Ask the Consul – Preparing for the Immigrant Visa Interview
Q: How can I be sure I am prepared for my immigrant visa interview?
Every day, many applicants coming to the US Embassy for their immigrant visas are disappointed because they came unprepared and their visas could not be approved For applicants waiting to immigrate to the United States, it is not too early to begin to get ready for your visa interview. While the instructions on the forms may appear daunting, reading them thoroughly will ensure that you are well-prepared for the interview.
The US Embassy has included some tips to help you prepare for your immigrant visa interview and ensure timely processing of your case.
Depending on the category of immigrant visa, most applicants should have an Application for Immigrant Visa (Form DS-230 and DS-230 supplemental form), certificates of birth, marriage, and (if applicable) divorce decree, a medical report, a police certificate, and an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864).
The DS-230 visa application must be completed in advance, however, do not sign the form in advance of your interview appointment. The DS-230 must be signed in front of the consular officer at the time of your interview. Please be sure to answer all questions truthfully and accurately. If you fail to answer a question or if you answer a question untruthfully – for example, concealing a prior arrest – this will delay your visa issuance and can result in a permanent refusal and prevent you from ever going to the United States.
Birth, marriage, and divorce certificates must be current and notarized. Before you come to the Consular Section, make sure all names and dates of birth are correctly printed on your official documents. A simple misspelling of a name could delay visa issuance for a week or more.
Medical examination results from the US panel physician are valid for one year.
The results of medical examinations must be submitted sealed and in the original envelope. Open envelopes are considered invalid.
Police certificates require accurate names and dates of birth. If they are in a language other than English, you will be asked for a translated copy. An extra minute to confirm the name, date, and stamp before leaving the police station will save you delays and a return trip to apply for a new report. Police certificates are also valid for one year.
You must have the Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) from the individual petitioning for you. If the petitioner does not meet the financial requirements to support you and any family members immigrating with you, then you will also need a Form I-864 from one or more joint sponsors. A copy of the most recent US Federal tax return must accompany each Form I-864.
Finally, check your passport. Make sure it is not about to expire or already expired. Taking each of these steps improves your chances of obtaining your visa promptly. Qualified and properly prepared applicants may be able to pick up their issued visas as soon as one day after their interview.
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“Ask the Consul” is a weekly column from the U.S. Embassy answering questions about U.S. immigration law and visa issues. If you have a general question about visa policy please email it to us at AskGeorge@state.gov. We select questions each week and publish the answers in Stabroek News and on our website at http://georgetown. usembassy.gov/guyana/ask_con.html. For more information about visas please see http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov or http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/.
Other than the questions we select, we DO NOT respond to questions sent to Ask the Consul. Please contact the visa inquiries unit (email visageorge@state.gov or call 225-7965 between 8 am and- 4 pm Monday through Friday) if you have questions about a specific case.
