WARDEN MESSAGE NUMBER 1

January 29, 2007

Phone: (090) 212-335-9000
Fax: (090) 212-335-9102
E-mail: ca_istanbul@state.gov
http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov

DEAR WARDEN:

This important message was sent out a few minutes ago to all of the volunteer wardens who assist the Consulate in passing important messages to American citizens in the Istanbul region. To help speed up the process we are also sending this directly to everyone registered with the Consular Section who has provided us an e-mail address. As a result, some of you will receive this message more than once.

Scott Oudkirk
Consular Section Chief

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SUBJECT: I-130 PETITIONS NO LONGER ACCEPTED AT OVERSEAS EMBASSIES

Effective immediately, U.S. Embassy Ankara can no longer accept I-130 petitions (family-based immigrant visa petitions). Consulates Adana and Istanbul had not been previously authorized to accept I-130s, so there is no change at either of those posts. All petitions must now be adjudicated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Recent legislation has led to changes in the procedures American citizens resident abroad will follow if they wish to sponsor an immediate relative (spouse, parent or minor child) for an immigrant visa. Effective immediately, immediate relative petitions (I-130s) must be filed with the USCIS office responsible for the petitioner's place of residence (that is, the place of residence of the American citizen who is filing the petition). Consular offices at U.S. embassies and consulates are no longer authorized to accept I-130s, although they will continue to provide guidance to American citizen petitioners and their family members. Responsibility for acceptance and approval of immigrant visa petitions rests solely with USCIS. American citizens should submit their I-130 at the USCIS office responsible for their place of residence.

This procedural change may result in a processing delay for some applicants. The Department of State recognizes and sincerely regrets the inconvenience this may cause.

USCIS contact information may be found on their webpage at www.uscis.gov. USCIS can be reached through their National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800- 375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).

Contact information for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey:

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara <http://ankara.usembassy.gov/> is at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, tel: (90)(312) 455-5555, fax (90)(312) 468-6131. The Internet address is http://ankara.usembassy.gov.

The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul <http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/> is located at Kaplicalar Mevkii Sokak No. 2, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, tel: (90) (212) 335-9000, fax (90) (212) 335-9102. Istanbul-specific information can also be accessed via the Consulate's website <http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov/>.

The U.S. Consulate in Adana <http://adana.usconsulate.gov/> is located at Girne Bulvari No. 212, Guzelevler Mahallesi, Yuregir, Adana, Turkey. tel: 90)(322) 346-6262, fax (90)(322) 346-7916,web site at http://adana.usconsulate.gov

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