The U.S. Domicile Requirement for Petitioners

Your petitioner must live in the United States or in a U.S. territory or possession.  If your petitioner does not, he or she cannot sponsor you for immigration to the United States.

You must convince the consular officer that your petitioner lives in the United States.  To do this, you may provide the following:

• A photograph of your petitioner holding a recent newspaper while at a location that clearly is in the United States (such as a U.S. Post Office);
• current mortgage or bank statements showing your petitioner’s U.S. address;
• certificates of employment, pay stubs, or utility bills in your petitioner’s name (phone, power, water, cable, Internet, etc.).

If your petitioner currently is not in the United States, and he/she is a U.S. citizen, he/she should provide a letter of intent to return with you to the United States.  Petitioners who are legal permanent residents must be physically present in the United States.