Local Filing of Form I-130 Petitions Filed by U.S. Citizens on Behalf of Afghan, Ethiopian, and Ukrainian Immediate Relatives Fleeing Conflict

State Department, Mar. 17, 2022

"If you are a U.S. citizen who is physically present overseas with your Afghan, Ethiopian, or Ukrainian immediate family members and have not yet filed an immigrant visa petition with USCIS, you may request to locally file a Form I-130 petition at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visas.  This applies only to U.S. citizens affected by the large-scale disruptive events in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Ukraine.  Such citizens must be physically present in the country where they wish to file petitions.  They can request to locally file on behalf of their spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, and parents who fled Afghanistan after August 2, 2021; Ethiopia after November 1, 2020; or Ukraine after February 1, 2022. 

Please email your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate’s Immigrant Visa Unit if you believe you may qualify to locally file a Form I-130 petition.  You can find those email addresses at each individual embassy or consulate website.  A list of U.S. embassies and consulates is available at https://www.usembassy.gov.

If you have already filed a Form I-130 petition with USCIS for your immediate relative and it has not yet been approved, you may inquire with USCIS regarding expedition: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-make-an-expedite-request.

Further information about the immigrant visa process is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate.html

For more information for nationals of Ukraine, please see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/information-for-nationals-of-Ukraine.html

Additional information for visa applicants from Ukraine is also available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/announcement-of-processing-posts-for-visa-applicants-from-Ukraine.html."