What is the application process for a U.S. Green Card? Follow Visatopia to find out! Welcome to read.
Analysis of the 2017 U.S. Immigration Green Card Application Process
1. Introduction to the Basic Process
Regardless of the visa category, all applicants must possess an original private passport with a validity period of at least six months. According to U.S. visa processing procedures, all applicants are required to complete the DS-160 form. You need to pay a visa fee of 904 RMB and purchase a visa appointment card for 54 RMB to schedule an appointment with the embassy. Once you have prepared these, wait for your scheduled appointment time and bring your materials to the embassy for an in-person interview.
Upon arriving at the embassy at the scheduled time, you will pass through the first checkpoint (sentry), the second checkpoint (appointment verification), and then security. In the visa hall, the first step is to queue to submit materials, usually in groups of 8; the second step is to queue for fingerprinting; and the third step is the interview with the consular officer. The interview typically lasts 1-2 minutes and consists of 2-5 questions, so there is no need to be nervous; face it with confidence and a calm mindset.
2. Specific Application Procedures
Step 1: The applicant in the United States submits application materials to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service)
When an applicant in the U.S. applies for the immigration of relatives from their home country, they must prepare the relevant documents and submit Form I-130 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security will send the applicant a letter (Packet 1), which is the receipt for the I-130 application, notifying you that the case has been received. It contains a file number consisting of three uppercase English letters followed by 10 digits. The three letters are EAC, WAC, SRC, or LIN, assigned by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security based on your immigration category.
The basic information required for the application is as follows:
(1) Obtain the "Petition for Alien Relative" (Form I-130) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, fill it out carefully according to the requirements, and detail the kinship between the petitioner and the applicant as well as their respective true circumstances.
(2) The petitioner must provide proof of their status. If they are a U.S. citizen, they must provide a birth certificate or a certificate of naturalization (citizenship certificate). If they are a foreign national, they must provide proof of legal residence, i.e., Form I-151, or a "Green Card".
(3) Obtain proof of the kinship between the beneficiary and the petitioner. This includes marriage certificates for spousal relationships, and birth certificates for parent-child or sibling relationships, including date of birth, place of birth, and parents' names. These documents are generally issued by the notary office in the beneficiary's location, in duplicate. One copy must be translated into English, certified by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General, and then submitted to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Step 2: The case is transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC)
Approximately four months later, the Department of Homeland Security will send another letter (Packet 2) to the petitioner, which is Form I-797, notifying them that the case has been approved and transferred to the National Visa Center. The NVC stage takes about 1-2 months. During this period, you can call them to inquire about the progress of the case and obtain the Guangzhou
case number, referred to as the GUZ number, which consists of "GUZ" followed by 10 digits. Please see the attachment for the processing procedures of the National Visa Center.
Step 3: The case is transferred to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou
After the National Visa Center has processed the case, it will be transferred to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou. Once the Consulate receives the case, it will send a notification letter and detailed requirements.
The beneficiary should prepare the relevant documents, which generally include:
(1) The Visa Applicant Biographical Data form (Form OF-179) sent by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in China.
(2) Apply for notarial certificates for birth, marriage, and other kinship documents at the local notary office.
(3) Applicants aged 16 or older must also apply for a police certificate from the local notary office to prove they have no criminal record. If there is a criminal record, the crimes and judgments must be explained.
(4) Medical examination report (issued by a hospital designated by the Consulate).
(5) An Affidavit of Support provided by the U.S. relative, proving that the applicant will not become a public charge in the United States after entering the country. This document must be notarized.
Most of the above documents need to be prepared in duplicate, and the Chinese documents must be accompanied by English translations. If necessary, prepare photos taken with the U.S. relative and past correspondence (original envelopes must be included to prove the relationship is genuine and reliable). Once all the above application materials are ready, mail them to the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou. The time to receive Packet 3 can range from a few weeks to several years depending on the case.
Step 4: Interview and Visa Issuance
Once the immigration quota is available, the Consulate will send another set of materials to the beneficiary (Packet 4). This usually occurs 1-3 months after Step 3.
The contents include:
(1) Interview appointment notice;
(2) Interview information;
(3) Medical examination form;
(4) Application for immigrant visa and alien registration card.
During the immigrant visa interview, the consular officer will check all documents submitted by the applicant, including the medical examination report and the Affidavit of Support. If the consular officer determines there are no grounds for refusal, the immigrant visa will be approved. The visa is valid for 4 months, and the applicant must enter the United States within this period. Upon entry, the immigration inspector will conduct an inspection, and if everything is in order, they will stamp the applicant's passport with proof of temporary permanent residency. At this point, the applicant has obtained permanent residency, but the official Green Card will be received in about 3 months.