A lawful permanent resident (LPR) may petition for his/her spouse, unmarried child, unmarried son or daughter to immigrate to the United States.

Congress has limited the number of family members who may immigrate under these categories each year so there is generally a waiting period before an immigrant visa becomes available.

An LPR may petition for the following family members:

• Spouse (husband or wife),
• Child (unmarried and under age 21), or

• Unmarried son or daughter (age 21 or older).

To petition for a family member to come and live permanently in the United States, you as the LPR must:

• Complete the Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.  Review the form instructions for directions on completing the Form I-130.
• Submit the Filing Fee(s).  Include the appropriate filing fee with the Form I-130 and biometric services fee (if applicable).  Refer to the Form I-130 instructions for more information.
• Submit evidence.  Include all required initial evidence and supporting documentation, including documents to show your LPR status and evidence of a qualifying relationship to the family member you are petitioning for.
• Sign and file the Form I-130. File the petition at the correct filing location according to the form instructions.

If the petitioner wants to receive an e-Notification, complete Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance and clip it to the first page of the petition.

Once USCIS receives the Form I-130, we will process the application and then:

• A receipt notice confirming we received the petition.

• USCIS will notify the LPR (“petitioner”) when we make a decision. Normally, when we approve the petition, we send it to the U.S. Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC).
• A written notice of a decision.
• If your family member’s place in line makes them eligible to receive an immigrant visa, the NVC will notify you and your family member, inviting the family member and any qualifying dependents to apply for immigrant visas. 
• When the time comes for the family member to immigrate, you must agree to be your family member’s financial sponsor by completing a Form I-864, Affidavit of support.

Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, $535 filing fee

Biometric services fee, $85