Immigrant Visa Information

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Overview

In general, a person who wishes to immigrate to the United States must have a petition approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before applying for an immigrant visa. The petition is filed either by a qualified relative or a potential employer at a USCIS office in the United States. Specific information about filing immigrant petitions is available on the USCIS website. An individual with an approved petition and a priority date that is current for processing (when applicable) is eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or K nonimmigrant visa.

The Consular Section is currently processing immigrant visas; however due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the section is operating with reduced capacity.  Given the need to balance American Citizen Services, prioritize immediate relative visa cases, and allow time for emergency appointments, capacity and caseload change weekly.  Therefore, it is not possible for the Embassy to provide estimated dates for interviews for any specific case. Either NVC or the Embassy will contact you directly when we are able to schedule your interview. The Consular Section is processing cases in chronological order by documentarily qualified (DQ) date, as they are sent to the Embassy by NVC.

U.S. immigration law also provides for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants,” from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. A limited number of visas are available each fiscal year. Specific information about requirements and how to register for the diversity immigrant program can be found here. DV applicants should not contact the Embassy for information about scheduling their appointments. Qualified applicants will be contacted directly by KCC.

Petitions

Effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing in Algeria, where USCIS does not have a public counter presence, must file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox. U.S. Embassies and Consulates that do not have a USCIS presence will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances, as outlined below. Forms I-130 that were properly filed at the U.S. Embassy overseas where USCIS does not have a presence before August 15, 2011, will not be affected by this change.

USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries:
USCIS
P.O. Box 804625
Chicago, IL 60680-4107

USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: I-130
131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, visit the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by telephone in the United States at 1-800-375-5283

USCIS Immigrant Fee

Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a US$220.00 USCIS Immigrant Fee before traveling to the United States.  Only prospective adoptive parents whose child(ren) is/are entering the United States under either the Orphan or Hague Process, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants who were employed by the U.S. government, returning residents, and those issued K visas are exempt from the new fee.  The below USCIS website has more details on the new fee, including contact information for USCIS, if there are further questions: www.USCIS.gov/immigrantfee.

Exceptional Filing

Beginning August 15, 2011, petitioners who believe their situation merits an exception may request the Consular Section to accept the filing. Each request will be evaluated individually.

A petitioner seeking to file a Form I-130 should contact the Consular Section to request consideration for exception and explain the circumstances in detail. The Consular Section will then relay the request for an exception to the USCIS field office with jurisdiction over the U.S. Embassy. The determination of whether the case presents exceptional circumstances which warrant an exception to the general filing process will be made by USCIS. USCIS will publish guidance on the circumstances that may qualify as exceptional on their website.

Medical Requirements

All applicants must undergo a medical exam by an Embassy-approved Panel Physician. Information about the medical exam can be found here. You will receive instructions about how to schedule an appointment for your medical exam from NVC or the Embassy. Do not try to make an appointment before receiving these instructions.

U.S. Embassy Appointment

If you have an interview date, you must appear at the U.S. Embassy on the date of your appointment. Please read about security restrictions at the U.S. Embassy that describes what you can and cannot bring with you to your interview. You should bring your appointment letter and the documents required for your visa class.