My relative is already in the United States
The case usually runs I-130 and I-485 together — the petition that proves the relationship and the application that grants the green card — followed by a USCIS interview in New Jersey.
Filings
The seven forms that carry a family through United States immigration.
Each one is a separate filing with its own evidence, its own deadlines, and its own ways of failing. Below, what each does — and which sequence yours is likely to follow.
§ 01Index of filings
Start with the form, or start with the situation.
- I-130Petition for Alien RelativeProves the family relationship that makes a green card possible.Family
- I-485Application to Register Permanent ResidenceTurns an approved petition into a green card without leaving the country.Green card
- N-400Application for NaturalizationThe last filing. Permanent resident becomes United States citizen.Citizenship
- I-751Petition to Remove Conditions on ResidenceConverts a two-year conditional green card into a permanent one.Green card
- I-601Application for Waiver of Grounds of InadmissibilityAsks the government to forgive a bar that would otherwise end the case.Waivers
- I-129FPetition for Alien Fiancé(e)Brings a fiancé(e) to the United States to marry within ninety days.Abroad
- DS-260Immigrant Visa Application — Consular ProcessingThe path to a green card for a relative who is still outside the country.Abroad
§ 02Which sequence is mine?
Most cases follow one of four routes.
These are the common paths. Yours may differ — that is exactly what a consultation is for.
My relative is abroad
The petition is filed here, then the case moves to the National Visa Center and on to a consulate, where your relative completes Form DS-260 and attends an interview.
I already have a green card
If it is conditional, the next filing removes the conditions. If it is permanent and you have held it long enough, the next filing is the last one you will ever make.
There is a problem in my record
Unlawful presence, a misrepresentation, or a criminal matter can bar an application outright. Some of those bars can be waived — but only with a documented hardship case behind the request.
Start here
Bring the paperwork you already have. Even the confusing parts.
Notices you do not understand, a form someone else filed, a receipt number with no explanation attached — bring all of it. Reading the record is the first real work of the case.