Immigrant Visas
Case Processing
Pending IV Cases
Residents of Congo who already are beneficiaries of approved family-based or refugee/asylee petitions should contact the Embassy Kinshasa Consular Section to determine the status of their case file. Pending IV cases generally fall into one of three categories: (1) the file is located at the Consular Section in Kinshasa, (2) the file is located at the National Visa Processing Center in the United States, or (3) the file is located at another American embassy that has agreed to process the case. Once the Consular Section in Kinshasa is able to determine the location of the file, the Consular Section staff will advise as to the next steps. For those files located in Kinshasa, the beneficiary will be given instructions to complete the necessary documentation required, including the medical exam, before the visa interview can take place. For those files located in the United States, the Consular Section will notify the beneficiary when the file is transmitted to Kinshasa for processing. For those files located at other embassies, the beneficiary can either travel as planned to have their cases processed elsewhere, or inquire at the other Embassy to have the file transferred to Kinshasa for processing.
New IV Cases
New family-based or refugee/asylee IV cases begin with the filing of a petition (Form I-130) by the family member (the petitioner) who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. Petitioners living in the United States must file the petition at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) office that is nearest their residence. A list of offices can be found at the BCIS website at www.uscis.gov under the category “Services Field Office Addresses and Information.” Petitioners residing in Republic of Congo can file their petition at the Consular Section. Once the petition is approved by DHS, a notice of approval form I-797 will be issued. The I-797 will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC), which will contact the beneficiary with further instructions. The NVC will process and forward the approved petition to the Consular Section in Kinshasa for interview and adjudication.