Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova.
If you received your interview appointment from the National Visa Center (NVC) or Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), you do not need to register online.
If you are applying for a K1 visa, you must schedule your own interview appointment using our online service.
You must first create a profile and must wait 24 hours after payment. If you wish to cancel or reschedule your K1 appointment, please keep in mind that K1 petitions are valid for only four (4) months.
For all visa applicants, except K visas, as soon as you receive your interview appointment you must schedule a medical exam in Moldova. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for the contact information of the designated clinic in Moldova. Please schedule and attend the medical exam before your interview.
If you are applying for a K1 visa, you must schedule your medical exam before you can schedule your visa interview. The consular section will send you instructions by email after we receive your approved K1 petition at the embassy.
It is important that you bring all required original documents (and simple photocopies – for K1 and DV applicants only) to the Consular Section on your interview day. For family-based visas, please submit the originals of the same documents that have been uploaded into the CEAC. You can find instructions on page 3. DV applicants are required to submit all documents to the Consular Section in advance of their interview. One family member should drop off all necessary documents at 15:30 on the Monday before your scheduled interview. If Monday is a holiday, you should submit the documents one week prior to your visa interview (on Thursday at 14:30). We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Failure to bring all required documents may impact the Consular Officer’s ability to interview you and will seriously delay the issuance of your visa.
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, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with the clinic listed below before your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.
Approved clinic:
To schedule a medical appointment with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), please visit their website at www.med.iom.md.
IOM Chisinau
36/1, Ciuflea str.
MD-2001 Chisinau
Republic of Moldova
Phone: +373-22-232-515 or 233-188
Email: chisinauops@iom.int or chisinaumed@iom.int
Items to bring to your medical examination
Bring the following items to your medical exam:
You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician. The medical examination fee is a separate fee and is not included in the Immigrant Visa Fee.
During the medical exam
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older). The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants two years of age and older. 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 via cdc.gov.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant visa vaccination requirements are available via cdc.gov.
Important: All applicants must complete the COVID-19 vaccine series and provide documentation of vaccination to the panel physician in person before completion of the medical examination. Information on required COVID-19 vaccination is available via cdc.gov.
After the medical exam
When your examination is completed, the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope OR for cases processed under Modernized Immigrant Visa (MIV) process - electronically. If you received an envelope DO NOT OPEN IT. Instead, bring it to the Consular Section, according to the provided instructions.
Any x-rays taken will be given to you. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays (or the CDs with the examination results) to your visa interview unless you suffer from tuberculosis (TB). However, you must carry the x-rays with you when you travel to the United States for the first time. The medical report must be less than six months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.
Please use the list below to determine the items that every applicant must bring to the embassy on the interview day. Failure to bring all required documents may impact the Consular Officer's ability to interview you and will seriously delay the issuance of your visa.
Any documents that are not in English, Romanian, or Russian must be accompanied by a certified English translation:
A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).
Unexpired passport valid for six (6) months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States and (for DV applicants only) a simple photocopy of the bio page.
Two (2) color photographs of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm). Please review our online photo requirements.
Confirmation page of Form DS-260 Application for an Immigrant Visa (for DVs and IVs) or DS-160 (for K1s) you submitted online at ceac.state.gov/iv or https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.
Your original birth certificate and (for DV applicants) a simple photocopy.
Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).
If you do not receive an envelope, your medical examination result will be transferred to the Consular Section electronically.
Applicants who fall into any category listed in italics below should bring these additional documents on the interview day:
For family-based visa applications:
If you are married: Your original marriage certificate (DV applicants must also provide a photocopy).
If you were previously married: Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate (K1 and DV applicants must also provide a photocopy).
If you are a Moldovan citizen and single, divorced, or widowed: The original certificate of civil (marital) status is required for applicants 18 and older. (K1 and DV applicants must also provide a photocopy).
If you are older than 16 years of age: The original DETAILED Moldovan police certificate and police certificates from countries of previous residence. If these three items are all true, you must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview:
For information on obtaining police certificates from countries of previous residence please this website.
Evidence of the ongoing relationship between the petitioner and visa applicant. Evidence varies, but all submissions must be dated and identified what it is, including photographs, letters, emails and other communication, joint bank accounts and property, joint insurance policies, etc. All evidence should be brought on the interview day.
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 (English translation is a must) and (for DV applicants) photocopies.
If you have served in any country’s military: Military records and (for DV applicants) a photocopy.
If you are adopted: Adoption papers or custody documents, English translations, and (for DV applicants) photocopies.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, and (for DV applicants) a photocopy along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
Please make sure you have uploaded in your CEAC the following:
The appropriate Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (and I-864A) for each financial sponsor along with the sponsor’s IRS transcript or most recent U.S. federal income tax return, and any relevant W-2s. If the petitioner has low or no income, a Joint Sponsor should be found who can meet the requirements in the federal U.S. Poverty Guidelines for 2022.
Proof of U.S. petitioner’s status and domicile in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, lawful permanent resident card, lease contract(s) or utility bills).
Submitting documents to the U.S. Embassy
The documents listed in the Pre-Interview Checklist, must be submitted to the Consular Section at 103 A. Mateevici Street on the day of your interview appointment.DV applicants are required to submit all documents to the Consular Section in advance of their interview. One family member should drop off all necessary documents at 15:30 on the Monday before your scheduled interview. If Monday is a holiday, you should submit the documents one week prior to your visa interview (on Thursday at 14:30).
If the embassy requests additional information or documentation, you must submit those documents at a TNT Express office. This web page explains how to submit your documents for delivery to the embassy.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please send an e-mail to ChisinauVisas@state.gov. For K visas, please visit ustraveldocs.com. There may be a significant wait time before the next available appointment, so please attempt to attend the date already assigned. For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you were scheduled by NVC. DV applicants should be aware that visas are numerically limited and must be issued the same month the interview has been assigned and by September 30 of the program year. If applicants decide to reschedule, 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 request to reschedule your interview.
Security screening procedures
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy 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. We strongly recommend that you do not bring large bags, I-pads, PCs, or other electronic devices.
Accompanying persons
Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview. Only the following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
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 in U.S. dollars or local currency. We accept cash and credit cards only. Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. A complete list of fees can be found via travel.state.gov.
Do not make travel plans outside of Moldova
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. We will contact you by e-mail and you will collect your passport from the Consular Section any Tuesday or Thursday at 15:00 at the Consular Section (except for Moldovan and U.S. official holidays).
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 information 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 or how they should be scanned into the applicant’s CEAC. Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 60 days after your interview. In order to limit delays to your application, please bring all required documents on the pre-interview checklist to the interview.
What happens after visa approval
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. 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. Applicants processed under MIV will not be receiving a travel packet. This means that you will be able to travel and enter the US with your passport and visa only. A travel packet will not be handed to the MIV applicants. All relevant documents will be available to the Immigration Officer electronically.
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. It is in addition to the Immigrant Visa Fee you paid before your interview. 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 fiancé (K) visa.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the medical examination date. Please verify your visa validity once you receive your passport. 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. Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to avoid losing 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. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Please consult USCIS’s and CBP’s websites for rules about what documents you need to re-enter the country. We also recommend you check with the airline to ensure you are in compliance with their rules. 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 – In the United States, children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school. We recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. If your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custody papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will need these papers (translated into English) 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 “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” online.
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview and gather the required documents. DV applicants are required to submit all documents to the Consular Section in advance of their interview. One family member should drop off all necessary documents at 15:30 on the Monday before your scheduled interview. If Monday is a holiday, you should submit the documents one week prior to your visa interview (on Thursday at 14:30). Failure to bring all required documents may impact the Consular Officer’s ability to interview you and will seriously delay the issuance of your visa.
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 the embassy prior to the visa interview:
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.
Failure to have listed an existing spouse or children at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery will result in the denial of your visa and visas for your family. Any fees paid to the U.S. government in support of your visa application(s) are nonrefundable. If you failed to include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements via travel.state.gov.
Last Updated: 3/22/2023
103 Mateevici Street
Chisinau MD-2009
Republic of Moldova
