Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
You need to register your appointment online. Registering your appointment provides us with the information we need to return your passport to you after your interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” button below to register. Each passport holder applying for a visa must register their passport pickup location with Turkish Post (PTT) before coming to the Embassy at: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-tr/iv or calling +90-850 390 2884 (or 703-520-2490 from inside the United States).
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in Turkey. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in Turkey. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of these doctors before your interview.
It is important that you bring all required original and translation documents to your interview. We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Please carefully review the checklist and interview Guideline before your interview to avoid any delays.
Additional Instructions for Iranian Applicants >>
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, are required to undergo a medical examination by one of the medical doctors or clinics on the following list. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. Medical examination results from other physicians are not accepted.
It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the doctors listed below before your interview at the U.S. Embassy. Failure to complete your medical exam before your visa interview may result in processing delays.
Each applicant is required to show his/her passport as identification at each step of the medical examination process. In some cases, an applicant may need a follow-up examination.
Once the medical exam is completed, the panel physician will electronically send the medical report to the Immigrant Visa Unit.
Note: Fiancé(e), Diversity and Following-to-join Asylee visa applicants receive a sealed medical report which should not be opened prior to the interview.
Medical exam instructions can be found at: tr.usembassy.gov
Approved Physicians:
Dr. Mehmet Ungan
Dr. Handan Ungan
Atatürk Bulvarı 237/44-45, Ankara
Emails: drungan@doctorun.com, doctorun@doctorun.com, or mungan@duzen.com.tr
Website: www.doctorun.com
Hours: Monday to Friday: 09:00-19:00, Saturday: 9:00-13:00
Items to bring to your medical examination
The doctor will need the following items to complete the medical exam forms:
Charges for the physical examination and other required tests are to be paid by the visa applicant directly to the examining physician’s practice. Total standard fee is $270, which includes the blood test, urine test, chest x-ray, gonorrhea testing and the physical examination. If further testing is needed additional fees my apply, like sputum smears and culture testing for TB, drug screening test, pregnancy test, etc. Vaccination fee varies from $20 to $200 depending on age and vaccines required.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants ages two (2) years to fourteen (14) years of age must undergo the medical examination at least four (4) work days prior to their scheduled appointment at the embassy. Failure to do so may result in processing delays or rescheduling of initial appointment.
During the medical exam
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and (for applicants 15 years of age or older) chest x-ray, gonorrhea test, blood test and urine test. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing. More information on general medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. Instructions and procedural guides direct panel physicians who conduct immigrant visa medical examinations to verify that applicants have met the vaccination requirement, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive them. Current immigrant vaccination requirements are available on the CDC website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about medical examination requirements online.
In order to assist the panel physician and avoid delays in the processing of your visa, all immigrant visa applicants should have their vaccination records available for the panel physician’s review at the time of the medical examination. Visa applicants should consult with their regular health care provider to obtain a copy of their immunization record, if available. If you do not have a vaccination record, the panel physician will work with you to determine which vaccinations you may need to meet the requirement. Certain waivers of the vaccination requirement are available upon the recommendation of the panel physician. Only the panel physician can determine which of the listed vaccinations are medically appropriate for you, given your age, medical history and current medical condition.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Immunization records and other test results from Iran will not be accepted.
After the medical exam
When your examination is completed, the doctor will either provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or send them directly to the U.S. Consulate. IF GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TO CARRY TO YOUR INTERVIEW, DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE. Instead, bring it to your visa interview.
Any x-rays taken will be given to you on a CD. You DO NOT need to bring the CD to your visa interview unless you suffer from tuberculosis. However, you must carry the x-rays with you when you travel to the United States for the first time.
The panel physician will give you a copy of Form DS-3025, which is U.S. Department of State vaccination documentation worksheet. An original will be in your sealed medical package to take to the embassy. Please DO NOT lose your copy of the vaccination documentation sheet. You should make several copies of your Form DS-3025 vaccination sheet because various U.S. authorities will need it after you arrive in the country.
Your medical report must be less than six (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant. The validity of your visa will be limited to the validity of your medical report. Medical reports classified as “Class B1 (TB)” are valid for three (3) months from the date the doctor signed the report. All other medical reports classified as “No apparent disease or defects” are valid for six (6) months after the doctor’s signature date. Expiration date of your medical examination is on the right upper corner of the four-language information sheet attached to your medical package.
If your case is subject to further administrative processing, or if the processing of your file is delayed due to missing documents, the medical report may expire before your visa is issued. In that case, you would be required to renew all components of the examination and submit a new medical report to our office before you receive your visa.
Please refer to the list at: https://tr.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/pre-interview-checklist/ to identify the documents that you must upload to your online application and/or bring with you to the interview. To help avoid delays or a refusal, make sure that you carefully review the interview guidelines for your immigrant visa category and follow the instructions.
The National Visa Center attempts to collect documents for all files assigned to Ankara. Some files take an extended amount of time, and some documents can expire before your visa interview. In that case, you must bring (and for electronic PIVOT cases upload) updated documents to your interview.
Remarks **Uploading/Scanning Documents: If your case is electronic/paperless (PIVOT), all required documents listed below must also be uploaded/scanned to your file in the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at https://ceac.state.gov/IV. Failure to upload these documents will cause processing delays. If you need guidance on uploading/scanning your documents, instructions can be found at: https://tr.usembassy.gov.
Please visit the Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country to learn more on the civil documents for each country how to obtain them.
Pre-appointment Document Checklist
For Immigrant Visa Applicants: Complete the DS-260 “Immigrant Visa Electronic Application Form” for each applicant (spouse, children, etc.). The DS-260 is available at: https://ceac.state.gov/iv/default.aspx
By filling out Form DS-260 (the online immigrant visa application form) accurately and completely, the process will be faster. The applicant's entire employment history is needed, not just the past 10 years. Responses such as "retired" or "self- employed" without an explanation of where the applicant worked will lead to delays. In addition, exact dates of every trip (not just the year) to the United States must be provided. If the applicant stayed more than 6 months in the United States on a tourist visa, he/she must bring to the interview proof that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security granted an extension of stay. Administrative processes can take six months or more.
Reminder: IR-5 visas (parents of U.S. Citizens) are for individuals only. Separate files and documents are required for each parent. Children under age 21 of IR-5 applicants do not qualify to immigrate on their parent's petition.
Applicants who fall into any category below should bring these additional documents:
For family-based visa applications:
1. You are older than 16 years;
2. You obtained a police certificate more than two years ago; and
3. You still live in the country that issued the police certificate.
If any applicant has lived in any other foreign country for more than 12 months, where a police certificate is available or was arrested for any reason, regardless of how long they lived there, a police certificate is also required from that country. Please visit travel.state.gov for information regarding other country police certificates.
For employment-based visa applications: Letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.
If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court and criminal records, and a photocopy. If any applicant has been arrested, charged, convicted, or imprisoned in any country, you must obtain a certified copy of each court record and any prison record. Court records should include complete information regarding the circumstance surrounding the crime of which you were convicted and the disposition of the case, including sentence or other penalty or fine imposed. If the court document(s) is not in English, applicants should provide an English translation.
If you have served in any country’s military: If the applicant has ever served in the military of any country, they must obtain an original or certified copy of their military record. If the applicant is exempted, they must obtain an original or certified copy of their exemption.
If you are adopted and the application to immigrate is based on a parent-child relationship: Applicants must submit the following:
• An original or certified copy of the adoption decree.
• The legal custody decree if custody occurred before adoption.
• A statement showing dates and places where the applicant resided with the adoptive parent(s); and
• If the applicant was adopted when ages 16 or 17, evidence that they were adopted with, or after, the adoption of a natural sibling under the age of 16 by the same adoptive parents.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent. If the petitioner or applicant’s natural parent was previously married, the applicant must obtain evidence of the termination of every prior marriage.
If you are applying for a K Visa: After receiving notice of your case being sent to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, please send an email to AnkaraIV@state.gov and provide the beneficiary's email address, full name, and case number for timely processing of your application.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, you may request to reschedule your immigrant visa appointment 24 hours after the interview date passes through https://ais.usvisa-info.com. After you register your original appointment date on this web site please click on "group actions" menu and select "Missed my appointment" and "send request". Once we approve your request, we will provide you further instructions. If you are unable to attend your original appointment there may be a significant delay before the next available appointment.
Please note: You need to register your original NVC/KCC appointment online before you can reschedule it. Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.
If you already have a scheduled appointment and need to request an earlier appointment due to a medical or humanitarian emergency, please log into your account at the official U.S. Department of State Visa Appointment Service site https://ais.usvisa-info.com and select “Request Expedite” under “Group Actions” and detail the emergency.
For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you have been scheduled by NVC.
DV applicants should note that visas are numerically limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please carefully consult the Visa Bulletin before you decide to reschedule your interview
Updating required interview documents
The National Visa Center attempts to collect documents for all files assigned to Ankara. Some files take an extended amount of time and some documents can expire before your visa interview. In that case, you need to bring updated documents to your interview. Police certificates are NOT required from Iran. However, please note that documents related to military service in Iran are required.
If your case is electronic (PIVOT), you also need to scan/upload the required documents to your file in the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at https://ceac.state.gov/IV, your CEAC account on https://ceac.state.gov/ceac/. To see the uploading/scanning tips, please review the instructions on: https://tr.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/Uploading-to-CEAC-instructions.pdf
Security screening procedure
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara must follow certain security procedures. Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Embassy security personnel will be unable to enter the embassy. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview. Please arrive 15 minutes earlier than your scheduled appointment. Please read the US Mission Access Policy before you come to the Embassy. Please do not bring any prohibited items with you
Accompanying persons
The following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
Attorneys and petitioners are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview without prior approval from the consular section.
Immigrant visa fees
If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or via the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview.
All fees may be paid either in U.S. dollars or Turkish Lira via cash or credit card. Please bring exact change for each applicant. This fee is non-refundable, whether a visa is issued or not.
Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. You can find a complete list of fees at Fees for Visa Services.
Do not make travel plans to leave Turkey
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport.
Please note If your case is electronic/paperless: Previously all first-time immigrant travelers to the United States were required to hand-carry an Immigrant Visa (IV) packet and present it at the U.S. Port of Entry to the Customs and Border Protection authorities. In 2017, the Department of State began to use an online application center to collect, review, and process the required documents previously contained in the IV packet. IV packets are now transmitted electronically to Customs and Border Protection and are accessible at the U.S. Port of Entry. Any immigrant traveler carrying a visa with a special annotation (IV Docs in CCD) is not required to hand-carry an IV packet. We will return your passport to you later via Turkish Postal Office (PTT) courier services only to your registered PTT branch If you have to travel within Turkey while your passport is with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.
A consular officer can make a decision on a visa application only after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa. Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.
If more infomation is needed
Sometimes a consular officer is unable to make a decision on a visa application because he/she needs to review additional documents, or the case requires further administrative processing. When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the embassy.
If your application was denied because documentation or information is missing, you can provide the missing documents or information as soon as possible. After submitting the documentation, your visa application can then be processed to conclusion to determine whether you qualify for a visa. You have one year from the date you were refused a visa to submit the additional information. Otherwise, if you do not provide the required additional information within one year, you must reapply for the visa and pay another application fee.
If your application requires further administrative processing, this takes additional time after your interview. Processing times can vary based on individual circumstances
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara after the interview
Please send all of the missing documents along with your passports at once as soon as possible.
Documents may be submitted to the U.S Embassy via any courier service and must also be uploaded/scanned to your file in the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at https://ceac.state.gov/IV, for electronic/paperless cases. If you need help uploading your documents, please see the instructions at https://tr.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/Uploading-to-CEAC-instructions.pdf.
If you are registered with Turkish Postal Office (PTT), you may send documents via PTT. For more information on courier services, please visit our consular service provider at: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-tr/iv/information/courier.
If you need to upload any missing document, please do not request document review via e-mail unless you submitted all of the required documents and passport.
If your case requires further administrative processing, please send all of the missing documents along with your valid passport after receiving processing completed confirmation via email from the Embassy.
Once you provide the documents, a consular officer will review your case to ensure each applicant meets eligibility and admissibility criteria. You will receive a decision as soon as the reviewing is completed.
If you already submitted additional documents for your case as requested by the Embassy, please note that it takes an average of 5-10 business days for a consular officer to reassess your case. Due to the volume of mail received, you will not be notified of receipt of your documents unless we require additional information. Please refrain from sending multiple emails with the same inquiry. Once the additional information is evaluated, we will notify you of required further steps.
For any questions regarding the return of your passport or change of selected delivery option, please contact our Visa Service Provider at: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-tr/iv/information/contact_us. Further information on document delivery is available at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-tr/iv/information/courier.
Administrative Process
We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. If applicable, we will also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage. If you receive X-rays during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities.
Please note if your case is electronic/paperless: The Department of State began to use an online application center to collect, review, and process the required documents previously contained in the IV packet. IV packets are now transmitted electronically to Customs and Border Protection and are accessible at the U.S. Port of Entry. Any immigrant traveler carrying a visa with a special annotation (IV Docs in CCD) is not required to hand-carry an IV packet.
USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to traveling to the United States. This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. The only people exempt from paying this fee are: children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a K visa. Please refer to USCIS Immigrant Fee to make the payment.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the date of your medical exam. Your visa cannot be extended and all fees are nonrefundable. The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas. Children who turn 21 years after visa issuance must enter the United States before they turn 21 years old; otherwise they will lose their immigrant status.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you write in your visa application form. This is a very important document that proves you have permission to reside in the United States. Do not travel outside of the United States until you receive your Permanent Resident Card. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Children’s Issues – Children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school in the United States. Therefore, we recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. Additionally, if your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with the child’s other parent, we recommend that you bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custodial papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will likely need these papers (translated into English) in the United States for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship.
Information for New Immigrants – Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information on moving to the United States. You can read their publication https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/M-618.pdf "Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants".
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview; enroll in the required courier service; and gather the required documents. For more detailed explanation of qualification criteria and required documents please refer to “Instructions for Diversity Visas” at https://tr.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/visa-packages-forms/
Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.
Bring to your interview
In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-Interview Checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:
Proof of finances (assets, savings, job offer in the U.S. or U.S. citizen sponsor)
I-134 Affidavit of Support – In order to demonstrate qualification for entry at the time of visa adjudication, diversity visa applicants must demonstrate to a consular officer that they possess the financial resources to pay for reasonably foreseeable living and medical costs. Visa applicants must establish that they would not become a public charge after entering the United States. That determination is based on a consular officer’s assessment of the totality of the circumstances, including the age; health; family status; assets, resources, and financial status; and education and skills. Diversity Visa application fee: Please bring exact change in the amount of $330 U.S. dollars per applicant. You can pay in cash in TL or U.S. dollars, or by credit card. This fee is non-refundable, whether a visa is issued or not.
Review your DV Lottery entry
Prior to your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your initial E-DV entry. On your initial E-DV application, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married you must have listed your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her (unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident). Additionally, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country.
Primary applicants must have either a high school decree or two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform/an occupation in Job Zone 4 has an SVP range of 7.0 to < 8.0 (7.0 to less than 8.0). O*Net Online. This information and links were provided in your DV appointment letter.
If you do not meet one of these criteria or found ineligible for an immigrant visa on another ground, your application will be denied, and your application fee(s) will not be refunded.
COMMON DISQUALIFIERS INCLUDE:
• Providing inaccurate biographic information (name, date of birth, place of birth, passport number) at the time of entering the DV Lottery,
• Failure to list spouse and all children at the time of entering the DV Lottery. You must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country,
• Failure to choose a “Foreign State of Chargeability” to which you are not eligible at the time of entering the DV Lottery - For example, you were born in Iran, and you chose Turkey as your country of eligibility
• Failure to overcome public charge (e.g., you must provide evidence that you will not require U.S. government assistance during your transition to the United States)
You can review the eligibility requirements at Diversity Visa Process webpage.
This information is designed to prevent common problems faced by Iranian applicants. It is not a list of visa requirements.
Children’s issues
If a one-time-only exit stamp can be obtained for the child applicant, contact the embassy before the interview to make sure the file is complete to avoid a possibly lengthy wait in Turkey.
Last Updated: 3/21/2023
U.S. Embassy Ankara
1480 Sokak No. 1 Çukurambar
Mahallesi 06530 Çankaya,
Ankara, Türkiye
