The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a notice regarding the Petition for Alien Relative form.
In a message posted on Facebook, the agency said: "Filing your Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is the first step for an eligible relative to apply to immigrate to the U.S. However, approval of this petition does not give your relative any immigration status or benefits."
According to information on the USCIS website, filing this form is the first legal action to help an eligible family member apply to immigrate to the United States and subsequently obtain a permanent resident card.
However, the agency clarifies that the filing or approval of this petition "does not grant your relative any immigration status or benefit."
In general, USCIS approval of the form in question depends on the applicant being able to prove the relationship that unites him or her with the relative who qualifies to immigrate to the United States.
After the petition is approved, the relative may be interested in acquiring permanent resident status in the United States. USCIS also provides: "If your relative is already in the United States and a visa is available, he or she may be eligible to obtain a Permanent Resident Card by filing a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status."
However, she warns that some relatives will have to wait for a visa number to become available in order to file their Form I-485 application (to adjust their status if they are already in the United States) or a visa (if they are outside the United States). Fortunately, when it comes to immediate relatives, there are always visas available.
Regarding the requirements for completing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, it is important to know that the person acting as petitioner must only choose one option when indicating that the beneficiary intends to apply for an adjustment of status within the United States or to apply for visa processing abroad.
If the Form I-130 is still being processed and the applicant wishes to change his or her election (either for consular processing abroad or adjustment of status in the United States), he or she may contact the USCIS Contact Center and request a change.
The filing fee for Form I-130, Petition for Relative, is $535.
You can make your payment in several ways, including personal check, money order, cashier's check, or pay with a credit or debit card using Form G-1450, Credit Card Transaction Authorization.
This fee is non-refundable, regardless of the decision made on the request and the user's intention to withdraw it.
