Form I-130 Processing Time

What Happens After Filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is the first step in obtaining family unit-based permanent residence (green carte du jour) in the Usa. A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident may file Grade I-130 to constitute a qualifying relationship with the beneficiary (intending immigrant). Understandably, y'all want to know how long it takes throughout the Form I-130 processing fourth dimension line and what happens in the unlike steps.

Although the steps that have identify are fairly consequent, the I-130 processing time will vary significantly based on the blazon of relationship (between petitioner and beneficiary), USCIS case load, and your power to properly file an accurately prepared I-130 petition. The following outline describes the basic steps of the I-130 fourth dimension line for near people.

Form I-130 processing time line, what happens after filing

Receipt of Petition

APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 WEEKS Later FILING

If y'all properly file Form I-130, Petition for Conflicting Relative, USCIS will initially respond by mailing you lot a receipt notice that confirms receipt of your petition. Formally known every bit Form I-797C, Notice of Activeness (encounter instance below), the receipt find typically arrives 2 to 3 weeks after filing. If you did not properly file your Course I-130, USCIS will ship a Find of Action to refuse the petition or may transport a Request for Evidence that requests boosted items. Either volition significantly delay your request. Thus, it is vital to prepare the I-130 correctly and submit all required supporting documents.

I-797c receipt notice during I-130 time line

Tip: Salvage this important letter. It contains your ten-digit receipt number. Y'all can use this receipt number to cheque your case status. If you didn't receive a Notice of Action, you tin make a case inquiry.

Nearly 9% of Form I-130 petitions are rejected, and thousands more are denied. A poorly prepared petition can likewise delay the approval procedure and even create significant immigration bug. When you lot prepare your I-130 on CitizenPath, we provide simple, footstep-by-step instructions and alerts to help yous avoid costly delays. We fifty-fifty guarantee USCIS will approve your petition. No credit card is required to attempt it.

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Review of Petition

APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 4 WEEKS Later FILING

At this signal, USCIS may brainstorm reviewing your petition. But it's very helpful to understand the difference between immediate relatives and family unit preference categories also every bit how that will affect your petition. Immigration law defines firsthand relatives as the spouse, unmarried children (nether historic period 21) and parents of a U.S. citizen. They are given priority. More accurately, at that place is no numerical limit on immigrant visas for immediate relatives. Therefore, the wait time is much shorter. USCIS will begin reviewing immediate relative petitions equally soon as possible.

At this bespeak, USCIS may brainstorm reviewing your petition. Only information technology'southward very helpful to sympathise the deviation between immediate relatives and family preference categories likewise as how that volition affect your petition. Clearing law defines immediate relatives equally the spouse, unmarried children (under age 21) and parents of a U.S. citizen. They are given priority. More than accurately, at that place is no numerical limit on immigrant visas for immediate relatives. Therefore, the wait time is much shorter. USCIS will begin reviewing immediate relative petitions every bit soon as possible.

form i-130 processing time, what to expect

Tip: If the petitioner or beneficiary change a mailing address during this time, don't forget to inform USCIS. Call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283 to modify the address with your pending I-130 petition.

Approval for Immediate Relatives

APPROXIMATELY v TO 12 MONTHS AFTER FILING

Over again, the number of immigrant visas (green cards) issued to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens is unlimited. Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are canonical within a five to 9 month time frame, but they can take longer in some cases.

If you lot are in the United States and also filed an application to adjust status, USCIS will begin reviewing Class I-485 at this betoken. If you lot are outside the U.S., USCIS will frontwards your case to the National Visa Middle (NVC) to begin coordinating the visa interview at a U.S. consular office in your country. The NVC volition propose you lot when it'southward fourth dimension to submit the visa awarding and other supporting documents.

Retrieve, firsthand relatives are the spouses, unmarried children (under 21) and parents of U.South. citizens. This is a select group of immigrants with unlimited visa numbers. All other types of family relationships are considered family preference categories and generally will take longer to approve and get current.

Approval for Family unit Preference

APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS TO 20+ YEARS AFTER FILING

Immigrant visa numbers are not unlimited for people in the family preference category. In that location is a numerical limit on the visas issued each year. For express categories, the availability of immigrant visa numbers depends on the date your petition was filed. This is called your priority date.

Therefore, it'southward very important to empathise that even if USCIS approves an immigrant visa petition for you lot, you may not get an immigrant visa number immediately. For many people, information technology can take several years before the priority date is current.

USCIS may approve the petition in as trivial as six months for the F2A category (usually much longer for other categories), but you will nevertheless demand to expect for a visa number to become available before the immigrant visa (green card) application tin be submitted to the U.S. consulate. Using your priority date, yous can check the status of the State Department's Visa Bulletin. Larn how to read the visa message >>

Tip: If an immediate relative is in the United States through a lawful entry, information technology'due south generally easiest (and fastest) to file the green menu awarding (Form I-485) at the same time every bit Grade I-130. Larn more than about aligning of status.

I-130 Processing Time past Category

APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS TO 20 YEARS (DEPENDING ON CATEGORY)

Under electric current U.Southward. clearing law, Congress limits the number of family preference green cards that may be granted each twelvemonth. Thus, the annual quota (numerical limit) on each category combined with limits for each land can create very pregnant waits for some categories. That generally translates into a expect time after filing Form I-130, Petition for Conflicting Relative.

Category
Eligibility
Annual Quota
Estimated Look Time
IR Immediate Relative: Spouse, single children (nether 21 years old), and parents of U.S. citizens No numerical limit Noneone
F1 Family Preference: Single sons and daughters (21 years of age or older) of U.S. citizens 23,400 vii yearstwo
F2 Family Preference: Spouse, sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents 114,200
F2A: Spouse and minor children (nether 21 years old) None3
F2B: Unmarried sons and daughters (21 or older) v-6 years
F3 Family Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens 23,400 12-13 years2
F4 Family Preference: Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens 65,000 13-14 years2

aneThere is no quota for the immediate relative visa category, simply it may take vi to 12 months for USCIS to approve the Grade I-130.
2Some countries like China, India, Mexico and Philippines may take significantly longer wait times.
3This category is presently "electric current." However, it may accept six to 12 months for USCIS to approve the Course I-130.

File Early

Inside each category, USCIS processes the I-130 petition on a first-come, outset-served basis. Therefore, it is important to get onto this wait list early by establishing a priority date. It is extremely important that the petitioner file a well-prepared Form I-130 package that is free of errors and inconsistencies.

After filing Course I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval procedure can take anywhere from v to 12 months for immediate relatives and could take several years for family preference categories. This is an approximation. Information technology may be shorter for some and longer for others. Don't forget — y'all can cheque your case condition online with your receipt number. The USCIS website also lists normal processing times for an I-130 petition. If you believe that your example is outside the normal I-130 processing time, you tin can make a case inquiry.

The approval of your I-130 petition is just the beginning of a procedure that has several more steps. After USCIS approves the I-130 petition, see what's side by side.