American Visa Guide
Step-by-step guide to US family immigrant visa consular processing through the London embassy: written from community experience.
The stages, in order
Each stage has its own page, with its bottom line, action list and documents at the top.
| Stage | What happens | Typical wait | Your documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · File the I-130 | Prove the relationship to USCIS | Stalled. The front of the line has not moved past priority dates of around 25 February 2025, so IR petitions filed after that date are now 19+ months pending and rising. See escalation options | I-130 checklist, category overview |
| 1A · Delayed I-130 | Escalation options when the I-130 is well past processing times | — | Remedies guide |
| 1B · CRBA | For a child who is already a US citizen at birth | ~4 weeks | — |
| 2 · NVC | Fees, DS-260, financial and civil documents | ~14 days per review | NVC checklist, I-864 worksheet, DS-260 worksheet, I-864 household calculator |
| 3 · Waiting for your interview letter | The queue, and how to use the wait | 77-day average; drops currently stopped | Public charge, 221(g), binder checklist |
| 4 · Medical | One clinic, one day, in London | 1 day in London; at least 10 working days before interview | Medical checklist |
| 5 · Interview | The embassy appointment | 20–40 minutes, a recent shift; 1.5–4.5 hours in the embassy | Interview checklist, question bank |
| 6 · After the interview | Outcomes, passport return, fees | ~4–11 days for the passport | 221(g), visa pause |
| 7 · Before you leave the UK | HMRC, student loans, NI, ISAs | — | Workbook, spreadsheet |
| 8 · US entry | Port of entry and green card | Green card up to 90 days | — |
| 9 · Life in the USA | Banking, tax, settling | — | — |
What this guide covers
This guide covers consular processing of US family-based immigrant visas through the US Embassy in London. It covers IR and F visa categories for spouses (IR-1/CR-1), children (IR-2), parents (IR-5), and family preference (F visas).
This process rewards overpreparation. When in doubt, follow the strictest interpretation of official guidance: supply more than asked, document more than required, and leave nothing to chance.
What this guide does not cover
- Local I-130 / DCF filing: used when a US citizen resides in the UK and meets exceptional criteria
- Adjustment of Status (AOS): used when the beneficiary is already inside the United States
Visa categories at a glance
Immediate Relative (IR) visas have no annual cap: once the I-130 is approved the case moves straight to NVC. Family Preference (F) visas are subject to annual numerical limits and require the priority date to be current on the Visa Bulletin before NVC processing begins.
IR (Immediate Relative) visas, covering CR1, IR1, IR2 and IR5, are not subject to annual numerical limits. Once the I-130 is approved, the case moves straight through NVC and into the embassy queue. The timelines in this tracker reflect IR cases.
F (Family Preference) visas, covering F1, F2A, F2B, F3 and F4, are subject to annual caps and can have multi-year waiting periods. Before the embassy queue is relevant, the beneficiary's priority date must first become current on the monthly Visa Bulletin. Once current, the case enters NVC processing and follows the same London embassy process as IR cases. F visa holders should monitor the Visa Bulletin closely. The embassy queue only begins once a visa number is available. [Visa Bulletin]
Spouse of US citizen, married <2 years at US entry. Conditional green card, valid 2 years. Requires I-751 to remove conditions before permanent residency and citizenship eligibility.
Evidence at filing: This is the highest scrutiny category. USCIS is assessing fraud risk, not romance. Lack of financial integration is the most common weakness. Include: joint financial accounts, lease or mortgage in both names, insurance policies naming each other as beneficiaries, tax returns (joint preferred), photos over time organized with name/date/location, and travel history and communication logs.
Official infoSpouse of US citizen, married ≥2 years at US entry. Green card valid 10 years. No I-751 required. A CR1 automatically converts to IR1 if the marriage crosses 2 years before entry.
Evidence at filing: This is the highest scrutiny category. USCIS is assessing fraud risk, not romance. Lack of financial integration is the most common weakness. Include: joint financial accounts, lease or mortgage in both names, insurance policies naming each other as beneficiaries, tax returns (joint preferred), photos over time organized with name/date/location, and travel history and communication logs.
Official infoUnmarried child under 21 of a US citizen. Child must not be a US citizen at birth (if so, CRBA applies instead). Can be CR2 (parents married <2 years at entry) or IR2 (≥2 years).
Evidence at filing: Child's birth certificate naming both parents. If stepchild: marriage certificate of petitioner and biological parent. If biological parent is not the petitioner: evidence of legal custody or relationship. Proof of petitioner's US citizenship.
Official infoParent of a US citizen, where the petitioner is 21 or older. No annual cap. Green card valid 10 years. The US citizen child files the I-130 as the petitioner.
Evidence at filing: Petitioner's birth certificate naming the parent being sponsored. Proof of petitioner's US citizenship. If sponsoring a stepparent: marriage certificate of biological parent and stepparent, plus evidence that the marriage occurred before the petitioner turned 18.
Official infoClassification is determined at US entry, not at I-130 approval. Carry your original marriage certificate when entering. If your marriage crosses the 2-year mark before you enter, bring proof of that. The same applies to CR2/IR2 for children.
These categories require the priority date to be current on the monthly Visa Bulletin before NVC processing begins. Waits can range from months to over a decade depending on category and country of chargeability.
Unmarried adult child (21+) of a US citizen.
Evidence at filing: Child's birth certificate naming petitioner. Proof of petitioner's US citizenship. Evidence of child's unmarried status (e.g. statutory declaration). If the child has previously been married: divorce or death certificate for each prior marriage.
Official infoSpouse and unmarried children under 21 of a lawful permanent resident (LPR). Shortest wait among preference categories.
Evidence at filing: Marriage certificate (spouse) or birth certificate (child). Copy of petitioner's green card (front and back). Proof of termination of any prior marriages. Bona fide marriage evidence for spouse petitions.
Official infoUnmarried adult child (21+) of a lawful permanent resident (LPR).
Evidence at filing: Child's birth certificate naming petitioner. Copy of petitioner's green card (front and back). Evidence of child's unmarried status. Divorce or death certificate for any prior marriages of the child.
Official infoMarried child of a US citizen (any age). Spouse and minor children can be included as derivatives.
Evidence at filing: Child's birth certificate naming petitioner. Proof of petitioner's US citizenship. Child's marriage certificate. Derivative beneficiaries (spouse, children): their birth or marriage certificates.
Official infoSibling of a US citizen, where the petitioner is 21 or older. Longest waits of all preference categories, often 10+ years depending on country.
Evidence at filing: Birth certificates of both petitioner and sibling showing at least one shared parent. Proof of petitioner's US citizenship. If the shared parent's name differs on documents (e.g. through marriage): marriage certificate or name change documentation. Derivative beneficiaries (sibling's spouse and children): their birth or marriage certificates.
Official infoOnce a priority date is current and NVC processing begins, all categories follow the same London embassy process described in this guide. The timelines on the data page reflect IR cases. F visa holders should expect the same steps but cannot rely on the same wait time figures.
Across every stage
- Avoiding a 221(g) — the green refusal sheet box by box, how to prevent one at each stage, and how to resolve one
- Public charge — what the officer now weighs, the written statement and its template, and the questions asked at London
- The nationality visa pause, struck down — what the ruling means if you interviewed at London but are not a UK national
- Data tracker — community wait times, IL drop history and outcomes at London
Stage 9: Life in the USA: Practical First Steps
Green card, SSN, banking, tax obligations, Selective Service, and where the community has settled. Includes a live map of member locations across the US.
Go to Life in the USA →Checklists and worksheets by stage
- All stages
- Master checklist, Moving to the USA Workbook, all checklists and tools
- Stage 1: I-130
- I-130 pre-submission checklist, category overview (image)
- Stage 1A: Delayed I-130
- Delayed I-130 remedies guide
- Stage 2: NVC
- NVC document checklist, I-864 worksheet, DS-260 worksheet, I-864 household calculator
- Stage 3: Waiting for your interview letter
- Public charge, Avoiding a 221(g), data tracker, interview binder checklist
- Stage 4: Medical
- Medical day checklist, interview binder checklist
- Stage 5: Interview
- Interview day checklist, interview question bank, Avoiding a 221(g)
- Stage 6: After the interview
- Avoiding a 221(g), visa pause, data tracker
- Stage 7: Before you leave the UK
- Moving to the USA Workbook, workbook spreadsheet (.xlsx)
- Stage 8: US entry
- Life in the USA