I929-012-INS-FeeRule-OPSReview-FR-12212023

OMB No. 1615-0106; Expires 08/31/2024

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Instructions for Form I-929, Petition for
Qualifying Family Member of a
U-1 Nonimmigrant

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What Is the Purpose of This Form?

The purpose of Form I-929, Petition for Qualifying Family
Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant, is to request immigration
benefits on behalf of a family member who never held U
nonimmigrant status. To process your Form I-929, you will
need to supply U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) with a signed Form I-929 and the filing fee or fee
waiver. In addition, you will need to supply the appropriate
supporting documents for your petition. Any non-English
language document must be translated into English.

Who May File?

A petitioner may file this form with USCIS on behalf of a
family member who does not hold U nonimmigrant status and
who wishes to immigrate to the United States. You, as the
petitioner, must demonstrate that:
A. You became a lawful permanent resident, or have a
pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent
Residence or Adjust Status, based on your status as a U-1
nonimmigrant (victim of criminal activity);
B. Your alien relative is eligible for immigrant classification
based on his or her relationship to you;

C. You can establish that you or your alien relative will suffer
extreme hardship if not allowed to remain in or to enter the
United States; and
D. You can establish that discretion should be exercised in
favor of your alien relative.
You must file a separate petition for each eligible relative.

For Whom May You File?
A. If you are under 21 years of age, you may file this petition
on behalf of your:
1. Spouse;
2. Unmarried child(ren) under 21years of age; and
3. Parent(s).
B. If you are over 21 years of age, you may file this petition
on behalf of your:
1. Spouse; and
2. Unmarried child(ren) under 21 years of age.

Form I-929 Instructions 08/31/21

General Instructions

We provide free forms through the USCIS website. To view,
print, or complete our forms, you should use the latest version
of Adobe Reader, which you can download for free at http://
get.adobe.com/reader/. If you do not have internet access,
you may call the USCIS Contact Center and ask that we mail a
form to you.
A. Type or print legibly in black ink.

B. If you need extra space to complete any item within this
petition, attach a separate sheet of paper. Type or print
your name and Alien Registration Number (A-Number) (if
any) at the top of each sheet; indicate the Page Number,
Part Number, and Item Number to which your answer
refers; and sign and date each sheet.
C. Answer all questions fully and accurately. If a question
does not apply to you (for example, if you have never been
married and the question asks, “Provide the name of your
current spouse”), type or print “N/A” unless otherwise
directed. If your answer to a question which requires a
numeric response is zero or none (for example, “How
many children do you have” or “How many times have
you departed the United States”), type or print “None”
unless otherwise directed.
D. You (or your signing authority) must properly complete
your petition. USCIS will not accept a stamped or
typewritten name in place of any signature on this petition.
If you are under 14 years of age, your parent or legal
guardian may sign the petition on your behalf. A legal
guardian may also sign for a mentally incompetent person.
If your petition is not signed, or if the signature is not
valid, we will reject your petition. See 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7)
(ii)(A). If USCIS accepts a request for adjudication and
determines that it has a deficient signature, USCIS may
deny the request.
E. Country of Citizenship or Nationality. Provide the name
of the country where you are a citizen and/or national.
This is not necessarily the country where you were born.
If you do not have citizenship in any country, type or print
“stateless” and provide on a separate sheet of paper. Type
or print your name and A-number (if any) at the top of this
sheet and indicate the Page Number, Part Number, and
Item Number to which your answer refers: and sign and
date the sheet.
Validity of Signatures. USCIS will consider a photocopied,
faxed, or scanned copy of an original handwritten signature as
valid for filing purposes. The photocopy, fax, or scan must
be of the original document containing the handwritten ink
signature.

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Filing Fee. See Form G-1055, available at www.uscis.gov/
forms, for specific information about the fees applicable to
this form.
Copies

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If these Instructions state that a copy of a document may be
filed with your Form I-929, submit a copy. You should
submit legible photocopies of requested documents unless the
Instructions specifically instruct you to submit an original
document. USCIS may request an original document at any
time during our process. If we request an original document
from you, we will return it to you after USCIS determines it
no longer needs the original.
NOTE: If you submit original documents when they are not
required or requested, USCIS may destroy them after we
receive them.
Translations

What Documents Do You Need to Demonstrate
Your Status?

If you submit a document with information in a foreign
language, you must also submit a full English translation. The
translator must sign a certification that the English language
translation is complete and accurate, and that they are
competent to translate from the foreign language into English.
The certification must also include their signature, printed
name, the signature date, and their contact information.
USCIS Contact Center. For additional information on the
petition and Instructions about where to file, change of
address, and other questions, visit the USCIS Contact Center
at www.uscis.gov/contactcenter or call at 800-375-5283
(TTY 800-767-1833). The USCIS Contact Center provides
information in English and Spanish.
Disability Accommodations/Modifications. To request a
disability accommodation/modification, follow the
instructions on your appointment notice or at
www.uscis.gov/accommodationsinfo.

What Initial Evidence Is Required to Support
This Petition?
You are required to submit the following:
A. Evidence of your lawful permanent resident status or
evidence that you have a pending Form I-485 based on
your status as a U-1 nonimmigrant;
B. Evidence of your relationship to the alien beneficiary;
C. Evidence of extreme hardship to you or your alien relative
if he or she is not allowed to remain in or to enter the
United States; and
D. Evidence to establish that discretion should be exercised in
favor of your alien relative.
NOTE: Form I-929 cannot be approved for your alien
relative until your Form I-485 is approved based on your U-1
nonimmigrant status.
Form I-929 Instructions 08/31/21

Provide the following documents to demonstrate you are
eligible to file this petition:
A. If you are a permanent resident, you must file your
petition with a copy of the front and back of your
Permanent Resident Card. If you have not yet received
your card, submit copies of your passport biographic
page, and the page showing admission as a permanent
resident, or other evidence of permanent resident status
issued by USCIS.
B. If your Form I-485 is pending, you must submit a copy of
your approval notice for your Form I-918, Petition for U
Nonimmigrant Status, and a receipt notice showing that
your Form I-485 has been filed with USCIS.

What Documents Do You Need to Demonstrate
a Family Relationship?

Certain documents are required to be submitted with this
petition to show that a relationship exists between you and
your relative. In all cases, submit a recently taken clear
photograph of the family member for whom you are filing,
and if you are filing for:
A. A Husband or wife: Submit the following documentation:
1. A copy of your marriage certificate;

2. If either you or your spouse were previously married,
copies of documents showing that all prior marriages
were legally terminated; and
3. Evidence of any legal name change.

B. A child and you are the mother: Submit a copy of the
child's birth certificate showing your name and the name of
your child.
C. A child born in wedlock and you are the father: Submit
a copy of the child's birth certificate showing both parents'
names and your marriage certificate.
D. A child born out of wedlock and you are the father: If
the child was not legitimated before reaching 18 years of
age, you must file your petition with copies of evidence
that a bona fide parent-child relationship existed between
the father and the child before the child reached 21 years
of age. This may include evidence that the father lived
with the child, supported him or her, or otherwise showed
continuing parental interest in the child's welfare.
E. A mother: Submit a copy of your birth certificate
showing your name and your mother's name. Also submit
evidence of any legal name change if the names on the
birth certificate do not match the names on the petition.
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F. A father: Submit a copy of your birth certificate showing
the names of both parents. Also give a copy of your
parent's marriage certificate establishing that your father
was married to your mother before you were born, and
copies of documents showing that any prior marriages of
either your father or mother were legally terminated. If
you are filing for a stepparent or adoptive parent, or if you
are filing for your father and were not legitimated before
your 18th birthday, also see D, G, and H.

B. The impact of loss of access to the U.S. courts and
criminal justice system, including but not limited to
participation in the criminal investigation or prosecution of
the criminal activity of which the alien was a victim, and
any civil proceedings related to family law, child custody,
or other court proceeding stemming from the criminal
activity;

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G. Stepparent/stepchild: If your petition is based on a
stepparent-stepchild relationship, you must file your
petition with a copy of the marriage certificate of the
stepparent to the child's natural parent showing that the
marriage occurred before the child's 18th birthday. If you
or the child's natural parent were ever previously married
to other people, submit copies of documents showing that
any prior marriages were legally terminated. Evidence of
any legal name changes must also be submitted.

H. Adoptive parent of adopted child: If you and the person
you are filing for are related by adoption, you must submit
a certified copy of the adoption decree(s) showing that the
adoption took place before the child became 16 years of
age.
If you adopted the child's sibling, you must submit a copy
of the adoption decree(s) showing that the adoption of the
sibling occurred before that child's 18th birthday.

In either case, you must also submit copies of evidence that
each child was in the legal custody of and resided with the
parent(s) who adopted him or her for at least 2 years before
or after adoption. Legal custody may only be granted by a
court or recognized government entity and is usually
granted at the time the adoption is finalized. However, if
legal custody is granted by a court or recognized
government agency prior to the adoption, that time may
count to fulfill the 2-year legal custody requirement.

What Documents Do You Need to Demonstrate
Extreme Hardship?
Extreme hardship is determined on a case-by-case basis. You
are encouraged to cite and document all applicable factors you
believe demonstrate that you or your alien relative will suffer
extreme hardship if he or she is not allowed to remain in or to
enter the United States. You must demonstrate that refusal to
allow the family member to remain in or to enter the United
States would result in a degree of hardship beyond that
typically associated with such a removal or refusal. Factors to
be considered may be, but are not limited to, the following:
A. The nature and extent of the physical or mental abuse
suffered as a result of having been a victim of criminal
activity;

Form I-929 Instructions 08/31/21

C. The likelihood that the perpetrator's family, friends, or
others acting on behalf of the perpetrator in the home
country would harm the applicant or the applicant's
children;
D. The applicant's needs for social, medical, mental health, or
other supportive services for victims of crime that are
unavailable or not reasonably accessible in the home
country;
E. If the criminal activity involved arose in a domestic
violence context, the existence of laws and social practices
in the home country that punish the applicant or the
applicant's child(ren) because they have been victims of
domestic violence or have taken steps to leave an abusive
household;
F. The perpetrator's ability to travel to the home country and
the ability and willingness of authorities in the home
country to protect the applicant or the applicant's children;
and
G. The age of the applicant, both at the time of entry to the
United States and at the time of application for adjustment
of status.

What Documents Do You Need to Establish
That Discretion Should be Exercised?
Submit evidence, including a signed statement from your alien
relative and other supporting documentation, to establish that
discretion should be exercised in favor of your alien relative.
Although you are not required to establish that your alien
relative is admissible, USCIS may take into account all
factors, including acts that would otherwise render your alien
relative inadmissible, in making its discretionary decision on
the application. Where adverse factors are present, you may
offset these by submitting supporting documentation
establishing mitigating equities that your alien relative wants
USCIS to consider when determining whether or not a
favorable exercise of discretion is appropriate. Depending on
the nature of the adverse factors, you may be required to
clearly demonstrate that the denial of adjustment of status or
an immigrant visa would result in exceptional and extremely
unusual hardship to you.

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What If a Document Is Not Available?

DHS Privacy Notice

In such a situation, submit a statement from the appropriate
civil authority certifying that the document or documents are
not available. You must also submit secondary evidence,
including:

AUTHORITIES: The information requested on this petition,
and the associated evidence, is collected under the
Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. sections 1103,
1184, 1255.

A. Church record: A copy of a document bearing the seal of
the church, showing the baptism, dedication, or
comparable rite occurred within 2 months after birth, and
showing the date and place of the child's birth, date of the
religious ceremony, and the names of the child's parents.

PURPOSE: The primary purpose for providing the requested
information on this petition is to request immigration benefits
on behalf of a family member who has never held U
nonimmigrant status. DHS uses the information you provide
to grant or deny the immigration benefit you are seeking.

B. School record: A letter from the authority (preferably the
first school attended) showing the date of admission to the
school, the child's date of birth, or age at that time, place of
birth, and names of the parents.

DISCLOSURE: The information you provide is voluntary.
However, failure to provide the requested information,
including your Social Security number (if applicable), and any
requested evidence, may delay a final decision or result in
denial of your petition.

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C. Census record: State or Federal census record showing
the name, place of birth, date of birth, or the age of the
person listed.

D. Affidavits: Written statements sworn to or affirmed by
two persons who were living at the time and who have
personal knowledge of the event you are trying to prove.
For example, the date and place of birth, marriage, or
death.

The person making the affidavit does not have to be a
U.S. citizen. Each affidavit should contain the following
information regarding the person making the affidavit: full
name, address, date and place of birth, relationship to you,
full information concerning the event, and complete details
explaining how the person acquired knowledge of the
event.

Where Should You File This Form?
Mail your complete petition package to the following address:
USCIS
Vermont Service Center
38 River Road
Essex Junction, VT 05479-0001

USCIS Forms and Information
To ensure you are using the latest version of this petition, visit
www.uscis.gov.

Penalties
If you knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material
fact or submit a false document with your Form I-929, we will
deny your petition and may deny any other immigration
benefit. In addition, you will face severe penalties provided
by law and may be subject to criminal prosecution.
Form I-929 Instructions 08/31/21

ROUTINE USES: DHS may, where allowable under relevant
confidentiality provisions, share the information you provide on
this petition and any additional requested evidence with other
Federal, state, local, and foreign government agencies and
authorized organizations. DHS follows approved routine uses
described in the associated published system of records notices
[DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001 Alien File, Index, and National
File Tracking System and DHS/USCIS-007 Benefits
Information System and DHS/USCIS-018 Immigration
Biometric and Background Check] and the published privacy
impact assessments [DHS/USCIS/PIA-016a Computer Linked
Application Information Management System and Associated
Systems] which you can find at www.dhs.gov/privacy. DHS
may also share this information, as appropriate, for law
enforcement purposes or in the interest of national security.

Paperwork Reduction Act
USCIS may not conduct or sponsor an information collection,
and you are not required to respond to a collection of
information, unless it displays a currently valid Office of
Managment and Budget (OMB) control number. The public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated
at 0.817 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, gathering the required documentation and
information, completing the petition, preparing statements,
attaching necessary documentation, and submitting the
petition. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any
other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to: U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services, Regulatory Coordination Division,
Office of Policy and Strategy, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive,
Mail Stop #2140, Camp Springs, MD 20588-0009; OMB
No. 1615-0106. Do not mail your completed Form I-929 to
this address.

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Checklist
Did you answer each question on the Form I-929
according to the instructions on the form?

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Did you sign and date Form I-929?

Did you submit proof of your lawful permanent
resident status or pending Form I-485 based on U-1
nonimmigrant status?
Did you submit proof of relationship, including
documents needing copies and/or translations?
Did you submit proof of extreme hardship?

Did you submit evidence to establish that discretion
should be exercised?
Did you submit the beneficiary's photo?

Did you provide the beneficiary's address where he
or she is residing now?

Form I-929 Instructions 08/31/21

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