IMMIGRANT VISA SERVICES

General Information

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan has been processing immigrant visas since February 2006, having taken over that function from the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, for residents of Armenia.

Since January 22, 2007, changes in regulations have sharply limited the acceptance of I-130 petitions. Those are the petitions filed by American citizens seeking immigrant visas for their immediate relatives, including spouses, children and stepchildren, parents and siblings. Most American citizens must now file those petitions in the U.S., and not at embassies or consulates abroad, including Yerevan.

American citizens who live in the United States must mail I-130 petitions for eligible family members to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) service center that serves your state of residence. Which service center covers your state is indicated in the instructions on the I-130 form. Information about filing, and copies of the I-130 form, can be found on the USCIS website, www.uscis.gov.

American citizens who have lived in Armenia for at least the past six months, and can prove that with a residence permit, can file I-130 petitions at the embassy in Yerevan. Mere presence in Armenia is not enough to prove residence.

Please visit http://www.uscis.gov to find your local USCIS office and learn more about immigration to the U.S.

If you have questions on a particular immigrant visa (IV) case processed by U.S. Embassy Yerevan, please write to our immigrant visa unit at ivyerevan@state.gov. Please always cite applicant´s name and surname and the IV case number in the subject line (e.g. Anun Azganyan, 2007YRVxxxxxx).

All applicants for immigrant visas are required to get a medical examination from one of the Embassy´s approved panel physicians. The list of panel physicians contains information on how to set up an appointment and the cost of the examination.

Applicants can find a list of the current vaccinations required to immigrate to the U.S. at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1331.html

Armenians who emigrate to the United States must register with OVIR, the Armenian passport agency, before they leave the country in order to confirm their immigrant status and avoid problems at the airport or border.