Family petition documents checklist
The documents people most often need for a spouse, parent, child or sibling petition, and how to organize them.
Missing documents are the number-one reason family petitions get delayed by a Request for Evidence (RFE). Use this as a starting list, then make your own personalized list with our free checklist tool.
From the petitioner (the U.S. citizen or green card holder)
- Proof of status: U.S. passport, naturalization or citizenship certificate, U.S. birth certificate, or both sides of your green card.
- Government ID.
- Name change documents, if your name is different on any record.
- Proof of the relationship (see below).
- Financial documents for the Affidavit of Support (if needed at this stage): most recent federal tax return or IRS transcript, W-2s, recent pay stubs, employer letter.
From the relative (the beneficiary)
- Birth certificate, with a certified English translation if it's not in English.
- Passport (biographic page).
- Two passport-style photos.
- If they're in the U.S.: I-94 record, visas, and any prior immigration papers.
- Marriage certificate and divorce decrees or death certificates for any previous marriages.
- Police or court records, if they were ever arrested or charged anywhere.
Proving the relationship
| Relationship | Usual proof |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Marriage certificate + evidence of a real marriage (joint lease, bank accounts, photos) |
| Parent (petitioner is the child) | Petitioner's birth certificate listing the parent |
| Child | Child's birth certificate listing the petitioner |
| Sibling | Both birth certificates showing at least one common parent |
For fathers petitioning children, or children born outside marriage, extra proof (like legitimation or evidence of a relationship) may be needed.
Tips that save months
- Translate everything that isn't in English, with a translator's certification.
- Use the current form edition. USCIS rejects old versions.
- Pay the right fee. Check uscis.gov/g-1055 the day you file.
- Make copies of everything you send, and keep your receipt notices.
- Sign every form. Unsigned forms are rejected.
Watch out
If anyone in the case has a prior deportation, an arrest, a long unlawful stay, or used a different name or date of birth, talk to an immigration attorney before filing.