Green Card Application Timeline: Living Abroad and Married to a U.S. Citizen

Submission 1: The Sponsor Submits Immigrant Petition Forms and Documents to USCIS

The sponsor needs to submit two forms, along with supporting documents¹:

• I-130 – Petition for Alien Relative, to be completed by the sponsor. (The US government uses the term “alien” 👽 to refer to foreigners. This can get truly confusing when real aliens from Mars arrive and start filing U.S. government paperwork).
• I-130A – Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary, to be completed by the applicant.

Submission 2 – Item 1 of 2: The Applicant Pays Processing Fees

NVC charges two processing fees. They can be paid online through CEAC:

• Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee ($325) ⁴
• Affidavit of Support Fee ($120) ⁵ – Explained in detail below.

For payment, you will need to provide a bank routing number and a checking or savings account number from a U.S. bank. ⁶

Submission 2 – Item 2 of 2: The Applicant and the Sponsor Submits Application Forms and Documents to NVC

Part 1

Form DS-260 –  Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, is a long form that collects the applicant’s personal information, addresses, family members, U.S. travel history, employment history, education history, medical history, criminal history, etc.

You can fill out and submit DS-260 online through CEAC.

Part 2

The applicant and the sponsor need to complete the following three items and submit them in ONE package to NVC:

1. Collect supporting civil documents for DS-260 (completed by the applicant)
2. complete Form I-864 (completed by the sponsor)
3. Collect supporting financial documents for I-864 (completed by the sponsor)

The Applicant Completes Pre-Interview Activities

The pre-interview activities must be completed before the interview date. The activities required vary from embassy to embassy. Use this NVC webpage to select your embassy/consulate and get a Pre-Interview Checklist specific for your case.

Some common requirements include:

Medical Exam

The applicant is required to schedule a medical appointment with an authorized doctor in the country where the applicant will be interviewed. The interview appointment letter you receive will provide information on how to find an embassy-approved doctor.

Gather Documents Required for the Interview

These documents include the original version of all civil documents and financial documents submitted to NVC, copies of those documents, and other documents specified in the interview appointment letter.

Embassy/Consulate Specific Requirements

For example, many embassies and consulates require the applicant to register for passport delivery service before the interview. To get the full embassy/consulate specific requirements, use the NVC Pre-Interview Checklist.

Form DS-5540, Public Charge Questionnaire

Form DS-5540 is a 4-page form used to demonstrate that the applicant can be self-sufficient financially. The applicant will be asked to present a completed DS-5540 at the time of the visa interview. You may want to start Form DS-5540 in advance, so you will have enough time to collect the required supporting evidence.

08/07/2020 Update: Good news - On August 7, 2020, the State Department announced it would temporarily stop requiring applicants to complete or present the DS-5540 at the visa interview. This is in response to a temporary federal court injunction of the new Public Charge Rule.

Note that this injunction of the new Public Charge Rule is only temporary and can change at any time without notice. Please follow the instructions in your interview Appointment Letter, and contact NVC to get the most up-to-date DS-5540 requirements.

Around 1 Month after Receiving the Interview Appointment Letter

The Applicant Attends the Interview

The day is finally here! Put on your cleanest shirt and arrive at the interview at the scheduled date and time. The sponsor’s attendance is optional. They probably won’t call you on time, but, hey, at this point you are a master at waiting for the government, right?

During the interview, a consular officer will ask the applicant a series of questions to confirm that the applicant:

• Has never committed a crime
• Hasn’t defrauded the U.S. government
• Hasn’t been deported
• Has no serious diseases
• The marriage is real
• Has financial support

Read our article on what to expect at the Green Card interview.

The Applicant Travels to the U.S. within 6 Months

Make sure you come to the U.S. before your visa expires! Immigrant visas are usually valid for 6 months, but double check yours to make sure. ⁹

Once you arrive in the U.S., go through the border customs and present the sealed Immigrant Packet (you kept it sealed, right?!) to a customs official. You will then be admitted into the country.