How to prepare Form I-130: family petition to USCIS

Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is the USCIS family petition used when a U.S. citizen or permanent resident asks the government to recognize a qualifying family relationship. It is not a visa and it is not a Green Card. It is the document that starts many family-based immigration files.

People search “how to fill I-130” because the form looks short and the supporting papers are not. Dates, names, prior marriages, and addresses have to match the civil documents. One mismatch and the file waits.

What I-130 usually needs

The petition itself, evidence of the petitioner’s status (passport, naturalization certificate, or Green Card), evidence of the relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate), and certified translations if any paper is not in English. Prior divorces, name changes, and children’s certificates often belong in the same packet.

If the relative is already in the United States, I-130 is often prepared together with I-485 and related forms. If the relative is abroad, the next steps usually sit with the National Visa Center and a consulate — a different stack of papers.

How we prepare the petition

You answer in Russian or English. We complete Form I-130 from the facts you provide, match them to the civil documents, and assemble the packet in an order a reviewer can follow. You read the PDF before anything is filed.

The relationship has to be visible on paper — not assumed from the story.

This article is general information about document preparation. Whether I-130 is the right form for your family is a question of your facts and, where needed, licensed counsel.