Warden Messages
U.S. Consulate General Vladivostok to Accept I-130 Petitions
July 24, 2007
This is a warden message for American citizens. Please distribute it to your American citizen friends and colleagues. If you are a Warden, notify your Warden Group. If you have any questions contact us, by e-mail, or at the following number:
Phone: (4232) 30-00-70
E-mail: vladcons@state.gov
Earlier this year, due to changes in legislation, Consular offices at U.S. embassies and consulates were prohibited from accepting I-130 petitions from U.S. Citizens resident abroad who wished to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa. Adjudication of I-130 petitions remains solely the responsibility of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). However, the U.S. Consulate General in Vladivostok is pleased to announce that, in consultation with the USCIS sub-office in Moscow, we have developed a new filing procedure for U.S. Citizens residing in Russia to file I-130 petitions at the Consulate in Vladivostok instead of having to travel to USCIS Moscow to file.
Under this new procedure, U.S. Citizens who have been resident in Russia for at least six months may submit their petitions and pay the filing fee at the nearest U.S. Consulate, and the Consular Section will forward the petitions to USCIS Moscow for adjudication. We would like to point out that accepting the paperwork and fee does not indicate approval of the petition. Petitioners should understand that the adjudication of I-130 petitions is solely the responsibility of USCIS. After the packet is forwarded to Moscow, it is within USCIS’s discretion to request any additional evidence they may need to adjudicate the petition.
We hope this new procedure will offer a more convenient option for our resident U.S. citizens who wish to sponsor an immediate relative for an immigrant visa. For detailed information on how to file an I-130 petition, please see our website at http://vladivostok.usconsulate.gov/acspetition.html. If you have further questions, please write us at E-mail: vladcons@state.gov