Immigrant Visas
Limited Filing in Paris
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. Person’s with a titre de sejour etudiant may not file in Paris and must file with USCIS in the United States. (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 on a status other than student or tourist.)
- Titre de sejour for any family member beneficiary who is not a citizen of a European Union country.
- 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, parents’ marriage certificate - livret de famille or equivalent - 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.
- $355 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.
Processing times: Apply early! Processing is completed on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Expect the immigrant visa application process to take up to six months or more to complete. After issuance, an immigrant visa is valid for six months before travel to the United States is required.
The U.S. Embassy in Paris is the only visa issuing post in France. Immigrant visa petitions cannot be filed at any other U.S. consulate or American Presence Post (APP).