There are various steps to the visa process, some of which you must complete, and some of which your sponsoring family member or employer must complete. After your family member or employer sponsor submits a petition on your behalf and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves that petition, you must complete pre-processing of your immigrant visa application through the National Visa Center. You then will complete an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (Form DS-260), which requires very detailed information about you and your family. After completing Form DS-260, you must print the confirmation page and bring it with you to your visa interview.
In many cases, whomever is petitioning on your behalf must provide an affidavit of financial support, along with supporting documents, showing that they can financially support you if necessary. These documents may include their most recent IRS tax transcript from the most recent year, evidence of income, such as an employment letter or paycheck stub, retirement benefits statement, or evidence of self-employment. Your sponsor also may need to provide proof of their relationship to you, such as birth, marriage, or adoption certificates, most recent federal income tax return, or a written statement of relationship. Other documents that may be required include the most recent Social Security Administration earnings statement, proof of domicile, proof of U.S. status, and proof of assets.
What Documents Do I Need to Apply for a Visa?
There are a variety of other documents that you may need to submit to obtain a visa, depending on your situation. As a general rule, you must send photocopies of these documents to the NVC, and bring both an original and a photocopy of these documents with you to your visa interview. These documents may include:
· Certified adoption decree, custody decree prior to adoption, and a statement of where and when the child resided with the adoptive parents
· Original birth certificate
· Certified copy of each court and prison record if you have been convicted of a crime
· Original marriage certificate
· Certified final divorce decrees, death certificates, or annulment decrees from any previous marriages
· Military records
· Petitioner’s birth certificate and if your petitioning spouse was previously married, certified final divorce decrees, death certificates, or annulment decrees from any previous marriages
· Biographic data page of a currently valid passport
· Police certificates for every country you lived in for six or 12 months, depending on the situation, if you are over the age of 16, or if you ever have been arrested
When you go to your visa interview, you will need to bring the original and certified copies of any required documents, as well as a form certifying that you have had a medical examination and vaccinations by an approved physician. Any documents that are not in English must be translated and certified by a competent translator. You also must bring:
· Your interview appointment letter from the NVC
· Your unexpired passport that is valid for six months beyond your intended date of entry into the U.S. and a photocopy of your biographic data page from the passport
· Two color passport photos
· Medical examination form if provided to you by the physician
· Confirmation page from Form DS-260
· If you are seeking an employment-based visa, a letter from your employer dated within the last month that details your job offer
· If you are seeking a family-based visa, a signed affidavit of support by your petitioning family member and their required financial documents
At Peek Law Group, we care about keeping your family together, whether that involves helping you apply for the appropriate visa or another immigration-related matter. We will focus all of our efforts on standing up for your rights and representing your interests as you seek to enter or remain in the U.S. Our knowledgeable immigration lawyers know the best strategies for gathering evidence to support your case and navigating the complex rules of the U.S. immigration system. Allow us to handle your immigration case by sitting down with us today and discussing your case.