Who Can File Form I-130?
- U.S. citizens can petition for spouses, children, parents, and siblings
- Green card holders can petition for spouses and unmarried children
- Must be 21 or older to petition for parents or siblings
- Marriage must be legally valid for spouse petitions
Our eligibility check covers:
- Your eligibility as a petitioner (citizen vs. green card holder)
- Whether your family relationship qualifies
- Age requirements for parent and sibling petitions
- Marriage validity for spouse petitions
- Stepchild and adoption eligibility rules
- Potential bars (marriage fraud, Adam Walsh Act)
Frequently Asked Questions
Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) is the first step in sponsoring a family member for a green card. It establishes that a qualifying family relationship exists between you and your beneficiary.
U.S. citizens can sponsor spouses, children (any age/marital status), parents (if petitioner is 21+), and siblings (if petitioner is 21+). Green card holders can sponsor spouses and unmarried children only.
Processing times vary. "Immediate relatives" of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, parents) have no visa number wait. Preference categories can wait years depending on the category and country of birth.
Form I-130A is a supplement required only when petitioning for a spouse. It collects biographic information from the spouse beneficiary and must be submitted alongside the I-130.
Yes. Petitioners abroad can file online or by mail to a USCIS lockbox. In exceptional circumstances, U.S. embassies may accept I-130 petitions for immediate relatives.