I-130
Sponsoring a family memberPetition for Alien Relative
Form I-130 is the Petition for Alien Relative. A qualifying U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (the petitioner) uses it to ask USCIS to recognize a family relationship with a relative (the beneficiary). An approved I-130 does not, by itself, grant permanent residence.
Free during Alpha
USCIS filing fees are separate.
Family Adjustment Preparation
- I-130CoreAvailable now
- I-485CoreAvailable now
- I-765OptionalAvailable now
- I-131OptionalNot available to start yet
- Standalone total
- $427.00
- Bundle total
$349.00$0.00
Free during Alpha. Planned bundle price: $349.00
View bundleUSCIS filing fees are separate.
About this form
- Used for
- Family
- Who can file
- U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents
- CivicNest preparation
$149.00$0.00Free during Alpha
USCIS filing fees are separate.
- USCIS filing fee
- Paper $675 · Online $625 (other amounts apply in some situations)
- Average time
- 10-14 months
- CivicNest prepared edition
- 04/01/24
Paper filing is currently $675 for many applicants; online is $625. CivicNest preparation is a separate product charge. It is not a USCIS government filing fee. Confirm the current amount on Form G-1055 and the official USCIS form page before you pay.
Petitioner and beneficiary
The petitioner is the U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident who files Form I-130. The beneficiary is the relative named on the petition. USCIS needs proof of the petitioner’s qualifying status and of the family relationship claimed on the form.
Evidence depends on the relationship
Spouse, child, parent, and sibling petitions use different supporting documents. Do not assemble a spouse evidence packet for a parent petition. Use the relationship pages and the current Form I-130 instructions for the relative you are petitioning for.
What Form I-130 does not do alone
An approved Form I-130 recognizes the qualifying relationship. It does not by itself grant a Green Card or authorize employment. Later steps, if any, depend on the beneficiary’s situation and current USCIS processes.
Some spouse filings also need Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary, in the same package.
Related I-130 resources
What CivicNest helps with
- • Guided questions
- • Information reuse
- • Consistency checks
- • Official PDF generation
- • A filing checklist so supporting evidence is not forgotten after the form is filled
What you'll need to file
This is a short USCIS summary, not a decision about your case. Confirm the official instructions for your situation.
Who typically files
U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident
Only qualifying petitioners can file for a relative.
A qualifying family relationship
Spouse, child, parent, or sibling - each relationship has its own document list.
A real relationship, not one created for a Green Card
Spousal petitions need extra evidence that the marriage is genuine.
Submit with the form
Often needed, depending on your answers
Official USCIS form preview
View PDFDepartment of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Form I-130
OMB
Petition for Alien Relative
Start here. Type or print in black ink.
Part 1. Information About You
1.a. Family Name
1.b. Given Name
1.c. Middle Name
Date of birth
Edition 04/01/24
Page 1
This is a CivicNest mock of the official form. Open the PDF to see every page USCIS publishes.
View instructions