Parents of a U.S. Citizen

Last Updated on 08/16/2011

A U.S. citizen over the age of 21 can sponsor his/her parents for immigration to the United States.

How to apply

The American citizen must file an Alien Relative Petition (Form I-130) with the office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the U.S.  Forms and instructions are available from USCIS. Once USCIS approves the petition, they will send the petitioner a notice of approval, Form I-797. USCIS will also forward the approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC), which will contact the intending immigrant with further information.

More information is available at the Family Based Immigrants page of the U.S. Department of State.

Applying at the Embassy

• Changes to Filing I-130 Petition Overseas (effective August 15, 2011)

How long the application will take to process

Regarding the processing time in the United States, please contact the appropriate office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.