U.S. Immigration of Relatives
of U.S. Citizens Residing in Indonesia

Immigration to the U.S. requires two sequential steps.  First, an immigrant petition (I-130) is filed by the U.S. citizen petitioner on behalf of the foreign beneficiary (parent, spouse, child or sibling).  I-130s are a responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).  As long as the relationship between the petitioner and beneficiary is intact, an approved I-130 is valid until the beneficiary applies for the second step, an immigrant visa (IV), which is a Department of State responsibility.  Total I-130 and IV processing time in Jakarta may be 6 months for beneficiary parents, spouse or minor children of U.S. citizens, who correctly follow all required instructions on a timely basis, longer for others. 

I-130.  Please download all immigration (I- and G-) forms, and learn current filing fees, from http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis.  Petitioners who are not U.S. citizens, who reside outside of Indonesia, or whose beneficiary is not a parent, minor child or spouse, must file an I-130 by mail directly to CIS.  U.S. Embassy Jakarta has no role in such I-130s.  Fees are payable only in USD or IDR cash.

Petitioners who are American citizens, have resided in Indonesia for 6 months and whose beneficiary is a parent, spouse or minor child, may file an I-130 application in Jakarta, Consular Section, window 5, Mondays or Fridays, 8 to 11 am, except on Indonesian and American holidays, on a walk-in basis.  Please bring the following documents: 

·      Completed, signed I-130 by the petitioner.

·      Petitioner's and beneficiary's email addresses.

·      Completed biographic data (G-325A) one each for petitioner & each beneficiary, with passport type photo attached to bottom.

·      Copy of evidence of the petitioner's lawful, long term residence of more than 6 months in Indonesia, e.g. immigration document, KITAS, long term visa or other permission from Indonesian immigration authorities to reside in Indonesia for at least 6 months before filing the I-130.

·      Civil documents issued under the original seal, stamp or signature of the government office of record.  Notarized copies, religious documents and hospital records are unacceptable.  One copy now and original to be presented later:

o      Petitioner's proof of U.S. citizenship, e.g. birth (www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm) or naturalization certificate, or passport.

o      Proof of beneficiary's birth (showing parents' information) and birth of all children of the beneficiary, even if not now being petitioned.

o      Proof of legal relationship between petitioner and beneficiary, e.g. official birth, marriage, divorce, death, adoption and legal name change certificates.  For I-130s filed on behalf of a spouse, official proof of the current marriage AND the termination of both party's prior marriages.

·      Complete English translation of any non English document.  Anyone competent in both languages may translate, sign and date an attached statement:  "I am competent in English and XXX, and this is a correct and true translation," notarization is unnecessary.

·      Photocopy of each document, or USD 1 per document that we photocopy.

IV:  Beneficiaries of approved I-130s will receive IV instructions either directly from us or from:  Department of State, National Visa Center (NVC), 32 Rochester Av, Portsmouth NH 03801-2909.  See details at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/immigrants_1340.html. 

Entry to the U.S. while immigrant case is pending.  All visitors to the U.S. are presumed to be intending immigrants and therefore inadmissible as visitors or students.  The burden of proof to show eligibility falls solely on the applicant.  If a potential visitor or student has a pending immigrant case (I-130 or IV), but no clear ties to a continuing life overseas and no evidence of only a temporary visit to the U.S., it is likely that such a visitor or student will be inadmissible.  DHS immigration officers have sole authority to determine entry.