Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.

Step 1: Register a document return address

You need to provide an address where we can return your passport to you after your visa interview. Click the “Register” button below for information on how to provide your document return address online or by telephone.

Register >>

Step 2: Schedule a medical exam in South Korea

As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in South Korea. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in South Korea. Please schedule and attend a medical exam 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. Embassy can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the hospitals listed below before your visa interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.

Approved Physicians:

SEOUL

Gangnam Severance Hospital
(Visa Medical Center)
Dogok-ro 235, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
(Visa Medical Center, 1st floor)
Tel: 02-2019-1209
Reserve online: gs.iseverance.com
(Korean Language Only)

Saint Mary's Hospital
63 Ro 10, Youngdeungpo-Gu, Seoul
Tel: 02-3779-1521
Reserve online: cmcsungmo.or.kr
(Korean Language Only)

Seoul National University Hospital
Daehak-Ro 101, Jongno-Gu, Seoul
Tel: 02-2072-4918

Yonsei Severance Hospital
Yonsei-Ro 50-1, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul
Tel: 1599-1004
Reserve online: sev.iseverance.com
(Korean Language Only)

PUSAN

Haeundae Paik Hospital
Haeundae-Ro 875, Haeundae-Gu, Pusan
Tel: 051-797-0369

Items to bring to your medical examination

The doctor will need the following items to complete the medical exam forms:

• Your visa interview appointment letter,
• Your passport,
• Five (5) recently taken passport-sized color photographs,
• A copy of your immunization records, and
• Your current email, address and zip code; intended U.S. address with zip code; and prior countries of residence.

Any medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid at the hospital. The range of medical examination fees at panel physician hospital is as follows: 310,000 – 397,091 for age of 15 or older; 160,000 – 345,000 for ages between 2 and 14; and, 135,000 – 220,000 for age 1 or younger depending on the procedures or tests determined to be necessary by the panel physician. Vaccination fees are additional.

During the medical exam

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 here.

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

After the medical exam

The physician will give the medical report and chest X-ray to you in a sealed envelope. DO NOT OPEN the medical report envelope. Instead, bring it to your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. The medical report is valid for six (6) months. If a CLASS B TB condition exists, it is valid for three (3) months from the time the evaluation is complete. The validity of your immigrant visa will be limited to the validity of your medical examination.

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Pre-Interview checklist

Please use the list below to determine the items that the applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview:

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.

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.

Confirmation page from your online registration with our passport return service.

Your original birth certificate, English translation, and a photocopy. NOTE: If you were born in Korea, submit both the Basic Certificate and Family Relation Certificate with “Detailed” information issued within one (1) year for each applicant. This video explains more about the acceptable Basic Certificate and download translation sample here.  This video explains more about the acceptable Family Relation Certificate and download translation sample here.

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. 

• 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 visa applicant (such as photographs, letters, or emails).
  

If you are married:  Your original marriage certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.  NOTE: If you are of Korean nationality, submit a Marriage Relation Certificate with "Detailed" information and English translation. This video explains more about the acceptable Marriage Relation Certificate and download translation sample here.

If you were previously married:  Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate, English translation, and a photocopy.  NOTE: If you are of Korean nationality, submit a "Marriage Relation Certificate (Detailed)" and English translation.

If you are older than 16 years of age: You must obtain a police certificate from your country of nationality and your country of current residence if your presence there was for six (6) months or more after age 16. Police certificates from other countries are required if your stay was for 12 months or more after age 16. You can find police certificate requirements for various countries online. If you have ever been arrested, court records with English translations should also be submitted

For employment-based visa applications: Letter from your U.S. employer dated within six months.

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. Custody documents.

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Interview Guidelines

Sending Documents to the U.S. Embassy

If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us directly. Instead, submit those documents to Ilyang Logis, which will deliver your documents to the Embassy. To view Ilyang Logis document drop-off locations, click here. (Information is only available in Korean.)

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact our Visa Information Service. 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. 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. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview. Please check the security regulations on our website.

Accompanying persons

The following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:

• Interpreter: Applicants may bring ONE interpreter if they do not speak English or Korean 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.

Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview.

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 (dollars or Korean won), U.S. Postal Money Orders, or "Logoed" credit/debit cards: Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Novus/Discover. Personal checks are not accepted. A combination of U.S. dollars and Korean won 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 South Korea

If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport. We will return your passport to you later via courier services only. If you have to travel within South Korea while your passport is still with us, please make sure you have a valid picture ID other than your passport.

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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 Embassy.

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 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 $165.00 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 months from completion of the medical exam. If a Class B TB condition exists, the visa is valid for three months from the time the evaluation is completed. 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. Children who turn 21 years old after visa issuance must enter the United States before they turn 21 years old; otherwise they will lose 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. 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.

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Diversity Visa

Currently, citizens of South Korea are not eligible to apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. This includes persons born in South Korea, regardless of their current country of residence or nationality.

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