Start with the letter below if you are mailing Form I-130 for a spouse by itself. For the wider process, see our I-130 petition for alien relative guide. Keep the I-130 documents checklist beside your packet while you edit.
The ordinary cover letter is optional. USCIS does not list a general cover-letter requirement in its current I-130 instructions or initial-evidence checklist. We are inferring that from the instructions; USCIS has not published an express exemption that covers every situation. If the instructions require a written request for your situation, that request still goes in your filing. (USCIS instructions)
I-130 cover letter sample for a spouse
This I-130 cover letter sample is for a paper petition by itself. Some lines are conditional, so you can keep what belongs in your own submission and drop the rest. The spouse evidence and supplement come from the I-130 instructions; our I-130 for spouse guide explains the evidence in more detail.
[Date]
[Petitioner's full legal name]
[Mailing address]
[Telephone number and email]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
[Current filing destination for this exact submission]
Re: Original submission, Form I-130
Petition for Alien Relative
Petitioner: [Full legal name]
Beneficiary: [Spouse's full legal name]
Relationship: Spouse
Dear USCIS Officer:
I am a [U.S. citizen / lawful permanent resident] submitting Form I-130 for my spouse, [beneficiary's full legal name].
We married on [date] in [city and country].
The enclosed materials support this petition:
1. Completed and signed Form I-130, with Form I-130A.
2. Copy of my [specific citizenship or resident-status proof].
3. Copy of our marriage certificate and [any applicable records terminating earlier marriages].
4. Evidence of our marriage: [name the actual records, such as a joint lease and joint account statements].
5. [Other applicable attachments, identified individually: required photographs, translations with certifications, name-change records, or case-specific explanations].
Fee-payment authorization: [current payment form enclosed].
Other intake forms enclosed: [identify any, or delete line].
Please contact me using the details above if needed.
Sincerely,
[Petitioner's signature, optional for this cover letter]
[Petitioner's printed name]
Customize it before printing. Pick your actual status, name the proof you are sending, and replace every bracketed instruction. Delete a whole line when it does not apply. If you enclose a passport copy as citizenship proof, name that document instead of listing several alternative proofs you did not include.
Describe evidence so you can find it: “joint bank statements, January through September 2026” is more useful than “financial evidence.” Those dates are an example, not a required evidence period. Make sure each description matches the document behind it.
Use our I-130A form guide for the spouse supplement. USCIS requires I-130A for a spouse living abroad too, but that overseas spouse does not have to sign it. That exception does not extend to your own signature on the I-130. (USCIS instructions, pages 1 and 3)
What to include in your letter
Build the index around five useful fields. These are editorial recommendations for a readable letter. The official instructions decide which forms and evidence are required.
- Who is filing. Give the petitioner's name and contact details.
- Who the petition concerns. Name the beneficiary and relationship.
- What is being filed. Say whether you are filing I-130 alone or as part of a combined packet.
- What is enclosed. List documents using clear, specific descriptions.
- What needs a short explanation. Point to any discrepancy or separate statement, and the record that supports it.
Do not turn the letter into a second application. A short opening and an accurate inventory are usually enough. Aim for one page when you can; that is a writing preference. The instructions we reviewed set no general cover-letter length. (USCIS instructions)
Separate requirements from examples. USCIS lists different evidence for different relationships. For a spouse, examples of bona fide marriage evidence include joint property, a shared lease, combined finances, and other relevant records. The lease and bank statements in the sample are only examples. Do not treat them as a fixed two-document formula. (USCIS spouse evidence checklist)
Check the evidence categories before finalizing the index. If gathering the right records is the difficult part, Immiva I-130 preparation builds a document list from your answers and includes I-130A for spouse petitions.
Keep translations paired with their records. Foreign-language documents need full English translations, plus a certification from the translator that the translation is accurate and that they are competent to translate. The instructions also specify signature, printed name, date, and contact information. List the source record and translation together so the index points to both. (USCIS instructions, page 3)
Adapt the template for a parent, child, or sibling
Reuse the layout, but replace the relationship statement and evidence list. I-130A belongs to spouse petitions. Copying a spouse inventory into a parent or sibling filing can hide the records that prove that relationship. (USCIS instructions)
Parent
Replace the opening with:
I am a U.S. citizen aged 21 or older submitting Form I-130 for my [mother/father], [beneficiary's full legal name].
Use that statement only if it is true. A lawful permanent resident cannot petition for a parent. Start the evidence list with your birth certificate naming that parent; father, step-parent, and adoptive-parent cases may need more records. Remove the spouse-only marriage-evidence and I-130A lines. (USCIS instructions, pages 1 and 7)
Our I-130 for parents guide covers the relationship-specific requirements. If you are petitioning for both parents, prepare a separate petition for each. Do not list both as beneficiaries of one I-130. (USCIS instructions, page 1)
Child
Use this opening and pick the status that applies to you:
I am a [U.S. citizen/lawful permanent resident] submitting Form I-130 for my [son/daughter], [beneficiary's full name].
Match the inventory to the biological, stepchild, or adoptive relationship. A birth certificate alone does not cover every route. Lawful permanent residents may petition for unmarried children, including unmarried adult sons and daughters, but not married sons or daughters. (USCIS instructions, pages 1 and 6-8)
Check the stepchild or adopted-child requirements before you copy a generic family-evidence list. (USCIS instructions, pages 7-8)
Sibling
Use this opening only if it is true for you:
I am a U.S. citizen aged 21 or older submitting Form I-130 for my [brother/sister], [beneficiary's full legal name].
Start with both siblings' birth certificates showing a common parent. Shared-father, step, and adoptive relationships may need more proof. Green card holders cannot petition for siblings. (USCIS instructions, pages 1 and 7-8)
Check the I-130 for siblings guide before completing the enclosure list. Changing the letter does not change who qualifies to file. (USCIS family-petition eligibility)
Choose the right inventory for your filing route
An I-130 cover letter template should describe the submission you are making now. Choose the route before listing forms. Our I-130 versus I-485 guide explains why the petition and green card application have different jobs.
Mailing I-130 by itself
Keep the sample focused on the petition, applicable supplement, payment, and supporting evidence. Do not add I-485, I-864, I-765, or I-131 simply because another person's sample includes them. List those forms only when you are filing those requests and their requirements apply to you. (USCIS I-130 filing guidance)
Filing I-130 online
You can file I-130 online. Follow the upload instructions in the online form. If you add an optional evidence index, describe the uploaded files accurately; nothing is being mailed, so a paper-style enclosure list does not fit. (USCIS I-130 filing guidance)
Filing with I-485
Concurrent filing is available only where the relevant eligibility and visa-availability conditions are met. Use the I-485 concurrent filing guide for that decision. If I-130 was already filed online and your relative is filing a qualifying paper I-485, USCIS directs them to include a copy of the I-130 receipt notice. Do not list that earlier I-130 as a new original petition enclosed in this packet. (USCIS I-130 guidance)
For a combined paper packet, one overall index can list each application and the evidence that goes with it. That is your choice; USCIS has no rule requiring one combined letter or a separate letter for every form. Keep each form's evidence and payment requirements distinct. (USCIS mail filing tips)
Assemble the paper packet using current instructions
Check the destination on filing day. The official I-130 address page gives separate entries by filing situation and delivery service. USCIS changed I-130 filing locations on October 7, 2026; forms postmarked on or before November 9, 2026 are still accepted at the previous locations. Use the current table instead of copying a fixed address from an older letter.
Check the fee and payment method separately. As verified October 16, 2026, the general I-130 fee is $675 by mail or $625 online. For a mailed petition, pay by card with Form G-1450 or by ACH with G-1650. If you qualify for a paper-payment exemption, use G-1651; that exemption only changes how you pay, and the filing fee still applies. (USCIS fee schedule, page 9, USCIS fee-payment policy)
Our I-130 fee guide and USCIS filing-fee payment guide cover both in more detail. Do not reuse an old sample's $535 check line. USCIS recommends separate payments for separate benefit requests, even when the forms share one envelope. (USCIS mail filing tips)
Follow the official intake order. USCIS recommends payment authorization or exemption material, applicable G-1145, applicable G-28, the filed form, supplements, and supporting documents. Think of those as five groups:
- Payment authorization or applicable exemption material.
- Applicable notification and representative forms.
- The signed benefit request.
- Applicable supplements.
- Supporting evidence.
USCIS does not give the optional cover letter a slot in that order. Our editorial suggestion: put it right before the I-130, after the payment and intake documents. USCIS directs filers to mark the envelope and letter with the submission type and form number. Use single-sided letter-size pages, and skip binders and heavy staples that are hard to take apart. (USCIS mail filing tips)
Check the letter against the finished packet
Read the inventory with the actual documents beside you. Use this five-point review:
- Names match. Use the same names as on the forms, and point to name-change records where they apply.
- Every listed attachment exists. Remove unused sample lines and describe any separately attached explanation accurately.
- Payment matches today's rules. Check the amount, authorization, and destination using the official pages above.
- The petition is signed. A signature on the cover letter cannot replace the required I-130 signature.
- The form edition is current. USCIS currently lists edition 04/01/24; check the live page again before filing and retain all pages from one edition.
The signature and edition checks come from the official I-130 page. Check them on the form itself, even if the letter describes them correctly.
Do not file an incomplete packet expecting a guaranteed chance to fix it later. Current USCIS policy allows a denial without an RFE or NOID in some situations, including when required initial evidence is missing. A tidy index does not make up for missing evidence. (USCIS evidence policy)
If checking the forms against the inventory is the hard part, Immiva's preparation and review process lets you review the prepared application before paying to download it. You still sign the forms, add the supporting documents, and submit the filing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on the general requirements we reviewed, an ordinary index is optional. USCIS does not list it as a standard required I-130 document. You still have to follow any written-request requirement for your case and any USCIS notice. The I-130 documents checklist helps you separate the evidence from the index. (USCIS instructions)
Aim for one page when practical; use a second page if that makes the inventory clearer. This is editorial advice. We found no general letter-length or cover-letter-signature requirement in the instructions we reviewed. You can date and sign the index if you like, but USCIS does require the petition itself to be signed. Check that requirement separately. (USCIS instructions)
Name your spouse, the marriage record, any records ending earlier marriages, I-130A, and the marriage evidence you are sending. USCIS requests two passport-style photos of the petitioner and two of the spouse if the spouse is in the United States. The location condition applies to the spouse's photos. Our I-130A form guide covers the supplement. (USCIS instructions, pages 6-7)
Reuse the layout, then replace the opening and all relationship evidence. Remove spouse-only lines. Parent and sibling petitioners must be U.S. citizens aged 21 or older. The I-130 for parents and I-130 for siblings guides explain their different evidence needs. (USCIS instructions)
Keep the letter to identifying documents. If a fact needs explaining, point to a separate statement and its supporting records instead of burying them in a long introduction. That is a writing recommendation. The required marriage evidence still comes from the official instructions; a personal narrative does not replace it. (USCIS instructions)
Nothing in the official materials we reviewed supports that. The index describes your filing; USCIS evaluates the request and the evidence under its own adjudication rules. If a notice arrives later, use our I-130 RFE response guide. A clear letter does not guarantee approval, rule out an RFE, or promise a particular processing time. (USCIS evidence policy)
Finish your letter
Copy this I-130 cover letter sample, replace every bracketed line, and match each entry to the finished submission. Keep the edited letter with your own copy of the packet so you can see later exactly what you listed. Recheck the live fee, payment, edition, and address instructions before you send it. If you want the forms prepared alongside your index, see Immiva I-130 preparation.