If your relatives live in another country, you will
file an I-130 petition with USCIS
. Form I-130 can be filed with a USCIS Lockbox based on the petitioner’s place of residence. Please refer to pages 4 and 5 of the instructions for mailing addresses. Please check our Web site for any updates on instructions or fees.
Does the petitioner have to be in the US?
To qualify as a financial sponsor,
a petitioner must be domiciled in any of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States
. A lawful permanent resident (LPR) sponsor also must maintain his or her LPR status.
How do you sponsor someone from another country?
To become a financial sponsor, you must
file an I-864, or an Affidavit of Support
. In this affidavit, you promise to support the non-citizen once the non-citizen enters the U.S. To be a financial sponsor, you must: Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
What is an immigration petition?
What Is an Immigrant Petition? If you are seeking to come to the United States you will likely need to file an immigrant petition.
This document allows you to ask or appeal to the U.S. government for permission to live in the country
. Usually, another person files a petition on behalf of the immigrant.
Who can a U.S. citizen petition for?
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can file Form I-130 for
each of your eligible relatives
. This includes your spouse, your children, your siblings, and your parents. If you are a permanent resident, you can petition for your spouse and any children under the age of 21.
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is
an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risk
.
Can U.S. citizen petition while living abroad?
U.S. citizens who are living abroad with their non-U.S. citizen spouse and want to relocate back to the United States,
must file a Form I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative
in order for their spouse and/or children to join them.
How much money do you need to sponsor someone in USA?
The most common minimum annual income required to sponsor a spouse or family member for a green card is
$22,887
. This assumes that the sponsor — the U.S. citizen or current green card holder — is not in active military duty and is sponsoring only one relative.
How long are you financially responsible for someone you sponsor?
The sponsor’s responsibility lasts
until the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, has earned 40 work quarters credited toward Social Security
(a work quarter is about three months, so this means about ten years of work), dies, or permanently leaves the United States.
Who can sponsor an immigrant to US?
All sponsors must be
U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be at least 18 years old, and be living in the United States (including territories and possessions)
when they file the affidavit of support. When and how do I file the affidavit of support? You do not need to file it with your I-130 petition.
How much income do you need to sponsor an immigrant US 2021?
For example, in 2021, a sponsor in the U.S. mainland would need to have income (or assets) of
at least $33,125
to cover a petitioner who lives alone and is sponsoring one immigrant and two children (that is, a total of four people).
Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a friend?
Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a non-family member for immigration? Unfortunately, no,
you can’t petition for a foreign national’s visa or green card if they aren’t a family member
.
Can you sponsor someone for a tourist visa?
Sponsorship is not mandatory for US Visitor or tourist visa
. An individual who has a good financial background and who meets the other requirements for visa grant, can get visitor visa without a sponsorship.
What are the risks of sponsoring an immigrant?
Even after the divorce, you will still be financially responsible for your former spouse.
The immigrant may sue you for financial support
– while you aren’t liable for the immigrant’s personal debts and bills, you are generally responsible for ensuring they have financial means to meet the US poverty line.
How long does a petition take to be approved?
Most Form I-130 petitions for immediate relatives are approved within a
5 to 9 month
time frame, but they can take longer in some cases. If you are in the United States and also filed an application to adjust status, USCIS will begin reviewing Form I-485 at this point.
Is immigrant petition same as green card?
Immigrant visas can start the process for permanent resident status, but they do not provide resident status themselves
. A green card is a physical card that represents the holder’s right to permanently live and work within the United States. Green cards are only obtained after arrival within the United States.
How do I withdraw my I-130 petition?
If you have already sent in Form I-130 to USCIS but the case hasn’t gone further, you can “withdraw” your petition. To do so,
write a letter to the USCIS office that is processing your petition
. Be aware that this might be a different office from where you first filed the I-130.
Who can legal permanent residents petition for?
Lawful Permanent Residents can sponsor their
spouse, minor children and unmarried adult sons and daughters
. You must be able to provide documentation proving the relationship and must prove that you can support your relative at 125% above the poverty line.
Can a U.S. citizen petition in laws?
In-Laws. The parents of a spouse are not considered “parents” for immigration purposes. In other words,
a U.S. citizen may not sponsor an immigrant petition for a father-in-law or mother-in-law
. The spouse may petition for parents if that spouse is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
How long can a green card holder become a U.S. citizen?
To become a U.S. citizen, you must: Have had a Permanent Resident (Green) Card for
at least five years, or for at least three years if you’re filing as the spouse of a U.S. citizen
.
The travel document usually arrives
within 150 days (sometimes longer) after submitting your application
. You can’t leave the country until you have your approved travel document in hand, so you should expect to spend the 3–5 months after submitting your green card application in the United States.
Once approved, your eTA is valid for
five years or until your passport expires
– whichever comes first. You can come to Canada as many times as you wish as long as your eTA remains valid.
What is eTA immigration?
An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is
an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air
. An eTA is electronically linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
Can I file I-130 if I live abroad?
If you do have an exceptional circumstance: You can file your I-130 with your nearest U.S. consulate or embassy. If you do not have an exceptional circumstance:
You may use direct filing only if the country where you currently live has an international USCIS field office
.
Can you have a green card and live abroad?
Even if you have a green card,
you cannot maintain your permanent resident status if you live outside the United States indefinitely and return only for visits
. Extended absences will eventually lead port-of-entry staff to question whether you have abandoned your permanent residence.
What’s next after I-130 is approved?
Adjustment of Status After I-130 is Approved
The foreign national would
file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
, as the primary form in an adjustment of status application package.
