I-130 Petition Checklist | U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan

Terminology:

Petitioner = U.S. Citizen
Alien Relative = Beneficiary/Visa Applicant

NOTES:

U.S. citizen petitioners must come in person to submit all forms and supporting documents in the order listed below.
All Supporting Documents must be originals (bearing an original seal, stamp or signature of the office of record), plus one photocopy of each.
English translations of all foreign language documents are required. Any foreign language document must be accompanied by a full English translation that the translator has certified as complete and correct. The translator must certify that he/she is competent to translate the foreign language into English.

Do not send anything to the Embassy or Consulate unless instructed to do. Bring your documents to the interview. Before making an appointment, make sure you have all the necessary documents.

□	I-130: This form is required in all cases (Download Form I-130). You must file a separate Form I-130 for each beneficiary including child(ren).
□	I-130A: This form is supplemental information for Spouse Beneficiary only. (Download Form I-130A)
□	Photographs: One photograph of petitioner and of each beneficiary are required. A 5cm x 5cm photo with a white to off-white background, taken within 30 days. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 5 cm x 5cm (2”x 2”) with the head centered in the frame facing straight ahead. Eyeglasses are not allowed in photos.
□	Evidence of Active Duty Status (U.S. Military Orders): The petitioner must provide evidence of his/her current military status.
□	Proof of U.S. Citizenship: An original birth certificate, original unexpired U.S. passport, original naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship, or original consular report of birth abroad are the only acceptable documents.
□	Photo ID: Please submit a copy of a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID card or other photo identification for petitioner.
□	Birth Certificate: Please provide an original birth certificate for the beneficiary. For Japanese applicants born in Japan, a family registry serves as a birth certificate. Note: For any birth certificate registered more than six months after the date of birth, please provide a written statement explaining why the birth was registered late and two alternate forms of original, secondary evidence of identity. Secondary evidence of identity normally means original documents dating from the time of your birth and childhood, such as prenatal records, doctor’s notes and baby book, baptismal certificates issued on the date the baptism took place, school records/report cards registered or signed by the parents, or pieces of government-issued identification (Social Security card, driver’s license, etc.).
□	Beneficiary’s Passport: Please present beneficiary’s passport. If the beneficiary is non-Japanese, please present all previous passports for the beneficiary. Also, please provide a copy of passport pages including the picture ID page, U.S. visas, other foreign visas and SOFA stamp, if any.
□	Fee: The Filing Fee should be paid at the Embassy/Consulate cashier in yen or U.S. dollars on the day of your interview. You may pay by cash, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diner’s Club, and JCB). Notes: Be prepared to pay with cash in case the credit card verification system is temporarily unavailable. Payment by credit card is billed in U.S. dollars. DO NOT pay the fee through the Non-Immigrant visa Web site. Application fees paid for the wrong visa category will not be accepted and cannot be refunded. This fee is non-refundable, regardless of any action taken on your petition.
If the petition is for a spouse or a child, you must include the following items. Proof of marriage and legal termination of any prior marriages may be required to establish entitlements of other immigrants. Please read “General Requirements” on the I-130 Instruction carefully.
□	Marriage Certificate: Please provide an original marriage certificate from the jurisdiction where the marriage took place. If a beneficiary is a Japanese national, you may submit a certified copy of the family registry.
□	Divorce Decree or Death Certificate: Original divorce decrees or death certificates, or certified court copies of the certificates, showing termination of all prior marriages of petitioner and/or beneficiary are acceptable.
□	Proof of Relationship: If you have been married less than two years, please provide a statement of how you met and evidence of your on-going relationship.
□	Birth Certificate for Beneficiary’s Children: Please provide an original birth certificate or consular report of birth abroad for beneficiary’s children.
□	Affidavit of Support: (Required only if applying in Tokyo) Form I-864 is a contractual affidavit of support. Most family-based visa applicants must submit an I-864 completed and signed by the petitioning relative (sponsor). Mistakes in completing the I-864 are the most common reason for refusing an immigrant visa application. Please read all instructions carefully before filling out the I-864. Please note: Form I-864 needs to be submitted with one of the following documents: – tax transcript from IRS from the most recent tax year and W2 (W2 is only required if the transcripts show “married filing jointly”) or, – federal tax return 1040 from the most recent tax year and W2 regardless of whether tax return was jointly filed. For Naha: You may submit the Affidavit of Support, Form I-864, on the final Immigrant Visa interview day.

Appointments can only be booked for up to three months in advance.

Schedule an I-130 Appointment in Tokyo or Naha.