Consular Processing Of Immigrant Visas
If United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved the petition that a family member or your employer filed for you, then you can file for your “green card.”
You can do this one of two ways. If you are currently in the United States, you should file an “adjustment of status” application with USCIS. If you live outside of the U.S., you will file your applications through the U.S. Consulate in your home country.
Two Ways To Obtain Your Green Card
Consular processing and adjustment of status both achieve the same result: lawful permanent resident status in the United States. Also, you must first be the beneficiary of an immigrant visa petition filed by a relative or your employer. Please call us at 866.441.1458 for a detailed explanation of the whole process you must go through.
After USCIS approves your petition, it will transfer your case to the National Visa Center (NVC). The National Visa Center will contact you to continue preparing the immigrant visa application. You will receive a letter notifying you that it has your file, known as an “A” file, and what additional information is needed.
Once you have provided the documents and information, the NVC will transfer your completed file to the consulate and schedule your interview. Since there are over 280 U.S. Consulates and Embassies worldwide, each with its own nonstandard requirements, consular processing has become an extremely specialized area of immigration law.
If you have any immigration or criminal issues, especially, you should consult with us before filing any applications with USCIS or a consulate. Anyone planning to leave the U.S. and who may have started the immigration process, should not leave the U.S. without consulting with an immigration attorney. Leaving the U.S. can trigger any number of unintended consequences, including the inability to return from a vacation.
Discuss Your Immigration Options With Experienced Immigration Lawyers
We can assist you with processing your immigrant or nonimmigrant visa at any consulate or embassy throughout the world. Please call us at 866.441.1458 or contact us online to discuss a strategy for obtaining your green card. It is sometimes possible to avoid certain consulates that are known to be more “difficult” than others.