A principal refugee or principal asylee in the United States who has not become a naturalized U.S. citizen before filing may use Form I-730 to request that a qualifying spouse or unmarried child in Guatemala join them. The ordinary filing window is 2 years, the general filing fee listed by USCIS is $0, and USCIS says petitions for beneficiaries residing in Guatemala transfer to its Guatemala City International Field Office for further processing.
Quick summary: File a separate petition for each qualifying relative. Guatemala processing follows instructions from the USCIS field office. We could not confirm current I-730-specific medical arrangements or a guaranteed processing time from USCIS or the State Department.
Step by step
- Check eligibility and the filing window. USCIS describes principal refugees admitted within the past 2 years and principal asylees granted asylum within the past 2 years petitioning for a spouse and unmarried children under 21. USCIS says some unmarried children over 21 may qualify in certain circumstances; check its instructions for the conditions of those exceptions. USCIS may grant a humanitarian waiver of the filing deadline in some cases. For a refugee, the family relationship must have existed at admission as a refugee and must continue; for an asylee, it must have existed when asylum was granted and must continue. A child conceived but not yet born at that admission or asylum grant is considered to have had the relationship at that time. The mother of such a child is eligible only if she was married to the principal refugee at admission or to the principal asylee at the asylum grant. Anyone who became a naturalized U.S. citizen before filing cannot file Form I-730; a U.S. citizen may file Form I-130 for a spouse or children.
- Prepare a separate Form I-730 for each qualifying family member. Use the official form page and instructions listed below. The USCIS fee schedule lists $0 for general filing. Check the official instructions for the filing address and available filing methods.
- Gather the applicable relationship evidence. The table below describes relationship evidence listed by USCIS. It is not a complete filing checklist.
- Follow the Guatemala office’s instructions after transfer. Once USCIS completes initial domestic processing and determines that the relative appears eligible, it sends the petition to the appropriate interviewing office. For a beneficiary residing in Guatemala, the Guatemala office page identifies the USCIS Guatemala City International Field Office as the receiving office.
- Keep contact information current and follow the case notice. The field office contacts the petitioning relative and any representative of record to begin processing and gather additional information and documents. Report changes in the beneficiary’s contact information by email to the field office handling the petition.
Relationship documents
| Situation | Evidence described by USCIS | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for a spouse | Copy of the marriage certificate; evidence that each spouse legally terminated previous marriages, if applicable; evidence of legal name changes, if applicable | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Father petitioning for a child, married to the child’s mother | Copy of the child’s birth certificate showing the child’s name and the father’s name; copy of the marriage certificate showing marriage to the child’s mother | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Father petitioning for a child, not married to the child’s mother | Copy of the child’s birth certificate showing the child’s name and the father’s name; evidence of legitimation by civil authorities or evidence that a bona fide parent-child relationship exists or existed | USCIS notes that legitimation laws may vary by country; source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Mother petitioning for a child | Copy of the child’s birth certificate showing the child’s name and the mother’s name; evidence of legal name changes if the names do not match the petition | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Stepchild | Copy of the child’s birth certificate; copy of the marriage certificate between the petitioner and the child’s natural parent; evidence of legal name changes, if applicable | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Adopted child | Certified copy of the adoption decree; evidence that the petitioner lived with the child for at least 2 years; certified copy of the court order granting custody, if applicable; evidence of legal name changes, if applicable | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Primary relationship evidence unavailable from civil authorities | Religious institution record, school record or census record as secondary evidence; if secondary evidence is unavailable, affidavits that overcome the absence of primary and secondary evidence | Source: USCIS Form I-730 |
| Other initial evidence | Proof of the petitioner’s status as a principal asylee or refugee in the United States; a passport-style or recent, clear photograph of each family member; a copy of both sides of the family member’s Form I-94 if they are in the United States | This table is incomplete; use the official instructions and the receiving office’s requests |
Processing in Guatemala
USCIS Guatemala City has jurisdiction over US immigration matters in Guatemala. Its office page specifically says that an I-730 for a beneficiary residing in Guatemala transfers to its International Field Office there. The general form page also describes a separate branch through the National Visa Center to an embassy or consulate; that branch should not replace the Guatemala-specific instructions from the Guatemala office.
The office email is Guatemala.USCIS@uscis.dhs.gov. USCIS Guatemala City does not accept walk-ins; request an appointment if you want to visit. Email beneficiary contact changes to the office where USCIS transferred the petition.
Medical information
The historical Guatemala immigrant-visa supplement, updated October 3, 2024, says immigrant-visa medical examinations must be performed by an embassy-accredited physician. It lists DR. THOMAS BUNGE and an address beginning 12 Calle 1-25, Zona 10,. This is historical information from an immigrant-visa supplement, not confirmation of current availability or an I-730 referral.
Current I-730-specific Guatemala medical referral, approved physician roster and fees: Could not be confirmed. We could not confirm them because the State Department’s Guatemala supplement could not be reached when checked on October 22, 2026. The older PDF does not establish that its instructions automatically apply to an I-730 case. Use the medical instructions issued for your case before arranging an examination.
What happens next and timing
The interviewing office notifies the petitioner, beneficiary and any representative of record and provides additional instructions. We could not confirm a guaranteed interview date, travel-document issue date or total processing time. Use the actual case notice.
In historical questions and answers dated May 29, 2024, USCIS said an I-730 beneficiary did not need a passport to obtain a travel document to enter the United States, and that the Department of State could place the boarding foil on Form DS-232. Treat this as historical guidance and follow the receiving office’s instructions for the actual travel document.
This page is not legal advice; consult a DOJ-accredited representative or immigration attorney for case-specific questions.
Frequently asked questions
Who can petition with Form I-730?
A principal refugee or principal asylee may petition for a spouse and unmarried children under 21. USCIS says some unmarried children over 21 may qualify in certain circumstances. For a refugee, the family relationship must have existed at admission as a refugee and must continue; for an asylee, it must have existed when asylum was granted and must continue. A child conceived but not yet born at that admission or asylum grant is considered to have had the relationship at that time. The mother of such a child is eligible only if she was married to the principal refugee at admission or to the principal asylee at the asylum grant. Anyone who became a naturalized U.S. citizen before filing cannot file Form I-730; a U.S. citizen may file Form I-130 for a spouse or children.
What is the filing deadline?
The ordinary window is 2 years from admission as a principal refugee or from the grant of asylum as a principal asylee. USCIS may waive the deadline for humanitarian reasons in some cases.
How much does it cost?
The USCIS fee schedule lists $0 for I-730 general filing. We could not confirm current I-730-specific Guatemala medical fees.
Which office processes a relative living in Guatemala?
USCIS says it transfers the petition to its Guatemala City International Field Office for further processing. That office contacts the petitioning relative and any representative of record to gather information and documents.
How long will the interview and travel document take?
The sources do not establish a guaranteed interview date, travel-document issue date or total processing time. Follow the instructions and notices for the actual case.
Related guides
- Asylum for Guatemalans in the United States
- Asylee travel to Guatemala and the refugee travel document
- Birth certificate and apostille from the United States
Sources and dates checked
The following sources were checked on October 22, 2026. Times are in UTC. The two pages that could not be reached provided no information we could verify.
| Source | Official URL | Time checked (UTC) | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form I-730 | Form I-730 | 2026-10-22T23:31:41.863638Z | Available |
| I-730 instructions | I-730 instructions | 2026-10-22T23:31:41.919717Z | Available |
| Form G-1055: fees | Form G-1055: fees | 2026-10-22T23:35:26.230767Z | Available |
| USCIS Guatemala office | USCIS Guatemala office | 2026-10-22T23:55:05.274021Z | Available |
| USCIS I-730 questions and answers | USCIS I-730 questions and answers | 2026-10-22T23:56:28.197234Z | Available |
| 2024 Guatemala medical supplement | 2024 Guatemala medical supplement | 2026-10-22T23:57:50.487130Z | Available |
| Guatemala supplement | Guatemala supplement | 2026-10-22T23:55:05.599144Z | Could not be reached; information unavailable |
| Following to join refugees and asylees | Following to join refugees and asylees | 2026-10-22T23:55:05.502482Z | Could not be reached; information unavailable |
