I-130 Checklist — American Visa Guide

1. Case classification

Petitioner status confirmed (USC or permanent resident)

Beneficiary category correct (IR1/CR1, IR5, F1, etc.)

If CRBA: US citizen parent physical presence documented (5 years, 2 after age 14)

2. Forms and filing integrity

I-130 Part 1 (petitioner info): all fields complete

I-130 Part 2 (beneficiary info): all fields complete

Petitioner has signed Part 1 in correct signature box

Beneficiary name matches all documents exactly

All prior marriages disclosed (both petitioner and beneficiary)

⚠️ Critical: Petitioner names and signatures must be in the correct spaces on the form. Wrong placement is a documented cause for I-130 denial. Check this carefully.

Note: Beneficiary does not sign I-130A (outside the US).

3. Identity and civil documents

Petitioner: certified birth certificate

Petitioner: proof of US citizenship (passport, certificate of naturalization, or birth certificate)

Beneficiary: certified birth certificate

Beneficiary: UK birth certificate translation (certified if required)

Marriage certificate (certified copy)

All divorce decrees or death certificates (if previously married)

4. Evidence quality audit

For spouse/CR1/IR1:

Joint bank account statements (6+ months)

Joint lease or mortgage with both names

Insurance policies naming each other as beneficiaries

Photos of relationship (wedding, vacations, recent together)

Travel records showing joint travel

Communication logs (emails, messages, letters)

Relationship timeline (how/where you met, dates of major milestones)

Affidavits from friends or family (if helpful)

5. Consistency audit

Petitioner names identical across all documents

Beneficiary names identical across all documents

Dates of birth consistent everywhere

Addresses consistent (if multiple addresses, all explained)

No contradictions between I-130 statements and supporting evidence

6. RFE risk scan

Commingling of finances is strong (joint accounts, shared bills)

If long-distance, visits are documented and frequent

No major timeline gaps without explanation

All translations are certified where required

Documents are legible (scans are clear, photocopies readable)

Bona fide evidence covers the entire relationship, not just the proposal

7. CR1 vs IR1 forward planning

Marriage date confirmed and documented

If married less than 2 years at expected US entry, CR1 applies

Original marriage certificate procured for CBP at US entry (CR1 holders)

8. Final packaging

Documents organized in logical order

All scans are legible and at least 300 DPI

No missing pages (check document count)

All required forms are included

9. Post-submission monitoring

Expected: months of inactivity and generic "case is being processed" messages

Meaningful signals: "Actively being reviewed" status or document tab updates

Not meaningful: processing time fluctuations on myUSCIS (this is normal)

Some people attempt to check USCIS case processing via unofficial API tools or JSON data. This is not an official tool. Codes are not always interpretable, and data can be incomplete or misleading. Use with extreme caution and do not rely on these for important decisions. For accurate case status, use USCIS Case Tracker.

🖼️ PLACEHOLDER: Illustration of organised documents in a folder, clean desk.

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. Verify all requirements against official sources before your appointment. If your case is complex, consult an immigration attorney.

I-130 Pre-Submission Checklist