From approved petition to interview
After USCIS approves the petition, the case usually goes to the State Department's National Visa Center. There the fees are paid, the online DS-260 application is completed, and civil documents and the financial sponsorship forms are submitted. Once the case is documentarily complete and a visa number is available, the consulate schedules an interview, although entry restrictions on some nationalities can still prevent issuance. Before that interview you need a medical exam by a physician designated by the embassy. When the visa is issued and you are admitted, you become a permanent resident, and the physical card arrives by mail after a separate fee is paid.
Documents and the sponsor
Expect to provide birth and marriage records, police certificates where the State Department requires them, passports, and court records if any exist. The sponsor's affidavit of support relies on tax returns and proof of income, and a joint sponsor can sometimes fill a gap. Translations must be complete. Errors or inconsistencies between the petition, the DS-260, and your interview answers can cause delays or worse. If any document is unavailable in your country, the State Department lists what can be used in its place. Children nearing an age cutoff deserve attention, because the protections that preserve a child's eligibility apply only in certain situations.
Before you leave the United States
If you are currently in the U.S. without lawful status, departing for a consular interview can trigger bars on returning, and some people need a provisional waiver approved first. That question should be answered before you book a flight. Past overstays, prior removal orders, and criminal records also need review before the interview. Our review starts with your immigration history and the category, and it asks whether adjusting status inside the country might be available instead. We do not predict the consular result; we tell you what we see in the file and what preparation it calls for.
