Overview
An immigrant visa (IV) is required by anyone seeking to permanently reside in the United States. In general, the prospective Immigrant Visa applicant must have an approved petition filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by a potential employer to begin the visa application process. (Diversity Visa Lottery applicants complete a separate process.) General information about the Immigrant Visa process is also available at the Department of State’s website. Once the petition is approved and the applicant has a current priority date (if applicable), they are eligible for further processing of an immigrant visa.
How to Apply
Step 1: Potential Employer Files a Petition with USCIS
Step 2: Applicants Must Submit Required Documents and an Interview is Scheduled
Once your petition is approved, it will be further processed for an immigrant visa:
2(a) Petitions filed in the United States: Please follow instructions provided by the National Visa Center (NVC) as the requested documents must be submitted to their office. Once NVC has received all required documents and fees, NVC will schedule the applicant’s immigrant visa interview at U.S. Embassy Bangkok.
Tips:
- Be sure to keep a record of the NVC receipt number once payment is made. You will need this number to complete the DS-260 process. The IV unit does not have records of these receipt numbers and you will need to follow up with NVC to obtain it should you lose it.
- Your case will not be transferred to the IV unit until the NVC process is completed. You may track the progress of your case from NVC to the IV unit at Visa Status Check. The IV unit is only able to respond to inquiries once the cases have been transferred to our office. Therefore, you should first determine where your case is in order to contact the appropriate office.
2(b) Petitions filed with the USCIS Bangkok Field Office: Once the IV unit receives the case, our staff will contact the applicant with the IV Packet 3 (Pre-Interview) Instructions. Please read the instructions carefully and submit all documents to U.S. Embassy Bangkok’s Immigrant Visas unit. Once the Packet 3 documents are received and the case is determined to be documentarily ready, the IV unit will schedule the applicant’s immigrant visa interview. The applicant will be informed via email through the Packet 4 Appointment Packet which provides further guidance on additional required documents including the medical examination. Generally, interviews are scheduled within 60 days of receipt of the Packet 3 information, and applicants should refrain from contacting the IV unit to inquire about an interview appointment until 60 days have elapsed from the time the Packet 3 documents were submitted.
You may check our online appointment schedule, updated monthly, to view scheduled appointments for that month. If your appointment is listed on our website but you have not received an Appointment Letter, please download an Appointment Package and follow the detailed instructions. You may schedule your medical appointment directly with the hospital and be permitted entry for your interview without your Appointment Letter.
IV Mailing and Contact Information
Pre-interview (non-NVC cases) and post-interview documents should be sent to:
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
Consular Section, Immigrant Visa Unit
120-122 Wireless Road, Lumpini
Bangkok 10330
The Interview
All immigrant visa applicants must appear in person for their respective interview at U.S. Embassy Bangkok. Applicants should review the Packet 4 checklist prior to the appointment to ensure they have all required documents (including original or certified documents not previously submitted), including passports and their appointment letter. Please review the security regulations to gain entry to the Consular Section.
Important Notes:
- Applications incomplete at the time of the visa interview will result in a minimum 10 -15 business day delay in adjudication of the application. Administrative processing required for incomplete applications and other reviews in individual cases may require more time depending on the nature of the review. Therefore, you are strongly advised to have all required documents at the time of your visa interview.
- Because appointments are set for precise times, appointments for applicants arriving late may be cancelled and rescheduled for a later date. The IV unit strongly advises applicants to be on time for their appointment, arriving 15 minutes before their appointment time.
- If your medical examination report will not be completed by the time of your interview, please contact the IV unit at visasbkk@state.gov as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment.
- Please notify us immediately upon the death of the petitioner or an accompanying family member, or if you have a change of marital status, the birth or adoption of a child, or a change of address/e-mail address.
- A decision about a visa application cannot be made until an applicant formally applies and is interviewed. Therefore, applicants should NOT make any travel plans, quit their jobs, sell property, or take any other action contingent upon the issuance of an immigrant visa until the applicant has physically received his/her passport and U.S. immigrant visa.
- Petitioners and other individuals are not permitted to attend the interview. Applicants should be familiar with all of the documents they are presenting at the interview, and be able to provide the consular officer with all requested information. An exception is made for immigrant visa applicants under the age of 18 who may be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
- Immigrant visa cases remain active for one year after the applicant/petitioner’s last contact date. Depending on the applicant’s visa class, an immigrant visa applicant may delay plans to immigrate to the United States, however the applicant or petitioner must keep the IV unit informed by contacting us at visasbkk@state.gov at least once every 365 days. (Note that this does not apply to Diversity Visa applicants who are subject to the September 30 deadline.)
After the Interview
If, after the interview, the consular officer determines that additional information is necessary, the applicant will receive a 221G refusal letter detailing the requested information. The application will be pending final adjudication until this information is submitted via Thailand Post at one of their document drop-off locations (Bangkok locations (PDF 78KB) or other locations (PDF 90KB)). The documents should be addressed to the Immigrant Visa unit at:
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
120-122 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
Attn: CONS/IV
Visa Issuance
The validity of an immigrant visa is tied to the validity of the applicant’s medical examination report. Therefore, if you plan to travel to the United States after the expiration date of your medical exam, you will need to complete a new medical exam that is valid during that travel period. Please be sure to inform the consular officer so a 221G letter may be provided for directions on how to submit the exam at a later date.
After the visa is approved, the visa package will be mailed to the applicant’s address registered on his/her GSS profile within 7-10 business days. Please ensure that you register your address on the GSS website correctly and update any changes before your interview. Remember to print out and submit the GSS address registration confirmation page to the IV unit (or NVC as applicable) with your Packet 3 documents. Applicants are reminded not to purchase plane tickets or make any other plans until the visa package, including passport and U.S. visa, is received.
Before Traveling to the United States
- Check your visa package and information on the immigrant visa.
- DO NOT open the sealed packet. You must carry the sealed visa packet with you when you travel. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the U.S. port of entry will open this package and examine the documents inside.
- Pay the Immigrant Fee to USCIS before you travel. For information related to this fee, please click HERE.
- Travel within the visa validity period. You can use the existing visa to travel to the United States until the expiration date.