Immigrant Visas
General Information
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Our Hours of Operation have changed:
Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 am (dropping off documents and filing new petitions)
Please direct your questions or concerns to Ivconsulardoha@state.gov
Immigrant visas entitle the recipients to permanent resident status in the United States. Permanent residents, or Green Card holders, may live and work in the U.S. They may also eventually naturalize to become U.S. citizens, if they desire.
Under U.S. law, immigrant visas are generally reserved for the following persons:
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Close relatives of U.S. citizens
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Close relatives of Legal permanent residents
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Those hired to work in jobs that the government has determined cannot be filled by U.S. citizens due to a shortage of Americans with the skills needed to perform these jobs.
Most immigration to the United States is initiated by a close relative or employer in the United States who submits a petition on the applicant's behalf. The petition is usually filed with and adjudicated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS) in the U.S.
Certain categories of immigrant visas are numerically limited. This may necessitate a waiting period before the application can be processed. However, spouses of U.S. citizens (and some others) may be processed as soon as the petition is approved and processed by CIS. When the requisite documentation has been obtained, an immigrant visa interview can be scheduled with a consular officer here at the Embassy.
For more information on Fiancee Visas, please refer to the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) website at http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/Appproc.htm
Inquires should be directed to the Immigrant Visa Unit at the Embassy at +974 488-4101 or emailed to ivconsulardoha@state.gov