Green card from abroad
Get your green card through a US consulate abroad
If you live outside the US, your immigrant visa goes through the National Visa Center and a US embassy or consulate. You become a permanent resident when you enter the US, and your green card comes by mail.
Last checked September 2026 · Sources
- Where you apply
- US embassy or consulate
- Main form
- DS-260, filed online
- Visa valid for
- Up to 6 months
- Legal fee
- Quoted on request
The process
From approved petition to green card
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Your petition is approved
A family member files Form I-130, or an employer files Form I-140 (or an investor files Form I-526). If you live abroad, USCIS sends the approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC).
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NVC collects fees and documents
NVC tells you when it receives your case and again when a visa number is about to become available. You pay the visa fees and send your documents.
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You file the DS-260
This is the online immigrant visa application. Every immigrant visa applicant must file one.
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Wait for a visa number, if you are in a preference category
The interview is scheduled when a visa is available or your priority date is current in the monthly Visa Bulletin. Spouses of US citizens, unmarried children under 21 of US citizens, and parents of US citizens who are 21 or older do not wait for a visa number.
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Medical exam
Every applicant has a medical exam with a doctor you choose from the embassy’s approved panel.
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Interview
You appear in person before a consular officer, who decides if you qualify. Children under 14 may be excused.
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Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, then travel
Your immigrant visa is valid for up to 6 months. USCIS asks you to pay the $235 Immigrant Fee online after you get the visa and before you travel.
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Enter the US and get your card by mail
You show your visa packet to CBP. Once admitted, you are a permanent resident. Your green card is mailed to you after the fee is paid.
Costs
Government fees, as of September 2026
Paid to USCIS or the State Department, separately from our legal fee.
| Item | Government fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Family petition, Form I-130 | $675 paper, $625 online | USCIS |
| Immigrant visa application fee, family | $325 per person | State Department |
| Immigrant visa application fee, employment | $345 per person | State Department |
| Affidavit of support review | $120 | State Department |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | $235 per person (some groups exempt) | USCIS |
| Medical exam | Set by the panel doctor | The doctor |
| Our legal fee | Quoted on request, flat, before you sign | Partner firm |
Employment petitions (Form I-140) and investor petitions have their own fees; see the visa page for your category. USCIS fees from Form G-1055 (edition 09/09/26). State Department fees from 22 CFR 22.1. Fees change, so the attorney confirms the current amounts before filing.
Compare
Consular processing or adjustment of status?
Adjustment of status means applying for the green card from inside the US. Here is how the two paths differ.
| Consular processing | Adjustment of status | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are | Usually outside the US | Inside the US, after being inspected and admitted or paroled |
| Main application | DS-260 with the State Department | Form I-485 with USCIS |
| Main government fees | $325 or $345 visa fee, $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee, and $120 affidavit review if it applies | $1,440 for Form I-485. Work permit $260 and travel permission $630 if you want them. |
| Medical exam | A doctor you choose from the embassy’s approved panel | A civil surgeon designated by USCIS, on Form I-693 |
| Interview | Always, before a consular officer (children under 14 may be excused) | USCIS may require one |
| When you become a resident | When you are admitted at the US border or airport | When USCIS approves your I-485 |
Which path is right depends on where you are, your immigration history and your category. A partner-firm attorney confirms this before anything is filed.
Avoid delays
Tell NVC right away if anything changes
Some changes can affect whether you qualify or whether a visa is available. Report them quickly.
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You move
Update your mailing address so you do not miss a notice.
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A child turns 21
Age can change a child’s category or eligibility.
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Your marital status changes
Marriage, divorce or a spouse’s death can change your case.
Timing
How long it takes
We will not promise a date. It depends on how long USCIS takes with the petition, how fast NVC and the embassy move, and, for preference categories, when your priority date is reached.
You can check USCIS processing times for the petition, and read our Visa Bulletin guide to see where your category stands.
Once the visa is issued, you have up to 6 months to enter the US. Plan your move with that window in mind.
How we help
What you get when we handle your case
Your case is handled by licensed attorneys at our independent partner firm. Green Card Guide is not a law firm.
Two attorneys on your petition
A senior attorney leads. A second attorney reviews before filing.
One flat fee, quoted before you sign
No hourly billing and no surprise invoices.
Visa stamping support
Included in every legal fee, to help you prepare for the consulate.
RFE or NOID help included
If USCIS asks for more on a petition we filed, the response is part of the fee.
What is paid separately
Government fees, the medical exam, translations and document requests.
FAQ
Common worries
Up to 6 months from the day it is issued. You need to enter the US within that time.
Yes, unless you are in an exempt group, such as K visa holders or returning residents. If you do not pay it, you will not receive your green card.
You pay the panel doctor directly. The doctor sets the fee.
It depends on your situation. Leaving the US can cause problems for some people. Talk to the attorney before you travel or choose a path.
Yes. Every immigrant visa applicant appears in person before a consular officer. The officer may excuse a child under 14.
No. The consular officer makes the final decision. A partner-firm attorney confirms eligibility first and helps you arrive at the interview prepared.
Sources · checked September 2026
- USCIS: Consular Processing
- USCIS: USCIS Immigrant Fee
- USCIS: Form G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition 09/09/26)
- 22 CFR 22.1: State Department schedule of fees
- 22 CFR 42.62: Personal appearance and interview
- 22 CFR 42.63: Immigrant visa application form (DS-260)
- 22 CFR 42.66: Medical examination
- 22 CFR 42.72: Validity of immigrant visas
- USCIS: Green Card for Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizen
- USCIS: Form I-693
- USCIS: Stepchildren of U.S. citizens and LPRs (NVC transfer and DS-260)
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(9): USCIS may require an interview
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.
