United States Diplomatic Mission to Italy

Topics Covered in These Instructions

1. Instructions and Required Forms for:

• Immigrant (downloadable 1.40Mb .zip file)
• K1 Fiancé (e) (downloadable 1.17Mb .zip file)
• K3 (downloadable 1.22Mb .zip file)

2. Required Documents for Immigrant, K1 Fiancé(e), and K3 Visas:

• Birth certificates
• Adoption certificates (if applicable)
• Passports
• Marriage certificates (if applicable)
• Termination of Prior Marriages (Divorce or Death Certificates)
• Military records (if applicable)
• Affidavit of Support & Most Recent Tax Returns
• Police Certificates
• Court & Prison Records Court & Prison (if applicable)
• Photographs
• Translations

3. Other factors:

• Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirements
• What Happens Next
• Children 

Application for Immigrant Visa (Form DS-230 Part I and II)

The DS-230 form is available at: http://travel.state.gov/pdf/DS-0230.pdf (PDF, 996kb)

Application for K1 Fiancé(e) and K3 Visas

In addition to the DS-230 Form Part I and II, K1 Fiancé(e) and K3 visa applicants must also fill out the following forms:

• DS-156 (two copies)
• DS-156K (Fiancé(e) visa applicants only)

The DS-156 is available at: https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp

The DS-156K is available at: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82063.pdf (PDF, 217kb)

Document Requirements for Immigrant, K1 Fiancé(e), AND K3 Visas

Please obtain the original documents or certified copy and one photocopy for yourself and each family member who will accompany you to the United States. All documents that pertain to your petition are required, even if they were previously submitted to the USCIS with your petition.

Birth certificates

Obtain the original or certified copy, of the birth record of each family member (yourself, your spouse, and all unmarried children under the age of 21). The certificate must contain the:

• Person's date of birth
• Names of both parents, and
• Annotation by the appropriate authority indicating that it is an extract from the official records.

Adoption Certificate

The certificate must show date and place of adoption, along with the names of the adoptive parents. This certificate must be issued by a public authority and show that a public record exists of the adoption.

Passports

A Passport must be valid for travel to the United States and must have at least six months validity beyond the issuance date of the visa. Children may be included on a parent's passport if under the age of 16.

Marriage Certificates

Married applicants must obtain an original marriage certificate, or a certified copy, bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority.

Termination of prior marriages

Applicants who have been previously married must obtain evidence of the termination of EACH prior marriage. Evidence must be in the form of original documents issued by a competent authority, or certified copies bearing the appropriate seal or stamp of the issuing authority. Acceptable evidence is:

• final divorce decree
• death certificate, or
• annulment

Military records

Persons who have served in the military forces of any country must obtain one copy of their military record.

Note: Military records from certain countries are unavailable. Information on how to obtain military records for a specific country is available at the State Department’s Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder website. For any additional information, please contact the Immigrant Visa Unit.

Affidavit of Support

Form I-864, a contractual affidavit of support, must be submitted for most family-based applicants and employment-based applicants when a relative is the petitioner or has ownership interest in the petitioner's business. Form I-134, also a contractual affidavit of support, must be submitted by K1 fiancé(e) and K3 visa applicants. All applicants must also submit the petitioner’s most recent tax returns. Note : Other applicants must show evidence that they are not likely to become public charges while in the United States.

Form I-864 is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864.pdf (PDF, 339kb)

Form I-134 is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-134.pdf (PDF, 68kb)

Police certificates

Police certificates are required for each visa applicant aged 16 years or older. The table below shows how many police certificates are required based on where each applicant lives and has lived previously. Present and former residents of the United States should NOT obtain any police certificates covering their residence in the U.S.

The police certificate must cover the entire period of the applicant's residence in that area, and state what the appropriate police authorities records show concerning each applicant, including all arrests, the reason for the arrest(s) and the disposition of each case of which there is a record.

Information on how to obtain police certificates for a specific country is available at the State Department’s Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder website.

Note: Police certificates from certain countries are unavailable.

Court and Prison Records

Persons who have been convicted of a crime must obtain a certified copy of each court record and any prison record, regardless of the fact that he or she may have subsequently benefited from an amnesty, pardon or other act of clemency.

Court records should include:

• Complete information regarding the circumstance surrounding the crime of which the applicant was convicted, and
• The disposition of the case, including sentence or other penalty or fine imposed.

Color Photographs

Three color photographs:

• Taken within the last six months.
• 2 inches (50mm) square, with the head centered in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 1 & 1 3/8 inches (25mm to 35mm) with the eye level between 1 & 1/8 inch to 1 & 3/8 inches (28mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the photograph.
• In color against a white or off white background. Photographs taken in front of busy, patterned or dark backgrounds are not acceptable.
• Un-mounted, full face, with the face covering about 50% of the area of the photograph. In general, the head of the applicant, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of the chin on top and bottom, and from hair-line side-to-side. It is preferable that the ears be exposed.
• Head-coverings are acceptable only when the applicant's face is completely exposed.
• May contain a small (one quarter inch) white border on one side.

Translations

All documents not in English or Italian must be accompanied by certified English translations. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator, which states that the translation is accurate, and that the translator is competent to translate.

Different name to that on the birth certificate

A person, who has used a different name from the one shown on the birth certificate, must produce a document explaining the use of such name. These documents are commonly available as evidence:

• Baptismal;
• Deed Poll;
• School records showing early use of name.

Unobtainable birth certificates

Your birth record may not be obtainable. Some reasons are listed below.

• Your birth was never officially recorded;
• Your birth records have been destroyed;
• The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

Please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason your birth record is not available. With the certified statement you must obtain secondary evidence. For example:

• A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth and both parent's names providing the baptism took place shortly after birth
• An adoption decree for an adopted child, or
• An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parent's names, and the mother's maiden name.

Notice to Immigrant Visa Applicants Concerning Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirements

Medical Examination

U.S. law requires that every immigrant visa applicant undergo a medical examination by a doctor certified by the U.S. Public Health Service . Children under 15 years old will receive only a general physical examination. Adults will undergo a medical interview and a general physical examination, as well as a chest X-ray, blood tests and specialized tests when applicable. NOTE: Pregnant women are not required to have an X-ray. Please inform doctors at time of examination of any pregnancy.

Applicants or accompanying family members afflicted with serious illnesses should bring copies of their medical records for evaluation by the doctors conducting the medical examination.

The examination fee for persons fifteen years of age or over is Euro 160 and for persons under fifteen years of age Euro 60. You must pay at the time of the examination. The physician accepts payment for the medical examination in local currency only.

Vaccination requirements

Immigrant Visa applicants require certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa.

Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Polio, Influenza Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids; Pertussis; Influenza Type B (HIB); Varicella; Pneumococcal

Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the new vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations.

In order to assist the panel physician, and to avoid delays in the processing of an immigrant visa, all immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel physician's review at the time of the immigrant medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if one is available. If you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician.

Only a physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, medical history and current medical condition. The panel physician can also administer vaccinations at the time of the examination to applicants who are missing any of those required; the cost will vary according to the type of vaccination required (see price list below).

COST OF VACCINATIONS

Fee for administration of single or multiple vaccine €16.00

Supplemental fees for selected vaccines

Children who are about to Reach 21 Years of Age

If you have children who intend to immigrate with you to the United States, or to join you in the United States at a later date, please read this important information. In order to immigrate with you to the United States, or to follow you at a later date, your children must be:

• unmarried;
• Eligible to be listed under your visa classification; and
• Under the age of 21 at the time they enter the United States.

Note: Children of mothers, fathers, or spouses of United States citizens, must have separate immigrant visa petitions filed on their behalf.

Who to notify

If any of your children will turn 21 within 60 days, please notify the United States Consulate immediately.

Note: If visas will be available in your category prior to your son or daughter's birthday, your case will receive expedited processing in order to ensure that your son or daughter will be able to immigrate with you. Unfortunately, we cannot assist you, if visas are not available in your category prior to your son or daughter's birthday.

Failure to notify

Failure to notify the Embassy that you have a child, who will turn 21, could result in that child being above the legal age at the time your visa is issued. In that event, you will be required to file a separate petition for your child after you immigrate, and your son or daughter will face a waiting period before he or she will be eligible for visa processing.

Children of U.S. citizens

Your child may have claim to U.S. citizenship through birth abroad to a U.S. citizen. If your child is an American citizen he or she will require a U.S. passport to travel to the United States. If your child's eligibility for citizenship has not yet been determined, you should contact American Citizen Services at the Consulate for further information.

Applying for an immigrant visa

The first step in applying for an immigrant visa is for the U.S. citizen (petitioner) to file an immigrant visa petition, Form I-130, with the office of the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A separate petition must be filed for each person immigrating.

If a child is applying for a visa at the same time as his or her parent, the applications will be processed concurrently. Each person immigrating will be required to complete a biographic data form DS-230 Part I and Part II.

The visa appointment consists of two days, one day for the medical examination and a second day for the visa interview. If your visa is approved, it normally is ready on the afternoon of the second day, occasionally the third, if there are delays in receipt of biometric image results. The medical examination will take place the first day at 8:45 am at the following address:

Istituto Varelli

Via Cornelia dei Gracchi 51/60

Naples

The visa interview will take place the following day at the U.S. Consulate in Naples.

What Happens Next?

Overview

The two tables below provide an overview of the steps that take place once you have obtained all your documents and have completed the necessary forms.

1. If your petition was filed in the United States with the National Visa Center follow the steps below.

OR

2. If a petition for a Fiancé(e) or K3 Visa has been filed for you in the U.S., or if your Immigrant Visa petition was filed at the U.S. Embassy in Rome follow the steps below.

Bring your documents

Do not send any documents to the Consulate. You will need to bring all your original documents, or certified copies, plus one photocopy of each original document, to the immigrant visa interview.

When to call or write

The Consulate cannot guarantee how long it may be before you are scheduled for an appointment for a visa interview. Please notify the Consulate if circumstances of your application have changed.

For example:

• Change of address;
• Change of Marital status;
• Death of petitioner; or
• Birth or adoption of additional children

ADDITIONAL VISA INFORMATION AND APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING

Interviews at the U.S. Consulate General in Naples can be scheduled with the Visa Information Service for the following types of immigrant visas:

• All immigrant visa petitions filed in Rome.
• All approved Returning Resident Visa (SB-1) requests.
• All K1 fiancé and K3 visas.
• All cases that were suspended after interview under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act due to lack of documentation.

All other types of immigrant visas will be scheduled by the U.S. Consulate General in Naples upon receipt of an approved petition.

To schedule an interview, or to receive additional information about immigrant visas, please contact the Visa Information Service (see below). If you already have a case number, please have it ready to give to the agent so they can assist you more efficiently.

Callers can access the Visa Information Service at +39 06.9936.6531 (From either outside or inside Italy) or 199.44.23.99 (Inside Italy only).
A credit card charge of €15 per call will apply using a MasterCard or Visa Credit Card.

The Visa Information Service is available by telephone from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Italian Holidays.

Additional Information can also be found in the following websites:

• "Permanent Immigrants to the U.S" on travel.state.gov
• "Travel.State.gov" website
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services