Applying for an immigrant or fiancé(e) visa is a comprehensive process involving several stages and agencies. It can take anything from six months to many years. The first step is to check the list of visa categories to find out about the eligibility criteria and how a petition is filed or how to submit a DV entry.
If your petition has not yet been approved, or if your case is currently being processed by NVC or KCC, click here for information about how to check the status of your case and what to expect.
If you have already submitted your application Form DS-260 because your case was processed by NVC or KCC, click here to make sure you have the supporting documents you will need for your visa interview.
If your case has been forwarded to Embassy London, click on the type of visa you are applying for from the list below for an overview of the steps that you will be required to take to apply for the visa, including information about what to do if a visa interview has been booked for you and you would like to reschedule it. Keep reading for the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
1) My petition was approved by USCIS in the United States and a visa interview appointment has been scheduled by NVC
You are required to take these steps even if you know you cannot attend the appointment that was scheduled for you.
- Carefully check the list of supporting documents to make sure you have everything you will need to take to your visa interview
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Register your visa interview appointment with the Visa Appointment Service.
- Check what you need to know about your appointment, including security and transport information
- Attend your visa interview.
Click here to get started with the steps listed above
What should I do if I cannot attend the interview date?
- You should attend the visa interview date booked for you, if at all possible.
- It will not be possible for you to attend on an earlier date.
- Any delay in attending your interview may affect the availability of a visa number, without which a visa cannot be issued.
If you cannot attend the scheduled interview date, you are still required to register that date with the Visa Appointment Service.
- You will only be able to select a new date through your Visa Appointment Service account after the original date has passed.
2) My immigrant visa petition was approved by USCIS London (before April 1, 2020) and forwarded to the Embassy in London OR my I-130 petition was approved by Embassy London under Exceptional Circumstances
- Complete Form DS-260 online.
- Obtain the supporting documents that you will need to take with you to your visa interview.
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Schedule a visa interview appointment through the Visa Appointment Service website.
- Attend your visa interview and pay your visa fee.
Click here to get started with the steps listed above.
3) I am applying for a fiancé(e) visa and my case has been sent to the Embassy in London
- Complete Form DS-160 online.
- Obtain the supporting documents that you will need to take with you to your visa interview.
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Schedule a visa interview appointment and pay your visa fee through the Visa Appointment Service website.
- Attend your visa interview.
Click here to get started with the steps listed above.
4) I am applying for a Diversity Visa and an interview appointment has been scheduled for me
You are required to take these steps even if you know you cannot attend the appointment date that was scheduled for you.
- Carefully check the list of supporting documents to make sure you have everything you will need to take to your visa interview.
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Register your visa interview appointment with the Visa Appointment Service.
- Attend your visa interview and pay your visa fee.
Click here to get started with the steps listed above
What should I do if I cannot attend the interview date?
- You should attend the visa interview date booked for you, if at all possible.
- It will not be possible for you to attend on an earlier date.
- A limited number of immigrant visas are made available through the Diversity Visa Program each year. Visas are issued to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the full quota for each country or the deadline has been met, whichever comes first. The deadline for visa issuance is September 30 of the applicable year. Any delay in attending your interview may negatively affect your chances of qualifying for a visa.
If you cannot attend the scheduled interview date, you are still required to register that date with the Visa Appointment Service.
- You will not be able to select a new date through your Visa Appointment Service account until after the original date has passed.
Important: We recommend that you check the Diversity Visa application instructions to ensure that your entry form complied with the rules. If it was not completed correctly, it may not be possible for a visa to be issued to you, even if your form was completed incorrectly by mistake or by someone else.
5) I submitted an expedite request to NVC
Expedite requests for NVC cases can only be submitted to NVC. If your request is denied, NVC will notify you and all actions up to and including booking your visa interview appointment will be taken by NVC.
If NVC determine it is possible to expedite your case, your file will be forwarded to the Embassy and you will be required to continue processing through Embassy London. The case transfer can take up to six weeks. Once the Immigrant Visa Unit has received your case, they will contact you to confirm that you can begin the visa application process. You will then be required to complete the following steps:
- Complete Form DS-260 online (if you have not already done so).
- Obtain the supporting documents that you will need to take with you to your visa interview.
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Schedule a visa interview appointment through the Visa Appointment Service website.
- Attend your visa interview and pay your visa fee.
6) My application for Returning Resident status was approved and I have been notified I can now apply for an SB-1 visa
- Complete Form DS-260 online.
- Obtain the supporting documents that you will need to take with you to your visa interview.
- Book and attend a medical appointment with the Embassy’s panel physician in London.
- Register a new Visa Appointment Service account to book your visa interview. You will not be able to use the same account you used to book your initial Returning Resident appointment. Attend your visa interview.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You should follow all the application steps relevant to your case as soon as you can once you have been notified that you can take the next steps to apply for the visa. Check your postal mail and email (including any junk or spam folders) regularly throughout the visa application process.
Important: Petition approval does not guarantee visa issuance. No expedited or premium visa processing service is available. You should not give up employment or accommodation, resign from work, or make final travel or U.S. wedding plans unless you have received your passport containing a valid U.S. visa appropriate for your purpose of travel.
FAQ 1) How long do I have to apply for the visa?/Can I delay my application?
If you have been advised that you can begin the visa application process, we recommend that you do so as soon as possible. It is not possible to keep a visa application on file indefinitely.
If you are applying for an immigrant visa, you are given 12 months from the date you are notified about petition approval and visa application instructions in which to apply for the visa. If you are unable to do so, you will be contacted to explain how and when termination proceedings will begin if you remain unable to proceed with your case.
If you are applying for a fiancé(e) visa, you are given 12 months in which to apply for the visa. If you are unable to do so, the petition will be invalidated.
If you are applying for a Diversity Visa, please be aware that visas are issued to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the full quota for each country or the deadline for the year has been met, whichever comes first. The deadline for visa issuance is September 30. There can be no ‘carry-over’ of selection to another year.
FAQ 2) I've received a letter asking if I want to continue with my fiancé(e) visa application/I haven't received the IMBRA pamphlet/My K-1 petition is about to expire! What should I do?
We send all fiancé(e) visa applicants a letter if they have not applied for a visa within sixty days of the date on which the application instructions letter was sent. If you have received a letter and you do intend to proceed with your visa application, please follow the instructions outlined in section 3 above as soon as possible.
You have 12 months from the date on which the application instructions letter was sent in which to apply for the visa. You do not need to be concerned if your petition expires before your interview takes place. To revalidate the petition, take to your visa interview a signed letter from your petitioner confirming that you remain legally free to marry and that you will do so within 90 days of your arrival in the United States.
If you did not receive the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) pamphlet about rights and protections for fiancé(e)s and spouses of U.S. citizens and LPRs, you do not need to be concerned. It is available online or your can request a copy during your visa interview.
FAQ 3) What should I do if my address in the UK changes?
- If your UK residential address changes while your visa application is underway, please click here to submit a contact form to provide your new address.
- If you have registered your visa interview appointment and selected home delivery, you will also need to update your Visa Appointment Service account with your new address.
FAQ 4) What happens if I move to a different country? (how to transfer a case to another embassy or consulate)
Immigrant and fiancé(e) visa applications should be processed by the embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence. If you move abroad, you should contact the new embassy/consulate to ask that they request your case file from Embassy London through official channels. You should provide your full name, the petitioner’s full name, the case number, and your new residential address. Click here for a list of U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.
If your case transfer request is accepted, the transfer process typically takes at least six weeks and may take longer. When the transfer is complete, the new embassy or consulate will contact you with application instructions. Please be aware that you will be required to undergo a medical examination even if you have already undergone a medical with the panel physician in London.
FAQ 5) What should I do if I move to the UK? (how to transfer a case to Embassy London from another embassy or consulate)
Immigrant and fiancé(e) visa applications should be processed by the embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over your place of residence. Once you have moved to the UK, click here to contact Embassy London’s Immigrant Visa Unit with:
- The full name and date of birth of each visa applicant
- The full name of the petitioner
- The visa category
- The visa applicant’s UK residential address
- The case number
- A scanned copy of the completed Form G-28 (if the applicant is represented by an attorney or agent)
- Evidence of the visa applicant’s status in the UK such as the biographical data page of a UK passport, the biographical data page of an EU passport plus evidence of settled status, or a visa and/or passport stamp indicating leave to remain in the UK
If your case transfer request is accepted, the transfer process typically takes at least six weeks and may take longer. When the transfer is complete, you will be contacted with application instructions. You will be required to undergo a medical examination with the Embassy’s panel physician in London even if you have already had a medical elsewhere.
FAQ 6) What if my proposed address in the U.S. changes?
- You will be required to provide your U.S. address when you complete your application form and when you attend your medical appointment. You may give a friend or relative’s address if you don’t know your permanent address yet.
- If your proposed address in the U.S. changes before you move to the United States, you should inform the immigration officials at the U.S. Port of Entry when you travel to a U.S. Port of Entry to apply for admission to the U.S. with your immigrant or fiancé(e) visa.
- If your U.S. address changes after you have entered the U.S. but before your Permanent Resident Card (‘Green Card’) is issued, you should contact USCIS as soon as possible.
FAQ 7) I do not want to apply for a visa anymore. How can I withdraw my application?
Your petitioner must send a signed letter asking to withdraw the petition filed in your name to: Immigrant Visa Unit, Embassy London, 33 Nile Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US, UK.