Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador.
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. During this visit, we will ensure you have all the required documents, collect your fingerprints, accept your photos, and verify your passport information. This process helps reduce your waiting time and increases the likelihood that your application can be approved on the day of your interview.
You do not need to schedule an appointment for Document Review. Please visit the embassy between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the same afternoon as your medical examination. Do not come on Friday afternoons, U.S. or Salvadoran holidays, or any day the embassy is closed to the public. If your medical exam is on a Friday or when the embassy is closed, visit the embassy between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the next business day.
Second Visit: Visa Interview
Your second visit to the embassy is for your visa interview. This interview will take place on the date and time scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC). If you do not complete Document Review before your interview date, you may need to reschedule your appointment.
You must register your visa interview appointment on the Visa Information and Appointment Services website. Complete this step before scheduling your medical appointment, which must happen before your consular interview.
The online registration allows us to collect the information needed to return your passport. After registering, you will receive an IVR number. You need this number to schedule your medical exam. If you have questions about your IVR number, call our contact center at 2113-9025 (from El Salvador) or (703) 988-3615 (from the United States).
Make sure to provide a phone number in El Salvador and an updated email address. We will use this information to contact you during the process.
To begin registration, click the "Register" button below.
Once the National Visa Center (NVC) gives you an interview appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in El Salvador with an authorized Panel Physician. Schedule your exam at least 3 weeks before your visa interview through the website: doctorvisa.org.
Before scheduling your medical exam, you must complete the online profile registration process explained in the Medical Exam Instructions. If you do not schedule your medical exam on time, your visa interview may need to be rescheduled.
Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of approved doctors’ offices in El Salvador.
The consular section will review your immigrant visa case and contact you if any documents are missing, such as original divorce decrees, marriage or birth certificates, or tax forms. We will email you instructions on how to scan and upload the missing documents.
After your medical exam, the panel physician will instruct you to visit the U.S. Embassy the same afternoon between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. (Monday–Thursday) to complete Document Review. If your medical exam is on a Friday or when the embassy is closed, visit the embassy between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the next business day.
Review the Pre-Interview Checklist below for a detailed list of documents you must bring to your Document Review and interview. If you do not bring the required documents, your application will be delayed.
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, must complete a medical exam before a visa can be issued. Only physicians accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. You are responsible for scheduling your medical exam with one of the doctors listed below. Schedule your exam at least three weeks before your visa interview (or two weeks for children under 14). Medical exam results from other physicians will not be accepted.
To schedule an appointment, visit the website: doctorvisa.org. You will need your online profile registration number to complete the required fields. Make sure your contact information is accurate, as the panel physician’s clinic will email and call you with confirmation and instructions for your medical exam.
You must pay all medical exam fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, directly to the examining physician. Panel Physicians only accept cash payments. The basic fee is approximately $447 per person. Additional fees may apply for required vaccinations, extra x-rays, or follow-up tests. These costs depend on your medical condition and are the applicant’s responsibility.
DR. JUAN GUILLEN
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 03-A, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
DRA. MAGDALENA MANCIA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 11, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
DRA. MARÍA JOSÉ HERRERA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 12, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
DR. ROBERTO ZELAYA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 03-B, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
DRA. MARGARITA CHICA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 13, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
Bring the following items to your medical exam:
Items to take into consideration on the day of your exam:
Scope of the Examination:
All immigrant visa applicants must complete a medical exam with an approved panel physician. The exam follows guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and includes:
Bring your vaccination records to the exam, along with any relevant medical records. This includes information about current prescription medications, such as drug names, doses, and how often you take them.
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 8 years of age or older). In 2024, the United States began requiring additional TB testing for all applicants 2 years of age and older. The embassy-approved physician will give you a referral to an approved x-ray clinic and/or serologic testing laboratory if required that you take these tests. The approved laboratory is:
Healthcare Laboratorio Clínico
Calle Llama del Bosque, Edificio Valencia, 1er Nivel, Local No. 1, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
Phone: 2246-1524, 2246-1527, 2246-1528
Be ready to discuss your medical history, current medications, and ongoing treatments. For more details about medical requirements for U.S. immigrants, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
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 on the CDC's Website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements.
Authorized physicians may recommend follow-up evaluations with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or additional tests for certain health conditions based on your medical exam results. These follow-up processes can take 3, 6, 9, or 12 months to complete.
These additional steps may require extra payments and could delay your immigrant visa process. If your medical exam expires during this time, you may need to repeat it.
After your medical exam, the doctor will send the results directly to the U.S. Embassy. You will receive the vaccine and x-ray report, but YOU DO NOT NEED TO bring them to your interview.
Your medical report must be less than six months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.
Below is a checklist of documents you must bring to your medical exam, Document Review session, and visa interview. Review the list carefully and prepare the required documents based on your visa category and case details.
FOR APPLICANTS PROCESSING ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): PLEASE BRING THE EXACT ORIGINAL OF ALL DOCUMENTS YOU UPLOADED INTO CEAC AND LIKEWISE ENSURE THAT YOU UPLOAD ALL THE DOCUMENTS YOU WILL BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT INCLUDING RECENT POLICE CERTICATE. IF YOU DO NOT BRING THE EXACT DOCUMENTS TO YOUR INTERVIEW, YOUR CASE WILL BE DELAYED
You must present the following documents on the day of your interview:
A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).
Unexpired passport. Your passport must have at least 6 more months of validity. Please also bring any unexpired passport and any previous passports used to travel to the United States, including all U.S. visas previously issued to you.
One (1) color photograph of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm, or 2-inch x 2-inch). Please review our online photo requirements.
All applicants must present their original birth certificate.
NOTE: If the petitioner is your parent, sibling, son/daughter: If you, your sibling, or your son/daughter were registered months after your/their birth or you/your parents made a change one year after your/their birth, you must present your/their infant footprints that were taken in the hospital when you/they were born and the baptismal certificate (only if the parent's name appears in the document). You can also include photos.
If you are petitioned by your spouse: You must present your original marriage certificate.
If you are petitioned by your spouse: You must present any original divorce decree for your petitioner or yourself if applicable. Please note that some city halls in El Salvador may no longer issue separate divorce decrees. In place of a divorce certificate, a divorce would be annotated on the margins of the original marriage certificate stating that the marriage has been cancelled per judicial declaration or administrative resolution.
If you are petitioned as an Unmarried Son or Daughter: You must present any original divorce decree if you have been married before.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, and original divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
NOTE: If the previous relationship ended due to the death of a spouse: You must present the ex-spouse’s original death certificate.
All applicants 18 years old and above: You must present the Police Certificate named: Solvencia de la Policía Nacional Civil. Please note that if you obtain a new police certificate and your case is electronic, you MUST upload the new copy in your Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).
NOTE: If you lived in another country for more than one year: You must present the Police Certificate from that country.
Financial documents: I-864 form version as applicable (I-864, I-864 A, I-864 EZ, or I-864W), W2 and/or 1099 forms as applicable (1099-G, 1099-R, 1099-SSA, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, or W2G), IRS transcripts.
NOTES:
If you are under the age of 14: You must be accompanied to the interview by your biological mother or father, a legal guardian, or a special attorney. They must present proof of legal custody or personal care of the minor or a special power that entitles them to accompany the minor to the interview given by the biological father or mother.
If you have served in any country’s military: You must present your military history.
For employment-based visa applications: You must present your employer's letter with the job offer.
If you are adopted: You must present the original documents of the adoption process.
If the petitioner is your father: If you were registered months after your birth or your parents made a change one year after your birth, you must present your infant footprints that were taken in the hospital when you were born and the baptismal certificate (only if the father's name appears in the document). You can also include photos.
If you have been detained in or deported from the United States at any time: You must attach all documents related to your immigration processes, including the deportation order, the voluntary deportation order, and any court documents.
If you were in the United States illegally and were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or political asylum: You must submit all applications for TPS/asylum, any approval or denial documents, and cards issued to the applicant. Claims of TPS or political asylum will not be acknowledged without complete documentation – the burden of proof of legal status in the United States is on the applicant.
Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying).
If you have ever been arrested: You must bring all court records from these arrests. If you were arrested in El Salvador, you must request the “Copia Simple” of the criminal proceedings from the relevant court.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador
If you need to send us documents, do not mail them directly to the embassy. Instead, visit our online Visa Information Center (telephone numbers in the yellow box next to step 1) and ask for information on courier services.
Please note that any original documents you submit as part of your visa application will not be returned. They will become part of your case file. If you need your documents returned, include a letter requesting their return when you submit them.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you cannot attend your appointment, visit our online Visa Information Center or call the phone numbers listed in the yellow box next to Step 1 to select a new appointment date. Keep in mind that there may be a long wait for 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 during the month of your scheduled appointment. Rescheduling your interview does not guarantee that a visa will still be available. Review the Visa Bulletin carefully before deciding to reschedule.
Please note: Rescheduling is only possible on a date after your assigned appointment.
Security screening procedures
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador must follow security procedures. Telephones and other electronic devices are not allowed inside the embassy. If you bring prohibited items, you will need to store them at your own expense, and payment must be made in cash.
Visitors who refuse security screening will not be allowed to enter the embassy. To avoid delays for yourself and others, bring only the items required for your interview.
There is no parking available for visa applicants at the embassy. Please arrive no more than 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
Accompanying persons
Attorneys are not allowed to accompany clients into the waiting room or during the interview. Only the following individuals may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
Accessibility
Arriving & Parking
There is no parking available at the Embassy for applicants. However, if you have any mobility limitations (use of a wheelchair, walker, advanced pregnancy, etc.) you may be allowed to park temporarily in the visitors parking lot to facilitate your access to the Embassy’s pedestrian entries. Please take into consideration that your vehicle will not be allowed to remain in the visitors’ parking lot.
Wheelchair Availability
The embassy has a limited number of wheelchairs available at the pedestrian entrances. If you need a wheelchair, inform the guards when you arrive. Please bring someone to assist you throughout the process.
Access to the embassy
A parent/legal guardian or escort may accompany a minor or an applicant in need of special assistance due to medical reasons such as hearing, mobility, or visual impairments. Please let our embassy employees know so we can take reasonable steps to accommodate our process to your needs.
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. All fees must be paid in U.S. dollars. We accept cash and credit cards only (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club). We do not accept personal checks. 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.
A consular officer will decide on your visa application only after reviewing your formal application and conducting your interview. 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 travel plans until you have received your immigrant visa.
Do not make travel plans outside of El Salvador
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 (see Step 1).
If more information is needed
A consular officer may not be able to decide on your visa application immediately if additional documents are needed or if your case requires further administrative processing.
If more documents are required, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter or send you an email with instructions on how to submit the documents to the embassy.
Before asking about the status of your case, wait at least 60 days after submitting the requested documents.
Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 90 days. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 90 days after your interview.
What happens after visa approval?
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet
Your immigrant visa will be placed on a page in your passport. Check your visa carefully to ensure there are no spelling errors.
You will also receive a sealed envelope with documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. If you received X-rays during your medical exam, bring them with you and give them to U.S. immigration authorities.
Do not open that envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage.
FOR APPLICANTS WHO PROCESSED THEIR CASE ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE PASSPORT WITH THE VISA.
USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals issued immigrant visas overseas must pay a $235 Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before traveling to the United States. This fee covers the processing of your residency status and the printing of your Permanent Resident Card.
Payment is made online, and instructions will be included with your passport and visa packet.
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.
FOR APPLICANTS WHO PROCESSED THEIR CASE ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): YOU WILL RECEIVE THE PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS WITH YOUR PASSPORT.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before your visa expires, which is usually six months from the date of your medical exam. Visas cannot be extended, and all fees are nonrefundable.
The principal applicant must enter the United States before or at the same time as family members traveling on visas. Children issued a visa before turning 21 must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to keep their immigrant status, unless they qualify under the Child Status Protection Act.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, or green card, will be mailed automatically to the U.S. address you provided in your visa application. This card is an important document that proves you are authorized to live in the United States.
If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives, check the USCIS’s and CBP’s websites for information on the documents you need to re-enter the country. Also, confirm the airline’s requirements before traveling.
Once your green card is issued, do not stay outside the United States for more than one year. Staying abroad for more than a year will result in losing 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 because 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.
Last Updated: 11/14/2025
Boulevard Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlan
San Salvador, El Salvador
