Family-based green card: Form I-130
How US citizens and lawful permanent residents can sponsor a relative for a green card with Form I-130.
- Form I-130 establishes the qualifying family relationship.
- Immediate relatives have no waiting list; preference categories do.
- The US citizen or LPR files the petition, not the relative.
- After approval, the relative completes I-485 or consular processing.
What Form I-130 is
Form I-130 is the petition that establishes a qualifying family relationship for a green card. It is filed by the US citizen or lawful permanent resident sponsor.
The I-130 alone does not grant a green card — it is the first step, followed by I-485 or consular processing.
Who can be sponsored
US citizens can sponsor spouses, children, parents and siblings. Lawful permanent residents can sponsor spouses and unmarried children.
Each relationship category has different rules and waiting times.
Immediate relatives vs preference categories
Immediate relatives (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens) have no annual numerical limit. Other categories fall into preference groups with annual quotas and longer waits.
Whether you are an immediate relative changes how quickly a visa number is available.
The process after approval
Once the I-130 is approved and a visa number is available, the relative either files I-485 from inside the US or goes through consular processing abroad.
The priority date from the I-130 filing controls the queue for capped categories.
Documents and fees
The petition needs evidence of the relationship and the sponsor's status, plus the filing fee. Use the VisaWyse fee calculator for the current amount.
Accurate, complete evidence up front reduces the risk of a Request for Evidence.