Immigrant Visas

Step 1: Petition

HOW CAN I LIVE PERMANENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES?

If a member of your immediate family is a U.S. citizen, he/she may petition for you to obtain immigrant status.

If your spouse or parent is a legal permanent resident (green card holder), he/she may petition for you to obtain immigrant status.

If you qualify for an employment-based immigrant visa, your prospective-employer may petition for you to obtain immigrant status. In certain cases, you may petition for yourself.

If you are a citizen of a qualifying country, you may apply for the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Please note that when completing your application on line for the 2009 Diversity Visa, you must take into the considerationthe following information regarding your place of birth:

***If you were born in the West Bank or East Jerusalem you are charged to Jordan, ASIA.

***If you were born in Gaza you are charged to Egypt, AFRICA.

WHERE SHOULD A FAMILY MEMBER SUBMIT A PETITION?

American citizens residing in Israel, Jerusalem or the West Bank may submit petitions at the Consulate in Jerusalem for their spouses, children under 21 years of age or parents.

Other immediate family members must petition in the United States at the nearest USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) office.

Immigrant Visa Petitions should be submitted on Wednesdays, between the hours of 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

INFORMATION FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS FILING PETITIONS FOR SPOUSES/ CHILDREN/PARENTS TO EMIGRATE TO THE UNITED STATES
American citizens residing in Jerusalem, Israel, West Bank and Gaza may petition for their non-American spouses or children under the age of 21 or parents to receive Immediate Relative Immigrant Visas. Petitions from American citizens who are NOT local residents cannot be accepted will be accepted for significant humanitarian reasons . (Petitioners should normally file at a U.S. Immigration Service office or U.S. Embassy/Consulate nearest their place of residence.) To qualify as a local resident for the purpose of a petition, a petitioner must show that he/she has had permission to reside in the Consular District as listed above Consular District as listed above for at least six months and has maintained residency continuously for at least that period.

In order to file an immigrant visa petition for a spouse or child or parent, which leads to U.S. permanent residency (“green card”), American citizen petitioners must show they have permission to reside in the consular district and that they have been doing so continuously for at least six months before filing the petition. In order to prove physical presence, the petitioner must bring all passports to the visa interview, including American, Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian and any others. Petitions will be accepted only if all documents are complete.

Individuals in the consular district temporarily, such as students or tourists, would not meet the residency standard. American citizens residing in the United States and all lawful permanent residents must file I-130 petitions at the USCIS Service Center having jurisdiction over their place of residence (as indicated on the USCIS website: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-130.pdf/.
IF I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, HOW DO I PETITION FOR MY NON-AMERICAN SPOUSE OR CHILD? You should complete the petition (Form I-130) and present it in person at the Visa Section. The filing fee is 355 Dollars or its equivalent in local currency in cash. You must bring proof of your American citizenship and bring documents establishing your relationship to your spouse or child. Please follow the I-130 Instructions carefully and answer all applicable questions.
The Consulate receives petitions every Wednesday and Friday between 8:30 – 10:30 a.m, except on holidays. Each petition must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of 355 US dollars cash or credit card or the equivalent in Israeli shekels. If you are petitioning for your child(ren), you must process a claim for U.S. citizenship for your child(ren) who may be U.S. citizen(s) and therefore would will not need an immigrant visa(s). This claim must be processed prior to filing the petition(s) on behalf of your child(ren)
HOW CAN I PROVE I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN?
You must bring either:
Valid U.S. passport, or
Naturalization certificate, U.S. birth certificate or form FS-240 (Report of Birth Abroad of U.S. Citizen), (Note: If you are naturalized, you will need to include the number of your naturalization certificate on the petition). Copies are not acceptable.
HOW DO I PROVE MY RELATIONSHIP TO MY SPOUSE OR CHILD?
Please read the instruction page of the petition form (I-130) for details. In general, you must bring an original or authenticated copy of your marriage certificate for your spouse and an original or authenticated copy of the birth certificate for your child. WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO BRING?
If you were previously married, you will need proof that each marriage is legally terminated. If divorced, you will   need an original or authenticated copy of the divorce certificate(s). If your former spouse is deceased, you must bring either an original or authenticated copy of the death certificate. (Authentication of copies is normally done by the same authorities that issued the original.) If you are petitioning for a spouse who was previously married, you will likewise need to prove legal termination of his/her previous marriage(s).
If you are petitioning for a spouse, you must bring one color photograph of yourself and of your spouse.
For further information, please review the petition (Form I-130) and accompanying instructions.
DO THE DOCUMENTS HAVE TO BE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH?
ALL DOCUMENTS NOT IN ENGLISH MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A CERTIFIED ENGLISH TRANSLATION.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTS I NEED RIGHT AWAY?
You cannot file a petition without proof that you are an American citizen, proof of your relationship to the non-American spouse or child, and proof of termination of all previous marriages of you and your spouse.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE BEFORE THE VISA IS READY? It is impossible to predict the time required for processing an immigrant visa application, as each application is reviewed individually. Petitions for Immediate Relatives are not subject to numerical limitations or “priority dates,” and the visas may be issued once all legal and regulatory requirements are fulfilled.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER FILING THE PETITION?
Generally speaking, the applicant is responsible for pursuing the case and fulfilling the requirements. You may wish to assist your relative with these. The requirements are described in instructions normally mailed to the applicant. These include biographic and application forms, police certificate(s) and medical exam results.
Also, the petitioner must prepare an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) before the applicant is scheduled for his/her immigrant visa interview (blank I-864 forms and instructions are available on the Consulate's website or from the following internet site from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services: http://www.bcis.gov. Please read the instructions carefully, complete the form as instructed, and include all requested supporting documents, such as tax returns, proof of U.S. citizenship (or U.S. Legal Permanent Resident status), proof of current employment and W-2 forms. Other documentation may be necessary, depending on your individual circumstances. If your annual income and/or assets fall below the required minimum, you may seek a second Affidavit of Support (I-864) from a “joint sponsor.”
Because the State Department recently changed the minimum “documentary qualification” requirement, you must give us a signed form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) on behalf of your spouse/child(ren) before we can schedule an immigrant visa interview appointment.
IMPORTANT: Current law requires that both the petitioner and any “joint sponsor” must be at least 18 years of age and domiciled in the United States or its territories or possessions (see I-864 instructions).
ARE OTHER FEES REQUIRED?
All immigrant visa applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of 400US dollars. All fees must be paid in CASH or Credit Card in dollars or shekels.
PETITIONERS AND APPLICANTS SHOULD KNOW….
Immigrant visas are normally valid for six (6) months from the date of issue and may be used for only a single entry to the United States. The Consulate cannot provide any assurances in advance as to when a visa will be approved and issued. Therefore, until visas are in hand, applicants and their families should avoid making any final travel arrangements or other such time-sensitive commitments.
To facilitate access to the Consular Section, applicants for any service, including American citizens, are requested to carry only those items that are absolutely necessary. No weapons are permitted at any time. Electronic items must be left at the reception desk, and this is a time-consuming process that will delay your entry. Metallic items will cause delays during screening, and all bags must be x-rayed.

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