Read to learn more about how much it costs to file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
USCIS Forms
Last Updated: May 8, 2024.
Filing Form I-130 costs $675 and it can be paid with a check or money order. No matter how you pay, the following two guidelines must be followed:
If you are paying by check, write the full name of the applicant in the memo line followed by the title of the form associated with the payment. For example, "Tom Smith, I-485".If you choose to pay by check, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will use your account information on the check to electronically take the money from your account. Typically, the debit will take 24 hours and will show up on your regular account statement.Please note that you will not receive your original check back. Instead, it will be destroyed and the government will keep a copy of the check on file.
Understanding the documentation needed when submitting Form I-130 to USCIS.
General Immigration Information
Updated: March 19, 2020
Once you have filled out all necessary fields on Form I-130 and answered each question to the best of your ability you must find and attach supporting documentation. The purpose of the documentation is to prove that you and your family member are related.
You can upload all your required supporting documents in your SimpleCitizen account. If you don't have digital copies of your documents you can take a picture of them with a mobile device.
The documents should be copies of the original documents and will differ depending on whom you are filing for.
When filing for your spouse, you must include:
In addition to these required documents, you must include proof of at least one of the following:
If you are the mother of the child, you must include a copy of their birth certificate that shows both your name and the name of your child.
If you are the father of a child, you must include their birth certificate that shows your name and your wife’s name and your marriage certificate.
If the child was born out of wedlock and you are the father, you must include copies of evidence of your relationship with your child before they reached the age of 21. Some examples of evidence include proof that you lived with the child, supported the child, or otherwise showed continued interest in the child’s welfare.
When filing Form I-130 for a brother or sister, you must include:
If you share a common father but have different mothers, you must include marriage certificates of each marriage and documents showing that any previous marriages of both your fathers and mothers were ended legally.
You must include a copy of your birth certificate showing both your name and your mother's name.
You must include your birth certificate that shows the names of both parents. You must also include your parents’ marriage certificate that shows your parents were married before you were born. If either your mother or father was married prior to their marriage to each other, you must include documents showing their marriages were legally ended.
If you are filing Form I-130 for a stepparent or stepchild, you must include a copy of the marriage certificate between the stepparent to the child’s natural parent to prove that the marriage happened before the child turned 18.
You must also include documents that show any previous marriages were legally ended and a copy of the stepchild’s birth certificate.
If you are related to your relative by adoption, you must include the adoption decree showing that the adoption happened before the child turned 16.
If you also adopted the sibling of an adopted child, you must include the adoption decree showing that the adoption happened before the child turned 18.
If either of the two instances above apply to you, you must also show that each child resided with you, the adoptive parent, for at least 2 years before or after adoption and was in legal custody of the child during this time.
What is Form I-485 used for?
Form I-485
Last Updated: February 5, 2020.
Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is used to either register for permanent legal residence in the United States or adjust to permanent resident status. Adjusting to permanent resident status simply means obtaining a green card (i.e. permanent legal residency) without having to return to your home country if you’re already in the United States.
While Form I-485 is a required step on your path to legal citizenship, it isn’t the only step. In fact, you will need other completed forms and evidence depending upon your unique situation. For example, you will need a completed Form I-130 if you are getting residency through a family member who is already a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States.
This Form is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While your family member is responsible for Form I-130 to establish a familiar connection that enables you to take the next step in the immigration process with Form I-485, you are responsible for the completion and filing of Form I-485.
Understanding the purpose of Form I-130.
General Immigration Information
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is used to establish a relationship between you, a citizen or lawful permanent resident (i.e. green card holder) of the United States, and a relative who wants to immigrate to America. This is the first step in a two-part immigration process for individuals looking to bring relatives into the United States.You will file the Form with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Unlike many immigration forms, you are responsible for completing and submitting the form rather than your relative him or herself.If approved, your relative doesn’t automatically become a lawful permanent resident of the United States and aren’t automatically able to live and work in the country.Instead, the Form’s approval confirms that you have a qualifying familial relationship that your relative can use to apply for permanent residence. Often, this second step is completed at a United States consulate in your relative’s country or through a separate process, should your relative already be in the United States.
Understand the basics of who may file Form I-485
Form I-485
There is a range of individuals who may file Form I-485 based on several unique situations:
If your immigrant petition is approved and a visa number is immediately available or if you are filing Form I-485 with a special Petition that would make a visa number immediately available, you may file the Form.
You may file Form I-485 with the other applicant or anytime after it is approved if you are already in the United States. If you are outside of the United States, you must file Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition, with the other applicant’s Form I-485 to file the Forms together.
You may file if you entered the United States as the K-1 fiancé of an existing U.S. citizen and married them within 90 days of entering the country. Likewise, if you had any K-2 child(ren) entering with you, s/he/they may also file for lawful permanent residency.
If you were granted asylum, you may file Form I-485 after you have been physically present in the United States for 1 year. You may only do so if you still qualify as an asylee or are the spouse or child of a refugee.
There are 2 situations where Cuban nationals may apply for lawful residency. In each situation, paroled means you were allowed to enter the U.S. without a visa or for humanitarian reasons:You are a native Cuban citizen, were admitted or paroled into the United States after January 1, 1959, and have been present in the United States for at least 1 year; orYou are the spouse or unmarried child of a Cuban citizen as described above, were admitted or paroled into the U.S. after January 1, 1959, and have been present in the United States for at least 1 year.
If you’ve been living in the U.S. since before January 1, 1972, you may apply for permanent residency.
Priority dates determine when you are able to file the final stage of the green card process with Form I-485. If your priority date is not current but is considered valid under the Child Status Protection Act or you have a Western Hemisphere Priority Date, you may still file Form I-485.
Form I-485 also allows you to apply to change the date that your permanent residence began. If you were granted lawful permanent residence in the United States before November 6, 1966, are a native or citizen of Cuba, or are the spouse or unmarried child of an individual that meets either of these scenarios, you may change the date of your permanent residence. You are given the option to change the date to either your date of arrival in the U.S. or March 2, 1964, whichever is later.
Evidence required for green card applications.
Green Card Application
Last Updated: February 5, 2020.
Along with a fully completed and signed Form I-485, there is evidence that you must include to be considered for lawful permanent residency or to adjust your status.
You can upload all required documentation within your SimpleCitizen account:
What you must submit will vary depending upon your previous offense:
There is no need to submit evidence for traffic fines or incidents that didn’t involve an arrest as long as the fine was less than $500 and/or points on your driver’s license. However, you must submit evidence if the traffic incident was related to alcohol or drugs.
You must include a copy of your foreign birth certificate or other birth record with Form I-485.
If you have a nonimmigrant visa(s) from a U.S. Embassy or consulate that you received outside the United States within the past year, you must include photocopy(ies) of the page(s) with your Form.
You must include two identical color photographs of yourself taken within 30 days of your application with the Form.
Each photo must:
You may also use passport photos that follow the three bullet points above and meet these additional criteria:
If you are between the ages of 14 and 79, fingerprints are required by USCIS biometrics services. You will submit your fingerprints once you have filed your application.
To do so, USCIS will contact you in writing to let you know where and when you must go to be fingerprinted. If you do not follow these instructions, your Form may not be approved.
Police clearances are sometimes required for individuals seeking an adjustment of status as a member of a special class outlined in an I-485 supplementary form. You must read the instructions on the form to see if you need police clearances with your application.
Some individuals must submit a medical examination via Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record:
If you are between 14 and 79 years old, you must include Form G-325A with your application.
You must submit an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) if you’re filing Form I-485 as the fiancé of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, through Form I-130 (relative petition), or Form I-140 (an employed-based visa petition).
You must include an employment letter with Form I-485 if you are using an employment-based visa petition to enter the U.S. This letter must be sent on your employer’s letterhead and confirm that the job is available and the salary you will be paid.
Depending on how you enter the United States, your eligibility evidence will differ:
You must include evidence of your citizenship or nationality. Examples of acceptable evidence include copies of your passport, birth certificate, or other travel documents.
You should file your application with the other applicant and with:
If you are applying as a spouse, you must include a copy of your marriage certificate and documents showing that all previous marriages have been legally ended.
If you are applying as a child, you must attach a copy of your birth certificate. If the applicant isn’t your parent, you must submit evidence (including marriage certificates, legal endings to all existing marriages, and the adoption decree) to prove that you are the applicant’s legal child.
Along with all other evidence indicated above, you must include:
Evidence of parole may include:
If you don’t have any of these records, you may need to request this information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If you still cannot find your records, you may include an affidavit (sworn oath) with Form I-485 requesting that DHS search its files to locate any existing proof that you were paroled as part of the programs listed above.
Evidence of physical presence in the U.S. during the time period indicated above may include documents issued by a federal, state, or local authority, such as:
Any evidence must be in your name and bear the signature, seal, or other official marks of an issuing authority (if from an official agency) and be dated no later than the required date.
Learn about the costs associated with filing Form I-485.
Form I-485
Last Updated: January 2023.
If you are filing the I-485 (Adjustment of Status) application, you will need to pay the government fees. You will submit these fees with the application when you mail it to USCIS. The amounts you will pay will vary based on your circumstances. This article explains how to calculate how much to pay.
Filing Form I-485 typically costs $1,440. For children who are under the age of 14 and who are filing with at least one parent, the fee is only $950. There are additional filing categories under which Form I-485 fee may be waived.Here are some examples to help walk you through the fee rules:
If you still need clarification about how much to pay, you can also use the USCIS Fee Calculator to double-check. USCIS changes its fees periodically, so double-checking the fee calculator is always a good idea.
Please note: Depending on which forms you are filing at the same time as Form I-485, additional filing fees may be associated with submitting your application. The most common fees are the filing fee for Form I-130, Form I-765, and Form I-131. For information on how to pay the I-485 fees, see the following article. With all of our packages, we include detailed instructions and support with the entire application process, including paying the fees to USCIS. We would be happy to help you prepare your I-485 application! Click here to get started.
What a joint sponsor is, their requirements, and when a joint or household sponsor is needed.
USCIS Forms
Last Updated: May 25, 2023.
Part of the green card process for family-based green card applications is filing the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Form I-864, Affidavit of Support is one of the most difficult forms to file in the Green Card application process. It can be difficult to understand why it exists, what USCIS is looking for, when it is required, and for whom. This article will provide you with details regarding what a financial sponsor is, what the requirements are for a financial sponsor and how USCIS determines if someone meets the requirements, and when a household member or joint sponsor is needed.
Form I-864 is a contract between the person who files of the form (the sponsor) and the United States Government. Anyone who fills, signs, and submits the form on behalf of an intending immigrant becomes a sponsor and is held to this contract.The primary aim of this contract is to provide USCIS with proof that the sponsor has sufficient financial means to support the applicant, in a case where they may ever need financial support By signing Form I-864, the sponsor is agreeing to use their financial resources to support the intending immigrant affidavit, if it becomes necessary. One of the primary reasons USCIS requires this is to protect the U.S. government from people entering the United States and then using government financial resources. Another important point to be aware of is that by filing this form, the intending immigrant may become ineligible for certain means-tested (finance-based) public benefits offered on Federal, State, or Local levels. Should the applicant/beneficiary ever use these public benefits, it is within the rights of the agency providing the benefit to require the sponsor to repay the costs of the benefits used, as per the conditions of the contract. In cases where the benefit is not repaid, the agency is able to sue the sponsor . While this is extremely uncommon, it is a risk all sponsors should be aware of.For more information regarding which benefits are considered, please see the I-864P Poverty Guideline page.
The contract between the sponsor and the US government begins the moment USCIS receives the Form I-864 and does not end until at least one of the following conditions has been met:
Form I-864 must be submitted by all applicants seeking a green card benefit through connection to a family member. In other words, all family-petitioned (and even some employment-petitioned) applications are required, by law, to include Form I-864 at some point throughout the green card application process. For individuals going through the consular process abroad, this is done along with the DS-260. For those applying to adjust status within the United States, this is done along with submission of the Form I-485.All family-based petitioners, regardless of income or employment, are required to file Form I-864 on behalf of the relative they are petitioning. In other words, they must accept a degree of financial responsibility for that relative by submitting Form I-864. However, in situations where the petitioner does not meet the income requirement, USCIS requires that another sponsor be added. This individual can be either a household member of the petitioning sponsor or they can be a joint sponsor. Anyone whose income is being used to meet the income requirements set forth by USCIS automatically accepts the agreed upon financial responsibility for the applicant/beneficiary. There are certain exemptions to the rules listed above, which can be found on pages 1 and 2 of the Form I-864 Instructions.
As mentioned above, it is important to remember that the petitioner via Form I-130 is REQUIRED to file the financial affidavit regardless of if they meet the financial requirements or not. By doing so they are accepting the financial responsibility over the intending immigrant. However, if the financial requirements are not met another sponsor will need to be added in addition to the petitioning sponsor. Let’s take a deeper look into what that looks like.
*Please note that despite what is outlined in USCIS policy, we are seeing the following circumstances result in greater scrutiny from USCIS and higher rates of receiving a Request for Evidence even if the sponsor’s income was 125% or more of the poverty line:
In instances where the sponsor falls into one of the four listed categories, we have seen applicants experience the most success when they add an additional sponsor to the application.
There are two main ways in which someone can be added as an additional sponsor to an application. We are going to take a look at both types of sponsors so that it is clear who qualifies as an additional sponsor and which type of additional sponsor they would be.
A household member is a sibling, parent, or adult child with the same principal residence as the petitioning sponsor. When their income is used for financial support on the application they file the I-864A, Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member. The difference of filing as a household member instead of a joint sponsor is that instead of having to independently meet the income threshold, their income will be combined with the petitioning sponsor and USCIS will make their decision based on the total household income.For example, If Robert is sponsoring his wife for a green card and has an annual income of $10,000 and his father, Mark, who lives with them, agrees to financially sponsor as well then his income of $40,000 would be added together and USCIS would consider the $50,000 of household income.
A joint sponsor is someone who helps the primary sponsor to satisfy the financial requirements of sponsorship. While both the petitioning sponsor and the joint sponsor will be required to file Form I-864, USCIS will make a decision regarding the joint sponsor’s income independent of the petitioning sponsor. For example, If Robert is sponsoring his wife for a green card and has an annual income of $10,000 and John, a family friend, agrees to financially sponsor as well and his income is $40,000 then, when reviewing John’s form, USCIS would consider only John’s income $40,000 when deciding whether he is eligible to act as a sponsor.
The financial sponsorship forms are considered to be some of the most complicated and highly scrutinized by USCIS. It’s important to be thorough and provide evidence that is as clear as possible. Having the guidance of a licensed immigration attorney can be extremely helpful, especially when filing form I-864. If you are interested in getting the peace of mind that comes from legal support without the high cost of a conventional immigration lawyer, SimpleCitizen partners with a network of independent attorneys who offer their legal guidance and recommendations.Here at SimpleCitizen we offer the ability to send joint sponsor’s a private link that will retrieve all of the information needed and complete the required documents for the sponsor.If you have any other questions about a sponsor feel free to use our live chat.
Click here for information about sponsors from the USCIS website.
Read to learn more about the basic qualifications needed for a B2 visa.
General Immigration Information
Last Updated: January 15, 2020.
The presumption in law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant. Therefore, applicants for tourist visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating that:
More specifically the following things are considered while a tourist visa is granted:
Normally, an applicant's chances for getting a visa will be improved if the planned trip is short, the itinerary is clearly listed, the alien can prove that he or she has enough of funds to cover the expenses of his entire trip and has a job at home.
Understand the basics of FOrm G-325A
USCIS Forms
Last Updated: January 15, 2020.
Both your petitioner (i.e. spouse or relative with lawful permanent status (a green card) or U.S. citizenship) and you will need to fill out form G-325A if you are filing Form I-130, but only you will need to do so if you’re adjusting permanent status via Form I-485.When you fill out the Form, expect to provide the following information:
If you don't know certain details required by the form, you may choose to write "Unknown" in the space provided. However, this may complicate the immigration process.You should always try to figure out the required information first before choosing to write "Unknown" as this will increase the likelihood of your forms being accepted (and therefore allow you to move forward in the immigration process).
1400 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
1018 N 985 W #515
Orem, UT 84057