Visa Issuance

If your visa is approved at the time of your interview, you will receive an approval notice from the interviewing officer.  Follow the instructions provided in the notice in order to successfully complete the visa issuance and delivery process.  

Starting August 1st, 2011, approved immigrant visas will be mailed directly to the recipient's home address via China Post.  There will be a COD (cash on delivery) charge for this visa delivery service.  Please click here for instructions on how to complete the COD waybill and information regarding the cost of delivery and locations delivered to.

If you do not wish to have your passport and visa packet returned to you by COD waybill, it is your responsibility to make the necessary arrangements with China Post in Guangzhou and to notify the Consulate.  If you would like to pick-up your visa, please click here for more information.

Please note all immigrant visa applicants must use the China Post system for return of their visas.

Your passport with your immigrant visa and visa package will be given to China Post 2-3 days after the visa is approved. However, should complications beyond the Consulate’s control arise during visa processing, your passport may not be available until later.  You are strongly advised not to make any travel arrangements before having your visa in-hand. 

In most cases, an immigrant visa is valid for six months from the date of issuance (K3 visas are valid for two years). This will give you six months to prepare for your departure to the United States.  However, visas may be limited to less than 6 months.  This may be due to earlier expiry of important documents or for other reasons.  Please check your visa validity carefully. 

After you have received your visa, which will have been placed within your passport, and the accompanying visa packet, you should be sure to carefully read the information contained both on the visa itself and in the cover letter stapled to the visa packet. Make sure this information is correct; if it is not, contact the Consulate immediately. 

Do NOT open the visa packet.  Carry it with you on your flight to the United States; you will need to give it unopened to the immigration officer at the port of entry in the United States.  Please also note that you must enter the U.S. before your visa expires.

The purpose of your immigrant visa is to gain admittance to the U.S. and attain Alien Resident status.  At the port of entry, it will be endorsed by the immigration officer and thus made into temporary proof of your Alien Resident status.  As such, it can be used for travel, usually for a period of one year.  Within this year, USCIS will send your Alien Resident Card (ARC), popularly known as a 'green card', to your U.S. address.  Green cards cannot be sent to an address outside the U.S.