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Sponsors and beneficiaries can advance an approved Form I-130 to the next phase by completing consular processing through the National Visa Center or by filing an Adjustment of Status package.
This critical transition secures your official visa interview, processes your final immigrant application, and establishes your path to a permanent Green Card. You should consult an experienced immigration attorney to determine the appropriate processing route based on your current location.
Form I-130: Essential for Spouse Immigration to the U.S.
Form I-130 is an important part of the process for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to bring their foreign-born spouse to the United States. This form shows that there is a valid relationship between the person applying ( green card holder or a U.S. citizen) and their foreign-born spouse.
Once the Form I-130 is approved, your spouse can then apply for a visa or for permission to stay in the United States, depending on where you are. This form is crucial for bringing families together and ensuring that spouses can live together in the United States, but it’s essential to provide accurate information and documents to avoid problems or delays in the immigration process.
What's Next After I-130 is Approved?
What is the next step after I-130 approval for the spouse? Here are the important, commonly followed steps after I-130 approval. When USCIS approves your sponsorship petition, it will forward it to the National Visa Center (NVC). Depending on your immigrant category and how much time has passed since you filed your I-130, NVC may issue you and your beneficiary a support fee bill with additional information about how to proceed.
Notification of Approval
Approval of an I-130 petition for alien relatives marks an essential step in the immigration process, as it means the USCIS has acknowledged your qualifying family relationship and set a priority date to issue you an immigrant visa.
So, does I-130 approval mean no interview? No, because once USCIS approves your I-130 form, it will be transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC). Your case will be carefully evaluated at NVC in preparation for an interview at an Embassy or Immigration Court.
NVC will collect any required fees and supporting documents for your case and assign you a unique case number to use throughout the process. I-130 processing time after the form is approved by NVC could take weeks to months.
The NVC will email you any status changes to your approval request. You can customize what emails you receive by visiting your notification center on the USCIS website and selecting specific notifications and their arrival frequency.
Furthermore, you can set up a customized approval flow with additional trigger conditions, such as requiring the request to reach certain steps or notifying an approver if an error occurs.
Adjustment of Status
How long does it take to get a green card after I-130 approval? If your spouse is currently living in the U.S. and you share an eligible relationship, filing Form I-130 on their behalf to begin the permanent resident process can expedite it, and providing a birth and marriage certificate as evidence of family ties and financial support for them. We can assist in compiling this documentation to ensure compliance with all requirements.
Once USCIS approves your I-130 petition, it will forward it to the National Visa Center (NVC). All fees must be paid at NVC, and eligibility requirements must be met before your case can be evaluated.
The NVC will notify the petitioner and beneficiary that they must meet with an interviewing officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad to complete their immigrant visa application. Due to annual quotas or backlogs in specific categories, this process could take time.
Interviewing can also be challenging for those on visas that do not permit dual intent. The National Visa Center has discovered that you secretly intend to immigrate permanently when entering the U.S. This can seriously affect adjusting status.
Becoming Green Card Holders
A Green Card grants lawful permanent residence and employment authorization within the U.S. You can present it as proof of identity and employment eligibility to employers when required to complete Form I-9. Additionally, it can help you apply for a Social Security number; however, you won’t become an American citizen or get a lawful permanent resident status until you receive your naturalization certificate.
Once a petition is approved, it’s sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). Here, they’ll make sure all required paperwork and fees have been submitted and paid before forwarding it to an American consulate or embassy abroad—typically six to eight weeks after their arrival at NVC.
The NVC will arrange an interview for you and your spouse at its center, an essential step in the visa application process. At this interview, questions about your background and motivations for applying will be asked of both of you; an attorney can help guide the process and prepare you for it.