Immigrant Visas

Frequently Asked Questions - Immigrant Visa Unit

What are Immigrant Visas?

Unlike nonimmigrant tourist, student, and specialty worker visas, which allow someone to remain in the United States for a limited period of time, an immigrant visa permits the person who receives it to live indefinitely in the United States and to seek employment.

There are basically three kinds of immigrant visa categories: family-based, employment-based, and Diversity Visas, also popularly known as "Lottery Visas." Family-based and employment-based cases require that a petition be filed with and approved by the Department of Homeland Security before any U.S. Embassy or Consulate can take any action. Petitions approved by the Department of Homeland Security are generally forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for processing and are then sent to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where the applicant lives. Immigrant visa petitions that are subject to numerical limitations are assigned a priority date. Cases with priority dates are kept at the National Visa Center until the priority date is nearly current and only then are sent to the Embassy or Consulate. After an Embassy or Consulate has received an approved petition from the National Visa Center, the applicant is notified and requested to fill out several forms and submit them to the Embassy or Consulate when the applicant is ready for an interview. As soon as an Embassy or Consulate is notified that an applicant is ready, then the applicant is scheduled for an appointment and notified of the appointment date by mail.