Embassy of the United States Kyiv, Ukraine

Welcome to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv's Immigrant Visa Unit.  We process immigrant visas for immediate relatives, fiancées, and adopted children of U.S. Citizens.

How to Immigrate to the U.S.

The three main ways to immigrate to the United States are: through a family relationship, through employment or through investment.  Yet a fourth way to immigrate is under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, which allows for a lottery once a year.

In the first three cases, the immigration process requires a petition to be filed on behalf of the migrant.  The petition is filed in the United States with the local Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) having jurisdiction over the petitioner's residence.

After the USCIS approves the petition, it is forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing.  The NVC provides Affidavit of Support Processing and Applicant Document collection for US Embassies and US Consulates.  You can find information about NVC processing at the Bureau of Consular Affairs page.  Once NVC finishes processing the case, they schedule an interview at the Consulate nearest to where the beneficiary resides and where he or she will apply for his or her immigrant visa.  The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has some special country-specific requirements for immigrant visa processing.  This information is available below. 

Information for applicants scheduled for an immigrant visa interview by the National Visa Center or Kentucky Consular Center

As of September 20, 2012 the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has changed procedures for all applicants applying for an immigrant visa to the United States.

Prior to your appointment date, you must visit http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ or call the Visa Information and Appointment Service at 38 044 383 8066 Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. or from the United States at 703 988 7107 from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST and follow the steps to register at which TNT courier service location you would like to pick up your visa.

The registration for TNT pick up location is required for every applicant including children.  You must have the Passport Number, Date of Birth, Nationality, KEV case number, your e-mail address and visa category for each applicant (principal applicant and all family members, including children) ready in order to complete the registration.

If you register online, after entering your information you will be prompted to select a TNT location to which you would like to have your visa delivered.  Please make sure that you print out your confirmation letter and bring it with you to the visa appointment.

If you register through the Call Center, you will receive a confirmation of TNT courier selection by e-mail.  You must print it out and bring it with you for your appointment.

The U.S. Embassy will not be able to process your visa application until you make a selection of a TNT destination where the visa can be delivered.  There is no additional cost for delivery of your visa.  Please make sure that you register before you come to the Embassy, otherwise your appointment may have to be rescheduled. 

Special Processing Instructions

1. Returning Residents – legal permanent residents who were outside of the United States for longer than one year and who meet certain criteria.  We have a separate page which contains more information and qualifying requirements about returning residents.
2. Refugee/asylee following-to-join cases

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv processes visas for spouses and unmarried children (under the age of 21) of refugees (“Visas 93”) and asylees (“Visas 92”). We process Visas 92 and 93 applications by appointment only.

Background

Refugees and asylees may apply for derivative benefits on behalf of their spouses or unmarried children within two years of admission to the United States.  The relationship between the principal and spouse/child must have existed when the principal was admitted to the U.S.  It must still exist when the principal files Form I-730 (Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition), and when the spouse or child is admitted to the U.S.  For more information about filing an I-730 petition, visit http://www.uscis.gov/.

Once we receive an approved I-730 petition, we will send the appointment letter and necessary forms directly to the applicant(s).

The list of required documents and forms required is compiled into one PDF document (PDF, 91 KB).

3.  Following-to-join cases for spouses and children of employment-based immigrants

Once an employment-based immigrant adjusts to legal permanent resident status, he/she can file an I-824 Application for Action on an Approved Application to allow his/her spouse and children under the age of 21 to apply for immigrant visas.  Information about I-824 filing can be found at the website of the US Customs and Immigration Service.  Once the I-824 is approved, the next step will be NVC processing as explained above.

Certain immigrant visa categories are subject to numerical limitations and have longer processing times.

4.  Widows/widowers of U.S. citizens.

Widows/widowers of U.S. citizens residing in Ukraine can file an I-360 petition at the U.S. Embassy, Kyiv.  In order to do so they need to:

1. Meet all the requirements for the I-360 petition filing outlined in the filing instructions for the I-360 form at http://www.uscis.gov/.
2. Be prepared to prove their residence in Ukraine.
3. Complete the I-360 form and supporting documents outlined in the instructions.
4. Schedule an appointment to file the I-360 at www.ustraveldocs.com , or through the call center.
5. Be prepared to pay the filing fee of U.S. $220 payable in U.S. dollars or hryvna at the U.S. Consulate.

The call center’s hours of operation are Monday-Friday 9:00 to 21:00, Kyiv local time.  Its telephone number is 044-383-80-66.  If calling from the United States on behalf of relatives in Ukraine, the telephone number is (703)988-71-07.