Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition

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Last updated: November 9, 2025.

By Asel Williams, Esq. · Columbia Law School · Licensed immigration attorney

Form I-730 filing fee

There is no filing fee to submit Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition.

Form I-730 checklist of required documents

In Form I-730 applications, the principal asylee/refugee is called “Petitioner” and the family member being sponsored is called “Beneficiary”.

The following documents must be submitted with Form I-730 application:

Evidence	Examples of acceptable documents (Submit PHOTOCOPIES only)
Signed and completed Form I-730 (separate form for each family member)	The form must be signed in ink and dated You must use the most recent edition of Form I-730 available on the USCIS website USCIS will reject any outdated editions or unsigned/undated forms
Passport-style photograph	One passport-style photograph of the applicant Applicant’s name, A-number (if any) or date of birth must be written on the back of photograph
Evidence of asylum/refugee status	Documents confirming that the principal asylee/refugee was granted asylum/refugee status, for example: USCIS asylum approval letter; Immigration court decision granting asylum I-94 form confirming granted asylum status
Proof of marital relationship	If sponsoring a spouse: Marriage certificate Proof of termination of previous marriages (divorce decree, annulment decree, death certificates) for petitioner and beneficiary
Proof of parent-child relationship	If sponsoring an unmarried child under 21: Child’s birth certificate Marriage certificate of child’s parents If adopted – adoption decree
Secondary evidence of relationship	If primary evidence of marital or parent-child relationship is unavailable, secondary evidence of relationship: Religious records (baptism certificate, religious marriage certificate) Educational records School records Census records Sworn affidavits If no secondary evidence of parent-child relationship is available, DNA testing results can be submitted: DNA test must be completed by a laboratory accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
Birth certificate	Beneficiary’s birth certificate
Photo ID	Beneficiary’s photo ID: Passport National ID Driver’s license Any other government-issued photo ID
Form I-94	Only if the beneficiary is in the U.S.: I-94 record CBP stamp US visa Passport that was used during the most recent entry into the U.S.
Certified English translation	All documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by certified English translation Attach copies of original documents in a foreign language too

Where to send Form I-730 application

You should send your completed Form I-730 application to the correct USCIS service center.

USCIS periodically updates its filing addresses, so it’s essential to check the most recent filing instructions on the USCIS Form I-730 page (see “Where to File” section):

USCIS Texas Service Center
Attn: I-730
6046 N. Belt Line Rd. Ste. 730
Irving, TX 75038-0019

Form I-730 processing times

It can take up to 29 months for USCIS to process Form I-730 application.

However, some applications are processed faster than this estimated timeline.

Processing times can vary based on factors such as the volume of applications, complexity of individual cases, and resource availability.

For the most up-to-date information on processing times, you can check the USCIS website’s Case Processing Times page at https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/.

Select the form type “I-730” and the field office or service center processing your application to get an estimate of the current processing times.