I-130 · Timeline

What happens after you file

1. 1

   File

   File online or by mail. The mailing address depends on where you live and whether your relative is filing Form I-485 at the same time. USCIS changed the I-130 filing locations on Oct. 7, 2026, so check its Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-130 page before you mail. If you live abroad, you can file by mail or online; a U.S. citizen filing for an immediate relative may ask to file at a U.S. embassy or consulate, but only in certain limited circumstances.^[1]

2. 2

   Receipt notice and priority date

   USCIS sends a Form I-797 notice confirming it received the petition. The date the petition is properly filed and received by USCIS is its filing date and becomes your relative's priority date, which is shown on the I-797.^[2,3,4]

3. 3

   Decision

   USCIS notifies you whether the petition is approved or denied. If it is denied, the denial letter tells you how to appeal and by when. An I-130 appeal goes to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) on Form EOIR-29, not on Form I-290B; after your appeal form and fee are processed, the appeal is referred to the BIA.^[5,6,7]

4. 4

   Where the approved petition goes

   If your relative's address is in the U.S. and your relative appears eligible to adjust status, USCIS generally keeps the approved petition. If the address on the petition is outside the U.S., USCIS generally sends it to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC), where it stays until an immigrant visa number is available. USCIS generally goes by the address you gave for your relative on the I-130, even if your relative later gives a new address on a different form.^[1,8]