Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Please schedule your medical exam in Kuwait no earlier than two (2) weeks before your appointment date for your immigrant visa interview. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” link below for a list of designated doctor’s offices in Kuwait. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of these doctors before your 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 below approved panel physician at least 10 days before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.
Approved physicians
New Mowasat Hospital
Yousef Bin Homoud St., Block 2
Salmiya, Kuwait
Contact person for appointment or inquiries:
Immigration Reception: 1826666 ext. 2349, medical@newmowasat.com
Mr. Said Hussini: 97261773, shussini@newmowasat.com
Clinic Working Hours: 1200h – 1500h, Saturday to Thursday
Bring the following items to your medical exam:
Processing your medical examination report will take at least two (2) weeks after your examination. Your immigrant visa interview will be conducted even if your medical examination report is not ready yet. However, we cannot issue a visa without a satisfactory medical report. Please note that your medical report must be less than six (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant. The validity of your issued immigrant visa will be based on the expiration date of your medical exam, generally six (6) months, but sometimes only three (3) months. We strongly recommend scheduling your medical exam no earlier than two (2) weeks before your immigrant visa interview.
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). Tuberculosis (TB) testing is required 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 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant vaccination requirements for U.S. Immigrants is available on the CDC Website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements via travel.state.gov.
When your examination is completed, if your case was designated as paperless and processed electronically, then the doctor will send the exam results electronically to the embassy. If your case was not electronic, then the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or deliver them directly to the U.S. Embassy. 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.
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).
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.
Your original birth certificate, 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:
If you are married: Your original marriage certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you were previously married: Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are older than 16 years of age: The original police certificate from your country of current residence and any countries where you previously resided for more than one (1) year after the age of 16. (Please note that Kuwait issues police clearance certificates only if you resided longer than six months in Kuwait and are age 18 and above.)
For employment-based visa applications: Letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one (1) month ago confirming the employment offer, including terms and conditions of employment.
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, English translation, and a photocopy along with divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City
If the U.S. Embassy requests additional information or documentation from you, the consular officer will provide instructions on how to submit those to the embassy.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please email kuwaitiv@state.gov. 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.
Arriving at the embassy and 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. You may not bring mobile phones, pagers, cameras and other electronic devices into the embassy. You will need to leave a photo ID (such as your Kuwaiti civil ID) with the embassy guards before entering the consular section. Please do not leave your passport with them. The embassy is located in Bayan (block 13) near the intersection of Routes 206 (Khaled bin Abdul Aziz Street) and 302 (Masjed Al-Aqsa Street). We have a 120-car parking lot for your convenience; however, spaces fill up quickly. Please arrive 30 minutes before your interview. Go to Window #1 or #2 at the embassy’s front gate.
Accompanying Persons
U.S. citizen petitioners are not required to be present at the immigrant visa interview. 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. Please provide the embassy with the names and dates of birth of any escorts before your interview date; they will need to show photo ID to enter our building:
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. All fees may be paid in either U.S. dollars or the Kuwaiti dollar equivalent. 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 travel.state.gov.
Do not make travel plans outside of Kuwait
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet and print your visa, usually within five (5) business days or less. Unless otherwise instructed by the consular officer, the embassy will contact you by phone or e-mail to pick up your passport and visa package from Window 2 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the U.S. Embassy’s front gate. You do not need to enter the consular section. If you have to travel from Kuwait while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.
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.
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 explains what is needed. Once you have the requested information, please bring it to Window 2 at the embassy’s front gate any working day from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Ramadan: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.). Include the refusal sheet you receiving at your visa interview, your full name, date of birth, and case number. The consular officer will review your documents and inform you by telephone or e-mail of the next step, e.g. issuance of visa or a request for additional information. 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. If your immigration paperwork is NOT paperless/electronic, we will 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. Pkease note: If your immigration paperwork is electronic/paperless, you will not receive a sealed envelope from us. If you receive X-rays 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 or the date of your medical exam – whichever is shorter. 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 the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) applies, children who turn 21 years old after visa issuance must enter the United States before they turn 21; otherwise they will lose their immigrant status. The consular officer will advise you if CSPA applies to your child’s case.
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. Do not travel outside of the United States until you receive your Permanent Resident Card. 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 – Children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school in the United States. Therefore, we recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. Additionally, if your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with the child’s other parent, we recommend that you bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custodial papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will likely need these papers (translated into English) in the United States 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 of the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview, 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:
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: 2/16/2023
Bayan, Block 13
Masjed Al-Aqsa Street
Kuwait City, Kuwait
