Immigrant Visa
The Immigrant Visa Process
The Immigrant Visa Process in 3 Steps:
1. The Department of Homeland Security
2. The National Visa Center
3. The Embassy Consular Section
1. THE FIRST STEP - THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
The process of applying for all categories of immigrant visas begins with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In most cases, this consists of filing a petition with the DHS office having jurisdiction over the petitioner's place of residence in the United States. The petitioner should contact the appropriate DHS office using the Government Pages of the local telephone directory or by going to the USCIS website. If the petitioner resides in the United States, the processing time varies depending on the service center where the petition is pending. In a limited number of cases, if the petitioner can demonstrate current residence in Thailand for at least six months, the petition may be filed with the DHS office in Bangkok. The general inquiry email box for DHS Bangkok is BKKCIS.Inquiries@dhs.gov. Many DHS forms are available at:
http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/index.htm
2. THE SECOND STEP – THE NATIONAL VISA CENTER
Once DHS has approved a petition, the petition will be forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC). All petitions are administratively processed at the NVC. The NVC will forward all Immediate Relative petitions to the embassy specified on the petition. The NVC will store all preference petitions until the priority dates are close to being current. When a petition's priority date is current, the NVC will mail the applicant a packet of information (Packet 3) instructing the applicant to assemble necessary documents, complete a biographical information form, and send the form to the specified embassy. At the same time, the NVC will forward the approved petition to the embassy specified on the petition. To contact the National Visa Center call (603) 334-0700 or write to:
The National Visa Center
32 Rochester Ave.
Portsmouth, NH 03801-2909
3. THE THIRD STEP – THE EMBASSY CONSULAR SECTION
The Consular Section in Bangkok receives the approved petition from the NVC, and awaits the applicant's completed DS-230 Part I forms along with the completed Checklist of Documents from Packet 3. In K-1 and K-3 fiancee visa cases Packet 3 will be sent by the Embassy. Packet 3 documents and instructions are also available for download on this website. Please DO NOT SEND PACKET 3 OR OTHER DOCUMENTS TO THE EMBASSY UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT YOUR APPROVED PETITION IS AT THE EMBASSY. Once the Embassy receives these completed forms, the applicant is considered "document qualified." For this reason, immigrant and fiancée visa interviews cannot be scheduled online in the same way non-immigrant visa interviews are. We cannot schedule an interview until we have received both the DS-230 and Checklist of Documents. If the petition is for an Immediate Relative or for a preference category with a current priority date, the Consular Section will schedule the applicant for an appointment approximately 6-10 weeks in the future and send the applicant notice of the appointment date, the medical exam requirements, and a few more forms to complete and bring to the visa appointment – this is known as Packet 4. Petitions with priority dates that are not yet current are stored until the priority dates become current, at which time the embassy schedules the appointment and sends notice to the applicant. Please refer to the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin to check current priority dates.
We cannot expedite immigrant visa interviews except in cases of true emergency, such as military deployment or medical emergencies. In these cases, please inform us immediately so that we may do our best to be of assistance.
To contact the Consular Section’s Immigrant Visa Unit, see Contact Information.
Once your interview has been scheduled, arrive at the Embassy at your appointed time. Bring complete and organized documentation. An embassy employee will review your documents and prepare your file for the interview with the consular officer. Screening time averages 1-3 hours. Incomplete and unorganized documents can delay the process. When your case file has been fully screened, a Consular Officer will call you to the window for an interview. You should plan to spend the morning at the embassy for this process. If your case is approved, the visa will usually be issued for pickup in 2-3 business days. At this time we cannot return passports by mail.
Applicants requiring additional administrative processing after the interview may experience delays (from several weeks to several months). We will inform applicants when this processing applies.
If you are found ineligible the consular officer will advise you if the law provides for a waiver of your ineligibility.
Tips for avoiding delays:
• File the petition as early as possible.
• Ensure all of your biographical data is accurate and complete.
• Collect documents in a timely manner.
• Respond immediately to additional document requests.
