Seizing your opportunity to move to the United States while leaving your family behind in your home country is likely one of the most difficult decisions you have been forced to make. While it may have been challenging to pursue at first, you may have ultimately done it knowing that they would join you eventually. That is, once you laid down the groundwork of getting settled in this foreign land and establishing a life they could seamlessly fit into when the time was right. Simply put, you may have always had the goal of petitioning for Form -130, Petition for Alien Relative, on their behalves. If so, then please continue reading to learn how to file an I-130 petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and how an experienced family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can work tirelessly to reunite your family.
Who can I file an I-130 petition for?
Before you start the process of filling out and submitting Form I-130, you must confirm that the family member you intend to petition is even eligible. Of note, your current status in the United States may affect a certain family member’s eligibility. Without further ado, the qualified candidates read as follows:
- If you are currently a United States citizen:
- You may petition for your spouse.
- You may petition for your children under the age of 21.
- You may petition for your siblings.
- You may petition for your parents if you are over the age of 21.
- If you are a current lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e., a green card holder):
- You may petition for your spouse.
- You may petition for your unmarried children.
Unfortunately, you cannot use Form I-130 to grant your grandparents, grandchildren, aunts/uncles, cousins, or even your spouse’s family members (i.e., in-laws) entrance into the country. Still, you may encourage these family members to research other visa types in which they may better fit the eligibility criteria.
How do I file an I-130 petition for a family member?
Once you decide to pursue an I-130 petition for your eligible family member, you may kick off this process by creating a USCIS online account to access and file this form online. If you do not prefer the online platform, you may alternatively mail this form to a USCIS Lockbox or request to file at a United States Embassy or Consulate.
In any which way, it is important that you fill out this form to its entirety. This includes providing your signature at the end, along with supplementing it with the necessary documents. The specific documents that are required may depend on your relationship with the family member in question. For example, if you are petitioning for your spouse, you may supply a copy of your marriage certificate; or for your child, a copy of their birth certificate. This may be in addition to proof of your citizenship of lawful permanent resident status in the U.S.
If you have any outstanding questions yet to be answered, please ask a skilled family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. Anyone at Sesini Law Group, S.C. is willing and able to offer the support you need.