Filing I-130 online

[Artem]

Since October 2019 I-130 can be filed online. Among I-130 and I-485 related forms, this is the only one available online so far. I-130a can be attached online to this application but still needs to be filled, printed, signed and scanned.

I just wanted to share with others the experience and issues I had during the fill-out process. Since I-485 is not available, we decided to file I-130 electronically and then mail the I-485.

Generally, I found the online form to be way more convenient than the PDF. It has a nice flow section by section, similar to other governmental forms. Many fields are assisted, leaving fewer places for error. Attaching documents, such as bona fide evidence, is indeed a pleasure. All attachments should be PDF, JPG or TIFF. Adding addresses, relatives, work experience and other multiple entries is user friendly. Though, some surprises during the process made me spend extra time googling the most accurate process.

Here is a list of things you may face as of quarantine on April 1st.

1. The form requires entering most of the fields. It can show a warning message "You should provide a response.", though be careful - not every single time you have to do it as it may make no sense. For example, if a parent is deceased it still asks to input the residence country from the drop-down list. If you selected something, you can press delete or backspace and then move on ignoring that warning. Same with the question "When did your spouse live together?" - there is no option to say "present", just skip the date and ignore the warning.
2. On the page about the current spouse, it asks "When did your last marriage end?". Logically you would put a date when the previous marriage ended. Well, skip it. Just click "next". On the next page, you will have a chance to input that. If you actually input that date on the current spouse page, in the generated PDF this date will show under your current spouse as "Date marriage ended". Dah.
3. The same goes for the beneficiary's current spouse (you) - don't put the date when the last marriage ended.
4. "Adjustment of status" section. Fill either USCIS office if your spouse is in the U.S. or the Embassy on the next page if outside. Again, ignore warnings if you clicked on the empty fields.
5. Name in native language should be uploaded as an attachment. I just used MS Word to type "First Name in <language>: ..." and "Last Name in <language>: ..", saved it as PDF and attached.
6. Evidence attachment is a simple file selection or drag-n-drop. Same rules as for mailing the form. Add all you can in each section where it says to. If certain documents are in a different language, they should be uploaded in both the original language and English. I assume it's better not to upload the photos you have as separate files. As above, I created in MS Word a basic timelined photo album of 16 photos (4 on each page) and saved it as a PDF. Not all PDFs are accepted for some reason, for example, my PGE bills in PDF didn't work. As a workaround, I had to open them, print "as PDF" and attach that newly created file. By the way, the maximum file size is 6MB so you may need to split some large documents, after first trying to compress them in Adobe Acrobat online.
7. The weird thing - the form won't let you leave the evidence section unless you upload at least one document in each of the boxes. Well, it's a good way to keep us from missing something but it may be annoying too. If you want to leave that page to be able to check other pages in the form, click "back" in your browser and you'll be free to go.
8. The weird thing 2 - if you click next on the evidence from, it takes you to the "additional evidence" section, aka secondary evidence. If you are all set and don't have a reason to add the secondary evidence documents, you are supposed to be able to skip this section. Not in this form though. You won't be able to proceed to the next section, which is "Review and Submit" if you don't add anything here. I used the same trick - click the "back" button and get out of this trap, you don't have to add anything here unless it is a requirement for your particular case.
9. The "Review and Submit" section has a basic quality check tool, which shows you if everything looks normal. It also tells you what the cost of the application is. There you can review all the entries on one page, as well as all the attachments. On the bottom, you may see affidavits missing - those are only related to the secondary evidence when you cannot establish your citizenship, not other affidavits and written statements.
10. You can also download a PDF, which looks exactly like the I-130 PDF but filled out with the data you entered. It puts everything in the correct format, including additional pages for addresses or other information, which didn't fit in the form. Some glitches I could find in that form: When you put a company address, you cannot make a selection of "apt" or "floor" so in the form it will not be checked. In Part 4 "Beneficiary's address" the entries are numbered as 43, though the form says it should be 11. In Part 4, 13a it doesn't put "SAME" while the form requires it. In Part 6, the Petitioner statement is empty, the box that I read and understand English is not checked - you will actually answer this question and provide your electronic signature on the next page prior to submission. Evidence list has only one page and it lists all the attachments you uploaded - it didn't fit in my case so it went beyond the borders and cut off on the edge of the page.
11. Next, you electronically signed the petition and it takes you to the online payment page. And while finishing this post made the payment, which automatically submits the form and offers to follow the case status online. Voila!
12. P.S. After submission, in the case status there is an option to download that same completed PDF as well as any attachments I uploaded in the form - nice to have feature, comparing to mailing.

Cheers!