Overview

An immigrant visa (IV) is required by anyone seeking to permanently reside in the United States. In general, the prospective Immigrant Visa applicant must have an approved petition filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by a potential employer to begin the visa application process. (Diversity Visa Lottery applicants complete a separate process.) General information about the Immigrant Visa process is also available at the Department of State’s website. Once the petition is approved and the applicant has a current priority date (if applicable), they are eligible for further processing of an immigrant visa.