live or work in the United States permanently, then you must file this form I-130.
You can submit a Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at www.uscis.gov. Submitting a Form I-130 is the first step to assist your relative or family member apply to immigrate to the United States and obtain a Green Card. Need to know that the approval of this petition will not give your relative any immigration status or benefit.
Make sure that you can establish a relationship between you and your relative that qualifies them to immigrate to the United States so that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will approve your Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. After the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your petition, then your relative can apply to become an LPR and get a Green Card (a Permanent Resident Card). If you have a relative who is already in the United States and has a visa, then your relative may be eligible to get his/her Green Card by filing Form I-485.
Your relative may need to wait until a visa number is available before he/she can apply for either a Form I-485 or for a visa. But if your relative qualifies as an immediate relative, then an immigrant visa is always available.
In other case, if you have relative who is already in the United States, but he/she is not eligible to get a Green Card by filing Form I-485, because a visa is not available immediately or for another reason, then your relative can apply for an immigrant visa with the United States Department of State at the U.S. embassy or consulate in his/her country.
When you are completing Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, you must ensure that you choose one option when indicating that your relative intends to apply for adjustment of status inside the United States or will apply for visa processing abroad. If you want to change your selection, and the form is still pending, then you can contact the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Contact Center to request a change.
Download Form I-130 in PDF File
It consists of 12 pages in PDF format which you can print and fill in as your requirements.
You can download it at here
Who Can File A Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative?
United States citizens can file a Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative for their children, parents, spouses, and siblings. While current green card holders can only file I-130 Petition for Alien Relative for their spouses and unmarried children (any age).
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