Sherman Oaks Consular Processing Attorney

Assisting Immigrants Living Outside the U.S. Obtain Green Cards

Lawful permanent residency – which is granted in the physical form of a green card – allows an immigrant to indefinitely live and work in the United States. After a certain amount of time has passed and certain conditions are met, a lawful permanent resident can apply for citizenship, if they so desire.

Green cards are challenging to obtain, often by design. Some immigrants will attempt to adjust the status of a temporary, nonimmigrant visa once they are already inside the United States. This can be a useful path to becoming a lawful permanent resident, but the process can be extremely lengthy, the ability to work will likely be restricted, and there are inherent risks of upheaval should you build a life in the United States on your temporary visa only to have your adjustment petition denied.

Others seeking a green card turn to what is called consular processing, the process by which immigrants currently outside the United States seek to become lawful permanent residents. This process, while often more streamlined than adjustment of status procedures, can still be complex and overwhelming. Our Sherman Oaks consular processing lawyer Anaida Zadykyan at Zadykyan Law can guide you through each step and work to ensure your goals are achieved.

If you need assistance with consular processing, call (818) 600-6322 or contact us online to request a free consultation. At Zadykyan Law, we offer services in English, Russian, and Armenian. Call today!

The Basics of Consular Processing

In order to qualify for consular processing, you must currently reside outside the United States and otherwise meet the conditions of eligibility for lawful permanent residency. This means you must be eligible to receive a green card through employment, your family, or some other special circumstance.

Your sponsor will need to petition for a green card on your behalf, the application of which will need to be reviewed and approved by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is an unavoidable step that will likely take several months or even over a year.

After your petition is approved, you will need to ensure a green card is currently available to you. If yours is a marriage-based green card, it will likely be available immediately, but those in other categories may experience additional wait times.

When your visa is available, you will be contacted by the National Visa Center (NVC) about submitting a green card application via consular processing. You will need to provide documents and fees through Form DS-260.

You will next have to undergo a medical exam. This cannot be done with just any healthcare professional; the exam must be conducted by a USCIS-approved doctor.

If NVC is satisfied with your green card application, they will schedule a mandatory, in-person interview at your local embassy or consulate. The USCIS officer will ask questions about your application and review other materials you provide. In most situations, you will either learn whether your green card is approved at the interview itself or a week or so later.

Finally, you will receive a travel visa and a sealed envelope with your application materials. With this visa, you will have 6 months after the date of your medical exam to travel to the United States with your materials. At an official port of entry, a United States border officer will unseal your envelope, confirm your materials, and grant you entry. The visa will now allow you the ability to travel to and from the country for 12 months. During this period, your official green card granting you lawful permanent residency will be mailed to your United States address.

Continue reading below to learn about the advantages of consular processing.

Call (818) 600-6322 or contact us online to speak with a member of our team on how we can help you with consular processing. We speak Russian & Armenian!