Lagos Nigeria K1 filers

[Junesue 0]

We got our NOA2 and our case was sent to the Lagos Consulte on Aug 30th. We are not sure what to do now. It has been two weeks and no packet no LSG number to request an interview. What can we do to move things along?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You case passes through NVC ( no matter what your NOA2 says ) call them and ask if the case is forwarded yet and if so could they give you the LGS number. NVC are the official sendors of petitions.

[patient2010 93]

Once you get the new case number from the NVC and they tell you that your case has been sent to Lagos.....Lagos then will send you an email with info on the medical, police certificate, and affidavit of support info that is considered pkt3 and in that same email you will have an interview date that is considered pkt4. You dont set up your interview Lagos will however if you just want to do something you can send them an email once your case has arrived there and request they send you an interview date. Also if you want to start working on the pkt3 infor go to the DOS page and click on the link (which is working now) and you can start working on the paper work from there.....Good luck to you!

[Afrikan Queen 11]

It took us 1 month before we got the email (packet 3 & 4). Hopefully you'll hear from them next week.

[Junesue 0]

Thanks! I called the NVC and got the LGS number and sent the email. So I pray it is next week as well.

[G/S 0]

Plus or minus, expect your interview date in a month time, after two weeks, you can sent a mail to embassy for your interview date. Stay bless!

[Nne & Vic 2]

http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html

[jenkatx 52]

It took us 4 months from the time that Lag received our petition to the interview. I also had to email them 2xs to get the date & package. I think they are very busy right now, someone said they are processing all of the diversity lotto apps.

[Junesue 0]

Oh no! k-1 and lotto visas this is bad! We will have to pray that things move faster than expected!

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

This is the last month for the 2011 winners to get a visa so they are being chased by every winner that doesn't yet have a visa in hand

[Junesue 0]

Here is a copy of a auto response I received from the consulate when I emailed for a interview date:

Visa inquiries may not be made in person at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos except by American citizens or by Legal Permanent Residents requiring assistance with their travel documents.

Thank you for your inquiry. After analyzing the large number of incoming emails, we are providing this automatic response to answer the most frequently asked questions. If this response does not answer your question, please be patient for a specific response, usually within three business days.

If your question is addressed in the list of Frequently Asked Questions below, our office will consider that your question has been satisfactorily answered.

For security reasons, we cannot open or read any e-mails with attachments. If you have sent this email with an attachment, please resend it without the attachment.

If your inquiry concerns a nonimmigrant visa case, please resend your email to LagosNIV@state.gov

If your inquiry concerns a student visa case, please resend your email to LagosStudentVisas@state.gov

If your inquiry concerns American Citizen Services, please resend your email to LagosACS@state.gov

Frequently Asked Questions: Table of Contents

1. I have sent multiple inquiries, but have not gotten a response. Why?

2. Can I come to the Consulate to inquire about my case?

3. How can my family join me in the United States?

4. When will I get an appointment?

5. I have not received Packet Four. How do I get it?

6. Can you tell me whether a petition has been received in Lagos?

7. Can I file an immigrant visa petition in Lagos?

8. What if I cancel or miss my appointment?

9. Where will the interview take place?

10. What photos do I need to bring?

11. What documents do I need to bring?

12. How do I add a family member to my case?

13. Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?

14. Who must attend the interview? Do I need to bring all my children?

15. Do I owe any money for the visas? What are the visa fees?

16. How do I book my medical exam?

17. What happens when a case is recommended for revocation?

18. What is the cost of filing a waiver? How do I check on the status of my waiver?

19. How do I check my priority date?

20. What do I do if my Permanent Residence (Green) card is lost or expired?

21. How do I get a transportation letter? What is the fee?

22. Where can I get more information about immigrant and diversity visas, and NVC?

Q1: I have sent multiple inquiries but have not gotten a response. Why?

A: Our Correspondence Unit receives thousands of inquiries every month. In order to serve applicants faster, we cannot respond to inquiries requesting confirmation of receipt of documents or faxes. In addition, we hope that this list of FAQs will provide you the information you are seeking. We work hard to answer every email as quickly as possible.

Q2: Can I come to the Consulate to inquire about my case?

A: No. Due to diminished capacity as a result of ongoing renovations at our premises, we will no longer answer routine visa inquiries in person.

American citizens with visa inquiries or Legal Permanent Residents requiring assistance with their travel documents may visit the U.S. Consulate General for assistance Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. All other applicants should direct their inquiries to LagosIV@state.gov. All required forms and other documents may be found on our website here: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html or by emailing LagosIV@state.gov.

Q3: How can my family join me in the United States?

A. If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident and want to obtain immigrant visas for your family to join you in the United States, you must first file a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For further information visit: www.uscis.gov or travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1310.html

Q4: When will I get an appointment?

A: If NVC sent you a letter stating that your file is complete and has been sent to Lagos for scheduling, please wait for your appointment letter to be sent to you. This can take several months, depending on the type of immigrant visa filed. You can expect to receive this appointment letter several weeks before your appointment. If the original documents were sent to NVC, please remember to bring photocopies of all documents, including birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc. to your appointment.

If your inquiry concerns an immigrant visa case in which the I-130 petition was filed in the United States, and it has not been scheduled for an appointment, please send your inquiry directly to the National Visa Center. To contact NVC, please email: NVCInquiry@state.gov. If you have been informed by USCIS that your petition has been approved and forwarded to the Department of State, please contact NVC directly.

If you were selected for the Diversity Visa lottery, please contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for your appointment date at: KCCDV@state.gov

Q5: I never received Packet Four. How do I get it?

A: To download Packet Four or the preparatory packet for K1/K3 visas, please visit our website at: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html to download and print the forms. If you are not able to download the forms from the website, you may email us at LagosIV@state.gov to request that we send you Packet 4 or the K1/K3 preparatory packet.

Q6: Can you tell me whether a petition I filed in the United States has been received in Lagos?

A: Yes. Please send us an email with the last name of the beneficiary as well as the case number (the one that begins with LGS).

Q7: Can I file an Immigrant Visa petition in Lagos?

A: USCIS has changed it's policy on filing Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relatives. Effective August 15, 2011, all petitioners residing overseas in countries in which USCIS does not have a field office (this includes Nigeria), must file their Form I-130 petitions by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox. USCIS will be publishing amended instructions for forms I-130 to reflect this processing change on their website at www.uscis.gov. Petitions are to be filled to the following addresses: 1: USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries: USCIS, P.O. Box 804625, Chicago, IL 60680-4107 or 2: USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries: USCIS, Attn: I-130, 131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60603-5517.

For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by phone at 1-800-375-5283

Q8: What if I cancel or miss my appointment?

A: Please send us an e-mail with your name, case number, and contact address. We will contact you by email with the next available appointment date. We are currently scheduling appointments three to four months from today. Please note that we can reschedule a Diversity Visa appointment only ONE time. If you miss your rescheduled DV appointment, we will not reschedule you a second time.

Q9: Where will the interview take place?

A: All visa interviews for immigrant visas take place at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos. We are located at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent (formerly Eleke Crescent) on Victoria Island.

Q10: What photos do I need to bring?

A: Two color passport photos are required for the interview. The required size is typical for passports: 1½ inches by 1½ inches (5 cm x 5 cm). It is a good idea to bring an extra photo. For more detailed information on photo requirements, please visit: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3746.html.

If you are applying for a family-based immigrant visa, you should bring photographs showing you with the petitioner as evidence of the relationship.

Q11: What documents do I need to bring?

A: The required documents are listed on the checklist provided by NVC or on our prior communications with you. Remember, however, that each case is different. Please remember to bring ORIGINAL records of birth, marriage, divorce, police certificates, etc., including birth certificates of the petitioner if the petitioner is a son, daughter or sibling of the applicant. Please also bring a photocopy of each document. If applying for a family-based immigrant visa, you should bring any evidence (photographs, correspondence, phone records, etc.) that demonstrates the relationship between you and the petitioner.

You must bring an international passport. If you are qualified for the visa, we will keep it until the visa is printed and placed in the passport. Please make sure that the passport is valid for at least six months, and that there are no written observations. If there is a written observation, you will be asked to get another passport. For more details about original documents, please visit:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3741.html.

Q12: How do I add a family member to my case?

A: If you are inquiring about a new family member whom you wish to add to an approved petition stored at NVC, please contact NVC in writing, providing the petitioner's and beneficiary's names and dates of birth, case number, receipt number, and a copy of the birth certificate. To contact NVC by phone, you must call between 7:30 a.m. and midnight, Monday to Friday, Eastern Standard Time (EST). It may be easier to reach NVC during the morning. Follow the prompts to speak with an operator. NVC's telephone number is: 603-334-0700. You may also inquire via e-mail at NVCInquiry@state.gov.

For Diversity Visa entries, if you are inquiring about adding a family member (that was NOT a family member at the time of your Diversity Visa entry) to your DV case, it can be done on the day of your interview at the U.S. Consulate. All normal DV fees apply for this family member.

Q13: Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?

A: Because of space restrictions, petitioners are not permitted into the interview room. However, a family member may come to aid elderly applicants or young children.

Q14: Who must attend the interview? Do I need to bring all my children?

A: All applicants must be in attendance for their interview. Waiting times at the Consulate can be long.

Q15: Do I owe any money for the visas? What are the visa fees?

A: If you have been receiving documentation from the National Visa Center, then most likely you have already paid the visa fee. If not, the current IV fee is U.S. $400 per applicant regardless of age.

All Diversity Visa lottery applicants must pay the $819 fee per applicant to the U.S. Consulate General Lagos on the day of the interview.

All K-1 and K-3 visas must pay the $350 nonimmigrant (visitor) visa application fee. The K-1 and K-3 fee may be paid at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos on the day of your interview.

Fees at the U.S. Consulate can be paid in dollars or in equivalent Naira at the current U.S. Consulate exchange rate.

Q16: How do I book my medical exam?

A: We only accept medical examinations from two medical facilities in Nigeria: the Kamorass Specialist Clinic, Plot 238A, Muri Okunola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos 01-773-1536 or 461-2032 or the Children's Practice Ltd., 25 Raymond Njoku, Ikoyi, Lagos; 01-893-0723. Please <file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\hoffmanem\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\OLK49B\Please> contact these clinics to schedule your medical examination. Medical packets are available at the clinic or at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html

Q17: What happens if my beneficiary was denied a visa and told that the case was recommended for revocation?

A: When a Consular Officer recommends that a petition be revoked, the case is sent from the U.S. Consulate General Lagos to the National Visa Center (NVC). NVC then forwards the case to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' office where the petition was originally approved. The U.S. Consulate General no longer has jurisdiction over a case once it has been recommended for revocation. As such, you should contact NVC at NVCInquiry@state.gov or USCIS for further information about your case. Contact information for USCIS can be found at www.uscis.gov. Please note that it can take several months for a case to be sent from Lagos to the United States.

Q18: What is the cost to file a waiver? How do I check the status of my waiver?

A: The fee to file an I-601 waiver is $585. The fee to file an I-212 waiver also is $585. If you are filing both waivers, the total cost is $1170. Waivers are accepted at 7:00 a.m. on Fridays except for the last Friday of every month.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjudicates all waivers. The U.S. Consulate only accepts waivers and then forwards them to USCIS. You may contact the local DHS/USCIS office in Accra, Ghana, to inquire about your case's status. The office can be reached at: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.detail&OfficeLocator.office_type=OS&OfficeLocator.statecode=arm&office=acc

USCIS has issued a new I-601 form. DHS will continue to accept the previous version of the form, dated 10/30/08 Y, through November 20, 2009. Beginning November 21, 2009 USCIS will only accept the revised Form I-601, dated 04/06/09 N, and will reject all requests using previous editions of the form.

Q19: How do I check my priority date?

A: The Department of State publishes the list of current priority dates every month (known as the Visa Bulletin). You can find the current one, as well as archived bulletins, at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html.

Q20: What do I do if my Permanent Residence Card (Green Card) is lost or expired?

A: Please come to the U.S. Consulate General Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. for inquiry so that we can assist you further.

Q21: How do I get a transportation letter? What is the fee?

A: Please come to the U.S. Consulate General Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. for inquiry in order to obtain the necessary forms. The fee for transportation letters is $165.

Q22: Where can I get more information about immigrant visas, the Diversity Visa lottery, and the National Visa Center (NVC)?

A: For information about immigrant visas and the National Visa Center, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html.

For information about the Diversity Visa lottery and the Kentucky Consular Center, please visit:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1321.html.

For information about the interview process, please visit: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3731.html.

A glossary of technical definitions of terms for visas can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary/glossary_1363.html.

Another useful website is for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is responsible for adjudicating waivers, processing green cards and granting U.S. citizenship, and can be found at: www.uscis.gov <http://www.uscis.gov/> .