The intending immigrant must submit a number of civil documents and police certificates to the National Visa Center with their completed DS-260 form. All documents will be submitted online through CEAC (Consular Electronic Application Center). The applicants must be ready to present the original documents, plus an additional photocopy of each document, at the time of the visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Documents in foreign languages must be translated into English. All translations should contain a certificate of accuracy in which the translator swears that they are fluent with both languages, has translated the document into English, and that it is a true and complete translation.
The required DS-260 civil documents may include:
- Biographic page of the applicant’s valid unexpired passport
- Applicant’s long-form birth certificate that lists both parents’ names
- Applicant’s marriage certificate
- Evidence of applicant’s termination of each prior marriage (divorce decree, death certificate, annulment)
- For siblings of US citizens only – certified copy of petitioner’s birth certificate
- If a petitioning spouse was previously married, evidence of termination of each prior marriage (certified copy of a final divorce decree, death certificate, or annulment papers)
- If the applicant has served in the military of any country – copy of military records
- If applicant has been convicted of a crime, a certified copy of each court disposition
- If the applicant is 16 and older – a police certificate from the appropriate country or countries
- Applicant’s digital U.S. visa type photograph
Before submitting any civil document, the applicants must first review the U.S. Department’s Visa Reciprocity and Civil Documents for each foreign country. Each document must strictly match the U.S. Department of State requirements. If a document (for example, a police certificate) is listed as unavailable, the applicant is not required to submit it. If a document is listed as available, but the applicant is unable to obtain the document, they may submit secondary evidence (for example, baptismal or other non-governmental records).
Below you can find the civil documents requirements for each country:
If after reviewing the documents submitted, NVC determines that documents do not meet the requirements or are incorrect, an electronic notice will be sent to the applicant saying that the status of their case has been updated. Applicants must log back into their CEAC accounts to review the messages, fix the issues and upload a correct document. Delete the incorrect document before submitting the new one.
When applicants submit the civil documents online through CEAC website, hard copies don’t need to be mailed to NVC. However, you must be ready to bring all the original documents to your visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate.
Once all of the required documents (civil documents and financial documents) have been reviewed by NVC, the applicant will receive an email stating that the case is “documentarily qualified” and that the NVC will schedule an immigrant visa interview with coordination of the US Embassy or Consulate.
Related Links:
DS-260 Form – Step-By-Step Guide
