V Visa: Application at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate

If you received a letter from the National Visa Center (NVC) in the United States indicating you are eligible for a V visa, contact the embas sy or consulate (Detailed information about the U.S. consulates in India.) to verify your eligibility and to schedule an appointment for a visa interview. Please note that the interviews for V visas will generally be scheduled 30 to 60 days from the date you contact the Embassy or Consulate to schedule your appointment.

Step 1

Instruction package for V visa applicants (Packet 3)

Immediately return the following documents for each applicant:

  • 2 DS-156, nonimmigrant visa application forms
  • 2 DS-3052, supplemental application forms
  • Clear photocopies of the biographic data page of your passport and the last page of your passport which contains your parents/spouse’s names, and any other page(s) which may indicate any change in name/date & place of birth/marital status
  • A clear photocopy of the approval notice (I-797) for the I-130 petition

When including the form, please include all names used by each applicant, including any names used in the past. In particular, women must include their full name as used during a prior marriage, before/after that marriage, and any other aliases. Please use the exact spelling and name order specified in the applicant’s passport.

The Consulate cannot complete their clearance procedure until the above documents are completed and returned to them.

Step 2

Obtain the following documents which pertain to you. Do not send the documents to the consulate now. You will need to submit them at your visa interview.

  • 2 photographs
  • Passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Police certificates
  • Deportation
    Applicants who have previously been deported or removed at the government’s expense from the United States must use Form I-212, Permission to Reapply after Deportation, and follow the instructions included on that form.
  • Court and prison records
  • Military records
  • Marriage certificate along with a proof of legal termination of prior marriages. Optionally, bring marriage photographs and other proof that the marriage is genuine.
  • Proof of relationship to any children who are applying with you

  • Proof of your petitioner’s legal status in the U.S.

    It is strongly suggested that all applicants bring extensive documentary evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and the primary beneficiary and between the primary beneficiary and any derivative beneficiaries. Failure to do so could greatly delay the application while your application is being investigated. Examples of such evidence are family and other photographs (old and current) showing the parties together, letters, cards, correspondence, and telephone records.

  • Form I-134, affidavit of support

    More details. That web page describes details specifically for sponsoring visitors. However, the documents required are the same for any visa.

As soon as you have collected all the above documents, read the document called “Applicant’s Statement” (enclosed in Packet 3), sign and date it, and return the checklist to the consulate together with a photocopy of all applicants’ passports. You will not be scheduled for a visa interview until you complete, sign, and return this checklist to the consulate.

After they receive the checklist, they will schedule your visa interview at the earliest possible date. It is not possible to predict when the interview will be scheduled. Generally, the visa interviews are scheduled within 2 to 4 months of the consulate receiving the checklist from the visa applicant. Normally, you will not receive further correspondence from the consulate until the visa interview is scheduled. You may check the consulate website to see whether your appointment has been scheduled.

Additional Information: Please inform the consulate immediately of any changes that may affect your visa application, such as your change of address, your change of marital status, the death of the petitioner, birth or adoption of any children by you, etc. Failure to keep the consulate informed of your current address at all times may result in the delay of the issuance of a visa to you.

Children about to reach 21 years of age: Generally, unmarried children under 21 years of age of visa applicants can be issued visas based on the visa petition filed for their parent. The child should be unmarried and under 21 years of age when he/she enters the U.S.

Step 3

Appointment package for V visa applicants (Packet 4)

When the consulate schedules your interview, they will send you an “Appointment package for V visa applicants” (Packet 4). All members of your family applying for visas with you, irrespective of age, must appear in person with you for the interview. Each person, irrespective of age, requires a separate visa. If you cannot keep your visa appointment, you should notify the consulate immediately. Please note your case number in any communications with the consulate.

The following documents should be presented at the visa interview for each applicant:

  • Appointment letter
  • Forms DS-156 and DS-3052 that you sent in Step 1 above would be returned to you along with the appointment letter. Carry with them again to the interview.
  • Medical examination report
  • All the documents mentioned above in Step 2
  • Visa Fees
    You need to pay only the application fee. There are no visa reciprocity fees for these visas. Aside from the fees required for the processing of waivers of ineligibility or any required fingerprinting (or, in certain cases, for special delivery arrangements or special telephone-arranged interview appointments), no other fees are required.

Step 4

Interview

All applicants are interviewed on the day of the interview. The consular officer fingerprints the applicant, takes the applicant’s oath, reviews the documents and advises the applicant of the decision reached. Applicants who are refused visas are given a letter of refusal which explains the reason for the refusal and the action that needs to be taken in order for the visa to be issued. For those applicants who are issued visas, the visas are affixed inside each passport.

The consulate makes every effort to complete the visa interview as soon as possible. However, it is possible that applicants may have to spend several hours at the consulate on the day of the interview.

No assurance can be given in advance that a visa will be issued. A consular officer can make that decision only after the visa application and documents are reviewed, and applicant has been personally interviewed. Applicants are, therefore, advised not to make any travel arrangements, not to dispose of property, not to give his/her job until the visa has been issued.

Procedures at the Port of Entry:
A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The visa specifies the period during which the bearer may apply at a port of entry to enter the U.S. USCIS, not the consular officer, authorizes the traveler admission to the U.S. Applicants whose medical reports classify them as Class A or Class B tuberculer need to present their X-rays to the officials at the port of entry and should therefore HAND CARRY the X-ray films to the U.S.

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