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FAQs

Frequently Asked Immigrant Visa Questions

  1. I have sent multiple inquiries, but have not received a response.  Why?
  2. Where can I get more information about visas and the National Visa Center?
  3. When will I get an appointment for my immigrant visa interview?
  4. If I cancel my appointment, when will I be rescheduled? 
  5. What documents do I need to bring?
  6. Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?
  7. Can I pick up the visa the same day?
  8. What fees will I be required to pay?
  9. I had an interview and a visa was not issued, why?
  10. My case is in administrative processing, when will it be posted on your website?
  11. What are the procedures for a K visa?
  12. Can I submit an I-130 petition at the Embassy?    

Q1:  I have sent multiple inquiries, but have not received a response.  Why?

A:  We receive hundreds of inquiries every month. In order to provide prompt information, we have developed this list of frequently asked questions to address the most common queries. If your query is addressed by these answers, you will not receive a subsequent message. We will answer every legitimate question not covered by these FAQs as quickly as possible, generally within three business days.

Q2:  Where can I get more information about immigrant visas and the National Visa Center?

A:  You can learn more about immigrant visas and the National Visa Center, at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html. 

For information about the interview process, please visit our website at: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3731.html.

A glossary of technical definitions of terms for visas can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary/glossary_1363.html.

U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), responsible for adjudicating waivers, processing green cards and granting U.S. citizenship maintains a useful website: www.uscis.gov.

Q3:  When will I get an appointment for my immigrant visa interview?

A:  If your inquiry concerns an immigrant visa case where the I-130 petition will be filed at U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi, then the we will contact you by email with the earliest available appointment date. Please be aware that there is a high volume of cases waiting to be scheduled for appointments and the next available appointment may be three to four months after your request is made. Please remember to bring ORIGINAL documents of birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc.  Thank you for your patience.    

If National Visa Center sent you a letter stating that your file is complete and it has been sent to Abu Dhabi for scheduling, the physical file has likely not yet arrived. Your physical case file remains at the National Visa Center (NVC) until an appointment can be scheduled.  Due to the high volume of immigrant visas we process, there is currently a 2 to 3 month wait for scheduling appointments after NVC receives the OF-230 (parts 1 and 2) and all the forms listed on the OF-169 checklist.  You will receive an appointment letter in the mail when your appointment has been scheduled by NVC.  You can expect to receive this appointment letter several weeks before your appointment.  Please remember to bring ORIGINAL documents of birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc.

If your inquiry concerns an immigrant visa case in which the I-130 petition was filed in the U.S. and it has not been scheduled for an appointment, or if the USCIS has said that your petition has been approved and forwarded to the Department of State, please send your inquiry directly to the National Visa Center NVCInquiry@state.gov. 

Q4:  If I cancel my appointment when will I be rescheduled?

A:  Rescheduled appointments generally occur 2 to 3 months from when we were notified of the appointment cancellation. This may vary from case to case, due to visa number availability and the visa class being requested. 

Q5:  What documents do I need to bring?

A:  The required documents are listed on the checklist provided by NVC or on our prior communications with you.  Remember, however, that each case is different.  Please remember to bring ORIGINAL records of birth, marriage, divorce, police certificates, etc., including birth certificates of the petitioner if the petitioner is a son, daughter or sibling of the applicant. If the documents are not in the English language, certified English translations of the documents are required. U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi cannot provide you with a list of translators. Please bring photocopies of the civil documents.  Passports and medical exams for each applicant are always required. For more details about original documents, please visit: 

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3741.html.


Q6:  Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?

A:  Petitioners do not need to accompany the visa applicant on interview day, but they are welcome to attend. Please note that it is common for the interviewing consular officer to speak with the applicant individually.

Q7: Can I pick up the visa the same day?

A:  No. Visas are not issued on the same day.  In some cases, it may take more than one week to issue an approved visa. If a case requires administrative processing, visa issuance may be delayed a few months. The consular staff will inform you about the specific timing of your case following the visa interview or once your passport has been dropped off for visa issuance.

Q8:  What fees will I be required to pay?

A:  K-1 and K-3 applicants must pay a US $350.00 non-immigrant (visitor) K visa application fee.  Please pay the $140.00 base non-immigrant visa fee at the National Bank of Abu Dhabi prior to the interview, the remaining $210.00 fee is to be paid at the Embassy on the date of interview.

For all other immigrant visa classes: If you have received notice from the National Visa Center that immigrant visa fees have not been paid, the fee must be paid at the Embassy prior to interview.  IV fees vary.

Q9:  I had an interview and a visa was not issued, why?

If you have appeared at the Embassy for interview and your received a “Blue Sheet” Form OF-194, then please follow the instructions on the blue sheet for missing documents and/or other reasons the visa was not issued. Please mail requested information to:

Consular Section
U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi
PO Box 4009
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Q. 10 My case is in administrative processing, when will it be posted on your website? 

If your case is pending administrative processing, please be assured that we are working on each visa case. Please check the Embassy web site for your case number at http://abudhabi.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visas.html and click the Check Visa Status link.  The site will provide updates on the status of your case and instruct you on any next actions. Please be advised that in less than 1% of cases administrative processing may take more than six months.

Q. 11 What are the procedures for a K visa?

A U.S. Citizen may file a K-1 visa petition for a fiancé or K-3 petition for a spouse with a USCIS office in the United States. Once the USCIS approves the petition, it is forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC), and then forwarded to U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi. It may take more than eight weeks from the date the USCIS approved the petition for U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi to receive the K file. Once we receive the K file from the NVC, we send an appointment letter to the petitioner/beneficiary. If you have a K visa case, please wait a minimum of eight weeks before you contact us. DO NOT make an appointment with the non-immigrant unit for your K visa. All K visas must be processed through the immigrant visa unit at our we will set your appointment date.

Q. 12 Can I submit an I-130 petition at the Embassy?

Please note that, according to new regulations, the US Embassy is no longer authorized to accept immigration petitions on behalf of USCIS and all petitions must be filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the U.S.  Please contact USCIS directly with any questions you may have regarding the petition process or the address you need to mail your petition to.  USCIS website: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

We look forward to assisting you with the process of immigration to the United States of America.


Thank you,

Immigrant Visa Unit

U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi


Note: All immigrant visa applications are handled by appointment only. The Embassy is closed on Friday and Saturday and on UAE and U.S. holidays.