How to Expedite an I-130

Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is an immigration form that allows citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States to establish a relationship to alien relatives who wish to emigrate to the United States. It provides a way to effectively pluck applicants out of a general pool of applicants and places them in a much smaller group. If you need to expedite this process even further, there are some steps you can take.

Step 1

Review the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' list of expedite criteria. (See Resources.) Petitions are considered on a case-by-case basis. You must be able to prove that at least one of the expedite criterion exists. These are the only bases for requesting to expedite the I-130 petition.

Step 2

Contact the USCIS' National Customer Service Center. If you have already filed an I-130 petition, call 800-375-5283. The NCSIC will create a service request and give your expedition request to the office that is handling your petition.

Step 3

Schedule an appointment with your local USCIS office. Bring all your related documentation to support your expedition request, such as medical records, news reports detailing humanitarian or disaster situations or documentation of USCIS error.

Step 4

Send supporting documentation to your local field office to follow up on your USCIS visit. The field office will forward your information to the office processing your I-130 petition.

Step 5

Consult an immigration attorney. She will be able to provide you with guidance specific to your situation and whom to contact.

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