Immigrant Visas

Family-Based Immigrant Petitions

Adjudication of immigrant visa petitions filed by persons resident in the United States is the responsibility of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), formerly named the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). After USCIS approval, the immigrant visa petition is sent to the National Visa Center for processing. It is then assigned to one of the U.S. Embassies or Consulates overseas designated to process immigrant visa applications. Petitioners and immigrant visa applicants should anticipate a 4 to 6 month wait or possibly longer for the petition to arrive at the designated U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

For information on filing a petition for a spouse or fiance(e) of an American citizen, please click here.

For information on filing a petition for other family members, please click here.

All immigration forms can be obtained online at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.