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Currently, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is overwhelmed with applications and petitions, causing delays for those seeking help. People assisting others in these matters are looking for ways to expedite the process. Additionally, the Department of State (DOS) is facing significant delays in arranging interviews for individuals wishing to immigrate to the US from abroad. Here is a guide on how to speed up the united states immigrants visa interview process.
Applicants for US immigrant visas are experiencing lengthy wait times at consulates due to high demand, limited staff, and other factors. The National Visa Center (NVC) maintains a list of applicants waiting for immigrant visa interviews, but there is no centralized website to track wait times at individual consulates. The most recent list indicates that over 326,000 people are awaiting their immigrant visa interviews.
Emergency situations, big humanitarian problems, and advice from government agencies are all good reasons to ask for a faster immigrant visa interview to get into the United States. But asking for a faster immigrant visa interview means you need to be careful.
Every consulate and embassy around the world might have a little bit different rules about what forms.
Preparatory things to know
Before asking for a faster immigrant visa interview:
- See how long you have to wait for your visa appointment to see if you really need to rush your immigrant visa interview.
- Make sure you have paid your visa fees and have proof that you really need the immigrant visa interview.
- Don’t ask for a certain date or time for your immigrant visa interview (but you can let them know when you are free).
Tips to help speed things up
- Fill out your visa application as soon as you can. Send in all your paperwork and details way before your trip. This gives the consulate or embassy enough time to get your application sorted and set up an immigrant visa interview.
- Book your immigrant visa interview right away. If you get a call to set up your immigrant visa interview, don’t wait. Consulates and embassies only have so many slots, so booking early might mean you get a better time.
- Make sure you have all the right info. Double-check all your forms and make sure you have got everything they need. Giving them the wrong or not enough info could make them hold up your visa or even say no.
- Ask for a faster immigrant visa interview. Some places let you pay extra for a quicker immigrant visa interview. This could be a good idea if you have a good reason for needing it done fast.
- Think about getting a lawyer. Immigration lawyers know how to make the process smoother.
- See if you can skip the immigrant visa interview. Some people might not need to do an immigrant visa interview. This usually depends on the type of visa you are getting or if you have already got one.
- Get ready for your immigrant visa interview. Make sure you are ready to explain clearly why you need the visa and have all your documents ready.
Speeding things up at the US consulate or embassy
Every consulate has its own rules for when they will speed up the process for getting visas, and how to ask for it. But, most of them don’t just say yes to anyone needing a visa fast. They look at each situation on its own.
For example, If you are a person from Mexico who has been living there and might need your immigrant visa interview quickly, you could be a good fit if:
- Your spouse or kid is in the US military;
- You or your kid has a serious health issue or another emergency that needs you to get to the US right away;
- You are about to run out of your visa or other benefits in the next six months (assuming you are not protected by the Child Status Protection Act);
- You are a US citizen kid (usually if you are an IR-2), and you are turning 18 soon, and you will be living with your US citizen parent in the US, and you might be able to get US citizenship through the Child Citizenship Act;
- You can find more info on how to ask for a fast immigrant visa interview appointment at the US Visa and Appointment Services website. The consulate will look at your case and make a decision.
- Valid reasons to speed up things
Emergency situations, big humanitarian problems, and advice from organizations could be good enough reasons to speed up your immigrant visa interview.
Getting your immigrant visa interview faster won’t always work out and it really depends on the rules and how busy each consulate and embassy is.
What counts as an emergency?
- Urgent health situation.
If the person applying for a visa or a close family member is in serious danger and needs to get to the US right away for medical help, they might be able to skip the normal interview process. They will need to show proof from doctors or other health professionals.
- Family member passing away.
If a close family member like a spouse, child, parent, or sibling dies in the US, the person applying for a visa can ask to skip the usual interview. They will need a death certificate to prove it.
- Quick family reunion.
This is when someone needs to get to the US quickly to be with their immediate family because of something serious like a family member being very sick, a parent passing away, or other serious issues.
- Natural disaster effects.
This is for when someone is home and way of making a living were really badly damaged by a recent natural disaster, like a storm that made it necessary to travel quickly.
What counts as humanitarian issues?
- Staying safe.
People who are in immediate danger because of domestic violence, being targeted for their political beliefs, or facing other threats back home might be able to get help.
- People running away.
If someone is in real danger of being hurt or treated badly because of their race, religion, where they are from, or their political views, they might get a faster immigrant visa interview.
- Someone who has been hurt.
If someone has been through a really bad crime, like human trafficking, domestic violence, or being taken advantage of, they can ask for a faster immigrant visa interview because they need help.
What amounts to the government’s advice for a quick immigrant visa interview?
- Need for help from the US police or security teams.
If the FBI, DHS, or others need you to come to the US quickly to help with an investigation, criminal case, or matters that are super important for the country, this is a big deal that might lead to a quick immigrant visa interview.
- The US government needs help right away.
If you are in the military, a government worker, or your close family needs to move fast because of an emergency like being sent to another country, getting out of danger, or suddenly needing to work in the US, you might be able to skip the normal visa interview process.
- Working together with other government offices.
Other offices like NASA, the DOE, the CDC, and more might ask you to skip some steps in the visa process if you are a scientist, researcher, or someone with technical skills they need to help with projects that cross departments.
Proof needed for a quick immigrant visa interview
You will need different kinds of papers depending on why you need the immigrant visa interview to happen fast (if it is an emergency, a humanitarian situation, or a government job). Here are some of the papers you might need:
- A letter explaining why it is urgent. A detailed letter that explains why you need the immigrant visa interview fast and why it is so important
- Proof of a medical emergency. If it is because of a medical emergency, you will need to show documents from a doctor that explain the situation, what is wrong, and why you need to go to the US fast.
- The original death certificate. If you are going to a funeral for a family member in the US.
- Proof of your relationship. Documents that show you are related to the sick or dead, like a birth or marriage certificate.
- Proof of threats or being in danger. Documents from the people in charge that show you are in immediate danger.
- Documents from the US government.
Get help!
If you want to speed up your chances of getting an immigrant visa interview, think about reaching out to Gehi and Associates now. We can help you get through the immigration visa process as fast and easily as we can.
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