Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Important Update:
You will visit the embassy at least twice during the immigrant visa process. Once to complete Document Review and a second visit for your visa interview.
First Visit: Document Review & Biometrics
Your first visit to the embassy is for Document Review to ensure you have all necessary papers, collect fingerprints, submit photos, and verify passport information. This process will reduce the time spent in our waiting room and – more importantly – significantly increase the chance your application can be issued on the day of the interview.
You do not schedule an appointment for Document Review. Come to the embassy between 1:00pm and 2:00pm on the same Tuesday or Thursday afternoon as your medical examination, except on U.S./Trinbagonian holidays, or if the embassy is otherwise closed to the public. If your medical examination occurs when the embassy is closed, you must visit the embassy on either Tuesday or Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 2:00pm to complete Document Review.
Second Visit: Visa Interview
Your second visit to the embassy is for your actual visa interview and occurs on the date and time scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC). If you do not complete Document Review before the day of your visa interview, you may be required to reschedule your visa appointment.
You need to register your appointment online. Registering your appointment provides us with the information we need to return your passport to you after your interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” button below to register.
Please also click the "Submit Documents" button to learn how to submit the necessary documents to the U.S. Embassy.
If you want to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you will be able to do so after you register your appointment.
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in Trinidad and Tobago. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in Trinidad and Tobago. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of these doctors before your interview.
It is important that you bring all required original or notarized documents to your interview. You must have computerized polymer birth, marriage, and death certificates for Trinidad and Tobago civil documents.
Following your medical exam, the panel physician will provide instructions to visit the U.S. Embassy the same Tuesday or Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 2:00pm to complete Document Review. If your medical exam occurs when the embassy is closed, please visit the embassy between 1:00pm and 2:00pm on the next available Tuesday or Thursday to complete Document Review.
Please review the Pre-Interview checklist below for a detailed list of the documents you need to bring to your Document Review and interview. Failure to bring required documents will delay your application. At the time of the interview, the visa officer may request or require additional documents.
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa 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 the doctor listed below before your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted. Please note family members following to join the principal applicant should not complete the medical examinations even if they are listed on the appointment letter.
Dr. Renata Pooran
23 Lucknow Street
St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Tel: 622-7032 or 628-7500
Fax: 628-8112
Email: us.embassy@renandltd.com
Hours:
Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri: 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Thursdays: 7:30 am – 1:00 pm
1st and 3rd Saturdays: 8:00 am – 12 noon
You should bring the following items to your medical exam:
Please schedule your medical exam at least two (2) weeks before your visa interview. You must pay all medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician.
The fee for the medical examination is as follows:
| ADULTS (18 years to 24 years) $1600 TTD / $235.00 USD |
| ADULTS (25 years - 44 years) $1000.00 TTD / $147.00 USD |
| ADULTS (45 years and over) $800.00 TTD / $118.00 USD |
| CHILDREN (0 years - 17 years) $800.00 TTD / $118.00 USD |
IMPORTANT: Immunization fees and fees for any additional tests are charged separately.
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, 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 via cdc.gov.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant visa vaccination requirements are available via cdc.gov. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements via travel.state.gov.
When your examination is completed, the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or send them dierctly 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.
At the conclusion of the medical, you should proceed to the consular section at the Embassy for your Document Review.
Below is a list of documents that you will need to bring to your Document Review and to your visa interview. Please review the checklist and prepare your documents according to your visa category and if they are applicable on your case. The embassy will send you an email if any of these documents are missing from your case file, you will need to gather all mentioned documents and bring them to your interview.
FOR APPLICANTS PROCESSING ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): PLEASE BRING THE EXACT ORIGINAL OF ALL DOCUMENTS YOU UPLOADED INTO CEAC. IF YOU DO NOT BRING THE EXACT DOCUMENTS TO YOUR INTERVIEW, YOUR CASE WILL BE DELAYED.
Also, during the performance of your medical examinations you will be given a list with the necessary documents for the day of your interview according to your visa category.
Please use the list below to determine the items that the applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview. Any documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation:
APPLICANTS WHO FALL INTO ANY CATEGORY LISTED IN ITALICS BELOW SHOULD BRING THESE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS:
For family based visa applicants:
If you are married: Your original marriage certificate, and a photocopy.
Original birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying).
If you were previously married: Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate, and a photocopy.
If you are 16 years of age or older: The original police certificate from your country of previous residence. If you previously submitted a police certificate to NVC, it is more than (1) year old, and you still live in that country, you must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview.
For employment-based visa applications: A letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one (1) month ago.
For Healthcare Workers only: The original and one (1) copy of the VisaScreen certificate issued by the International Commission on Healthcare Professions.
If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Original court and criminal records, and a photocopy.
If you have served in any country’s military: Original military records.
If you are adopted: Adoption papers 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 divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
If you have applied for any benefit, such as change of status or asylum, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or have been the subject of any enforcement proceedings such as deportation or removal by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Bring all documents pertaining to these matters to the interview.
The U.S. Embassy Port of Spain requires the new polymer, computer-generated civil documents issued by the Registrar General. These include Trinidad and Tobago birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates. All previous versions of these civil documents will not be accepted. Please ensure that you have your updated documents prior to your scheduled immigrant visa interview in order to avoid any delays in visa processing.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain
If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us. Instead, visit our online customer service center and ask for information on courier services.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please email ptsiv@state.gov to request a new appointment date. There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment. For some preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you have been scheduled by NVC. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please consult the Visa Bulletin before you decide to reschedule your interview.
Security screening procedures
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain 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. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview. You should enter the embassy at the Marli Street entrance. You may not bring bags, cell phones or other electronic devices into the embassy. Please review the full security measures on our website via tt.usembassy.gov.
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:
Immigrant visa fees
If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview. Immigrant visa applicants DO NOT pay fees at Scotia Bank. All fees, including the Diversity Visa Application Fee, may be paid in either U.S. dollars or Trinidad and Tobago dollars at the prevailing embassy exchange rate. We accept cash and credit cards (Visa or MasterCard) only. We do not accept personal checks or LINX cards. 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 via travel.state.gov.
Do not make travel plans outside of Trinidad and Tobago
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet (if necessary) and print your visa. Your passport will be returned after printing via courier services only. If you have to travel within Trinidad and Tobago 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.
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 embassy. Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within60 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 errors. Some applicants will also be given 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, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities.
Applicants whose case is electronic, will not be given a sealed immigrant packet. You will only require your immigrant visa in your passport, and your X-rays (if received from your medical examination) to travel. These documents are to be given 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 fiancé(e) (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 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.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.
IMBRA – Information on the Legal Rights available to Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in the United States and Facts about Immigrating on a Marriage–Based Visa. You can read here: Rights and Protections for Foreign-Citizen Fiancé(e)s and Spouses of U.S. Citizens and Spouses of Lawful Permanent Residents (state.gov)
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 must also complete document review prior to their KCC scheduled interview. 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.
Your DV interview appointment
Please be aware that Diversity Visas are limited in number and must be issued by September 30 of the program year. If you cannot attend your interview and need to reschedule, there is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview.
Last Updated: 4/26/2023
15 Queen’s Park West
Port of Spain
Trinidad and Tobago
