Family petitions

A U.S. citizen or permanent resident files the petition; the relative is the beneficiary. Immediate relatives of citizens have no waiting line. Everyone else waits for a visa number in the monthly visa bulletin, and that wait can be years depending on the category and country.

Who this is for

• Citizens petitioning for a spouse, child, parent, brother or sister
• Permanent residents petitioning for a spouse or unmarried child
• Couples with a two-year conditional green card (I-751)

How a case usually goes

1. Proof of the relationship: certificates, photos, joint records
2. I-130 filed with USCIS, online where available
3. After approval: adjustment here, or the National Visa Center and a consular interview
4. Removal of conditions within the 90 days before a two-year card expires

Documents to gather

• Proof of the petitioner’s citizenship or green card
• Birth or marriage certificate showing the relationship
• Proof that earlier marriages ended
• Photos, joint lease or bills for a marriage case
• Passport-style photos
• Translations of every document not in English

Watch out for

A petition does not by itself give the relative any status or permission to work.

General information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.