Appointments
Step 3: The Immigrant Visa Appointment
Appointments for immigrant visa interviews can be scheduled once the petition is current and the petitioner and beneficiary have submitted the DS-230 part I and reported that they have all their documents ready for the interview.
For cases filed in the United States: The National Visa Center (NVC) sends the appointment letter.
For cases filed in Saudi Arabia: The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh provides all instructions to the beneficiary and sends the appointment letter.
Once the beneficiary has received the appointment letter--and no sooner--he/she may proceed with the medical exam.
Appointments are scheduled approximately 5–6 weeks in advance. Applicants are notified of their scheduled appointments through the mail and should come to the Embassy no more than 30 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment time, bringing with them their passports, all relevant documentation as requested, the results of the medical exam, and cash to cover any fees not yet paid.
Application fees are paid to the cashier in cash if they have not already been prepaid to NVC. Applicants are then seated until they are called for an interview. If no ineligibilities or technical problems arise, immigrant visas are generally approved on the day of the interview. The visa is delivered a few days later via FedEx. Applicants who live in Riyadh should be prepared to pay SR65 for the FedEx courier service. The delivery fee for the rest of Saudi Arabia is SR125.
In order to avoid unnecessary delays, it is important for applicants to notify the consular section in writing of any changes in address or other contact information.
