Consular processing is for immigrants from other countries that wish to acquire a visa to grant them legal status as a permanent resident of the United States. This process can help give access to the U.S. for those that want to move here from a foreign country. After going through consular processing and being approved, they will be allowed to live in the U.S. on a permanent basis. To be considered for this process, first applicants must be eligible. To apply for consular processing, you must have a familial or working relationship in the United States and be able to establish this relationship. Applicants may also apply for refugee, asylum status or another provision that allows you to enter the country. Immigrants that have a sponsor due to familial or employment ties can have a petition filed on their behalf by this individual. Based on which category you fit into, you may be eligible to file your own petition to request entry into the United States.
What happens after the application is approved?
Once your application for consular processing is approved by the USCIS, it will then be sent to the Department of State’s National Visa Center to be reviewed more. If your petition was not approved, the USCIS will send you a notice. In this notice, a reason as to why your application was denied should be established and it will include if you are eligible to appeal the decision. If the petition is approved, you can wait for a visa number to become available for you. During this time, you may have to pay visa application fees and also may be required to provide supporting documents.
Once a visa becomes available and you are next to receive one, you will have an interview with the consular office scheduled. During this meeting, you will be questioned about your eligibility to become a U.S. resident based on this process. Once your case is processed, the final decision will be made to guarantee or deny your eligibility to live in the country as a permanent resident. If the final decision gives you access to acquire a visa and reside in the U.S., you will need to pay the USCIS immigration fee. Then you will be provided with a visa packet that will be opened by U.S. Customs and Border Protection upon your arrival in the country. If you are admitted into the U.S., you will be considered a lawful permanent resident, meaning that you are allowed to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.
John Sesini is an experienced immigration attorney with offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee Wisconsin. If you have any questions regarding immigration law matters, please contact the Sesini Law Group, S.C. and schedule your initial consultation with our firm today