Consular Processing: Getting a US Green Card From Abroad

Consular processing has three stages, handled by three different offices:

1. Petition (USCIS). A relative files Form I-130, or an employer files Form I-140. Some people petition for themselves, such as EB-1A applicants, EB-5 investors, or Diversity Visa selectees (who skip USCIS and start with the State Department).
2. Pre-processing (National Visa Center). Once USCIS approves the petition, it sends the case to the NVC. The NVC collects fees, forms, and documents, and waits until a visa number is available for your category.
3. Interview (embassy or consulate). The embassy interviews you, reviews your medical exam, and decides whether to issue an immigrant visa.

If you are already in the United States, you may be able to adjust status instead. The comparison table below helps you decide.

The NVC sends a welcome letter or email with your case number. You then use the State Department's Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to:

• Choose an agent who receives case messages (you, your petitioner, or a lawyer)
• Pay the fees: the immigrant visa application fee and, for most family cases, the Affidavit of Support fee. Current amounts are on the State Department fee page.
• Submit Form DS-260, the online immigrant visa application, for you and each family member coming with you
• Upload civil documents: passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, police certificates, court and prison records if any, and military records if any
• Submit financial evidence: most family-based cases need the petitioner's Affidavit of Support (Form I-864), and some need a joint sponsor. See the I-864 income calculator.

When everything is accepted, your case is "documentarily qualified." You wait for an interview when your priority date is current. Immediate relatives of US citizens do not wait for a visa number.

Before the interview you must:

• Get a medical exam from a panel physician approved by the embassy, and required vaccinations
• Register for courier delivery of your passport, if your embassy uses one
• Gather original documents and certified translations

At the interview, a consular officer reviews your documents, takes fingerprints, and asks about your relationship, job, or background. The officer decides whether you qualify and whether any ground of inadmissibility applies, such as public charge, criminal history, or past immigration violations.

The officer may approve, refuse under section 221(g) for more documents or security checks (see 221(g) administrative processing), or refuse on an ineligibility ground. Some ineligibilities can be waived. See visa denials and waivers and our visa interview guide.

Consular processing has been disrupted by several overlapping actions:

As of September 22, 2026, there is no official date for interviews to resume, although some posts have reportedly restarted individual interviews. Nonimmigrant visas (visitor, student, work) are not part of the interview pause. Follow our immigrant visa pause and travel ban pages for updates.

• The embassy returns your passport with the immigrant visa stamp and a sealed or electronic visa packet.
• Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee online. USCIS will not produce your green card until it is paid. Check the current amount on the USCIS website.
• Enter the US before the visa expires, usually within 6 months (sooner if your medical exam expires first). Derivative family members generally must enter with or after the main applicant.
• At the airport, US Customs and Border Protection admits you as a permanent resident. Your passport stamp works as temporary proof of status for up to 1 year.
• Your physical green card is mailed to the US address you gave. If you received a 2-year conditional card through marriage, you must later remove conditions.

If you are in the US without status, leaving for a consular interview can trigger the 3-year or 10-year bar on returning. Some people qualify for a provisional unlawful presence waiver (Form I-601A) before they leave. Talk to a licensed immigration lawyer before departing.