Who Needs to File Form I-130A?

If you are petitioning for your spouse’s green card under Form I-130, you are required to submit Form I-130A. This form applies only to spousal petitions and is used to gather supplemental information about the spouse beneficiary. Both spouses must fill out the form, but if the spouse beneficiary resides outside the United States, only the petitioner (the U.S. citizen or permanent resident) needs to sign the form.

Key Information and Required Documents

Form I-130A requires you to provide:

  • The spouse beneficiary's current and previous addresses for the past five years.
  • Employment history for the last five years (inside or outside the U.S.).
  • Information about the spouse beneficiary’s parents, including their names and birthplaces.

Supporting documents include proof of identity (such as a passport or birth certificate) and evidence of a bona fide marriage (such as a marriage certificate and joint financial documents).

Certified Translations for Supporting Documents

If any supporting documents, like birth certificates or marriage certificates, are not in English, they must be submitted with a certified translation. This is crucial to avoid delays, as USCIS requires that all documents be fully translated by a qualified translator.

Processing Time and Filing Fees

There is no filing fee specifically for Form I-130A, but it must be submitted alongside Form I-130, which has a standard filing fee of $535. Processing times can vary, but marriage-based green card petitions generally take anywhere from 10 to 38 months depending on USCIS workload and the specifics of the case.

For more detailed information, visit the official USCIS page on Form I-130A or consult an immigration attorney.

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