immigrant visas

As of January 22, 2007, consular offices abroad were instructed to cease accepting certain immigrant visa petitions because consular officers lacked the means to perform the required criminal background checks on American citizen petitioners, as required by the Adam Walsh Act. Subsequently, the Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) worked to develop a mechanism whereby USCIS will perform these required "Adam Walsh Act" checks for any petitions accepted abroad by consular officers.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, the U.S. Embassy in Paris will accept I-130 petitions for immediate relative immigrant classification from American citizens who have been continuously, legally resident in France for at least the six months prior to petition filing. Individuals, who are in the country on a temporary status, such as student or tourist, do not meet this residency standard.

All lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders) and U.S. citizens resident in the United States or with a permanent address in the United States will file I-130 petitions at the USCIS service center in the United States having jurisdiction over their place of residence. A list of service centers is included in the instructions with downloadable form I-130.

If you are eligible to file in Paris, please click here for further instructions and information.


immigrant visas
Limited Filing in Paris
The Immigrant Visa Unit will be closed to the public on Friday, April 6, 2007.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, the U.S. Embassy in Paris will accept I-130 petitions for immediate relative immigrant classification from American citizens who have been continuously, legally resident in France for at least the six months prior to petition filing. Individuals, who are in the country on a temporary status, such as student or tourist, do not meet this residency standard and may not file a petition in Paris.

We will also exceptionally accept petitions from non-residents in true emergency cases, such as life and death or health and safety, plus instances where minor children who would be unexpectedly left without a caretaker.

To file, you may appear at the entrance to the Embassy’s consular section between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Fridays. No new admissions will be allowed after 10:00 a.m. The U.S. citizen petitioner and all alien beneficiaries must appear in person on the day of petitioning.

You should bring the following documentation:


U.S. citizen petitioner and each family member beneficiary passports
U.S. citizen petitioner’s French titre de sejour as proof of six months of continuous, legal residence in France (U.S. citizens who hold a French or other European Union passport must provide other proof that they have been continuously resident in France for the last six months.)
Two passport-sized photos for the U.S. citizen petitioner and each beneficiary
Proof of relationship:
- Petition for spouse: marriage certificate or copie integrale de l’acte de marriage (Persons previously married must also provide a divorce judgment or death certificate as proof of termination of the previous relationship.)
- Petition for child: child’s birth certificate or copie integrale de l’acte de naissance
Completed forms I-130 Petition and G-325A for each beneficiary
Completed form G-325A for U.S. citizen petitioner (1 copy per petition to be filed.)
Completed form DS-230 for each beneficiary.
$190 petitioning fee. Payment may be made in cash or by credit card. No checks are accepted.
For faster service on the day of petitioning, please have your forms downloaded and completed before coming to the Embassy.