Glossary
What is consular processing?
Consular processing is how you get a green card from outside the United States. You get an immigrant visa abroad, then become a permanent resident when you enter.
Last checked October 2026 · Sources
- Where it happens
- A US embassy or consulate abroad
- Application form
- Form DS-260
- Medical exam
- Required, by a panel physician
- USCIS Immigrant Fee
- $235, as of October 2026
Quick answer
What is consular processing?
Consular processing means getting your immigrant visa at a US embassy or consulate abroad. It comes after USCIS approves your petition. The National Visa Center collects your fees and documents. You file Form DS-260, see a panel doctor and attend an interview. You become a permanent resident when a US border officer admits you on that visa.
- It is the path for people outside the US, or who choose not to adjust status.
- You wait for a visa number, just as you would inside the US.
- Every applicant, of any age, needs a medical exam before the visa is issued.
- Your green card comes by mail after you pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee.
Side by side
Consular processing vs adjustment of status
Both end with the same green card. The difference is where you are and who decides.
| Consular processing | Adjustment of status | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are | Outside the US | Inside the US |
| Who decides | A consular officer (State Department) | USCIS |
| Main form | Form DS-260 | Form I-485 |
| Medical exam | Panel physician abroad | Civil surgeon in the US (Form I-693) |
| When you become a resident | When you are admitted at a US port of entry | When USCIS approves Form I-485 |
Sources: USCIS consular processing page, USCIS adjustment of status page, 22 CFR 42.63, 22 CFR 42.66.
Why it matters for you
Why consular processing matters
-
It works from anywhere
If you live abroad, this is how an approved EB-1A or EB-2 NIW petition becomes a green card.
-
No work permit or travel document while you wait
Those come with a pending Form I-485 inside the US. Abroad, you wait for your interview.
-
The choice is not always open
Whether you can adjust status instead depends on your situation in the US. A partner-firm attorney confirms which path fits you.
Where it comes from
The legal source
The immigrant visa application form is set by 22 CFR 42.63 (Form DS-260 is the electronic version). The medical exam is required by 22 CFR 42.66. USCIS describes the NVC role, the interview and the Immigrant Fee on its consular processing page. Read our full consular processing guide for each step.
Go deeper
Related terms and guides
Adjustment of status
The path for people already in the US.
Read more GlossaryForm I-140
The petition that must be approved first.
Read more GlossaryPriority date
Your place in the line for a visa number.
Read more GlossaryVisa Bulletin
Where you check if a visa number is available.
Read moreFAQ
Questions people ask
USCIS says the NVC collects visa application fees and supporting documents. It tells you when your petition arrives and when a visa number is about to become available. (USCIS)
It is the electronic Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration. The rule says every immigrant visa applicant must file it, or the older paper Form DS-230. (22 CFR 42.63)
Yes. Every applicant, of any age, must have a medical exam before the visa is issued. A panel physician approved by the consulate does it. (22 CFR 42.66)
You give your sealed visa packet to the border officer at the port of entry. If you have paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee ($235 as of October 2026, per Form G-1055), USCIS mails your green card.
Neither is better for everyone. It depends on where you live, your status and your plans. A partner-firm attorney confirms the right path for your case.
Not sure which path fits you?
The free evaluation checks your record for EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and O-1. A partner-firm attorney confirms eligibility and the right path before anything is filed. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources · checked October 2026
- USCIS, Consular Processing
- USCIS, Adjustment of Status
- 22 CFR 42.63, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- 22 CFR 42.66, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
- USCIS, Form G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition 10/01/26)
- USCIS, Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; a partner-firm attorney confirms what applies to you before anything is filed.
