Immigrant Visas

"V" Visa - Spouses and Children of Legal Permanent Residents

The American Embassy and Consulates are now issuing V visas to persons who are the beneficiaries of F2A immigrant visa petitions and have been waiting for an available visa number for at least three years provided the original petition was filed on or before December 20, 2000. The V visa is a non-immigrant visa that will allow qualifying applicants to enter the United States to join the sponsor of their pending immigrant visa while they wait for their immigrant visa priority date to become current.

In order to be qualified for a V visa, you must meet all of the following criteria. You are eligible for a V visa if you meet ALL of the following qualifications:

• You are the spouse or minor child of a foreign national who is a legal permanent resident (LPR) of the United States; and
  
  
• You are the beneficiary of an immigrant visa petition filed on or before December 21, 2000; and
  
  
• You have been waiting for an available visa number for at least three years since the petition (Form I-130) was filed; and
  
  
• You have not yet been scheduled for an Immigrant Visa interview.

YOU ARE NOT eligible for a V visa if:

• Your priority date is current, you have already been interviewed by a consular officer for your immigrant visa, you are already scheduled for an immigrant visa interview, or your petition was filed after December 21, 2000; or
  
  
• You are the brother or sister of an LPR or U.S. citizen and your immigrant visa petition is sponsored by your sibling; or
  
  
• You are the parent of an LPR or US citizen and your immigrant visa petition is sponsored by your child; or
  
  
• You are the grandchild of an LPR or US citizen and your immigrant visa petition is sponsored by your grandparent; or
  
  
• You are the beneficiary of an employment-based immigrant visa petition.

Application Procedures

If you have received a letter from the National Visa Center in the United States indicating that you are eligible for a V visa, contact the Embassy or Consulate to verify your eligibility and to schedule your appointment for a visa interview. Please note that the interviews for V visas will generally be scheduled 30 to 60 days from the date you contact the Embassy or Consulate to schedule your appointment.

Required Documents

Applicants for V visas must bring the following documents with them to the interview:

• A passport valid for at least six months from the date of the interview.
  
  
• Two completed DS-156 (non-immigrant visa application) forms
  
  
• Two completed DS-3052 Supplemental Application Forms
  
  
• Two nonimmigrant visa photos (two inches/50 X 50 mm square, showing full face, against a light background)
  
  
• A copy of your official birth certificate issued by the Registrar of Births.
  
  
• Registered marriage certificate and other proof of relationship to the petitioner.
  
  
• Proof of relationship to any children who are applying with you.
  
  
• Proof of the legal termination of any previous marriage: death certificate of spouse, or decree of divorce or annulment
  
  
• Proof of your petitioner's legal status in the United States.
  
  
• Police Certificate: Each visa applicant over the age of 16 must present Indian police certificates as follows: one certificate from the applicant's local police station and one certificate from the applicant's regional passport office.. Applicants are also required to submit police certificates from the police authorities in each country other than India and the U.S. in which he or she has resided for at least six months after the age of 16. A police certificate must also be obtained from the police authorities of any place where the applicant has been arrested for any reason, regardless of how long he or she lived there. Police certificates from certain countries are considered unobtainable.
  
  
• Court and prison records: If you have been convicted of a crime or other offense, obtain a certified court record covering each offense.
  

• Evidence of Support: You must show evidence that you will not become a public charge in the U.S. A completed I-134 Affidavit of Support form along with supporting documents from your sponsor is helpful in proving that your sponsor has sufficient financial resources.
  
  
• A medical examination from one of our panel physicians.
  
  
• A demand draft for the Visa Application fee. The demand drafts should be made out to "American Consulate General, Chennai" and drawn on a nationalized or foreign bank with a branch in Chennai.
  
  
• Please pay courier charges Rs.365/- per applicant, by cash at VFS office..

Please note that presentation of false documents in an attempt to obtain a visa can result in permanent ineligibility for any US visa.

Click here for additional information on V Visas