How to Fill Out Form I-130: Instructions, Evidence and Wait Times
Form I-130 is filed by a U.S. citizen or green card holder to prove a family relationship with a foreign relative – a spouse, child, parent, brother or sister. An approved petition does not give a visa or status by itself. It is the first step toward a green card. Below – what to decide before you start, where people most often make mistakes, what to attach for each relative and how long USCIS takes. If you want the petition prepared for you, see our page on the I-130 petition for an alien relative.
Who you can file for and how long it takes
| Who files for whom | Visa queue | USCIS median |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen – for a spouse, unmarried child under 21, parent (if the citizen is 21+) | none, a visa is available right away | 13 months |
| Citizen – for an unmarried son or daughter 21+, a married child, a brother or sister (citizen 21+) | Visa Bulletin | 43.3 months + queue |
| Green card holder – for a spouse, child under 21, unmarried son or daughter 21+ | Visa Bulletin | 43.3 months + queue |
The medians come from the USCIS quarterly report for April – June 2026. Half of the petitions decided in that period took less time, half took more. Relatives in a preference category also wait until their priority date becomes current in the Visa Bulletin. The bulletin changes every month, so we do not quote dates here.
You cannot file for grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins or parents-in-law. A green card holder cannot file for a married child. If the unmarried son or daughter of a green card holder marries before immigrating, USCIS will deny or revoke the petition.
Four decisions before you open the form
Answer these four questions first. They decide how many forms and documents you will need.
One petition per person. A citizen files a separate I-130 for each relative. If your wife and her children are coming, each child needs a petition of their own. Preference categories work differently – the relative’s spouse and children under 21 are listed on the same form.
Where your relative will get the green card. In Part 4 you choose one path – adjustment of status in the U.S. or consular processing abroad. Leaving it blank or ticking both is not allowed.
Whether you need I-130A. A petition for a spouse comes with Form I-130A, filled out with the spouse’s details. A spouse living abroad does not have to sign it, but it must be completed.
Paper or online. The fee is $675 by mail and $625 through a USCIS online account. Online filing makes it easier to track the case and answer requests.
Where people go wrong on Form I-130
Most rejections and evidence requests come from small things you can check in advance. We grouped them by type rather than by part of the form.
Names and dates. Dates go in mm/dd/yyyy format. If you don’t know an exact date, give an approximate one and explain it in Part 9. Names must match your documents letter for letter, and if a name has changed, attach the marriage certificate, court order or other legal record of the change.
Blank fields. If a question does not apply to you, type N/A. If the answer is a number and it is zero, for example how many children you have, type None. USCIS may treat a blank field as an incomplete form.
Height and weight. Part 3 asks for height in feet and inches and weight in pounds. The USCIS instructions say not to use meters or centimeters.
The relative’s entry. If your relative has been to the U.S., Part 4 asks for the I-94 number and the date their authorized stay ends. Give the passport number even if the passport has expired. You can download an I-94 record from the CBP website.
Signatures. The petitioner signs by hand – a typed name or stamp is not accepted. If someone read the questions to you in another language, they complete and sign Part 7. If someone prepared the form for you, they sign Part 8. Out of space? Continue in Part 9 or on a separate sheet with your name, the part and item number, a signature and a date on every page.
What to submit with Form I-130
Every petition includes proof of the petitioner’s status. A citizen can use a copy of a U.S. passport, a U.S. birth certificate, a naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240). A green card holder sends a copy of both sides of the card. The rest depends on the relationship.
| Petition for | What to attach |
|---|---|
| Spouse | marriage certificate; proof that all prior marriages of both of you ended; two identical 2×2 in. color photos of the petitioner and the spouse, taken within 30 days; Form I-130A; proof of a real marriage |
| Child, filed by the mother | child’s birth certificate showing the mother’s name |
| Child, filed by the father | birth certificate with both parents’ names and your marriage certificate to the child’s mother |
| Brother or sister | your birth certificate and your sibling’s, showing at least one common parent |
| Mother | your birth certificate showing your mother’s name |
| Father | your birth certificate with both parents’ names and your parents’ marriage certificate |
A bona fide marriage is shown with a shared home (a joint lease or jointly owned property), combined finances and birth certificates of children you have together. Sworn statements from people who know your family personally also help – each needs the person’s full name, address, date and place of birth and an explanation of how they know about your marriage.
Documents in another language need a full English translation with the translator’s signed certification that it is complete and accurate and that they are competent in both languages, plus their name, date and contact details. Send copies – USCIS asks for originals separately if it needs them. If a document does not exist, get a statement from the civil authority that it is unavailable and add secondary evidence such as religious or school records or written statements from people with personal knowledge.
Want your petition checked before you mail it?
Send your documents in a messenger. A lawyer will tell you what is missing for I-130.
How to file Form I-130 – online or by mail
Filing online costs $625 and filing by mail costs $675. There is no separate biometrics fee any more, it is included in the filing fee. Always check the current amount in the USCIS Fee Schedule.
On October 7, 2026 USCIS changed the mailing addresses for paper I-130s. Petitions sent to an old address are accepted if postmarked by November 9, 2026. The address depends on where you live, so confirm it on the Form I-130 page on the day you send it.
What speeds up review
- I-130A and photos included from the start
- certified translations
- name change documents
- the same spelling of names everywhere
What trips up a petition
- no path chosen in Part 4, or both chosen
- height in centimeters
- typed name instead of a signature
- wrong fee amount
What happens after you file
USCIS first checks that the form is complete. An incomplete petition can be rejected or denied, so read it through before mailing. If the evidence is thin, you get a Request for Evidence (RFE), and USCIS may ask to see originals. The petitioner may be called for an interview or biometrics. The decision arrives in writing.
After approval the paths split. A relative abroad goes through the National Visa Center and an embassy interview, paying $325 for the immigrant visa and $120 for the NVC review of Form I-864. A spouse who is already in the U.S. and entered lawfully files I-485 and adjusts status without leaving, and the spouse of a citizen can file I-130 and I-485 together. That route is covered in our guide to the marriage green card process and timeline. Relatives living in Canada are generally interviewed at the U.S. consulate in Montreal.
If the petitioner is a green card holder
A petitioner who is not a citizen must report a change of address to USCIS within 10 days of moving. If they naturalize while the case is pending, a petition for a spouse is upgraded to the immediate relative category with no queue – send proof of citizenship to the National Visa Center.
The longest waits usually belong to people answering USCIS requests, not to people with complicated histories. Check every name and date against your documents before you mail the petition – a single RFE can add months.
Form I-130 FAQ
How long does I-130 take for the spouse of a green card holder?
USCIS data for April – June 2026 show a median of 43.3 months for preference-category petitions. After approval, the spouse still waits for their priority date in the Visa Bulletin. If the green card holder becomes a citizen in the meantime, the petition moves to the immediate relative category.
Who fills out Form I-130A?
The spouse you are petitioning for. It goes in the same package as I-130. If the spouse lives abroad, the signature on I-130A is not required, but the form must be completed.
Can I file I-130 and I-485 at the same time?
Yes, if you are the spouse of a U.S. citizen, you are in the U.S. and you entered lawfully. The petition and the green card application then go in one package. The spouse of a green card holder must wait until their Visa Bulletin date is current.
What if I can’t get a required document?
Ask the issuing authority for a statement that the document is unavailable and attach secondary evidence – religious or school records, census records or written statements from people with personal knowledge. For parent-child relationships, DNA testing at an accredited lab can be offered voluntarily.
How much does it cost to file I-130?
The USCIS fee is $675 by mail and $625 online. After approval a relative abroad also pays the $325 visa fee and $120 for the NVC Affidavit of Support review, and the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee after the visa is issued.
Related articles
- Marriage green card process and timeline
- How to remove conditions on a green card
- K-1 visa process and timeline
- Family immigration to the U.S. – key issues
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