Immigrant Visas
The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon and U.S. Consulate General in Ponta Delgada NO longer process immigrant visa (IV) or diversity visa (DV) applications. These offices neither schedule nor conduct IV or DV interviews. ALL immigrant and diversity visa interviews and adjudications for residents of Portugal will take place at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. For more complete information, please visit the Embassy Paris website. Please note this change only affects immigrant visa processing. The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon and the U.S. Consulate General in Ponta Delgada will continue to process nonimmigrant visas.
An immigrant visa is required by anyone seeking indefinite or permanent residence in the United States. Upon entry into the United States, an immigrant visa holder is processed for a Permanent Resident Card (PRC), commonly known as a green card. For information on how to apply for an immigrant visa, please visit: Visa Types for Immigrants and the Embassy Paris website.
If you are interested in information regarding the Diversity Visa Program 2014, please check this page.
See below for information regarding the change to Paris.
Q: How many times will I have to travel to Paris to complete my immigrant or diversity visa processing?
A: Most cases will only require one trip to the Embassy in Paris. This trip will be for the visa interview.
Q: I don’t speak French or English. Will the Embassy provide Portuguese translation?
A: Yes, the Embassy in Paris will provide Portuguese-speaking staff to help with the visa interview.
Q: How do I schedule my appointment for Embassy Paris if I live in Portugal?
A: As part of the standard immigrant visa process, the National Visa Center will schedule your interview appointment upon receiving your immigrant visa application and supporting paperwork. Similarly for diversity visa applicants, the Kentucky Consular Center will schedule your case interview as part of the standard diversity visa process. If you wish to interview for your immigrant or diversity visa at another immigrant visa processing post besides Paris, you may make the request to the National Visa Center or the Kentucky Consular Center, respectively, prior to the time your appointment is scheduled in Paris. You must provide proof that you can process at the requested post.
Q: I’d like to apply for a nonimmigrant visa, file an application for returning resident status, obtain a travel letter because I lost my green card, apply for parole into the United States, apply as a follow-to-join refugees or asylee, or renounce my U.S. lawful permanent residence status. Must I travel to Paris for these services?
A: No, these services will continue to be carried out by Embassy Lisbon and Consulate Ponta Delgada.
Q: Whom should I contact if I have questions about how this change affects my case?
A: All questions should be directed to Embassy Paris at ParisConIV@state.gov. Applicants whose appointments have not yet been scheduled or who are requesting information about applying for an immigrant visa should contact the National Visa Center by email at nvcinquiry@state.gov and by phone at 603-334-0700.
All inquiries regarding new cases should be directed to Embassy Paris at ParisConIV@state.gov.
Q: How do I contact the National Visa Center (NVC)?
A: The National Visa Center can be reached by email at nvcinquiry@state.gov and by phone at 603-334-0700.
Q: How do I contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC)?
A: The Kentucky Consular Center can be reached by email at kccdv@state.gov and by phone at 606-526-7500.