US Immigrant visa (consular processing, DS-260)

Who it is for

Consular processing is for people who are outside the United States and want to immigrate permanently, and who are the beneficiary of an approved immigrant petition or a diversity-visa selectee.

It applies across categories, including immediate relatives and family-preference applicants, employment-based immigrants, immigrant investors and diversity-visa winners. People already lawfully inside the US usually pursue adjustment of status instead.

• Spouses, children, parents and other qualifying relatives of US citizens and permanent residents
• Sponsored employment-based immigrants and immigrant investors
• Diversity Visa (green card lottery) selectees processing abroad

Eligibility and requirements

The core requirement is an approved basis to immigrate and admissibility to the United States. Applicants must meet the criteria of their specific category and, in most family and some employment cases, have a sponsor who files a sufficient Affidavit of Support.

• An approved immigrant petition (or diversity-visa selection) establishing the immigrant category
• For capped categories, a current priority date under the monthly Visa Bulletin
• A qualifying Affidavit of Support from the sponsor where required, to show the applicant is not likely to become a public charge
• Admissibility to the US (no disqualifying criminal, health, security or immigration grounds)
• A valid passport and the required civil documents (birth, marriage, police and court records as applicable)

How the process works

The steps run in a fixed order once the petition is approved and the case reaches the National Visa Center.

• Wait for USCIS to approve the immigrant petition and transfer the case to the National Visa Center (NVC)
• Read the NVC welcome notice and create a Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) account
• Pay the State Department immigrant visa and, where applicable, Affidavit of Support fees through CEAC
• Complete and submit the DS-260 immigrant visa application online
• Upload the Affidavit of Support and civil and financial documents for NVC review
• Attend the medical examination with an embassy-approved panel physician
• Attend the immigrant visa interview at the US embassy or consulate
• If approved, receive the immigrant visa in the passport, pay the USCIS immigrant fee, and travel to the US to be admitted as a permanent resident

Fees

Consular processing involves separate State Department fees, typically an immigrant visa application processing fee and, in family and some employment cases, an Affidavit of Support review fee, paid to the NVC through CEAC. A USCIS immigrant fee is also charged after the visa is issued and before travel, to produce the green card.

Fee amounts change; check the official Fees for Visa Services page for the current figures before paying. Do not pay by mail — NVC fees are paid online through CEAC.

• Immigrant visa application processing fee (paid to NVC via CEAC)
• Affidavit of Support review fee, where an Affidavit of Support is required
• USCIS immigrant fee, paid to USCIS after visa issuance and before entering the US
• Applicants also bear the cost of the medical examination and obtaining civil documents

Caps, the Visa Bulletin and timing

Whether the applicant can proceed straight to an interview depends on the category. Immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents) have no annual numerical limit, so a visa number is always available.

Family-preference categories (F1 to F4) and most employment-based categories are subject to annual caps and per-country limits. For these, applicants must wait until their priority date is current under the monthly Visa Bulletin before the NVC schedules the interview and the visa can be issued.

Entering the US and becoming a permanent resident

An immigrant visa allows travel to a US port of entry, where a Customs and Border Protection officer inspects the traveller and decides on admission. Admission as an immigrant is what confers lawful permanent resident status.

The physical green card is produced by USCIS after the immigrant fee is paid. Applicants are generally advised not to give up jobs, homes or make non-refundable travel plans until the immigrant visa is actually in hand.