U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria - SOF


Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria.

 

Step 1: Get a medical exam in Bulgaria

As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in Bulgaria. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” link below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in Bulgaria. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with one of these doctors before your interview.

Medical Exam Instructions >>


Step 2: Complete your pre-interview checklist

It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We have 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 3: Register your document delivery location

You must register online your document delivery location prior to your interview appointment. If your visa is approved your passport and visa will be returned to you via TNT at the address you provided at the registration.

 

Register >>


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 doctors listed below before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.

Approved Physicians:

VITA -Hospital
9 Dragovitsa Street
Sofia
Tel: 02-960-49-50 or 02-960-49-51
10 Filip Kutev St.
Tel. 02-45-22-000; 08899-22-000

Dr. I.C. Greenberg Medical Center
Sofia 1582, Druzhba-2
23A, Copenhagen Blvd.
Tel: 02-417-05-19 or 0898-776-812

Items to bring to your medical examination

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

  • Your visa interview letter
  • Your passport
  • Four (4) passport-sized (5 cm x 5 cm, face) color photographs
  • A copy of your immunization records
  • DS-260 Confirmation Page

Any medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid directly to the examining physician. More information is available here.

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

When your examination is completed, the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or send them directly to the U.S. Embassy. IF GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TO CARRY, TO YOUR VISA 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 months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant.

 

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Pre-Interview checklist

Please use the list below to determine the items that every applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview if not already submitted to NVC. Any documents that are not in either English or Bulgarian 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 at least 60 days beyond the period of validity of the visa. The immigrant visa is normally valid for a maximum of six (6) months from the date of the medical examination.
  • 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.

  • Your original birth certificate, and a photocopy.

  • Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).

  • Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying)

  • Certificate of Marital Status, Spouse and Children obtained from your local municipality. This document is required of all applicants over 18, regardless of their marital status – single, married, widowed or divorced.

Applicants who fall into any category below should bring these additional documents

For family based visa applicants:

  • 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).

If you are older than 16 years of age: 

  •  A Court Certificate from Bulgaria (svidetelstvo za sudimost). IMPORTANT: This document is only valid for six (6) months.

  • Police certificates are unavailable in Bulgaria. 

    • However, you must bring an original police certificate from your country of current residence (if not living in Bulgaria) if residence exceeds six (6) months, and from any countries of previous residence where you lived for one year or more since age 16. If these two items are all true, you must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview provided that:

      1. You obtained a police certificate more than two years ago and submitted it to NVC; and
      2. You still live in the country that issued the police certificate.
         
  • If you are married: Your original marriage certificate and a photocopy.

  • If you were previously married: All your original divorce or spouse’s death certificates and a photocopy.

  • If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court and criminal records, and a photocopy.

  • If you have served in any country’s military: Military records, and a photocopy.

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Interview Guidelines

Translation requirements


All documents that are not in either English or Bulgarian must be accompanied by a certified translation into English. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator that states the translation is accurate, and the translator is competent to translate.

Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy


If the embassy requests additional information or documentation, you may bring the documents to the main entrance of the embassy any business day from 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm, or send them to the following address: U.S. Embassy Sofia, ATTN: Immigrant Visa Unit, 16 Kozyak St, Sofia 1408.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please email iv_sofia@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. 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. DV applicants should be aware that visas are numerically limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year.

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.

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:

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

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 U.S. dollars or the equivalent amount in Bulgarian levs. 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 here.

Do not make travel plans outside of Bulgaria


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 Bulgaria 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.

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, which is usually six (6) months from the date of your medical examination. 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.

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 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.

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Diversity Visa Applicants - Additional Information

If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), please follow the instructions above to schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview. Then use the Pre-Interview Checklist below to determine which documents you must bring your interview.

Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.

Review your DV Program 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 Program 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 program, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements online.

Bring to your interview


Please use the list below to determine the items that every Diversity Visa applicant must bring to the visa interview. Any documents that are not in either English or Bulgarian must be accompanied by a certified English translation:

  • Appointment information printed from the “Entrant Status Check” on the E-DV website.

  • Unexpired passport valid for at least 60 days beyond the period of validity of the visa. The immigrant visa is normally valid for a maximum of six (6) months from the date of the medical examination.

  • Confirmation page from the Form DS-260 Application for an Immigrant Visa you submitted online at ceac.state.gov/iv.

  • Your original birth certificate and a photocopy.

  • Certificate of Marital Status, Spouse and Children obtained from your local municipality. This document is required of all applicants over 18, regardless of their marital status – single, married, widowed or divorced.

  • Medical examination results in a sealed envelope (if the physician gives you these results).

  • A high school diploma OR documents showing that you have two years of qualifying work experience in the last five years immediately prior to application (for the principal applicant only; more information is available online).

  • Payment in cash of the $330 Diversity Visa Application Fee.
     

If you are older than 16 yrs of age:

  • A Court Certificate from Bulgaria (svidetelstvo za sudimost). IMPORTANT: This document is only valid for six (6) months.

  • Police certificates are unavailable in Bulgaria.

    However, you must bring an original police certificate from your country of current residence (if not living in Bulgaria) if residence exceeds six (6) months, and from any countries of previous residence where you lived for one year or more since age 16. If these two items are all true, you must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview:

    • You obtained a police certificate more than one year ago; and
    • You still live in the country that issued the police certificate.
       
  • If you are married: Your original marriage certificate and a photocopy.

  • If you were previously married: All your original divorce or spouse’s death certificates and a photocopy.

  • If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Court and criminal records, and a photocopy.

  • If you have served in any country’s military: Military records, and a photocopy. Military records are unavailable in Bulgaria.

 

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Print  (Translation included)

Last Updated: 5/11/2023

Contact Information

U.S. Embassy Sofia

16, Kozyak Street
Sofia 1408, Bulgaria

Telephone
+359 2 937 5100
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