U.S. Citizen Services

Filing an Immigrant Petition for an Alien Relative (I-130)

Recent legislation has led to changes in the procedures American citizens will follow if they wish to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa.  Effective immediately, the immediate relative petition (I-130) must be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office responsible for the petitioner's place of residence (that is, the place of residence of the American citizen who is filing the petition).  Consular officers at U.S. embassies and consulates are no longer authorized to accept I-130s, although they will continue to provide guidance to American citizen petitioners and their family members. Responsibility for acceptance and approval of immigrant visa petitions rests solely with USCIS.  American citizens should submit their I-130 at the USCIS office responsible for their place of residence.

This procedural change may result in a processing delay for some applicants.  The Department of State recognizes and sincerely regrets the inconvenience this may cause.

Information about USCIS can be found at www.uscis.gov <http://www.uscis.gov>.

The I-130 application form, along with instructions on how and where to file the petition, can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130.pdf.

Please note, however, that the I-130 instructions on the form have not yet been updated to reflect the fact that the petition may no longer be filed at an Embassy or Consulate abroad. Please follow the instructions to file the I-130 at the appropriate domestic office of USCIS.  Petitioners who do not have a residence in the U.S. should contact the embassy at ConsularMinsk@state.gov <mailto:ConsularMinsk@state.gov> for guidance.