Petitioning a son or daughter who lives in Guatemala starts with Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Before you file, one question decides everything else: which category your child falls into. The answer depends on two facts about you and two about your child. Are you a US citizen or a green card holder? Is your child under 21, and is your child married? This page maps the five categories, what moves a case from one to another, and the evidence USCIS asks for. For the steps the parent petition shares with this one, such as RENAP certificates, mailing addresses and the Guatemala City interview, it links to the existing guides. It is not legal advice. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or an accredited representative of a recognized organization. Our notario fraud guide explains how to verify one.
Quick summary:
- The definitions. For USCIS, a child is unmarried and under 21. A son or daughter is married or 21 or older.
- US citizen petitioning. An unmarried child under 21 is an immediate relative, with no visa queue. An unmarried son or daughter 21 or older is F1. A married son or daughter of any age is F3.
- Green card holder petitioning. An unmarried child under 21 is F2A. An unmarried son or daughter 21 or older is F2B. There is no category for a married son or daughter.
- What can change the category: the child marrying, divorcing or turning 21, or you naturalizing.
- Cost and paperwork. One I-130 per child: $675 on paper or $625 online (G-1055, edition 10/16/26). The proof of the relationship is your child’s birth certificate from civil authorities, which for a child born in Guatemala means RENAP.
The five categories at a glance
| You are | Your child is | Category | Who can be included on the same petition (per USCIS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| US citizen | Unmarried, under 21 | Immediate relative | USCIS lists none |
| US citizen | Unmarried, 21 or older | F1 (first preference) | The son’s or daughter’s children |
| US citizen | Married, any age | F3 (third preference) | The son’s or daughter’s spouse and children |
| Permanent resident | Unmarried, under 21 | F2A (second preference) | The child’s children |
| Permanent resident | Unmarried, 21 or older | F2B (second preference) | The son’s or daughter’s children |
| Permanent resident | Married, any age | No category | — |
The labels F1, F2A, F2B and F3 are the ones USCIS uses for the family preference categories. Their legal basis is 8 U.S.C. 1153(a)(1) to (3). The immediate-relative category for a US citizen’s child comes from 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i). USCIS says immigrant visas for immediate relatives of US citizens are unlimited, so they are always available. The four preference categories wait for a visa number. Our Visa Bulletin guide for Guatemalan family petitions explains how to read that queue and tracks the current dates.
What can move your child to another category
A petition filed years ago may no longer sit in the category it started in. These are the switches the statute and USCIS regulations set out:
| Event | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A US citizen’s child (immediate relative) marries | The petition is treated as F3 from the date of the marriage, keeping the original priority date | 8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(ii) |
| An F1 son or daughter marries | Moves to F3, keeping the priority date | 8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(i) |
| An F3 son’s or daughter’s marriage legally ends | Over 21: moves to F1. Under 21: becomes an immediate relative. Age is taken on the date the marriage ended | 8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(iii); 8 U.S.C. 1151(f)(3) |
| A permanent resident’s son or daughter marries before the journey to the US begins (or before an adjustment decision becomes final) | The approval of the petition is automatically revoked | 8 CFR 205.1(a)(3)(i)(I) |
| A US citizen’s child turns 21 | For immediate-relative purposes, the child’s age is the age on the date the I-130 was filed | 8 U.S.C. 1151(f)(1) |
| A permanent resident’s F2A child turns 21 | Age = age when a visa number becomes available, minus the days the petition was pending, if the child seeks residence within 1 year. If the result is 21 or more, the petition converts and keeps its priority date | 8 U.S.C. 1153(h)(1) and (3) |
| The permanent-resident parent naturalizes, child under 21 | F2A becomes immediate relative. Age is taken on the naturalization date | 8 CFR 204.2(i)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1151(f)(2) |
| The permanent-resident parent naturalizes, son or daughter over 21 | F2B becomes F1, unless the son or daughter files a written statement choosing not to convert. The priority date is kept either way | 8 CFR 204.2(i)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1154(k) |
Two practical points follow from the table. A green card holder’s son or daughter in Guatemala who marries before the journey to the United States begins (or, if adjusting status, before the adjustment decision becomes final) loses the approved petition, while a US citizen’s married son or daughter stays in line under F3. And because the age rules for a permanent resident’s child depend on when a visa number becomes available, the date the Visa Bulletin reaches your priority date matters. Check the Visa Bulletin guide for the current position, and ask your representative how the age formula applies to your child.
Who may file
The I-130 instructions list who each petitioner may file for, and require a separate I-130 for each eligible relative:
- A US citizen may file for unmarried children under 21, unmarried sons or daughters 21 or older, and married sons or daughters of any age.
- A permanent resident may file for an unmarried child under 21 and an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older.
USCIS asks the petitioner to prove their own status. A US citizen sends a copy of one of these:
- US birth certificate
- unexpired US passport
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- naturalization certificate
- certificate of citizenship
A permanent resident sends a copy of the front and back of the green card (Form I-551), or a foreign passport with a stamp showing temporary evidence of permanent residence.
Proving you are the parent
USCIS sets the evidence by type of parent:
| You are the child’s | What USCIS asks for |
|---|---|
| Mother (genetic, or legal gestational) | A copy of the child’s birth certificate issued by civil authorities, showing your name and the child’s name |
| Father, married to the child’s mother | The child’s birth certificate showing both parents’ names, your marriage certificate to the child’s mother, and proof that any earlier marriages ended |
| Father, never married to the mother before the child turned 18 | The I-130 form instructions ask for evidence that the child was legitimated under the law of the child’s residence or domicile, or of yours, before the child reached 18. The USCIS overview page says that if the child is legitimated under that law, no additional information is needed. If the child was not legitimated before 18, evidence of a bona fide father-child relationship before the child reached 21 (the form instructions; the overview page says before the child turned 21 or married), such as living together, financial support or other continuing parental interest |
| Stepparent | The stepchild’s birth certificate, your civil marriage certificate to the child’s parent, and proof that earlier marriages ended. The marriage must have taken place before the child turned 18 |
| Adoptive parent | The child’s original birth certificate, the final adoption decree, and evidence of 2 years of legal custody and 2 years of physical custody. The adoption must have taken place before age 16, or before 18 in certain cases |
If you are the mother of a child born out of wedlock, USCIS says no legitimation is required. If you or your child changed names, include proof such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order.
The Guatemalan birth certificate. For a child born in Guatemala, the birth certificate issued by civil authorities is a RENAP certification. The State Department’s rules for Guatemalan civil documents are set out in our parent-petition guide. That guide also covers translating the certificate for USCIS. To order the certificate, see RENAP birth certificates. For the translation, there is a RENAP translation template for USCIS. Whether Guatemalan law treats a particular child as legitimated is a question for your representative.
Filing, fee and the Guatemala City stage
- Fee. The USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26) lists the I-130 at $675 for paper filing and $625 online. Two children mean two petitions.
- Where to mail. For paper filing addresses, see the parent-petition guide and the USCIS I-130 addresses page.
- A child who lives in Guatemala. USCIS says that once the petition is approved and a visa is available, it is sent for consular processing. The US Embassy or consulate then sends notification and processing information. The interview is covered in our immigrant visa interview guide for Guatemala City. The financial sponsorship is covered in the Affidavit of Support (I-864) guide.
- Children of a parent who immigrated through a preference category. If you got your green card through a preference category and your child did not get residence at the same time, USCIS says the child may be able to follow to join without a separate I-130. This applies if the relationship existed when you became a resident. If you adjusted status in the US, the form is I-824. If you got the immigrant visa abroad, USCIS points to the National Visa Center.
- Stepchildren. A stepchild may receive conditional residence if the marriage to the child’s parent is less than 2 years old when the child becomes a resident. The conditions are later removed with Form I-751.
Before you plan travel, check our page on the 2026 US immigrant visa pause and Guatemalans for the current status of that policy.
Sources
- USCIS, Bringing Children, Sons and Daughters to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents (last reviewed 01/03/2020)
- USCIS, Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants (last reviewed 07/08/2025); Green Card for Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizen (last reviewed 01/30/2026)
- USCIS, Form I-130 instructions (edition 04/01/24); Form G-1055 fee schedule (edition 10/16/26)
- 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1), 1151(b) and (f), 1153(a) and (h), 1154(k), United States Code, 2024 edition (GPO, govinfo.gov)
- 8 CFR 204.2(i) and 205.1(a), eCFR (version of October 19, 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a green card holder petition for a son or daughter in Guatemala?
Yes, but only while the son or daughter is unmarried. A permanent resident can file for an unmarried child under 21 (F2A) or an unmarried son or daughter 21 or older (F2B). USCIS lists no category for a permanent resident’s married son or daughter. If an F2A or F2B beneficiary marries before the journey to the United States begins, or before a decision on an adjustment of status application becomes final, the approval of the petition is automatically revoked (8 CFR 205.1(a)(3)(i)(I)).
My child turns 21 soon. Does the petition still count?
It depends on who filed. For a US citizen’s child, the statute determines the child’s age on the date the I-130 is filed (8 U.S.C. 1151(f)(1)). For a permanent resident’s child, the statute uses the age on the date a visa number becomes available, minus the days the petition was pending, if the child seeks permanent residence within one year (8 U.S.C. 1153(h)(1)). If that adjusted age is 21 or more, the petition converts to the right category and keeps its priority date.
What happens if my son in Guatemala gets married?
If you are a US citizen, the petition moves to F3 (married sons and daughters) and keeps the original priority date (8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(i) and (ii)). If you are a permanent resident, the approval is automatically revoked if the son or daughter marries before the journey to the United States begins or, for an adjustment of status applicant, before the adjustment decision becomes final (8 CFR 205.1(a)(3)(i)(I)).
I became a US citizen after filing for my child. What changes?
On your naturalization, an F2A petition for an unmarried child under 21 becomes an immediate-relative petition, and an F2B petition for an unmarried son or daughter over 21 becomes F1 (8 CFR 204.2(i)(3)). The child’s age is taken on the date you naturalize (8 U.S.C. 1151(f)(2)). An F2B son or daughter can opt out of the move to F1 with a written statement, and keeps the priority date either way (8 U.S.C. 1154(k)).
How much does it cost to petition a child?
The USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26) lists the I-130 at $675 for paper filing and $625 for online filing. The I-130 instructions require a separate Form I-130 for each eligible relative, so two children mean two petitions and two fees.
How long will my child wait?
A US citizen’s unmarried child under 21 is an immediate relative, and USCIS says visas for immediate relatives are unlimited and always available. The other four categories wait for a visa number in the Visa Bulletin. Our Visa Bulletin guide for Guatemalan family petitions tracks the current cut-off dates.
