This document is intended for immigrant visa applicants in Havana, Cuba. follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba.

Interview Instructions (English) | Interview Instructions (Spanish) (PDF)

Step 1: Schedule a medical exam

Schedule your medical exam as soon as you get your appointment date. Use an accredited physician in Cuba. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for details on how to schedule your exam. Make sure to complete your medical exam before your interview.

Medical Exam Instructions >>

Step 2: Complete your pre-interview checklist

Bring all required original documents to your interview. Use the detailed checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. Print the checklist and bring it, along with the listed documents, to your interview.

Pre-Interview Checklist >>

Step 3: Review interview guidelines

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

Interview Guidelines >>

Medical Exam Instructions

Every immigrant visa applicant must complete a medical exam before a visa can be issued, no matter their age. Only physicians accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. You must schedule your medical exam with one of the approved doctors listed below before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Exams from other hospitals will not be accepted. See the information below for scheduling instructions and the list of approved hospitals.

Approved Physicians/Hospitals

To review or print the list of approved hospitals please download the document at the link below:

OFFICIAL LIST OF HOSPITALS FOR THE IMMIGRATION MEDICAL EXAMINATION (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

During the medical exam

The medical exam includes a review of your medical history, a physical exam, chest X-ray, syphilis and gonorrhea tests, and blood tests (for applicants 15 and older). Applicants aged 2 and older must also complete tuberculosis (TB) testing. Be ready to discuss your medical history, current medications, and any treatments you are receiving. For more details on medical requirements for U.S. immigrants, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website.

Immigrant visa applicants must get certain vaccinations before a visa can be issued, as required by U.S. immigration law. You can find the list of required vaccines on CDC.Gov. For more information, visit Travel.State.Gov to read Frequently Asked Questions about the medical exam.

After the medical exam

After your medical exam, the hospital will send your results directly to the Embassy, either electronically or physically, depending on your case. You don’t need to take any further action. If x-rays are taken, they will be given to you. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays to your visa interview unless you have tuberculosis (TB). However, you must carry the x-rays with you when you travel to the United States for the first time. Your medical report must be less than six months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.

back to top

Pre-Interview Checklist

Please use the list below to determine the items that every applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview. Any documents that are not in either English or Spanish must be accompanied by a certified English translation:

• A copy of your National Visa Center (NVC) interview letter (does not apply to fiancé(e) applicants).
  
  
• Unexpired passport valid for six months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States and a photocopy of the biographic page (where your name and photo are located).
  
  
• Two (2) color photographs of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm, or 2 inch x 2 inch).  Please review our online photo requirements.
  
  
• Confirmation page from the Form DS-260 Application for an Immigrant Visa you submitted online at ceac.state.gov/iv.
  
  
• Your original birth certificate and a photocopy.
  
  
• Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if the principal applicant is not accompanying).
  
  
• Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).

Applicants who fall into any category listed in italics below should bring these additional documents:

For family-based visa applications:

• 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 (Wage and Tax Statement).
  
  
• Proof of your U.S. petitioner’s status and domicile in the United States (photocopy of a U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, or lawful permanent resident card).
  
  
• Evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and principal visa applicant (such as photographs, letters, or emails).
  
  
• If you are married: Your original marriage certificate and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you were previously married: All of your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you are older than 16 years of age: The original police certificate from your country of current residence and countries of previous residence for more than one year.
  
  
• 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, and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you have served in any country’s military: Military records, English translation, and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you are adopted: Adoption papers or custody documents, English translation, and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, and a photocopy along with original divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.  

back to top

Interview Guidelines

Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy

Bring original documents to your visa interview. Do NOT mail original documents to the embassy ahead of your interview.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you cannot attend your appointment, visit our Consular Navigator at here and follow the instructions to request a new appointment. The wait time for the next available appointment may be long, so try to attend your originally scheduled date if possible.

Rescheduling your appointment does not guarantee a visa will still be available. For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa may only be available during the month you were scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).

Security screening procedures

All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Havana must follow security procedures. If you refuse screening by embassy security personnel, you will not be allowed to enter. Large bags and electronic devices, including mobile phones and smartwatches, are not permitted inside. You may bring a small handbag or a plastic bag with your application-related documents. To avoid delays for you and others, bring only what you need for your interview.

Accompanying people

Attorneys are not permitted to go with clients into the waiting room or to their interview. However, the following people may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:

• Sign Translator: Applicants with hearing impairment may bring ONE sign translator to participate in an interview.
• Special Needs Visitors: Applicants may bring ONE person to help if they are elderly or disabled.
• Minors: Anyone accompanying a minor child who is not a parent must have written consent from the petitioner or parent to accompany the child.
• Petitioners: The petitioner may attend for IR1, F2A, and K1 visa applicants only.

Immigrant visa fees

If you have not paid all required fees to the National Visa Center, you must be prepared to pay them on the day of your interview.

Fees can be paid in U.S. dollars. Please note that visa application fees are non-refundable, even if you are found ineligible for a visa. For a full list of fees, visit our Fees for Visa Services webpage.

Do not make travel plans 

If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy to process your immigrant visa and print the visa in your passport. Once the visa is printed, we will return your passport and any applicable travel documents.

A consular officer can only make decisions about a visa application after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. Approval is not guaranteed. Do not sell your house, car, or property, resign from your job, or make non-refundable travel plans until you have received your immigrant visa.

back to top

After Your Interview

If more information is needed

A consular officer may not be able to decide on a visa application immediately if additional documents are needed or if the case requires administrative processing. If more documents are required, the officer will give you a refusal letter with instructions on how to submit the documents to the embassy.

Administrative processing takes extra time after the interview. Most cases are resolved within 60 working days, but the timeline can vary depending on the case. Please wait at least 60 working days after your interview before asking about the status of administrative processing.

What happens after visa approval

Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – Your immigrant visa will be placed on a page in your passport. Check your visa carefully to ensure there are no spelling errors.

Some applicants will also receive a sealed envelope with documents for U.S. immigration authorities. Do not open this envelope. Carry it with you and do not pack it in your checked luggage.

If you received X-rays during your medical exam, bring them with you and provide them to U.S. immigration authorities if required.

USCIS Immigrant Fee – If you are issued an immigrant visa, you must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before traveling to the United States. This fee covers the processing of your residency status and the printing of your Permanent Resident Card. The following individuals are exempt from this fee:

-Children entering the United States through the Hague Process
-Returning residents
-Fiancé(e) (K) visa holders

When to Travel – You must enter the United States before your visa expires, which is usually six months from the date of your medical exam. Visa expiration dates cannot be extended, and all fees are nonrefundable.

The principal applicant must enter the United States before or at the same time as any family members traveling with visas.

Children issued a visa before turning 21 must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to keep their immigrant status, unless they qualify for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act.

Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card (green card) will be mailed automatically to the U.S. address you provided in your visa application. This card is an essential document that proves your permission to live in the United States.

If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives, check the USCIS’s and CBP’s websites for information on the documents required to re-enter the country. You should also confirm with your airline to ensure you meet their requirements.

Once your green card is issued, do not stay outside the United States for more than one year. Staying abroad for over a year will result in losing your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.

Children’s Issues – In the United States, children must have certain vaccinations to enroll in school. Bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you.

If your child is adopted, you have full custody due to a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, bring a copy of all relevant adoption or custody documents issued by the appropriate authority in your home country. These documents, translated into English, may be needed for school enrollment, medical care, and future citizenship processes.  

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.

back to top

Embassy of the United States of America, Havana, Cuba
Consular Section

Dear Applicant,

We are pleased to inform you that your case has been transferred to the United States Embassy in Havana. You must arrive half an hour earlier than your listed appointment. SECURITY NOTICE: Please provide some valid ID and DO NOT bring any bags or electronic equipment as such items may not be brought into the Embassy compound.

To prepare for your interview, please read and follow the instructions carefully. You must print and bring this letter to your medical screening appointments.

1. If you are not sure whether your consular fee was paid, bring US $325.00 in cash for each applicant.
   
   
2. You must bring the following original documents to your interview (translations or copies are not required):

• Passport: The passport must have at least six months’ validity starting from the date the visa is issued.
  
• Photos: Two (2) color photos taken within the last six months. Visit the following Department of State webpage for photo instructions: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html
  
• Birth Certificate of the Beneficiary (visa applicant(s)) and Petitioner.
  
• Marriage Certificate;
  
• Divorce Certificate;
  
• Death Certificate (if applicable);
  
• Police Certificate or Records: All applicants aged 16 and over must bring police certificates. Applicants who have resided abroad for more than 12 cumulative months in another country must obtain a police certificate from that country; and
  
• Form I-864: This form is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/i-864.
• Form I-864A (if required): This form is available at: https://www.uscis.gov/i-864a

The most recent IRS Tax transcripts and W2 forms are available on: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.

Please review the following instructions for scheduling and attending the required medical examination:

MEDICAL EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS

Information and scheduling: For information on medical exams, or schedule an appointment, you may contact the corresponding panel physician hospital by phone, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. To know what hospital you must perform your medical examination at, please download the document at the link below:

OFFICIAL LIST OF HOSPITALS FOR THE IMMIGRATION MEDICAL EXAMINATION (PDF) | Spanish (PDF)

Before making the phone call, please make sure you have the following information:

• Full name
• Cuban ID number
• Case ID (HAV) as it appears on the interview letter
• Home address (as it appears on your ID)
• Personal phone number
• Visa interview appointment date

IMPORTANT: You must schedule your medical examination appointment at the corresponding hospital according to your type of case and province of residence, as it appears on you Cuban ID. Applicants must fast for blood tests.  Only the hospitals that appear on the updated official list are the authorized panel physician exam facilities in Cuba, and the embassy will not accept exams by other physicians.

Documents to bring for your medical exam:

• Identity card or minor identification booklet;
• Vaccination card with updated vaccination history;
• Passport;
• One (1) digitized passport photo taken within the previous six months on a white background, saved on a flash drive;
• Appointment letter from the U.S. Embassy;
• Immigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-260) confirmation page.

Fees and Form of Payment:

Fees

• Applicants age 18 and over:               280 USD.
• Applicants age 2 to 17 & 364 days:    140 USD.
• Applicants under age 2:                      Free of charge

Forms of Payment

• Debit card issued by a Cuban bank.
• Cuban or international electronic payment via Transfermóvil or online payment platform.

You must pay on the day of your medical examination.  Cash payments are not accepted.

If you need information or assistance with a consular service, please visit our Consular Navigator at the link below. Please follow instructions on the Consular Navigator exactly.  If you do not follow these instructions exactly, including the correct subject line according to your specific case, your email will automatically be deleted.

U.S Embassy Havana Consular Navigator

Sincerely,
Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Embassy Havana

back to top

K1/K3 Visas – Special Instructions

To All K-1 & K-2 Visa Applicants

After the National Visa Center sends your I-129F petition to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba you need to schedule your visa appointment.

You can schedule an appointment via email [email protected] or by phone: 7 839 4152.

On the day of the interview, the applicant should arrive at the park located on the corner of Calzada and K streets near the U.S. Embassy at 7:00 AM with the required documentation and fee. For current K visa filing fees, please visit the USCIS website. If you need further information, please send an email to [email protected].

back to top