Form I-130 is the Petition for Alien Relative filed by U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders) to sponsor certain family members for a green card, such as a spouse, child, parent, or sibling. Form I-140, on the other hand, is the Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker filed by a U.S. employer (or sometimes the foreign worker themselves) to sponsor a foreign national for a green card based on employment or extraordinary abilities.

The key difference is that Form I-130 is a family-based immigrant petition, while Form I-140 is an employment-based immigrant petition. I-130 establishes a qualifying family relationship, whereas I-140 establishes that a foreign worker qualifies for a specific job and meets employment-based visa requirements.

The main distinction is that I-130 is for family sponsorship, while I-140 is for employment sponsorship. I-130 supports a family-based green card application, while I-140 supports an employment-based green card, often requiring a job offer and labor certification.