New York · est. 2013Saturday, September 5, 2026
Inside Immigration

Plain-language guides to US immigration, asylum and USCIS procedure.

Formularios · Status and documents

Consular processing at a U.S. embassy

The route to a green card for someone outside the United States, or for someone inside who cannot or should not adjust status. USCIS approves the petition, sends it to the National Visa Center, the applicant pays fees and uploads documents through the Consular Electronic Application Center, and a consular officer interviews them abroad and issues an immigrant visa.

Tiempo habitual: State publishes NVC timeframes and post-by-post interview wait times rather than a national median. A year or more from petition approval to interview is common.Tarifas: Roughly $205 to $345 per person for the visa application, $120 for a domestic affidavit of support review where charged, the panel physician's fee, and $235 for the USCIS Immigrant Fee.

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Para quién es. Immigrant visa beneficiaries living abroad, and people in the United States who are ineligible to adjust status.

Los formularios, en orden

8 formularios
I-130I-140I-360DS-261DS-260I-864I-864ADS-1810
  1. 1

    USCIS approves the petition and transfers the case to the National Visa Center

    I-130I-140I-360

    Quién
    USCIS
    Cuándo
    After petition approval
    Tarifa
    $0

    The NVC creates the case and sends a welcome letter by email or post.

  2. 2

    Choose an address and agent

    DS-261

    Quién
    The applicant or petitioner
    Cuándo
    As soon as the welcome letter arrives
    Tarifa
    $0

    Nothing else moves until this is done.

  3. 3

    Pay the immigrant visa application and affidavit of support fees

    Quién
    The applicant
    Cuándo
    When the NVC invoices them
    Tarifa
    $325 for family cases, $345 for employment cases, $205 for most other categories, $330 for diversity visa selectees, plus $120 for a domestic affidavit of support review
  4. 4

    Complete the immigrant visa application and upload civil and financial documents

    DS-260I-864I-864A

    Quién
    Each intending immigrant, plus the sponsor
    Cuándo
    After paying fees
    Tarifa
    $0 beyond the fees already paid

    Uploads go through CEAC at ceac.state.gov.

  5. 5

    Wait for documentary qualification and an interview appointment

    Quién
    The NVC and the consulate
    Cuándo
    Depends on the post and on visa number availability
    Tarifa
    $0

    Interviews are scheduled on appointment availability at the embassy, not on a national queue.

  6. 6

    Attend the medical exam with a panel physician and then the interview

    DS-1810

    Quién
    The applicant
    Cuándo
    Medical shortly before the interview
    Tarifa
    The panel physician's own fee

    Immigrants subject to Selective Service sign Form DS-1810 at the interview and must register within 30 days of arriving.

  7. 7

    Enter the United States and pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee

    Quién
    The immigrant
    Cuándo
    Before or after travel, but before the green card can be produced
    Tarifa
    $235; $0 for orphan and Hague adoptees, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, returning residents and K nonimmigrants

    The green card is mailed after arrival.

Dónde suele fallar

  • Failing to respond to NVC notices within a year of visa availability can terminate the petition under INA 203(g).
  • Submitting the DS-260 is treated as electing consular processing and complicates a later switch to adjustment.
  • A refusal under INA 221(g) for administrative processing can add months with no published timeline.
  • State guidance now directs that applicants generally be adjudicated in their country of residence, which is a problem for people living outside their country of nationality.
  • Anyone with unlawful presence in the United States triggers the three- or ten-year bar on departure and needs an I-601A waiver first.

Qué cambió en 2025 y 2026

  • State restored in-person interviews for most categories and expanded social media vetting through 2025 and 2026.
  • Guidance on adjudicating applicants in their country of residence has disrupted third-country processing.
  • Public charge review of immigrant visa applicants was tightened by 2025-26 guidance.
  • Use of the DS-5535 supplemental questionnaire expanded significantly.

Trámites relacionados

Fuentes: travel.state.gov · travel.state.gov · uscis.gov · travel.state.gov · travel.state.gov