Precautions to Take When Filing Immigration Form I-130

One of the first things to check for when filing Form I-130 with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services is to make sure that you have the most current form. In the top right hand corner, you should see an expiration date of 01/31/11. If this does not appear on your I-130 application, check the USCIS website for further instructions and that your version is current. Previous versions of the Form I-130 are being accepted but this could change in the near future.

Next I would like to stress the importance of filing a computer printed I-130 form versus a handwritten I-130 form. A computer printed I-130 form is generally much easier for the USCIS to read and scan than a handwritten form. The USCIS has found that it has a lower rejection rate for computer printed forms against handwritten ones. Some of the common mistakes made by those who try and file handwritten forms is they are not in black ink (USCIS only accepts black ink) and items that are not applicable should be marked with "N/A" and if the answer is none, then "none" should be wrote in the appropriate space. Using a computer to fill out a form I-130 will generally help avoid these two problems. Remember, filing an incorrect I-130 form could cost you several months delay in processing time from rejection and a possible loss of the $355 filing fee.

After printing your computer generated I-130 application form it is very important to sign your name. If the I-130 is not properly signed or accompanied by the correct fee ($355) it will be rejected with a notice that the petition is deficient. These are some basic things to remember but are very important to insure the completeness of your I-130 application. Incorrectly filed I-130 forms can costly and time consuming, best to get it right the first time when dealing with your family and the USCIS.