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

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

Forms · 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.

Typical time: 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.Fees: 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.

Who it is for. Immigrant visa beneficiaries living abroad, and people in the United States who are ineligible to adjust status.

The forms, in order

8 forms
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

    Who
    USCIS
    When
    After petition approval
    Fee
    $0

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

  2. 2

    Choose an address and agent

    DS-261

    Who
    The applicant or petitioner
    When
    As soon as the welcome letter arrives
    Fee
    $0

    Nothing else moves until this is done.

  3. 3

    Pay the immigrant visa application and affidavit of support fees

    Who
    The applicant
    When
    When the NVC invoices them
    Fee
    $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

    Who
    Each intending immigrant, plus the sponsor
    When
    After paying fees
    Fee
    $0 beyond the fees already paid

    Uploads go through CEAC at ceac.state.gov.

  5. 5

    Wait for documentary qualification and an interview appointment

    Who
    The NVC and the consulate
    When
    Depends on the post and on visa number availability
    Fee
    $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

    Who
    The applicant
    When
    Medical shortly before the interview
    Fee
    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

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

    The green card is mailed after arrival.

Where it goes wrong

  • 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.

What changed in 2025 and 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.

Related processes

Sources: travel.state.gov · travel.state.gov · uscis.gov · travel.state.gov · travel.state.gov