After Your Visa Interview
If more information is needed
Sometimes a consular officer cannot render 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 needed, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that specifies the additional documentation you must submit. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the embassy (via email or through our authorized service provider, as instructed).
Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days, but that time frame may vary according to the circumstances of the case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 60 days after your interview.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Kingston
Visit the website of our approved service provider for information on visa document courier services. Do not mail or courier documents to us by any other means.
What happens after visa approval
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – Your passport, visa, and documents will be returned to you via courier at the address you selected when you registered with our authorized service provider (Step 1). We will place your visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling or other 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, also carry those with you to the United States.
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 immigrants exempt from paying this fee are children entering on the United States on IR-3 or IR-4 (adoption) visas, returning residents, and persons traveling on fiancé(e) (“K”) visas.
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 printing. 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 may 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.
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