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The embassy route.

Consular

Processing

For immigrants finishing abroad: the case completes at a U.S. embassy or consulate through the National Visa Center, and ends with an immigrant visa and a green card on entry. Here’s the whole consular process green card guide, in plain English.

Free Case Review How It works

NVC

Every case flows through the National Visa Center, which schedules the embassy interview once the file is documentarily complete.

DS-260

The immigrant visa application, submitted with the I-864 and civil documents through CEAC.

5

Steps from petition approval to a green card on entry into the United States.

Who Qualifies

Approved. Current. Ready.

Four things make or break a consular case, long before the interview

An approved petition

a family I-130, employment I-140, or other qualifying immigrant petition basis.

A current priority date

current under the monthly Visa Bulletin. Immediate relatives are always current.

Admissibility, or a waiver

admissible, or approved for a waiver of unlawful presence and similar bars.

A financial sponsor

a qualifying sponsor on Form I-864 for family cases.

The Process

Five steps. One arrival.

This consular processing procedure runs the same consular processing steps for every case, and the consular processing timeline moves with each stage.

01

the handoff

USCIS approves the petition and sends the case to the National Visa Center.

02

the paperwork

Pay NVC fees, then submit Form DS-260, the immigrant visa application, with the I-864 and civil documents through CEAC.

03

documentarily complete

NVC marks the case documentarily complete and schedules the embassy interview.

04

the medical exam

Complete the panel physician medical exam in the home country.

05

the interview

Attend the consular interview. Upon issuance, enter the U.S. and receive the green card after paying the USCIS immigrant fee.

Forms & Fees

Know the paperwork.

DS-260

The immigrant visa application, submitted through CEAC.

I-130

Petition for Alien Relative, the family petition basis.

I-140

Immigrant petition for the employment-based basis.

I-864

Affidavit of Support, the sponsor's financial commitment in family cases.

I-693

Medical examination report by a civil surgeon.

I-751

Removes conditions on a marriage-based green card after 2 years.

Inadmissibility bars?

Clear them first. Unlawful presence and similar bars can require an approved waiver before the visa is issued. Plan for it early, not at the interview.

The Rules

What you can and cannot do.

  • Keep living and working in your home country for the whole process; no U.S. status is ever required
  • Immigrate together in preference cases: the spouse and unmarried children under 21 come as derivatives, or follow to join later
  • Enter the United States as a permanent resident; the endorsed visa in your passport proves the status for a year while the card is produced
  • Start work immediately after that first entry, with no separate permit
  • Wait out the process inside the United States on a visitor visa; pretending to visit while intending to stay can sink the case
  • Let the file go quiet; the National Visa Center can terminate a case after a year without contact
  • Delay the move indefinitely; visa validity is tied to the medical exam and is typically about six months
  • Send a representative; every applicant, including children, appears at the interview in person

Costs

What it costs in 2026.

Consular cases split the bill among three payees: the National Visa Center collects the application and sponsorship review fees, the panel physician is paid locally for the medical exam, and USCIS collects one last fee that pays for the physical card. Immigrant visas are not charged the $250 visa integrity fee; that charge belongs to nonimmigrant categories such as tourist and student visas.

Item Amount Notes
Immigrant visa application (Form DS-260) $325 per applicant Paid to the National Visa Center before the online forms unlock
Affidavit of support review $120 per case One fee covers the sponsorship package in family cases
USCIS immigrant fee $235 per person Paid online after the visa is issued; skipping it delays the green card itself
Medical exam (panel physician) Set locally Each country and clinic prices its own exam; paid directly to the physician
Family petition (Form I-130) $675 paper / $625 online Paid to USCIS at the petition stage, before the case reaches NVC

Fee amounts reflect published government figures as of August 2026 and change over time; the live links above are always current. Fees apply per person, including children.

FAQ

Questions we hear every week.

Usually a document problem: a missing civil record, an uncertified translation, a sponsor whose numbers do not add up. Each rejected upload adds a review cycle, and cycles are measured in weeks. Getting the file accepted on the first pass, which is exactly what an NVC attorney manages, is where most of the time is saved.

That depends on the embassy, not on NVC. Each post releases interview slots based on local capacity, and the queue varies dramatically by country. The scheduling status pages linked above show what each post is currently working through.

Usually not a true denial. Most 221(g) notices mean administrative processing or a missing document, and the case reopens once the item arrives or the check clears. Respond quickly and keep proof, since a 221(g) left unanswered for a year can end the case, so a 221g lawyer moves fast to answer it.

In preference categories, yes: derivatives can follow to join after the principal immigrates, with no new petition and no new place in line. Immediate relative cases work differently, and each person needs a petition of their own. Age limits matter here, so plan before the principal travels.

The State Department publishes a reciprocity schedule listing exactly which records each country can issue. Where a record is genuinely unavailable, the rules allow secondary evidence, such as affidavits from relatives with direct knowledge. The trick is proving unavailability the way the consulate expects, which a consular processing attorney documents carefully.

The officer admits you as a permanent resident, and the visa in your passport serves as proof of status for one year. Pay the USCIS immigrant fee before you travel if you can; the physical card is not produced until it is paid.

Your family.
Our fight.

Every case is different. Tell us your story. The evaluation is free, and our consular processing lawyer team tells you exactly which path fits.

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