Warden Message
January 23, 2007
The following is a Warden Message issued by the Consulate General of the United States of America in Guayaquil. The following message contains all of the information available. Please share it with the American citizens on your warden list, and any other Americans you know, as soon as possible. It should be disseminated as widely as possible with the American citizen community. Please contact the American Citizen Services section via e-mail (acsguayaquil@state.gov), tax 232-0904, or telephone 232-3570 it you have any questions. Thank you very much for your support and assistance. *******************************************************************
IMMEDIATE RELATIVE VISA PETITION (I-130)
Recent legislation has led to changes in the procedures American citizens resident abroad will follow if they wish to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa. Effective immediately, the immediate relative petition (I-130) must be filed with the USCIS office responsible for the petitioner's place of residence (that is, the place of residence of the American citizen who is filing the petition). Consular offices at U.S. embassies and consulates are no longer authorized to accept I-130s, although they will continue to provide guidance to American citizen petitioners and their family members. Responsibility for acceptance and approval of immigrant visa petitions rests solely with USCIS. American citizens should submit their I-130 at the CIS office responsible for their place of residence. This procedural change may result in a processing delay for some applicants. The Department of State recognizes and sincerely regrets the inconvenience this may cause.