Immigrant Visas
Twitter Chat
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Join us for a Twitter chat on February 13th, 12-1pm. Got a question about visas? Tweet it a Consular officer, using the hashtag #USVisas. We'll answer all questions at the time of the chat
New Immigrant Visa Fees
- Effective February 1, 2013, all individuals issued immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in London must pay a $165.00 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 fee must be paid after the immigrant visa has been issued but before the applicant travels to the United States on the visa. Read more....
An immigrant visa is required of anyone who wishes to enter the United States to reside there permanently, whether or not that person plans to seek employment in the United States. U.S. immigration law provides for the issuance of immigrant visas in four general categories: immediate relative, family based, employment based, and the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, known as the "green card" lottery.
There are THREE steps involved in applying for an immigrant visa:
Step 1: Filing an immigrant visa petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Step 2: The processing of the immigrant visa either by the National Visa Center in New Hampshire or the Immigrant Visa Unit at the Embassy in London.
Step 3: The immigrant visa interview and medical examination.
To find out more about this process, please click on the relevant tabs on the left-hand Navigation bar.
Further information is available from the Department of State website. Click here and here for further information
