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Visas

General Information

Immigrant visas are for people who plan to live, work or study and remain permanently in the United States.  U.S. immigration law provides for the issuance of immigrant visas in four general categories: immediate relatives, family-based, employment-based, and the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (also known as the "green card" lottery).

U.S. immigration law assumes that beneficiaries of Immigrant Visas will live permanently in the United States.


PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE IMPORTANT CHANGES TO IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION PROCEDURES.


There are THREE steps involved in applying for an immigrant visa:

Step 1: Filing an immigrant visa petition with the Department of Homeland Security - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Step 2: The processing of the immigrant visa either by the National Visa Center in New Hampshire or the Immigrant Visa Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

Step 3: The immigrant visa interview 

To find out more about this process, and what type of immigrant visa may be applicable to you, please click Visa Types for Immigrants on the left hand navigation bar.


Filing an immigrant petition in Seoul

USCIS is responsible for adjudicating petitions.  Petitioners who are defined by USCIS as residents of Korea may file petitions with USCIS Seoul.  Others must file with USCIS in the United States.

Although USCIS makes the final decision about where you are resident on a case-by-case basis when you file the petition, generally, American citizens are considered to be residents of Korea if they show to USCIS Seoul one of the following items of evidence of resident status:

  • Military orders to Korea for U.S. Forces Korea active duty military and civilian employees of the U.S. government
  • A Korean alien registration card or long-term Korean visa for U.S. citizens employed, living, or studying in a private capacity

Please click here for more information on filing your petition in Seoul.

 
 

important announcement

DV Important Notice 2011

DV Scam Alert

  • Thread Beware of Voice Phishing and Diversity Visa Lottery Internet Scams

    The U.S. Embassy visa section does not contact applicants through an Automated Response System. If you receive a ARS phone call identifying the caller as the U.S. Embassy visa section, please do not respond to the recording system. We contact applicants directly, without a recording system, only when there is a specific issue on your visa application.

    Please also beware of any e-mails regarding the Diversity Visa Lottery. The Department of State does NOT notify successful Diversity Visa applicants by e-mail. There are many Internet scams worldwide relating to the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, many asking for substantial fees for registration and processing and personal information. Some scams claim the recipient has, in fact won the Diversity Lottery. Registration through the official U.S. government website at www.dvlottery.state.gov is free, although registration is only open from October to December every year. However, citizens born in Korea are not eligible for the Diversity Visa Lottery, there is nothing whatever to be gained by registering for the program through any private service. So, if you are a citizen born in Korea and you receive such an e-mail, it is almost certainly a scam.

    If you have any concern about the DV Lottery, please refer to the Department of State's website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/
    types/types_1322.html