U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
Family Petitions (I-130)
This page contains Instructions for Filing an I-130 with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services office in Frankfurt.
I-130 Petition For Alien Relative
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt accepts I-130 petitions by mail or in person from U.S. citizens who reside in Germany. U.S. citizens whose principal residence is not in Germany, and/or are abroad temporarily as a visitor or on business, must file the petition in the United States.
If you are not eligible to file in Frankfurt, you should file the petition with the Chicago Lockbox. Lawful Permanent Residents must file the petition in the United States.
Evidence Of Residence
We require evidence of petitioner's residence in Germany, such as a photocopy of a Certificate of Residence, a Foreigners' Permit to Stay, or a copy of the petitioner's orders if he/she is a member of the U.S. military stationed in Germany.
Appointments
To file in person, make an appointment at the Frankfurt Office on InfoPass.
See Also: USCIS Frankfurt Office location and public hours of operation.
Checklists For Form I-130
Please read the instruction pages attached to the petition carefully and complete all appropriate sections of the form.
You may download and use the following checklists for filing your I-130.
• I-130 Petition Checklist (pdf)
Forms
Supporting Documentation
Do not submit original documents. Only attach legible photocopies of required supporting documentation.
Processing Times
The minimum processing time for an I-130 petition is 90 days. If it has been more than 90 days, you may send an email to USCIS.Frankfurt@dhs.gov. We ask that you please refrain from contacting this office for status checks while your application is pending. Your cooperation will help us ensure that we maintain our processing times.
