What to file if your mother or father lives outside the United States

• Form I-130
• A copy of your birth certificate showing your name and your mother’s name
• A copy of your Certificate of Naturalization or U.S. passport if you were not born in the United States
• A copy of your parents marriage certificate

You may also petition to bring your adoptive parent to live in the United States

Form I-130

A copy of your birth certificate

A copy of your Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship if you were not born in the United States

A certified copy of the adoption certificate showing that the adoption took place before your 16th birthday

A statement showing the dates and places you have lived together with your parent

After Filing Your Petition

You will be notified by USCIS if your Form I-130 petition is approved or denied. If it is approved and your parent is outside the United States, he or she will be notified to go to the local U.S. consulate to complete visa processing.

If your parent is currently in the United States, he or she may be eligible to file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status, at the same time as you file Form I-130.

How to get a work permit

Your parents do not need to apply for employment authorization (work permit) once they are admitted as an immigrant with their immigrant visa. If your parents are now outside the United States, they will receive a passport stamp upon arrival in the United States. This stamp will prove that they are allowed to work in the United States until their Permanent Resident Card is received.

If your parents are in the United States and have applied to adjust to permanent resident status by filing Form I-485, they are eligible to apply for employment and travel authorization while their case is pending. Your parents should use Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to apply for travel authorization. The fee for Form I-485 also covers Form I-765 and Form I-131 until a decision is made on the application to adjust status.

Note: If your parents have minor children abroad, those children (your siblings) cannot be sponsored on the same petition. After your parent becomes a permanent resident, he or she may file a new petition for any qualifying relative.