ATTENTION: Since May 2024, the U.S Embassies Zagreb, Croatia; Bratislava, Slovakia; Ljubljana Slovenia; Nicosia, Cyprus; and the U.S. Consulate General Amsterdam, the Netherlands ceased all routine immigrant visa (IV) services. The U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt has been designated to conduct IV services for these posts in the following categories: immediate relative, family preference, employment based, fiancée/fiancé (K), follow-to-join asylees/refugees (V92/V93), and diversity visas (DV). For more information, visit the following website.

All applicants must follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt, Germany.

Step 1: Register for visa delivery

Registering provides us with the information we need to return your visa packet to you after your interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” button below to register.

Register >>

Step 2: Documents required

You must provide certain documents to the consulate on your interview day even if you previously submitted them to USCIS or NVC. We have created 3 checklists for IV, DV and K visa applicants that will tell you what to bring.

Document Checklist >>

Step 3: Get a medical exam

Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for more information about the examination and a list of designated doctors’ offices.

Medical Exam Instructions >>

Step 4: Review interview guidelines

Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.

Interview Guidelines >>

Medical Exam Instructions

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. Consulate can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule and attend a medical exam with one of our approved panel physcians. It is not necessary to have your medical examination completed prior to your interview but be sure to schedule the appointment at your earliest convenience and in consideration of your intended travel date. The medical exam report is only valid for six (6) months and your visa's validity will be limited to the expiration date of your medical exam.

Applicants for SIV visa should NOT schedule an appointment before the interview date as many special immigrant visa cases require additional administrative processing after the interview.

Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted. Making duplicate appointments with one or more of our designated physicians may result in all appointments being cancelled and in your visa process being delayed.

ATTENTION: IV Consolidation applicants (from Croatia, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Netherlands) should ideally complete their medical exam in their home country if a panel physician is present there. Additional medical exam info for IV Consolidation applicants, as well as a list of designated doctors’ offices, can be found here.

Approved Physicians in Germany:

BERLIN

Dr. Ilka Knur
Dr. Heiko Zürcher
Dr. Ingo Prack
Mrs. Rania Fahim-Jebrini
im Ärztehaus am Europa-Center
Nürnberger Straße 67
10787 Berlin
Tel: 030-212 80480
Email: gesundheit@praevenioberlin.de
Website: www.praevenio-berlin.de

FRANKFURT

Dr. Johannes Abel
Dr. Harald Schulte
Dr. Kerstin Jahn
Dr, Bernd Scheffler
Ulmenstraße 43
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Please book your appointment by using Doctolib and fill out all required forms in advance: https://www.internisten-im-westend.de/medical-visa/
Tel: 069/722222
Email: Anmeldung@Abel-Schulte.de
Website: internisten-im-westend.de

MUNICH

Dr. Karin Redlich
Hansastrasse 136
81373 München
Tel: +49-89-760 14 00
Website: https://praxis-dr-redlich.de/

HAMBURG

Internisten am Kolsterstern
Dr. med. Felix Thuneke
Dr. med. Simone Henne
Oderfelder Strasse 6
20149 Hamburg
Tel: +49-40-476086
Fax: +49-40-4605092
Email: praxis@klosterstern.info
Web: www.internisten-am-klosterstern.de

Items to bring to your medical examination

The doctor will need the following items to complete the medical exam forms:

• Your visa interview letter,
• Your passport or a copy of your passport’s biographic page,
• Four (4) recently taken passport-sized color photographs,
• A copy of your immunization records,
• Your medical history (disabilities, serious illnesses),
• If you are pregnant, a doctor's statement (Mutterpass) noting the anticipated delivery date, and
• DS-260 confirmation page from CEAC.

Any medical exam fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid directly to the examining physician.

During the medical exam

The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, chest X-ray 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, and Gonorrhea testing.  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's website.

U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant vaccination requirements are available on the CDC website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements at Travel.state.gov.

After the medical exam

When your examination is completed, the doctor will send the results to the consulate. Any x-rays taken will be given to you. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays 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 medical report must be less than six (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.

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Document Checklist

The document checklist for fiancée/fiancé (K) can be found here; for diversity visas (DV) please see below at the bottom of this page. 

Every visa applicant, no matter their age, must bring certain documents to the interview, including the original version of all civil documents submitted, plus one copy of each document to NVC. 

Please refer to the Document Finder to learn about the civil document requirements for each country. Our office accepts documents in English or German. All documents not in English or German must be accompanied by an English translation. Translations must be certified by a competent and registered translator.

On your appointment day, submit the following documents:

• A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).
• DS-260 confirmation: Form DS-260 completion confirmation page (Online Application for an Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration) that you submitted at CEAC.
• Passport: Your unexpired passport must be valid for six (6) months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States.
• Proof of prior U.S. visas: If you have been issued any type of non-immigrant visa to the United States (for example, tourist, student, or work visas) bring your passport containing the visa to your interview.
• Birth Certificate: You and each family member immigrating with you must obtain an original birth certificate or certified copy. The date and place of birth and parent(s) name(s) must be shown on the birth certificate. If you or any of your children were adopted, you must also submit a certified copy of the final adoption decree.
• Marital Status Documents (not required if never married): Marriage certificate if you are married. Legal termination of any prior marriages of the petitioner and the beneficiaries, e.g. divorce decree or death certificate of ex-spouse. 
• Police certificates: If you are 16 years of age or older, you must obtain police certificates from all countries you have lived in using below criteria:

Note: Present and former residents of the United States do NOT need to submit any U.S. police certificates.

Important: Police certificates expire after two years, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence, and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued.

All police certificates with an entry must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Court and Prison Records: If you were convicted of a crime, you must obtain a certified copy of each court and prison record, even if you were later granted amnesty, a pardon, or other act of clemency. English translations must be provided for all court and prison records.

Evidence of Financial Support:

• The appropriate Form I-864 Affidavit of Support for each financial sponsor along with a photocopy of the sponsor’s IRS transcript or most recent U.S. federal income tax return, and any relevant W-2s
• Proof of your U.S. petitioner’s (and if applicable) joint sponsor’s status and domicile in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, or lawful permanent resident card).

Biometric Photo: One color photograph for each applicant, regardless of age, is required (less than 6 months old, without glasses). Please write the applicant’s name on the back of the photograph. Further guidance is available on our website.

For employment-based visa applications: Original letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.

Petitioner documents:

• If you are applying for an IR5 visa as the parent of a U.S. citizen or for an F4 visa as the brother or sister of a U.S. citizen: You must obtain an original birth certificate for your petitioner, or a certified copy.
• If you are applying for an IR1, CR1, or F2A visa as the spouse of a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident and your petitioning spouse was previously married: You must obtain evidence of the termination of EVERY prior marriage your petitioning spouse has had. This evidence must be an original or certified copy of one of the following documents: FINAL legal divorce decree, death certificate, or annulment papers.

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Interview Guidelines

What to bring to your interview

On your appointment day, please bring the following items to your interview:

• Your visa delivery registration (see Step 1)
• All required documents pertaining to your case: originals plus one copy of each document (see Step 2)

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please email us at visa navigator. There may be a significant wait 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 number has been assigned for the month you have been scheduled by NVC. DV applicants should be aware 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.

Security screening procedures

All visitors to the U.S. Consulate must follow certain security procedures. Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Consulate security personnel will be unable to enter the consulate. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview. You should arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Please view our website for details.

Accompanying persons

The following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:

• U.S. citizen petitioners
• Interpreter: Applicants may bring ONE interpreter if they do not speak English or German well enough to participate in an interview.
• Special Needs Visitors: Applicants may bring ONE person to help if they are elderly, disabled, or a minor child.

Immigrant visa fees

If you have not paid all required fees to the National Visa Center, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview (except for K visas and SQ visas). All fees may be paid in U.S. dollars or Euro. We accept the following forms of payment:

• Cash: Either U.S. dollars or Euro.
• Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. No EC Cards are accepted.
• International Money Orders: American Express or U.S. Postal Service money orders made payable to “U.S. Department of State”
• Cashier’s Check / Banks checks:
  • Cashier’s check issued by an American bank in dollars; OR
  • Banks check issued by a German bank in dollars. Effective September 1, 2016, we no longer accept debit/cashier checks from DZ Bank or its affiliates.
  • All checks must be made payable to the appropriate American Consulate General or to the U.S. Embassy Berlin.
  • All checks must be machine-readable (i.e., have a coded line running along the bottom of the check).
  • Checks may be no wider than 10cm due to our machine-reader limitations.

No personal checks will be accepted. 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 at Travel.state.gov.

Do not make travel plans outside of Germany

If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the consulate while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport. Your visa packet will be mailed via the delivery method selected at Step 1.

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After Your Visa Interview

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 consulate.

Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. The timing for the administrative processing 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. 

What happens after visa approval?

Passport, Visa, and if applicable 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. 

Attention:

• If your case was processed as an electronic case and your visa contains the following annotation “IV DOCS IN CCD”, you will NOT receive a sealed envelope.
• All other visa applicants will receive a sealed envelope containing documents that they must give to U.S. immigration authorities when they 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. For all other applicants, the medical documents are submitted electronically on their behalf.

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 fiancé(e) (K) and SQ visas. 

When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa. 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. 

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 Once you become a lawful permanent resident 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 because of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custodial 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.

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Diversity Visa Applicants - Special Instructions

If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions (Step1 - Step 4) apply to you. Please schedule a medical examination prior to your visa interview and gather the required documents (originals plus one copy of each document).

Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants. 

Bring to your interview

In addition to the documents listed on the Document Checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:

• Appointment information printed from the “Entrant Status Check” on the E-DV website.
• Proof of qualifying education or work experience: Documents showing that you have either a qualifying high school education OR have two years of qualifying work experience in the last five years immediately prior to application (for the principal applicant only; more information is available online).
• Evidence of Financial Support: Assets, savings, job offer in the U.S. or U.S. citizen sponsor).
• Diversity Visa application fee: $330 Diversity per applicant. Please see above for acceptable payment options at the U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt

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 and your country of birth. 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 online.

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