1. What documents are required for the immigrant visa interview?

Basic requirements include: a passport, three photographs, birth and police certificates, marriage, divorce, or death certificates, proof of financial support, and medical examination. You may also bring supporting information. For details on your specific situation, see your nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy.

2. What is the waiting time for an immigrant visa after the National Visa Center or the Foreign Service post receives the approved petition?

Several factors influence how long the process may take. Immigrant visa numbers are made immediately available for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, so processing will begin upon receipt. However, preference visas (see The Preference System) are limited in number, and processing will not begin until the priority date on the petition is available. Long waits may occur for preference visas because each year more people apply for them than can be satisfied under the annual limit. Certain categories, such as the family fourth preference, are heavily oversubscribed. For more information, see Immigrant Visa Numbers.

3. What is a priority date?

The priority date, in the case of a relative immigrant visa petition, is the date the petition was filed. In the case of an employer-sponsored petition, the priority date is the date the labor certification was filed with the Department of Labor. The State Department Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication that gives the changes in availability of priority dates. (See question below for more information.) Visa Services also has a twenty-four hour recording that gives the monthly priority dates. Dial (202) 663-1541.

4. How can I get the Visa Bulletin?

Online: http://travel.state.gov/

Email: VISABULLET@SA1WPOA.US-STATE.GOV (you may contact the Bulletin by email, but it is not distributed by email)

Telephone: (202) 663-1541, for a 24-hour recording that gives the monthly priority dates that are currently being processed. The recording is updated in the middle of each month with information on cut-off dates for the following month.

Fax: From your fax, dial (202) 647-3000. Follow the prompts and enter code 1038 to have the Visa Bulletin faxed to you.

Mail: To be placed on the Visa Bulletin mailing list (or to change an address), write to: