How to fill out Form I-130 (relative petition), line by line

• Start with the relationship, petitioner status, and filing route

• Form-wide rules, supporting evidence, and what to gather first

• Parts 2 and 3: information about you, the petitioner

• Part 4: information about the beneficiary

• Parts 5-9: prior petitions, signatures, and final review

• Common Form I-130 questions

Start with the relationship, petitioner status, and filing route

Before entering personal history, identify the relationship in Part 1 and the petitioner's status in Part 2, Item 36. Those answers establish the basic I-130 route and help identify the relationship-specific evidence USCIS requires. They do not resolve every individual eligibility question.

Who may file, and for which relative?

Basic I-130 categories by petitioner status. A separate petition is generally required for each eligible relative, subject to USCIS derivative-beneficiary rules.

In Part 1, select one relationship—spouse, parent, brother or sister, or child—then complete the follow-up relationship questions that apply. Item 2 applies to a petition for a child or parent; Item 3 asks an adoption question for a sibling beneficiary; and Item 4 asks whether the petitioner obtained lawful permanent resident status or citizenship through adoption. In Part 2, Item 36, select U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and complete only that status branch's follow-up fields.

For a spouse petition, submit Form I-130A with Form I-130. An overseas spouse must complete Form I-130A, but does not have to sign it. Form I-130A has its own completion requirements, so use its official instructions rather than treating Part 4 of Form I-130 as a substitute.

• government form instructions

Form-wide rules, supporting evidence, and what to gather first

USCIS instructs filers to type or print legibly in black ink and answer every question fully and accurately. Before completing the petition, gather the records behind the answers: identity and address history, marital and family records, employment and entry details where applicable, proof of the petitioner's status, and proof of the claimed relationship.

How to handle blanks, dates, and extra space

Use “N/A” when a question does not apply, unless the form gives a different direction. For a numeric answer that is zero or none, use None. Enter dates as mm/dd/yyyy. If an exact date is unavailable, enter an approximate date in that format and explain it in Part 9. Part 9, or an attached sheet, must identify the page number, part number, and item number for the answer it continues.

Match evidence to the claimed relationship

The relationship selected in Part 1 determines the evidence rules. USCIS requires proof of the petitioner's U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status and relationship-specific evidence. The proof differs for a spouse, child, parent, sibling, step-relationship, or adoption case. Use the applicable subsection of USCIS's “What documents do you need to prove family relationship?” instructions instead of borrowing evidence rules from a different category. Foreign-language documents require a full English translation, with the translator's certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate the language.

For filing location, use USCIS's current Form I-130 information. For the applicable filing fee, USCIS directs filers to Form G-1055. These are not fixed form entries, so this guide does not supply a filing address or fee amount.

Parts 2 and 3: information about you, the petitioner

Part 2 and Part 3 describe the petitioner, not the beneficiary. Work from records and follow the printed branches; not every field applies to every petitioner.

Identity, addresses, marital history, and parents

Items 1-9 request the petitioner's A-Number, USCIS Online Account Number, Social Security number if any, legal name, names ever used, birth information, and sex. An Online Account Number is not an A-Number. USCIS says an OAN is issued only in its stated IOE-related circumstances; do not put another identifier in that field. Other names include aliases, maiden names, and nicknames.

Item 11 is the address branch. If the mailing and current physical addresses differ, answer No and provide the current physical address first in Items 12.a.-13.b. USCIS also requests physical addresses for the last five years, inside or outside the United States. In the marital section, list a current spouse first if currently married, then list prior spouses. Complete the parent information requested in Items 25-35.

Citizenship or LPR information, employment, and biographic fields

Item 36 controls the next fields. A U.S. citizen completes Item 37 and, if Item 38 is Yes, Item 39. A lawful permanent resident completes Items 40.a.-41, including class and date of admission, place of admission, and the question about whether LPR status was gained through marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. USCIS gives qualifying non-citizen U.S. nationals a distinct instruction: select the LPR box in Item 36 and do not list an A-Number in Item 1.

• For Items 42-49, give five years of employment history, current employment first. If currently unemployed, enter “Unemployed” in Item 42.

• Part 3 is also about the petitioner. Select one ethnicity, all applicable race boxes, and one eye-color and hair-color box. Use feet and inches for height and pounds for weight; USCIS says to enter “000” for an unknown weight or one below 30 pounds or above 699 pounds.

Part 4: information about the beneficiary

Part 4 is the beneficiary's fact record. It collects identity, addresses, marital and family history, U.S. entry information, employment, proceedings, language details, spouse residence, and the stated processing route.

Identity, addresses, marital history, and family

Items 1-10 ask for the beneficiary's identifiers, legal and other names, birth information, and prior-petition history. Select “Unknown” for Item 10 only when neither the petitioner nor beneficiary knows whether anyone else has ever filed a petition for the beneficiary. For Items 11-16, distinguish the physical address from the intended U.S. address and foreign address. If the intended U.S. or foreign address is the same as the physical address, enter “SAME” only in Item 12.a. or 13.a., as the form directs. If an overseas home has no street number or name, leave only Items 11.a. and 11.b. blank.

For marital history, list the beneficiary's current spouse first if currently married, then prior spouses. The later family fields ask for the beneficiary's spouse and children. In categories covered by USCIS derivative-beneficiary rules, the beneficiary's spouse or unmarried children under 21 may be listed in Part 4 rather than needing separate petitions. Use the official instructions to confirm whether that rule applies to the relationship category.

U.S. entry, employment, proceedings, native script, and spouse residence

Item 45 asks whether the beneficiary was ever in the United States. If the beneficiary is currently in the United States, complete Items 46.a.-46.d. If CBP or USCIS issued an I-94, enter its number and the authorized-stay expiration date shown on it; enter “D/S” when the I-94 or I-95 reflects Duration of Status. Enter applicable passport or travel-document details used for U.S. travel even if the document has expired. The instructions identify the CBP I-94 website and Form I-102 as the official routes for obtaining an I-94 record when needed.

Give current employment information if applicable; if the beneficiary is unemployed, enter “Unemployed” in Item 51.a. A Yes to Item 53 requires the type of proceedings and the requested location and date. Complete Items 57-58 only when the beneficiary's native written language does not use Roman letters. For a spouse petition, provide the last address where the spouses physically lived together and the dates; if they never lived together, enter “Never lived together” in Item 59.a.

Choose the form's stated processing route: Items 61 or 62

Items 61 and 62 record different stated routes; they are not interchangeable address fields.

Parts 5-9: prior petitions, signatures, and final review

The final parts turn the information entered earlier into a certified petition. Review the petition and its attachments together before completing signatures.

Prior petitions and other relatives

Part 5 asks whether the petitioner has ever filed a petition for this beneficiary or any other alien. After a Yes answer, provide the requested name, place, filing date, and result. The other-relative fields apply when separate petitions for other relatives are also being submitted; they do not replace a separate I-130 when one is required.

Who signs Parts 6, 7, and 8

In Part 6, the petitioner selects the statement that truthfully describes whether they read and understood English or used the named interpreter, and indicates preparer assistance if applicable. The petitioner provides the requested contact information, signs, and dates the petition. Part 7 is completed and signed by an interpreter who read the questions and instructions in a language in which the petitioner is fluent. Part 8 is completed and signed by a preparer other than the petitioner. A person who acted as both interpreter and preparer completes both parts.

Part 9 and a final official checklist

Use Part 9 for additional information or an approximate-date explanation. If using a separate sheet, put the petitioner's name and A-Number, if any, at the top; identify the related page, part, and item; and sign and date the sheet. Before filing, confirm that every question is answered, the petitioner and any applicable interpreter or preparer have signed and dated, the applicable fee and supporting evidence are included, and a spouse petition includes Form I-130A and the applicable spouse-petition materials on USCIS's checklist.

Common Form I⁠–⁠130 questions

Does an approved I-130 automatically make my family member a permanent resident?

No. USCIS states that approval does not automatically give the beneficiary lawful permanent resident status or permission to immediately immigrate to the United States.

What if a required official document is unavailable?

USCIS directs filers to submit a statement from the appropriate civil authority certifying that the document is unavailable, along with the secondary evidence described in its “What if an official document is not available?” section. That section provides the applicable evidence rules, including when written statements may be used.

What if USCIS needs more information or originals?

USCIS may request more information, supporting evidence, or original documents. It may also request an interview or biometrics. Keep a complete copy of what you filed and follow the instructions in any USCIS notice.

Where do I file and what fee applies?

Use the current USCIS Form I-130 filing information for where to file and Form G-1055 for applicable fees. USCIS directs filers to those resources because filing details can change.

Sources and how this page was made

This guide explains the official sources listed below in plain language. Displayed amounts, limits, percentages, and timing rules come from that material.

Source revision reflected in this guide: Form: 04/01/24; Instructions: 04/01/24.

• Official form: Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative — USCIS

• Official form instructions: Form I-130/I-130A, Instructions for Petition for Alien Relative, and Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary — USCIS