U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident petitioners residing in the United States must file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This can be done either electronically or through the traditional paper process through the mail.

To learn more about USCIS and to access forms and instructions, please click here.

Filing Petitions from Inside the United States

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent resident sponsors residing in the United States must file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility, following instructions on the USCIS website. U.S. employers must file Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker, as instructed on the USCIS website. 

Filing Petitions from Outside the United States

While most immigrant visa petitions are filed in the United States, filing certain types of petitions outside the United States is possible. Learn about filing petitions outside of the United States.

Petition Approval

Your immigrant petition must be approved by USCIS before your case can proceed to the National Visa Center.