All immigrant visa applicants, including children under 14, must appear in person for an interview.

Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau.

Note to Macau Residents: When traveling to Hong Kong for your visa interview, use your Macau ID card at the immigration checkpoints. You should also obtain a “Declaration Form for Holders of Macau Special Administrative Region Permanent Resident Identity Card to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” from Macau Immigration before boarding the ferry for Hong Kong. This document will allow you to depart Hong Kong without your passport after your visa interview.

Step 1: Register online

You must register your address online with our courier service in order to expeditiously receive your passport after the interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” button below, then choose “Select Document Delivery Address” under the Immigrant Visa header. If you need to update this information, you will be able to do so after your interview.

Register >>

Step 2: Get a medical examination in Hong Kong

As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical examination in Hong Kong. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in Hong Kong. Please schedule and attend a medical examination with one of these doctors before your interview.

Medical Exam Instructions >>

Step 3: Complete your pre-interview checklist

It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Please print the checklist below and bring it to your interview along with the listed documents.

Pre-Interview Checklist >>

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 General can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the doctors listed below before your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Consulate General. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.

Approved physicians:

Dr. Nicolson & Associates
14/F. Wing On House
71 Des Voeux Road Central
Central
Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 2507-1075
Email: drsnicolson@ump.com.hk

Drs. Anderson & Partners
(Quality HealthCare Medical Centre)
805-806 Wai Fung Plaza
664 Nathan Road, Mongkok
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Telephone: (852) 8200-8825
Email: booking@qhms.com

Items to bring to your medical examination

Bring the following items to your medical examination:

• Your visa interview appointment letter with your name and case number,
• Your passport or travel document,
• Five (5) recently taken passport-sized color photographs,
• Medical records and prescription information for any medical treatment you are currently receiving,
• Your prescription eyeglasses and/or hearing aids (if applicable), and
• A copy of your immunization records.
• DS-260 confirmation page

Any medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid directly to the examining physician. There will be additional fees if you require vaccination or follow-up x-rays or examinations. Please click here for a list of current fees.

During the medical examination

The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and 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.  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 here.

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 here. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements online.

In addition to the preceding vaccinations, effective October 1, 2021, a vaccination for COVID-19 will be required for all applicants who wish to immigrate to the United States. Either of the COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are acceptable to fulfill this requirement. Applicants are encouraged to obtain COVID-19 vaccinations in advance of their medical screening.

After the medical examination

When your examination is completed, the doctor will provide you with examination results in a sealed package 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. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays 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 (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.

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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 English 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 a photocopy of the biographic page (where your name and photo are located). Please also bring any previous travel documents with expired and/or current U.S. visas. We cannot accept passports or travel documents only stating the applicant's birth year or an incomplete date of birth. Applicants must obtain a new document reflecting the complete year, month, and day of birth prior to visa issuance. 
  
  
• Identity cards for Hong Kong, Macau and/or your place of residence and photocopies of each card. 
  
  
• Two (2) color passport-size 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.

• Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).

• Your original birth certificate, English translation, and a photocopy. Birth certificates must be issued by a government office from the country of birth. Applicants who were born in mainland China must obtain their birth certificates from the Chinese Notary Public Office. If you are unable to obtain your birth certificate, you should present written evidence from the issuing government authority that the certificate does not exist or is unobtainable (such as a Certificate of No Birth Record for applicants born in Hong Kong) AND secondary evidence such as a Certificate of Registered Particulars from the Hong Kong Immigration Department in lieu of the birth certificate.
  
  
• If you are adopted: Adoption papers or custody documents, English translation, and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you are married: Your original marriage certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
  
  
• If you and/or your petitioner were previously married: The original divorce certificate(s) or spouse's death certificate(s) for all previous marriages from you and your petitioner, English translation, and a photocopy of each document.
  
  
• If you are older than 16 years of age: Police certificates are required from your country of current residence and countries of previous residence. Hong Kong police certificates will be sent directly to the consulate. You must apply for a police certificate at least six (6) weeks before your visa interview. If certificates from other countries are required, bring the original police certificate and a photocopy to the interview. If these three items are all true, you must obtain a more recent police certificate to the interview than what was previously submitted to NVC:
  
  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 you left mailand China after 1949 and were at least 17 years old at the time of your departure, you must obtain a police certificate from the Chinese Notary Public Office.
  
  
• If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court records and/or court transcripts (e.g. Certificate of Trial from the court in Hong Kong) as well as criminal records (e.g. Brief Facts of Case from the Hong Kong Police Force), English translation, and a photocopy of each document.
  
  
• If you have served in any country's military: Military records, English translation, and a photocopy.
  
  
• Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying).

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. If the income of the sponsor's spouse is being used on the Affidavit of Support, the spouse must complete Form I-864A.
  
  
• Proof of your U.S. petitioner’s status and domicile in the United States (photocopy of both sides of the Lawful Permanent Resident card I-551, Certificate of Naturalization, or U.S. passport).
  
  
• Proof of your own personal assets if the sponsor's income is not sufficient to meet the U.S. poverty guidelines.  You must complete Form I-854A if using your own assets.
  
  
• Evidence of the relationship between the petitioner and visa applicant (such as photographs, letters, emails, remittance receipts, joint assets, school records, etc).

• If you are the petitioner’s stepchild:  The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, English translation, and a photocopy along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.

For employment-based visa applications:

• Notarized letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago stating the position and salary, and evidence to show the education and/or work experience required for the position.

For investment-based applications:

• Documents related to the source of funds invested in the U.S.

Notice about civil documents from the Philippines:

All civil documents from the Philippines, including birth, adoption, death, marriage, and annotated marriage certificates indicating annulment, must be issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on official security paper. All applicants born in the Philippines or who carry a passport issued by the Government of the Philippines and who are over the age of 16 must submit a Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR) issued by the PSA and printed on PSA security paper.

The CENOMAR can be ordered through the PSA E-census website at psaserbilis.com.ph/Census/CENOMARCertificate and sent directly by the PSA to the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong at 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong. We are unable to accept this document if received directly from the applicant during their interview; applicants can expect delays in visa processing if we do not receive their CENOMAR directly from the PSA.

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Interview Guidelines

Confirm your appointment with the U.S. Consulate General

Upon receipt of your appointment notification from NVC, you must reconfirm your NVC or KCC-assigned appointment at least one calendar week in advance of the scheduled appointment date in order to hold your slot.  If you do not confirm before that deadline, your slot will be released to others waiting for an appointment.  If you do not reconfirm in time but would still like to pursue your IV case, you must write to visahk@state.gov to request a new slot.  Please note that you must do so within one year of your originally-scheduled appointment date in order to keep your case alive.  Please also note that you may not be scheduled immediately for a new appointment but must join the queue of those waiting for slots to open up.

Sending documents to the U.S. Consulate General

If you need to send us any additional documents after your interview with a consular officer, please DO NOT mail them to us directly. Instead, bring the items to an SF Express courier office.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact us using our online Visa Inquiry Form. 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 became available within 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 in Hong Kong and Macau 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.

Accompanying Persons

Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview. The following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:

• Interpreter:  Applicants may bring ONE interpreter if they do not speak English, Cantonese or Mandarin 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 either the National Visa Center or via the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview. Fees may be paid in cash in U.S. or Hong Kong dollars, or by credit/debit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club and Discover). Personal checks are not accepted. A combination of U.S. dollars and Hong Kong dollars will not 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 here.

Do not make travel plans outside of Hong Kong

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. If you live in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories, Lantau, Chek Lap Kok or Ma Wan, we will return your passport to you later via courier services. For other locations, applicants must collect their immigrant visa packets from the SF Express office in Macau, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwun Tong or Wanchai.

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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. 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.

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 vaccination records during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities. 

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.  

When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six (6) months from the date of your medical examination.  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 Untied 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 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 - Additional Information

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. 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:

• Appointment information printed from the “Entrant Status Check” on the E-DV website.
• Documents showing that you have either a qualifying high school education OR have two (2) years of qualifying work experience in the last five (5) years immediately prior to application (for the principal applicant only; more information is available online).
• Payment in cash or credit card (U.S. or local currency) for the Diversity Visa Application Fee for each visa applicant.

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 online.

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Medical Examination Fee Schedule

This list covers most of the charges associated with the medical examination process.  The examining physician may, at his/her discretion, require additional X-rays or tests to evaluate your medical condition(s). You are responsble for payment of these costs, which will be in addition to those associated with the basic examination.

General medical examination fees

All fees are in Hong Kong dollars.

Vaccination fees

All fees are in Hong Kong dollars and reflect the price per shot.