Family Petitions (I-130)
Who can file Form I-130 at the USCIS Moscow Field Office?
The USCIS Moscow Field Office accepts and adjudicates petitions for immediate relatives (spouses, unmarried children under the age of twenty one, or parents) filed by U.S. citizens who have lawfully resided in the Russian Federation for at least six months preceding the filing of the petition. USCIS Moscow does not accept or adjudicate petitions for any other family members or petitions filed by Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).
U.S. citizens who reside in the United States and LPRs should submit the Form I-130 to the USCIS Chicago Lockbox. Information about how to file the petition at the USCIS Chicago Lockbox is available from the Form I-130 link below. U.S. citizens who reside abroad in countries other than the Russian Federation should file their petitions with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox.
What is the filing fee for an I-130 petition?
The fee is $420.00 for Form I-130. Information on fees is available at http://www.uscis.gov. Please note that the USCIS Moscow Field Office does not accept fee payments. The fee for this petition must be fully paid by credit card or in cash (U.S. Dollars or Russian Rubles) to the consular cashier at the time of filing. The consular fee receipt must then be submitted to the USCIS Moscow Field Office along with the Form I-130 and supporting documents.
How to file:
One Form I-130 and two Forms G-325A (one for the petitioner and one for the beneficiary) must be submitted for each beneficiary. Please remember to sign all the forms. These forms are available at http://www.uscis.gov and by following these links:
The instructions accompanying the forms mention the types of documentation that must be submitted in support of this petition. Please note that in addition to the documents listed in the Form I-130 instructions, the USCIS Moscow Field Office requires proof of the petitioner’s lawful presence in the Russian Federation for at least the previous six months. Remember to include the following with the petition:
- Certified English translation by a competent translator of each document not in English;
- Divorce or death certificates, as appropriate, to establish termination of any prior marriage(s) and proof that both the petitioner and the beneficiary were legally free to marry at the time of the marriage;
- One passport-style photo for the petitioner and the beneficiary.
To file your I-130, please make an appointment at infopass.uscis.gov. On the day of your appointment please bring the completed forms, and required documents to the USCIS reception window located within the U.S. Embassy at Novinskiy Bulvar 19/23. Once your case has been reviewed, you will be instructed on how to pay the filing fee and obtain the receipt.
What happens after the petitioner files the Form I-130?
The USCIS Moscow Field Office may require the petitioner and/or the beneficiary to appear in person for an interview to obtain additional information.
The USCIS Moscow Field Office may send the petitioner a written request for additional evidence in support of the petition, to be submitted by a specified date.
If the USCIS Moscow Field Office approves the Form I-130, the petitioner will receive a Notice of Approval. The immigrant visa unit at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow will subsequently contact the petitioner in order to process an immigrant visa for the immediate relative beneficiary.
If the documents on the record do not establish the beneficiary’s eligibility, the USCIS Moscow Field Office may send the petitioner a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) stating reasons why USCIS intends to deny the petition. The NOID will include a deadline by which the petitioner must submit to the USCIS Moscow Field Office any statements or documents rebutting the reasons for the intended denial. Whether or not the petitioner chooses to respond, the USCIS Moscow Field Office will make a decision based on the record after the rebuttal period has passed.