Curran & Berger

Documents & Information to send to Curran & Berger for your Family Based Consular Processing petition.

This checklist does not address the question of whether it is advisable to file a Family Based Consular Processing petition but is intended for current clients who have been referred to this list by Curran & Berger staff.

This is a comprehensive list of everything Curran & Berger will need to begin work.  We realize you may have sent us some of this information already.  In that case, you do not need to send it again. If certain items are difficult or impossible to get, send us as much as you have.

Things to work on now:

• Copy of Intending Immigrant’s Birth Certificate
• Color copy of Intending Immigrant’s Passport Biographic Page and all stamped pages of Passport
• 8 Passport-style photographs of Intending Immigrant
• Form G-325A : Biographic Information (completed by the Intending Immigrant) NOTE: This form is not necessary if your son or daughter is sponsoring your "Green Card."
• Form DS-3032 : Choice of Agent and Address (completed by the Intending Immigrant)
• Evidence that the Intending Immigrant is related to the Sponsor (Marriage Certificate (and Divorce Certificates, if applicable) for husband/wife, the Sponsor’s Birth Certificate for Parents)
• Evidence that the Sponsor is a U.S. Citizen (U.S. Birth Certificate, Naturalization Certificate, Copy of U.S. Passport Biographic Page)
• 8 Passport-style photographs of the Sponsor
• Form I-130 : Petition for Alien Relative (completed by the Sponsor)
• Form G-28 : Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative (signed by the Sponsor)
• Form G-325A : Biographic Information (completed by the Sponsor) NOTE: This form is not necessary if you are sponsoring a parent.
  

Things to work on later:

• Original Birth Certificate for the Intending Immigrant*
• Original Marriage Certificate for the Intending Immigrant, if applicable*
• Original Divorce Certificate(s) for the Intending Immigrant, if applicable*
• Original Police Certificate(s) from each country where the Intending Immigrant has lived for more than one year, except the U.S.*
• Original Military Records for the Intending Immigrant, if applicable*
• Original Court/Prison Records for the Intending Immigrant, if applicable*
• Form DS-230 Part 1 : Application for Immigrant Visa (completed by the Intending Immigrant)
  
• Form DS-230 Part 2 : Application for Immigrant Visa (completed by the Intending Immigrant)
• Copies of most recent Tax Returns for the Sponsor
• Copies of most recent W-2(s) for the Sponsor
• Copies of recent pay statements for the Sponsor
• Original job letter for the Sponsor (The job letter should include title or position, date of hire, salary or hourly wage and number of hours worked per week.  It should be printed on company letterhead and signed by the appropriate supervisor or HR official.)
• Color copy of the Sponsor’s Passport biographic page
• Form I-864 : Affidavit of Support (completed by the Sponsor)
  

If filing with a joint sponsor, please also provide:

• Copies of most recent Tax Returns for the Joint Sponsor, if applicable
• Copies of most recent W-2(s) for the Joint Sponsor, if applicable
• Copies of recent pay statements for the Joint Sponsor, if applicable
• Original job letter for the Joint Sponsor, if applicable (The job letter should include title or position, date of hire, salary or hourly wage and number of hours worked per week.  It should be printed on company letterhead and signed by the appropriate supervisor or HR official.)
• Color copy of the Joint Sponsor’s Passport biographic page
• Form I-864 : Affidavit of Support (completed by the Joint Sponsor), if applicable

FAMILY-BASED CONSULAR PROCESSING OUTLINE

1) I-130 Petition for Alien Relative:
The I-130 petition will be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  The purpose of the I-130 is to prove that the Sponsor is a U.S. Citizen who is related to the Intending Immigrant.  Approval times for this petition vary greatly.  Once the I-130 is approved, the case is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing. The fee for an I-130 Petition is $355.

2) Fee Bill Packet:
This packet should arrive 3-8 weeks after the I-130 Petition is approved.  It will require payment of the Immigrant Visa fees for the intending immigrant. The visa fees should total approximately $470.  These fees must be paid by money order, as the NVC does not accept checks.

3) Instruction Packet:
Approximately one month after the Fee Bills are filed, we will receive the NVC “Instruction Packet.” This packet will request several forms and original documents from the Intending Immigrant.  The Instruction Packet will also request financial information from the Sponsor that proves his/her income is at least 125% of the Federal Poverty Guideline for his/her family size.  Please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1327.html for information on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  If the Sponsor’s income is insufficient s/he must find a Joint Sponsor. For more information, visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1335.html

4) Notification of Interview: 
When the NVC has gathered and reviewed all forms, photos and original documents for the Intending Immigrant, they will schedule an interview at the U.S. embassy in the Intending Immigrant’s home country.  The final stage of the Immigrant Visa application will be processed at the embassy.  If the application is approved, the Intending Immigrant will receive an Immigrant Visa stamp in his/her passport.  S/he will then have six months to move to the United States.