Immigrant Visas

Instructions for Immigrant Visa Applicants

Overview

Introduction
You have been registered with this office to apply for a visa to immigrate to the United States. While no assurance can be given regarding the date of your visa interview appointment, you should now prepare for that appointment. You must now obtain the documents required for your application for an immigrant visa.

In this information
These instructions cover the following topics:

You have been registered with this office to apply for a visa to immigrate to the United States. While no assurance can be given regarding the date of your visa interview appointment, you should now prepare for that appointment. You must now obtain the documents required for your application for an immigrant visa.

In this information
These instructions cover the following topics:

Topic

Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien RegistrationForm DS230 Part 1

Documents you need to obtain

* Document requirements

* Birth certificates

* Police certificates

* Passports

* Deportation papers

* Court and prison records

* Military records

* Marriage certificates

* Termination of prior marriages

* Translations

Children who are about to turn 21 years of age

What happens next?

Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS230 Part I

Background
The DS230 Part I contains questions regarding specific biographical information required for the immigrant visa. A copy of this form is included with this packet of information.

Who completes the form
Each family member that is eligible to travel to the United States with you under this visa classification is required to complete the DS230 Part I.

Completing the form
Please fill out the DS230 Part I completely. If a question does not apply to you then you must mark it with a N/A.

Questions
If you have any questions on completing the DS230 Part I, please contact the United States Embassy or Consulate where you will have you immigrant visa interview. The address for United States Embassy or Consulate is listed on the cover letter of this instruction packet.

When complete
Please send all the completed DS230 Part I forms along with the completed DS2001 form to the address listed on the cover letter of this information packet. The United States Embassy or Consulate will contact you with your immigrant visa interview.


Documents You Need to Obtain

Document requirements
Please obtain the original documents or certified copies from an appropriate authority for yourself and each family member who will accompany you to the United States. All documents that pertain to your petition are required, even if they were previously submitted to the INS with your petition.

Birth certificates
Obtain the original, or certified copy, of the birth record of each family member (yourself, your spouse, and all unmarried children under the age of 21).
The certificate must contain the:

Person's date of birth

Person's place of birth

Names of both parents, and

Annotation by the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records

Unobtainable birth certificates
Your birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below.

Your birth was never officially recorded.

Your birth records have been destroyed.

The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason your birth record is not available. With the certified statement you must obtain secondary evidence. For example:

A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth and both parent's names providing the baptism took place shortly after birth·

An adoption decree for an adopted child, or

An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parent's names, and the mother's maiden name.

Note: An affidavit must be executed before an official authorized to take oaths or affirmations. Information regarding the procedures for obtaining birth certificates is usually available from the embassy or consulate of the country concerned.

Police certificates
Police certificates are required for each visa applicant aged 16 years or older. The table below shows how many police certificates are required based on where each applicant lives and has lived previously. Present and former residents of the United States should NOT obtain any police certificates covering their residence in the U.S.

IF the applicant...	AND...	THEN the applicant needs a police certificate from...
is living in their country of nationality at their current residence for more than 6 months	is 16 years old or older	the police authorities of that locality.
lived in a different part of their country of nationality for more than 6 months	was 16 years or older at that time	the police authorities of that locality.
lived in a different country for more than 12 months	was 16 years or older at that time	the police authorities of that locality.
was arrested for any reason, regardless of how long they lived there	was any age at that time	the police authorities of that locality.

The police certificate must

Cover the entire period of the applicant's residence in that area, and

State what the appropriate police authorities records show concerning each applicant, including all arrests, the reason for the arrest(s), and the disposition of each case of which there is a record.

Note: Police certificates from certain countries are unavailable. More specific information is available from NVC or the nearest United States immigrant visa processing post.

Passports
A Passport must be valid for travel to the United States and must have at least eight months validity beyond the issuance date of the visa. Children may be included on a parent's passport, but if over the age of 16, they must have their photographs attached to the passport.

Deportation
Applicants who have previously been deported or removed at government expense from the United States must obtain Form I-212, Permission to Reapply after Deportation, from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, or from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and follow the instructions included on that form.

Court and Prison Records
Persons who have been convicted of a crime must obtain a certified copy of each court record and any prison record, regardless of the fact that he or she may have subsequently benefited from an amnesty, pardon or other act of clemency.

Court records should include:

Complete information regarding the circumstance surrounding the crime of which the applicant was convicted, and

The disposition of the case, including sentence or other penalty or fine imposed.

Military records
Persons who have served in the military forces of any country must obtain one copy of their military record.

Note: Military records from certain countries are unavailable. More specific information is available from NVC or the nearest United States immigrant visa processing post.

Marriage certificates
Married applicants must obtain an original marriage certificate, or a certified copy, bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority.

Termination of prior marriages
Applicants who have been previously married must obtain evidence of the termination of EACH prior marriage. Evidence must be in the form of original documents issued by a competent authority, or certified copies bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority.

Acceptable evidence is a:

FINAL divorce decree

Death certificate, or

Annulment.

Translations
All documents not in English, or in the official language of the country in which application for a visa is being made, must be accompanied by certified English translations.

The translation must include a statement signed by the translator that states that the:

Translation is accurate, and

Translator is competent to translate.


Children who are about to Reach 21 Years of Age

Important Information
If you have children who intend to immigrate with you to the United States, or to join you in the United States at a later date, please read this important information.

In order to immigrate with you to the United States, or to follow you at a later date, your children must be unmarried and under the age of 21 at the time they enter the United States.

Who to notify
If any of your children will turn 21 within 60 days, please notify the United States Embassy or Consulate immediately.

Note: If visas will be available in your category prior to your son or daughter's birthday, your case will receive expedited processing in order to ensure that your son or daughter will be able to immigrate with you. Unfortunately, the United States Embassy or Consulate cannot assist you if visas are not available in your category prior to your son or daughter's birthday.

Failure to notify
Failure to notify the United States Embassy or Consulate that you have a child who will turn 21 could result in that child being above the legal age at the time your visa is issued. In that event, you will be required to file a separate petition for your child after you immigrate, and your son or daughter will face a waiting period before he or she will be eligible for visa processing.


What Happens Next?

Overview
The table below provides you with an overview of the steps that take place once you have obtained all your documents and have completed the necessary forms.

If you have children who intend to immigrate with you to the United States, or to join you in the United States at a later date, please read this important information.

In order to immigrate with you to the United States, or to follow you at a later date, your children must be unmarried and under the age of 21 at the time they enter the United States.

Step	Action
1	Mail the DS230 Part I form for each applicant along with the DS2001 to the address of the United States Embassy or Consulate listed on the cover letter of this information packet.
2	The United States Embassy or Consulate will complete all necessary administrative processing of your immigrant visa application. You may be requested to provide additional information if you have incomplete or are missing documents.
3	Approximately one month before your scheduled interview appointment with a consular officer, you will receive an appointment letter containing the date and time of your visa interview along with instructions for obtaining a medical examination.

Bringing your documents
You will need to bring all your original documents or certified copies at the time of the visa interview.

When to call or write
The United States Embassy or Consulate cannot guarantee how long it may be before you are scheduled for an appointment for a visa interview. Please notify the United States Embassy or Consulate if the circumstances of your application have changed. For example:

Change of address

Change of marital status

Death of petitioner, or

Birth or adoption of additional children.