How to Properly Set Up Contacts for a Family-Based Petition

Core Principle

Always open the case under the Beneficiary’s contact.

Even if the petitioner is the paying client, the case should be created under the beneficiary. This ensures:

• Proper role assignment in forms
• Accurate autofill behavior
• Clean Smart Interview structure
• Long-term case consistency

Step 1: Create the Beneficiary Contact

1. Go to the Home page.
2. Click the + button under Contacts.
3. Select Individual.
4. Enter required details:
5. • First name
   • Last name
5. Add:
6. • Email (recommended)
   • Phone number
   • Known biographic information (DOB, country of birth, etc.)
6. Click Save.

You are now on the Beneficiary’s Contact Page.
This contact will be used to open the case.

Step 2: Add the Spouse (For Marriage-Based Cases)

If the petition involves a spouse:

1. Go to the Information tab.
2. Click Marriage History.
3. Add the spouse’s information.
4. Click Save & Create as Contact.

This automatically:

• Creates the spouse as an individual contact
• Links them correctly to the beneficiary

Using Marriage History is preferred because it maintains structured marital records.

Step 3: Add Other Family Members (If Needed)

If the petition requires listing:

• Children
• Parents
• Siblings

Go to:

Information → Family Members

Add each person and, if necessary, select Save & Create as Contact.

Important distinction:

• If the person has a formal legal role (Petitioner, Joint Sponsor), they must be created as a contact.
• If they are only mentioned in the form but are not a party to the petition, creating a contact is optional.

Step 4: Confirm All Required Legal Roles

Now verify that every required role exists as a contact.

For example, in an I-130 spouse case you typically need:

• Beneficiary
• Petitioner
• Possibly Joint Sponsor

To add or confirm:

1. Go to the Related Contacts tab.
2. Click New.
3. Select the correct relationship type.
4. Either link an existing contact or create a new one.

Every role that appears in the form must correspond to a structured contact.

Step 5: Verify Structure Before Opening the Case

Before creating the case, confirm:

• The Beneficiary exists.
• The Petitioner exists.
• Any Sponsor exists.
• All relationships are correctly defined.

This prevents:

• Role selection confusion
• Autofill errors
• Duplicate contacts
• Case restructuring later

Step 6: Open the Case Under the Beneficiary

1. Go to the Beneficiary’s Contact Page.
2. Click the Cases tab.
3. Select New Case.
4. Choose the appropriate family-based matter.

The case is now correctly structured for:

• Smart Interviews
• Form autofill
• Role assignment
• Portal sharing

This visual summarizes the complete family-based setup flow.

Why This Setup Matters

Proper contact setup ensures:

• Accurate form autofill
• Clean role mapping
• Easier document collection
• Long-term reusability for future filings

Taking a few extra minutes to structure contacts correctly prevents hours of corrections later.