What Is Immigrant Visa Petition?

To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa.

How can I apply for an immigrant visa?

• To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative (s), U.S. lawful permanent resident, or by a prospective employer, and be the beneficiary of an approved petition. A first step in the process is the sponsor filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

What is immigrant visa petition on your behalf?

An immigrant petition refers to a petition for permanent residence (that is, a Green Card petition ) as opposed to a nonimmigrant petition, which requests visa classification for a temporary period of stay.

What happens after immigration petition is approved?

After USCIS approves your petition, they will transfer your case to the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) for pre-processing. The first step in this processing is the creation of your case in our system. Once this is complete, we will send you a Welcome Letter by e-mail or physical mail.

What is an approved immigrant petition?

So what exactly happens after I-130 is approved? Unfortunately, an approved I-130 petition does not, by itself, give you permission to come to, or remain in, the United States. The approval of the I-130 petition is a prerequisite to the immigrant then filing an application for a green card (lawful permanent residence).

How long does an immigration petition take?

Average time – Seven to 32 months to get a Form I-130 petition ( Petition for Alien Relative) approved by USCIS as of early 2021; another six to ten months or longer to get an immigrant visa to come to the United States.

Is Immigrant Visa same as green card?

An immigrant visa is for an alien who plans to live permanently in the United States. A permanent resident card (“ green card ”) is issued by USCIS after admission and is later mailed to the alien’s U.S. address. A Permanent Resident Card (I-551) is proof of lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

What are the 4 types of immigrants?

To begin with, let’s look at the four types of immigration status that exist: citizens, residents, non- immigrants and undocumented. The characteristics of each status are explained below. These are people who were either born in the U.S. or who have become “naturalized” after three or five years as permanent residents.

How long does it take for NVC to send Interview Letter 2020?

That can often take six to eight weeks after approval of the I-130, and possibly even longer in some cases. When NVC receives your case, it will send you a notification, typically via email.

Why immigration cases are taking so long?

New policies at USCIS are restricting legal immigration. For example, one policy requires USCIS officers to conduct duplicate reviews of past decisions, adding unnecessary work to each case. Such inefficient policies help explain why processing times are increasing even as USCIS application rates are decreasing.

How long does it take for NVC to send interview letter?

Within 30 to 90 days after that letter sent, depending upon the consulate, you should receive a letter from the NVC indicating the date on which your interview has been set. Most interviews occur within 30 days of the date on which this letter is written.

Is NVC scheduling interviews 2020?

The National Visa Center ( NVC ) and Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) are scheduling interview appointments for new immigrant visa cases. The Embassy and Consulate General are also accepting appointment requests from boarding foil and returning resident permit applicants.

What are the steps in the immigration process?

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1. Step 1 – File a Petition with USCIS.
2. Step 2 – Case Preparation by the National Visa Center.
3. Step 3 – Visa Interview Scheduling by the National Visa Center (NVC)
4. Step 4 – Medical Exam.
5. Step 5 – The day of the interview.
6. Step 6 – Visa Approval.
7. Step 7 – After you receive your visa.

What is the legal immigration process?

In most cases, someone must “sponsor” you, or file an immigrant petition for you. Once the petition is approved, and there is a visa available in your category, you apply for an immigrant visa. You do this through a U.S. consulate abroad.

How long it takes to petition brothers or sisters?

This usually takes somewhere between 2 to 5 years. But the waiting time may further extend in some cases. You may be asked to wait until the priority date and the visa bulletin dates become current.

How do I know if my petition is approved?

To check the status of your immigrant petition:

1. If your petition has not yet been approved by USCIS, please visit the USCIS website.
2. If USCIS has approved your petition, and notified you that it has been forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC), please contact NVC.

What is the next step after your I-130 is approved?

Once USCIS approves your I-130 application, your application will be sent to the U.S. Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) for processing. If your family member’s case is not subject to immediate processing, your I-130 application will remain with NVC until processing begins.