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what is an approved immigrant visa petition

by Dr. Zita Armstrong Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Officially called “Petition for Alien Relative,” Form I-130 is the first step in a family member's immigration process. It is the first of many steps to obtaining a Permanent Residency Card (also known as a green card). Form I-130 should only be filed by a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Can I withdraw an approved immigrant petition?

You still may be able to withdraw your petition if USCIS has approved Form I-130. However, you will not be able to withdraw it if USCIS has already reviewed Form I-485, which is the adjustment of status application for a foreign national.

How to file immigration petition?

Part 2 Part 2 of 2: Filing an I-485

  1. Download the form. Your spouse will need to file an I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
  2. Fill out the form. The I-485 is a six-page form. ...
  3. Attach a G-325A form. ...
  4. Attach other necessary documents. ...
  5. File the form. ...
  6. Attend the biometrics appointment. ...
  7. Pass the interview. ...

Is I-129F an immigrant visa petition?

Under U.S. immigration law, a foreign-citizen fiancé (e) of a U.S. citizen is the recipient of an approved Petition for Alien Fiancé (e), Form I-129F, who has been issued a nonimmigrant K-1 visa for travel to the United States in order to marry his or her U.S. citizen fiancé (e).

How long does the I-130 petition process take?

The processing time for your I-130 petition will depend on the family relationship and the USCIS field office that receives your form. For immediate relatives (spouse or unmarried child) of a U.S. green card holder (legal permanent resident), processing times for Form I-130 currently vary between 5 and 37 months (as of April. 13, 2022).

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What is an approved immigrant 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.

What happens after immigration petition is approved?

After USCIS approves your petition, they will transfer your case to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) for pre-processing. The first step in this processing is the creation of your case in our system. Once this is complete, we will send you a Welcome Letter by e-mail or physical mail.

How long does it take for an immigrant petition to be approved?

After filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval process can take anywhere from 5 to 12 months for immediate relatives and could take several years for family preference categories. This is an approximation. It may be shorter for some and longer for others.

What does it mean when I-130 is approved?

What does an I-130 approval mean? The I-130 Petition is the first part of the marriage-based green card application. If this is approved, it means that USCIS has agreed that your spouse qualifies for a green card and that you have provided the necessary documents to evidence your spousal relationship.

How do I know if my petition is approved?

To check the status of your immigrant petition:If your petition has not yet been approved by USCIS, please visit the USCIS website. ... If USCIS has approved your petition, and notified you that it has been forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC), please contact NVC.More items...

How long does it take for the NVC to schedule an interview 2022?

How long does it take to get an appointment? Although NVC strives to schedule appointments within three months of NVC's acceptance of all requested documentation, this timeframe is subject to the operating status and capacity of the consular section.

How do I know if my I-130 is approved?

USCIS may request biometrics information from any applicant, sponsor, or petitioner. After your file your I-130, you will receive Form I-797C from USCIS, which will let you know if your petition has been approved, rejected, or if you need to provide more information.

What is the minimum income to sponsor an immigrant 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).

How long does it take to get immigrant visa after interview?

about 10 daysVisa Processing Time Provided the visa is approved at the time of the visa interview, most applicants receive their visas in about 10 days from their interviews.

What happens after NVC approved documents?

After NVC receives your approved petition from USCIS, NVC creates a case file for you at the Department of State and assigns you an NVC case number. NVC will send you a letter or e-mail with your case number and a separate invoice ID number.

Does an approved I-130 expire?

0:001:04Can an Approved I-130 Expire? | Ask an Immigration Attorney - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAsk an immigration attorney can an approved i-130 expire as a general rule the petition does notMoreAsk an immigration attorney can an approved i-130 expire as a general rule the petition does not expire. But if the petition is transferred to the national visa center or nvc for visa processing.

How long does it take to get green card after approval notice?

After you receive the welcome notice, you should receive your Green Card in the mail sometime in the next 30 days. Altogether, that means you should receive your Green Card within 60 days of your approval for permanent resident status.

How long does it take to get green card after approval notice?

After you receive the welcome notice, you should receive your Green Card in the mail sometime in the next 30 days. Altogether, that means you should receive your Green Card within 60 days of your approval for permanent resident status.

What can I do after my 129 petition is approved?

The USCIS will send the case to the National Visa Center (NVC) after the petition is approved for further processing. Once the case reaches the NVC, petitioner/ beneficiary will soon receive a case number and send the approved K visa package to the U.S Consulate office.

How to revoke an immigrant visa?

In other instances, the approval of an immigrant visa petition may be revoked upon notice ("revocation on notice") by issuing a Notice of Intent to Revoke (NOIR) to the petitioner. See 8 CFR 205.2. The NOIR will explain the reasons the approved petition should be revoked and will give the petitioner a reasonable period of time to submit evidence to show why the petition should not be revoked. The petitioner must respond within the time allotted. An extension may be granted at the discretion of USCIS if the petitioner needs additional time to obtain documentation from abroad or for other meritorious reasons; however, the petitioner must respond in a timely manner to the NOIR by the stated deadline, and provide a reason for requesting the extra time.

What is the most common type of immigrant visa?

The most common types of immigrant visa petitions are the Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) and the Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker). Either of these petitions may be revoked at the discretion of USCIS upon notice or, under certain prescribed circumstances, automatically. See 8 CFR 205.1 (listing appropriate grounds for automatic revocation), 8 CFR 205.2 (revocation on notice); see generally INA section 205 (specifying that revocation of immigrant visa petitions is discretionary).

What is the reason for a USCIS revocation?

Reasons for Revocation. When USCIS has previously approved an immigrant visa petition, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) may grant a family-based or employment-based immigrant visa to the petition's beneficiary and qualified derivatives.

What is a beneficiary visa?

A petitioner is defined as the family member or employer (or the employer's agent) who submitted the petition to USCIS. A beneficiary is an alien family member or employee who will seek admission to the United States upon approval of the petition and issuance of the appropriate visa from DOS.

What happens if USCIS revokes a petition?

If, based on the evidence received, the USCIS officer determines that the approval should not be revoked, the petitioner will receive a notice advising of the decision to reaffirm the petition.

Where does USCIS send a notice of revocation?

If USCIS is aware of such circumstances, USCIS will send a notice of the automatic revocation to the consular office having jurisdiction over the visa application, with a copy to the petitioner's last known address. In other instances, the approval of an immigrant visa petition may be revoked upon notice ("revocation on notice") ...

Can a consular officer accept a visa?

The consular officer may accept the petition as valid and adjudicate the visa application to completion, or present to USCIS new evidence that was not previously considered. In the latter case, USCIS will determine whether such evidence supports revocation of the petition.

Why do people file immigration petitions?

Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents) with the purpose of keeping families together. So these individuals can file Immigrant Visa Petitions to give their family members the right to come live in the U.S.

What is the process for applying for an I-130 visa?

Applying outside the U.S. for an Immigrant Visa is known as Consular Processing . So when USCIS approves your I-130 Petition it is sent the National Visa Center (NVC) which is an agency within the U.S. Department of State.

What is the medical exam for green card?

Any Applicant for an Immigrant Visa (green card) is required to get a medical exam. The medical exam cannot be done by just any doctor. Instead, the exam will be conducted by a government-approved doctor called a “Panel Physician.” The Panel Physician will ask questions about vaccination history, past drug use, and will draw blood. All this must be completed before the day of the consulate interview appointment.

How long does it take to get an immigration visa after everything is accepted?

That message will state what, if anything, is missing. If nothing is missing, and everything is accepted, then the Beneficiary will be scheduled for an Immigrant Visa interview at a consulate abroad in about 2-8 months, depending on the consulate.

What happens when you file an I-130?

The person who filed the I-130 will receive an email or mail correspondence with a case number and invoice ID number. The Beneficiary will use this information to log in to the NVC’s online case management system, known as Consular Electronic Application Center or “CEAC” for short.

What happens when an immigration officer asks all the questions necessary?

Once the officer has asked all the questions he or she deems necessary, then he or she will decide whether or not to issue the Immigrant Visa to the Applicant.

How long is an immigrant visa interview?

An immigrant visa interview can last as little as 10 minutes and as long as 2 hours. It depends on the case type and Applicant’s history. Bottom line: be nice and courteous and answer all of the officer’s questions honestly. And for more information on preparing for your visa interview, visit our article.

How to hire an attorney for a visa?

If you wish to hire an attorney, please submit a signed form G-28 Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative to the National Visa Center (NVC) using our Public Inquiry Form.

How to withdraw a petition from NVC?

To withdraw a petition, you must submit a signed written statement requesting that the petition be withdrawn and explaining the reason to NVC using our Public Inquiry Form. If an attorney or accredited representative submits the request, a G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative, must accompany the request.

What happens if a visa is not available?

If a visa is not available, unfortunately there is nothing that NVC can do to expedite the petition. Immigrant visa processing is governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, which controls availability of visas. There is no provision within the law that would allow the Department of State to issue a visa to someone for whom a visa is unavailable.

How to change visa category back to F2B?

Applicants whose case is at NVC should submit requests using NVC’s online inquiry form. NVC will forward the request to USCIS and change the visa category back to F2B upon receipt of USCIS’s approval.

What does NVC do with a visa?

If a visa is available for your petition (or if the Department of State believes that one will be available in the next several months), NVC will send you, the beneficiary, a letter or email directing you to begin visa pre-processing with NVC.

What happens if you don't get a visa?

If visas are not available for your visa category, NVC will notify you that NVC received your petition and will hold it until a visa becomes available.

How to transfer a case to a consulate?

If your case is at a U.S. embassy or consulate, contact the potential gaining U.S. embassy or consulate in writing to request a transfer of your case. Please include a justification for the request. If you are not a resident of that country, specify that in your request.

What is the I-485 form?

Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, is the form the beneficiary of the immigrant petition needs to file to go through adjustment of status. To go through this process, the beneficiary will need to be physically present in the U.S. legally. He or she must have an approved immigrant petition.

What is the form for alien relative?

U.S. citizens and green card holders file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, to establish qualifying family relationship with certain family members who wish to immigrate to the U.S.

Can I file an I-485 with a sponsor?

Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can file the I-485 application concurrently when their sponsor files Form I-130 for them. Other categories of relatives who are in the U.S. will need to wait for Form I-130 to be approved to file Form I-485.

Can an immediate relative of a sponsor live in the US?

Immediate Relatives of the Sponsor Living in the U.S. An immediate relative of a U.S. citizen who is already in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa, can go through a process called adjustment of status. These applicants need not get immigrant visas and come to the U.S.

Step 2: Begin National Visa Center (NVC) Processing

Answers to many common questions can be found using our self-service tools. Please log into https://ceac.state.gov for your most current case status and for a list of any documents you are required to submit.

Important Announcement

Answers to many common questions can be found using our self-service tools. Please log into https://ceac.state.gov for your most current case status and for a list of any documents you are required to submit.

What is the I-130 form?

Submitting Form I-130 is the first step in helping an eligible relative apply to immigrate to the United States and get Green Card. The filing or approval of this petition does not give your relative any immigration status or benefit.

How to upgrade your relative's visa classification?

citizen while your relative is waiting for a visa, you can upgrade your relative’s visa classification by notifying USCIS or the Department of State of your naturalization. If you are a U.S. citizen, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 will have immigrant visas immediately available to them.

How to pay for USCIS lockbox?

When filing at a USCIS Lockbox facility, you may also pay by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

What is a copy of a USCIS passport?

A copy of your naturalization or citizenship certificate issued by USCIS or the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); A copy of Form FS-240, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), issued by a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate; A copy of your unexpired U.S. passport;

What is an affidavit of marriage?

Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. Each affidavit must contain the full name and address of the person making the affidavit; date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit; and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired their knowledge of your marriage; and

What form do I need to file for my spouse?

If you submit a petition for your spouse, you must also submit Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary.

Where to file I-485?

If you reside in the United States, file at the Chicago, Dallas, or Phoenix Lockbox, depending on where you live and whether your relative is also concurrently filing Form I-485. For a complete list of addresses, visit our Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130 page.

What does it mean when a petition is returned to the USCIS?

The fact that the petition was returned by the National Visa Center to the USCIS means that there is a possibility that information is in the possession of the USCIS that raises doubt on the continued validity of your daughter’s petition.

What happens after a USCIS petition is returned?

What happens after the petition was returned to the USCIS is that the petitioner will receive a letter from the USCIS affording him the opportunity to respond to the issues that may affect validity of the petition. When the petitioner receives this letter, he should respond to it appropriately.

Can a family based petition be terminated?

After waiting for several years for a petition’s priority date to become current and ready for visa processing, several factors may still result in the termination of an approved petition. This may happen both in the family based and employment based petitions. Below is a letter from a parent of a beneficiary of an approved employment petition seeking clarification on why her daughter’s petition was returned to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Is a petition permanent?

As I mentioned, nothing is permanent with an approved petition whether it be based on a petition filed by a family or employer. In family petitions, the death of the petitioner results in the death of the petition as well. Same case with employment petitions, the closure of the business of the petitioner likewise will result in the termination of the employment petition. Other grounds for possible revocation are lack of qualifying relationship. In a spouse petition, the divorce or annulment of the marriage will result in revocation of the petition. The same with employment based petitions where the job offer no longer exists or is withdrawn by the employer, the employment petition is automatically revokes.

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