Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition (2024)

Mail your petition to:

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-730
6046 N. Belt Line Rd. Ste. 730
Irving, TX 75038-0019

You can find the filing fee for Form I-730 by visiting our Fee Schedule page.

Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-730. The checklist is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form.Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations.

If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language into English.

Did you provide the following?

• Proof of your status as a principal asylee or refugee in the United States, for example:
  • Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, (granting you asylee or refugee status);
  • Court order from an immigration judge;
  • Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD);
  • Form I-512, Authorization for Advance Parole; or
  • Form I-571, Refugee Travel Document.
• A passport-style photograph or a recent, clear photograph of each family member you are filing for;
• A copy of both sides of your family member’s Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, if they are in the United States; and

• Primary evidence of a family relationship for each family member you are submitting a petition for:

  • Spouse (PDF, 997.34 KB):
    • A copy of your marriage certificate, evidence you each legally terminated any previous marriages (if either you or your spouse were), and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).

  Note: On Feb. 14, 2022, the USCIS Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate issued Revised Guidance on Informal (“Camp”) Marriages (PDF, 997.34 KB). The revised guidance recognizes certain informal marriages for the purpose of obtaining derivative refugee or asylee status and directs USCIS officers to consider evidence of an informal spousal relationship, including when a marriage certificate may not be available.

  • Child:
    • If you (the petitioner) are the child’s mother: A copy of your child’s birth certificate showing their name and your name, and evidence of legal name changes if the names on the birth certificate do not match the names on the petition.
    • If you (the petitioner) are the child’s father: A copy of your child’s birth certificate showing the child’s name and your name, and a copy of your marriage certificate if you were married to the child’s mother. If you were not married to the child’s mother, then you must either submit evidence that the child was legitimated by civil authorities or submit evidence that a bona fide parent-child relationship exists or existed between you and the child. Legitimation laws may vary by country. (For more information on legitimation, see the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part B, Chapter 8.)
  • Stepchild:
    • A copy of your child’s birth certificate, a copy of the marriage certificate between you and the child’s natural parent, and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).
  • Adopted child:
    • A certified copy of the adoption decree, evidence that you lived with the child for at least two years, a certified copy of the court order granting custody (if applicable), and evidence of legal name changes (if applicable).

If primary evidence is not available from civil authorities, submit the following as secondary evidence:

• Religious institution record;
• School record; or
• Census record.

If secondary evidence is not available, submit affidavits (sworn written statements related to the facts at issue). If you submit affidavits, they must overcome the absence of primary and secondary evidence.

For a complete list of supporting documentation, see the Form I-730 Instructions (PDF, 91.53 KB).

Filing Tips:Review ourTips for Filing Forms by Mailpage for information on how to ensure we will accept your form.

Don’t forget to sign your form.We will reject any unsigned form.

Following-to-Join Refugee Petitions Only

On Feb. 1, 2018, USCIS and DOS implemented procedures requiring additional information for FTJ-R beneficiaries to determine eligibility. You should submit a Form I-590, Registration for Classification as Refugee (PDF, 696.08 KB), for your FTJ-R relative along with the Form I-730 petition. Your relative does not need to complete Parts 5 or 8 or sign the Form I-590. We will not deny a Form I-730 that does not have a Form I-590, but we may request this information from petitioners if they do not submit it.

You cannot use Form I-590 to request refugee status directly with USCIS. For information about the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, see ourRefugeespage.

Change of Address

It is important to notify USCIS and or DOS if your contact information or your beneficiary’s contact information changes.

• Please go to uscis.gov/addresschange for information on how to change your address with USCIS.
• If your beneficiary is located outside the United States and a USCIS international field office will interview and process them, contact the USCIS international field office. You can find contact information at the USCIS International Immigration Offices page.
• If your beneficiary is located outside of the United States and a U.S. embassy or consulate will interview and process them, contact theNVCand the U.S. embassy or consulate. Find contact information for U.S. embassies and consulates at theDOS U.S. Embassy Locator page.

Form I-730 Beneficiaries Located Abroad Where There is No U.S. Government Presence

USCIS is working closely with DOS to identify how to process Form I-730 petitions in locations outside the United States where there is not a U.S. government presence. If your beneficiary previously resided in a country without a U.S. government presence but has left that country, please update their address information, using the instructions above, so either USCIS or DOS can process them in a third country.

Outside of Normal Processing Times Inquiry

If the most recent notice you received indicated that a USCIS office is processing your Form I-730 petition, and it is taking longer than the normal processing times listed for Form I-730 petitions on our Processing Times page, you may submit an “outside of normal processing times” inquiry for your pending Form I-730 petition.

• For Form I-730 petitions being processed at the Texas Service Center, USCIS International Operations, or at a domestic field office, you may submit a case inquiry online.

Please note that USCIS International Operations is not a public-facing office and does not accept requests or inquiries made in person.

• For Form I-730 petitions pending at a USCIS international office, please contact the USCIS international office processing your petition. You can find contact information at the USCIS International Immigration Offices page.
• USCIS does not have processing time information for Form I-730 petitions pending with DOS. For Form I-730 petitions being processed by a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, see the Department of State U.S. Embassy Locator page for contact information.

Expedite Requests

For information on making an expedite request for USCIS processing, please refer to our How to Make an Expedite Request page, which includes information on expedite criteria. If your situation matches any of the USCIS expedite criteria, you have already filed your Form I-730 petition with USCIS, and you would like to request expedited processing, please check the most recent notice you have received and use the chart below to submit your expedite request to the USCIS office processing your petition.

Corrections to Submitted Form I-730 Petitions

If you have filed your Form I-730 petition and need to update information or make changes to the petition, contact the appropriate USCIS or DOS office processing the Form I-730 petition using the instructions above. Your most recent receipt or transfer notice will list the office that is processing your Form I-730 petition.