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The Immigrant Visa Process
Foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States must first obtain an immigrant visa. This is the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident.
Immigrating to the United States is an important and complex decision. In this section, you will learn about who may immigrate to the United States, the different types of immigrant visas, the required forms, and the steps in the immigrant visa process. Because most immigrants receive visas in the family or employment based visa categories, they are a key focus of this section. To be eligible to apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen relative, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or a prospective employer, with a few exceptions, explained below. The sponsor begins the immigration process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
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1
Petition
WHO'S INVOLVEDU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS oversees immigration to the United States and approves (or denies) immigrant petitions and much more.
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After Your Petition is Approved
WHO'S INVOLVEDNational Visa Center
After petition approval, the National Visa Center (NVC) handles processing for certain kinds of documents, sending them onward to U.S. Embassies & consulates.
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Collect and Submit Forms and Documents to the NVC
WHO'S INVOLVEDNational Visa Center
After petition approval, the National Visa Center (NVC) handles processing for certain kinds of documents, sending them onward to U.S. Embassies & consulates.
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4
Interview
WHO'S INVOLVEDU.S. Embassies and Consulates
Review visa applications and documents, conduct interviews to determine eligibility for visas, and complete processing. They issue U.S. visas to eligible applicants