An overview of the process for an Indian citizen to apply for the reissuance of an expired immigrant visa is provided here for the benefit of MurthyIndiaDotCom readers.
Background on Validity of Immigrant Visas
When one applies for an immigrant visa while abroad (consular processing), an immigrant visa is issued, usually, with validity of up to six months. There are certain circumstances wherein the immigrant visa is issued for a shorter duration. The applicant is expected to present him/herself at a U.S. port-of-entry during the validity of the immigrant visa. If for reasons beyond the control of the beneficiary, s/he is unable to travel during the validity of visa, s/he may approach the consulate that issued the original immigrant visa for re-issuance of that visa. At the consular officer’s discretion, the officer may re-issue the visa if s/he is convinced the reason for not traveling was beyond the applicant’s control.
Steps to Apply for Immigrant Visa Reissuance
The immigrant visa applicant must contact the helpdesk at USTravelDocs. The applicant may email the request to support-india@ustraveldocs.com. Alternatively, the applicant can use the feedback section on the CGI Federal website to request the re-issuance of an immigrant visa. Once an email confirmation is received, confirming that the visa applicant may apply for the visa, the applicant should login to the profile on CGI website and schedule a consular appointment. If after logging into the profile, the option to schedule an appointment is still unavailable, the applicant needs to contact the helpdesk with the confirmation email and request the scheduling of the immigrant visa appointment. If the medical report or the police clearance certificate has expired, then those need to be updated and submitted to the consular post.
Other Documents Required for the Immigrant Visa
Once the consular appointment has been scheduled, the visa applicant needs to pay the fee of $325 for family-based petitions and $345 for employment-based petitions. This fee may be paid using an international credit card or with cash or with a demand draft. It is recommended that exact change be carried if the applicant is paying in cash. As the consular rate of exchange can change corresponding to shifts in the market exchange rate of the Indian rupee compared with the U.S. dollar, it is advisable for applicants to check the consular website for prevailing exchange rates prior to making payment. Consular fees are non-refundable once paid.
Additionally, the visa applicant must carry the DS-260 confirmation page, two recent photographs (2 x 2 inches), valid police clearance certificate and an updated medical report (No X-ray films or discs) to the interview. The medical examination must be completed by an approved panel physician. Medical reports are usually valid for six months, and in certain cases, three months – the immigrant visa is only valid for the duration of the medical report’s validity. The beneficiary may also need to procure an updated Police Clearance Certificate from a regional passport office in India. Police certificates are valid for one year from the date of issuance (Recently, the PCC is considered valid for up to two years if certain conditions are met). At the time of applying for the reissuance of an immigrant visa, the visa applicant is not required to repeat the biometrics or providing fingerprints.
Conclusion
Since June 7, 2021, the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai restarted processing immigrant visa appointments for the reissuance of expired immigrant visas. The consulate will contact those applicants whose appointments were cancelled in the spring of 2020 and again in April/May 2021, in chronological order, by visa category, with instructions on how to continue processing their immigrant visa cases. In the meantime, if an applicant was issued an immigrant visa and was unable to travel for reasons beyond his/her control, then she/he should reach out to the consulate, requesting them to exercise their discretion and re-issue the immigrant visa.