American Citizenship and Immigration Visa will propel you to work, study and to live in the USA with your loved ones, So if you have been search on what to do to gain USA Visa we shall be guiding you here on the requirements for your applied USA Visa to be approved.
USA Immigrant Visa Overview
All immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Nigeria at the U.S Consulate in Lagos. We do not process immigrant visas at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
A U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or prospective U.S. employer must file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before you can immigrate. To learn more about the different visa categories available, please visit our Directory of Visa Categories. Follow the steps located on the Immigrant Visa Process page to begin applying for an immigrant visa.
Once your petition has been approved and you have an interview date, you will come to the U.S. Consulate for your interview. Please review the links above for more information related to the interview process. For information about how to prepare for your interview in Nigeria and other Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
Types Of USA Immigrant Visas
- Family-Based Immigration
- Fiancé(e) Visa
- Employment-Based Immigration
- Diversity Visa
- Returning Resident Visa
Above here are the list of the visas one can apply for when thinking of to live, work and study in the USA. Below here we shall explain them one after the other.
Family-Based Immigration
Two groups of family-based immigrant visa categories, immediate relatives and family preference, are provided under the provisions of United States immigration law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). You can learn more about these two categories of immigrant visas on usvisas.state.gov.
To apply for an immediate relative or family preference immigrant visas, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the National Visa Center (NVC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Fiancé(e) Visa
The fiancé(e) K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. You can learn more about fiancé(e) visas on usvisas.state.gov.
Employment-Based Immigration
Every fiscal year (October 1st – September 30th), approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are made available to qualified applicants under the provisions of U.S. immigration law. Employment based immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories. Certain spouses and children may accompany or follow-to-join employment-based immigrants. You can learn more about these five categories of employment-based immigrant visas on usvisas.state.gov.
To apply for an employment-based immigrant visa, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the National Visa Center (NVC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Diversity Visa
The Immigration Act of 1990 established the Diversity Visa (DV) program, where 55,000 immigrant visas would be available in an annual lottery, starting in fiscal year 1995. The lottery aims to diversify the immigrant population in the United States, by selecting applicants mostly from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States in the previous five years.
To apply for a diversity visa, follow the steps on the Diversity Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Returning Resident Visa
A permanent resident or conditional resident who has remained outside the United States for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, due to circumstances beyond their control, will require a new immigrant visa to request re-entry to the United States to resume permanent residence.
How to File an Application for Returning Resident Status Determination:
STEP 1: Schedule an appointment at least three months in advance of your intended travel. When you are ready to schedule your Returning Resident interview, email LagosIV@state.gov, or AbujaIV@state.gov with “SB-1” in the subject line, to request an interview date.
STEP 2: Please bring the following to the scheduled interview appointment:
- E-mail print-out of the Appointment Confirmation Page
- Completed Application to Determine Returning Resident Status (Form DS-117)
- Required non-refundable filing fee of $180. Pay the required non-refundable filing fee of $180 (or its local currency equivalent) at the Embassy or Consulate General’s consular cashier, in cash. Please note: credit cards are not accepted.
- Alien Registration Receipt Card, Form I-151 or I-551 (“green card”)
- All valid and expired passports
- Re-entry Permit (Form I-327), if available
- Dates of travel outside of the United States (Examples: airline tickets, passport stamps, etc.)
- Proof of your ties to the United States and your intention to return (Examples: tax returns, and evidence of economic, family, and social ties to the United States)
- Proof that your protracted stay outside of the United States was for reasons beyond your control (Examples: medical incapacitation, employment with a U.S. company, etc.)
- Two color photos (2×2 inch, white background, meeting the requirements on this page)
Notes:
- Enter your updated email and contact number on your DS-117 located in line number three.
- You will be instructed to reschedule if you arrive with an incomplete application.
- Payment of the filing fee does not guarantee that the returning resident status will be approved.
- If you are approved for Returning Resident (SB-1) status, the following fees will be required based on the immigrant visa processing: Form DS-260 application processing fee; Medical Exam and vaccination fees.
STEP 3: The interviewing officer will provide you with an official determination notice after the interview. Your passport and alien registration card (“green card”) will be returned at the end of the interview. If approved for Returning Resident Status, you will be given specific instructions for the remainder of the processing. This will include scheduling an immigrant visa interview at the Consulate General in Lagos. You will be required to meet all documentary and legal requirements to qualify for an immigrant visa including a new medical exam and payment of the DS-260 application processing fee.
You can learn more about Returning Resident Visas here.
