Master prompt
I-130 immediate relative — spouse / parent / unmarried child U21
Strategy + drafting playbook for I-130 immediate-relative petitions: no visa-bulletin wait, INA §201(b) preference exemption, concurrent filing eligibility.
USAFamily SponsorshipI-130Immediate RelativeINA 201(b)
Immediate relatives of US citizens (IR-class) are exempt from numerical caps under INA §201(b)(2)(A)(i). Categories: IR-1: spouse of US citizen IR-2: unmarried child under 21 of US citizen IR-3: foreign-adopted orphan IR-4: orphan to be adopted in US IR-5: parent of US citizen (petitioner must be 21+) No visa-bulletin wait — petition can proceed to adjudication as soon as I-130 is approved. Beneficiary inside the US in lawful status (or with §245(a)/§245(i) eligibility) may file I-485 concurrently. Draft an I-130 strategy for [PETITIONER_NAME] sponsoring [BENEFICIARY_NAME] ([RELATIONSHIP], currently in [BENEFICIARY_LOCATION]). §1 — IR CATEGORY CONFIRMATION (120-150 words) Confirm IR sub-class: • Spouse → IR-1 (or CR-1 if marriage <2 years at admission — conditional PR, triggers I-751 in months 21-24) • Unmarried child <21 → IR-2 (CSPA age-out protection under INA §203(h) applies if filing delays push beneficiary past 21) • Parent → IR-5 (petitioner must be 21 years old at filing) Confirm petitioner US citizenship via [PETITIONER_STATUS_PROOF]. Lawful permanent residents (LPRs) sponsoring spouse / child file under family-preference F2A or F2B, NOT IR — different rules (visa bulletin applies, conditional 2-year status not triggered). §2 — FORM I-130 PACKAGE STRUCTURE (150-180 words) Required: □ Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) — current edition; check USCIS for revision date □ Form I-130A (Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary — IR-1/CR-1 only) □ Filing fee per current USCIS fee schedule [VERIFY current at uscis.gov/g-1055] □ Petitioner US citizenship evidence: [PETITIONER_STATUS_PROOF] □ Relationship evidence: [RELATIONSHIP_PROOF] □ Petitioner + beneficiary passport-style photographs (2 each) □ Form G-1145 (E-Notification) — optional but recommended □ If prior marriages none: divorce decrees / death certificates for ALL prior marriages — both parties □ Name-change documentation if applicable □ Translations (English) for any non-English documents with translator certification per 8 CFR §103.2(b)(3) §3 — RELATIONSHIP EVIDENCE BY CATEGORY (180-220 words) For IR-1/CR-1 spouse petitions — Matter of Laureano 19 I&N Dec. 1 totality test. Bona fide marriage evidence (see standalone bona-fide-evidence prompt for packet structure): • Marriage certificate (primary) • Joint financial documents (bank statements, joint tax returns, insurance beneficiary designations) • Joint lease / mortgage / property deeds • Photographs across relationship timeline • Communication evidence (texts, calls, WhatsApp — especially for long-distance Indian couples) • Affidavits from family + friends with personal knowledge For IR-2 unmarried child: • Beneficiary birth certificate naming petitioner as parent • If born out of wedlock + father petitioning: evidence of bona fide parent-child relationship before age 21 (Matter of Tuakoi precedent line) • CSPA calculation memo if beneficiary approaching 21 For IR-5 parent: • Petitioner's US birth certificate showing beneficiary as parent OR • Marriage certificate of beneficiary + other parent + petitioner's birth certificate if step-parent (marriage must predate petitioner's 18th birthday) • Adoption order if adoptive parent (adoption before age 16) §4 — CONCURRENT vs CONSULAR PROCESSING (140-180 words) For [INTENT]: Concurrent I-130 + I-485 (Adjustment of Status): • Available only if beneficiary is INSIDE the US AND eligible under INA §245(a) — entered lawfully + maintained status (with limited exceptions for IR beneficiaries; IR spouses can adjust even if status lapsed) • Includes I-485, I-693 medical (USCIS-designated civil surgeon), I-864 affidavit of support, I-765 (EAD), I-131 (advance parole) • EAD typically issued ~3-6 months; green card 8-14 months [VERIFY current uscis.gov processing times] • Beneficiary cannot leave USA without advance parole — abandonment risk Consular Processing (US embassy abroad — for India: New Delhi / Mumbai): • I-130 approval → NVC (National Visa Center) → DS-260 → consular interview • Required when beneficiary outside USA OR ineligible for AOS • Indian consulates: Mumbai handles immigrant visa processing; document scanning + interview scheduling via CEAC • Processing: 12-18 months typically once NVC documentarily qualified §5 — INADMISSIBILITY SCREEN (80-100 words) Pre-screen [BENEFICIARY_NAME] for INA §212 grounds BEFORE filing: • §212(a)(6)(C)(i) misrepresentation — prior visa fraud, fake documents — permanent bar absent waiver • §212(a)(9)(B) unlawful presence — 180+ days unlawful = 3-year bar; 1+ year = 10-year bar • §212(a)(2) criminal — crimes involving moral turpitude, drug offenses • §212(a)(1) health-related — TB, communicable disease, vaccination • §212(a)(4) public charge (I-864 sufficient sponsor income required) If inadmissibility flagged: I-601 waiver (extreme hardship to qualifying US-citizen / LPR relative) or I-601A provisional waiver for unlawful presence may apply. §6 — TIMELINE EXPECTATIONS (40-60 words) • I-130 standalone approval: 8-15 months (varies by service center, USCIS backlog) • Concurrent I-130+I-485: 8-14 months total typical • Consular processing post-approval: NVC stage 4-8 months + embassy interview wait 2-6 months • CR-1 conditional: I-751 due in 90-day window before 2-year green card expires End with: "DRAFT I-130 IR STRATEGY — for licensed US immigration attorney review. US has no immigration-consultant licensing body; preparing forms for compensation may constitute Unauthorized Practice of Law under state UPL statutes + 8 CFR §292.1. Verify current USCIS fee schedule at uscis.gov/g-1055 and processing times at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times before submission."
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