CHILD PETITION GUIDE
Organizing the petition packet:
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Payment of filing fee of $535.00 in check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security” (SAMPLE CHECK).
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Cover letter (SAMPLE HERE)
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Form G-1145,E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (this form is optional but highly recommended so petitioner will receive updates on the petition through e-mail or SMS)
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Duly completed and signed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (SAMPLE FORM HERE)
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Petitioner’s proof of citizenship - any one of the following (for CR2/IR2)
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Copy of Birth Certificate
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Photocopy of ALL the pages of US passport
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Photocopy of naturalization certificate
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Copy of Green Card - front and back (for F2A)
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Copy of marriage certificate
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Copy of birth certificate of parent
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Copy of birth certificate of child beneficiary
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If the petitioner was previously married, provide copies of all pages of divorce decree, annulment or death certificate
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Evidences of a genuine marriage/relationship:
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Pictures together (with caption of the date, location and names of people in the picture)
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Chat/call/e-mail logs
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Copy of money remittance receipts showing financial support
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Copy of airline tickets, boarding passes on vacations taken together or visits to the beneficiary's country
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Other proofs of relationship like baptism/confirmation certificate, school records, etc.
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Where to Send the Child Petition Packet
The address on where to file the Child Petition Packet depends on where the petitioner lives.
Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative | USCIS
What to Expect After Submission of Petition:
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Petitioner will receive a Notice of Action (NOA) letter from USCIS. It will state that the application has been received and it will indicate the Receipt Number for the petition case. This is usually called NOA1. NOA2 is the approval letter, when the petition has already been approved.
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The case status can be monitored using the Receipt Number on the USCIS Website
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If the processing time takes longer than normal, about 6 to 8 months for CR1/IR1 and 18 months for F2A, you can file for an eRequest stating that the case is outside normal processing time