Embassy of the United States

Immigrant Visas

Timeframes of the Immigrant Visa Process 

This page details the stages of the immigrant visa process, providing information on the expected time frame for each stage along with details of whom to contact for more information.

1. Filing of Petition
The petitioner begins the immigrant visa process by filing the petition with the Department of Homeland Security. Note that if the case is filed with DHS at the Embassy in Tegucigalpa, the case is transferred directly to the Consulate (Step 6).

For more information, contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

2. Petition Approval By Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The processing time for petition approval depends on the category of the immigrant visa as indicated:

 

K Visas	Fiancé (e) visas, nonimmigrant visas for spouses	Between 90 to 120 days
Immediate Relative (IR) Immigrant Visas, except Adoptions	Spouse, parent, or unmarried minor child of an American Citizen	Between 360 and 550 days
Family Preference (F) Immigrant Visas	All other family relationships, except adoptions.	Between 550 and 999 days
Adoption Cases		Contact DHS

The status of a petition can be checked online at the USCIS Case Status website.

3. Transfer of Case from DHS to National Visa Center (NVC)
4 to 5 weeks

For more information on the status of cases with the NVC, please see the NVC website or call them at (603) 334-0700.

4. Filing of Documents with NVC
The NVC will contact the petitioner to request the following three documents:

Agent of Choice and Address (Form DS3032)	3 to 4 weeks
Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (Form DS-230)	3 to 4 weeks
Affidavit of Support (I-864)	3 to 4 weeks

If supporting documents for the Affidavit of Support are missing, the NVC will request all missing forms from the petitioner and the processing time will be delayed.

Note: This does not apply to K1, K3, and V Visas.

For more information on the status of cases with the NVC, please see the NVC website or call them at (603) 334-0700.

5. Transfer of Case from NVC to U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa
3 weeks for cases that are current for processing.  Note that if a visa category has a numerical limitation, the case will not be sent to the Embassy until the priority date becomes current (see below).

Numerical Limitations: Whenever there are more qualified applicants for a category than there are available visas, the category will be considered oversubscribed and immigrant visas will be issued in the chronological order in which the petitions were filed until the numerical limit for the category is reached.  The filing date of a petition becomes the applicant's priority date. Immigrant visas cannot be issued until an applicant's priority date is reached.  In certain heavily oversubscribed categories, there may be a waiting period of several years before a priority date is reached. Check the Visa Bulletin for the latest priority dates for each visa category.

Please note that if your case has not been assigned a case number beginning with the letters ‘TGG’, the case has not yet been forwarded to the Embassy.  Please check the NVC website or call the NVC at (603) 334-0700 before contacting the Embassy to inquire about your case.

6. Scheduling of Immigrant Visa Interview Appointment
1 to 2 months

When the Immigrant Visa Unit receives new cases, appointments are generally given for 1 to 2 months in the future so that the applicant has enough time to gather the documents that are required during the interview  (PDF - 161Kb) (medical exam, birth or marriage certificates, evidence of relationship, etc.).

If you believe your case is ready to be scheduled for an interview, please contact the Immigrant Visa Section of the Consulate to set up an interview.

7. Issuance of Visa
Variable

If an applicant brings all of the required documents to the visa interview and if the applicant does not have any visa ineligibilities (such as prior unlawful presence in the United States, criminal history, etc.), the immigrant visa is normally issued the same day as the interview.  Applicants are asked to return to the Embassy the next day at 4:00 p.m. to pick up their passports and visa packets.  Note that some cases require additional administrative processing that may delay the issuance of the visa.

No one can assure you in advance that the visa will be issued.  Please do not make plans to depart Honduras before your visa is issued.  For example, do not buy airline tickets, quit your job, sell your property, or leave school until the visa is issued.  If you receive a visa, you will have six months to travel to the U.S.

For applicants that are missing documents, the consular officer will provide the applicant with a letter listing all of the missing documentation.  The applicants are asked to send the documents in the mail to the Consulate (American citizens may drop off missing documentation at the Consulate any day at 11:00 except Wednesday).  When the case is reviewed and judged to be complete, the applicants will be called to return to the Embassy to obtain their visa.

For more information about the status of a case after the applicant(s) has been interview, please contact the Immigrant Visa Section.

8. Processing of Waiver Requests for Ineligible Applicants
6 to 8 months

If it is determined that an applicant has an ineligibility for which there is an available waiver, the applicant will need to fill out all of the required forms in order to apply for the waiver.

These forms include an I-212 for deportations, I-601 for other ineligibilities, G-325A for all waiver applications, and a hardship letter from the petitioner describing the extreme suffering s/he will suffer if the waiver is denied.  The applicant will also need to provide a full set of fingerprints and pay additional processing fees.  Once all forms and the results of the fingerprint check have been received, the case is transferred to the Department of Homeland Security for processing of the waiver application.

For more information regarding the status of a waiver application, please contact the DHS-USCIS offices in Tegucigalpa by telephone at (504) 238-5114, extension 4500; by fax at (504) 236-9107; or by e-mail at uscistgu.inquiries@dhs.gov