Applying for a Visa in Vancouver

SECURITY NOTICE TO ALL CONSULAR VISITORS

Non-Immigrant Visas

Notice on Current Visa Processing Situation:

There is no same day issuance of visas. While most visas are ready within two days following the interview, all eligible visa applicants must be prepared for processing delays which could take from several workdays to several weeks or more.  For residents of Canada, we strongly encourage the use of a Canada Post Express Post envelope for the return of the passport(s).  A small Express Post envelope must be purchased for use within British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.  For all other provinces, you must purchase a National Express Post envelope.

Visa Processing Delays This link provides information on visa processing delays.

Important Notice
The Consulate General in Vancouver does not provide general information to the public by phone and/or appearing in person at the Consulate. All inquiries of a general nature must be directed to 1-900-451-2778 (from Canada), or 1-900-443-3131 (from the US). ONLY those applicants who have visa applications pending at the Consulate may direct their case specific visa inquiries to : vancouverNIV@state.gov. Individuals who wish to abandon their legal permanent residency status, or are requested by USCIS to verify their departure from the United States due to voluntary departure and/or bond-related cases can personally come to the Consulate Monday through Thursday 2-3 pm.

All visa applicants must complete the nonimmigrant visa application DS-160  accessible online at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.  If the online application has not been completed fully and properly the applicant’s case cannot be processed and a new interview appointment will be required.  Please be sure to bring the confirmation page to your interview.

How to make an appointment: Visa applications are accepted by appointment only. Appointments may be made at the Visa Appointment Reservation System web site or by calling 1.900.451.2778 (calling from Canada), 1.900.443.3131 (calling from the U.S.) or 1.888.840.0032 (calls by credit card). There is a charge for calling these telephone numbers.

Student visa (F-1) applicants: if you are unable to obtain a timely appointment through the visa reservation system you should refer to U.S. Mission Consular website for instructions on requesting an expedited appointment.

To expedite an appointment: if an unexpected emergency necessitates travel at a time earlier than your appointment date, please refer to the Vancouver portion of the U.S. Mission Consular website for instructions on requesting an expedited appointment.

Immigrant Visas
The U.S. Consulate in Vancouver no longer processes immigrant visa cases. All immigrant visa cases in Canada are handled by the U.S. Consulate in Montreal. If an immigrant visa application has been filed on your behalf and you have a specific inquiry, please call the National Visa Center at area code (603) 334-0700. We regret that the Consulate does not have the resources to accept inquiries on immigrant visa matters. If you are seeking general information regarding the immigrant visa process, you may phone the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) from within the United States at their toll free number by calling 1 (800) 375-5283. Canadian customers may now inquire about general immigration information at USCIS.Canada@dhs.gov in addition to obtaining immigration information at www.uscis.gov.

Or, if you wish to address your questions to our visa information 900 number, from within Canada, please dial 1 (900)451-2778. From within the United States, the number is 1 (900) 443-3131 (per minute toll charges.)

I-130 Petition Filing: An I-130 immigrant visa petition can be filed at the U.S. Consulate General in Vancouver on a walk-in basis on any Thursday between 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Information on document requirements can be found at http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/immigration_usa_relative.asp.

First Nations
Aboriginal Canadians who have at least 50% aboriginal blood are eligible to apply for expeditious legal permanent residence at a U.S. port of entry. To apply, you will need to provide the following:

• Your status card
• Your birth certificate
• Two photos less than 30 days old>
• A valid reason for moving to the United States
• Your new U.S. address
• A letter stating your ancestry which includes your parents' percentage of aboriginal blood, your tribal group, and birth dates of yourself and your parents. The letter can be written by your Band Administrator or by a well recognized organization. United Native Nations provides this service as long as you can provide all the necessary information.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the port of entry will issue you Form I-181, which you take to the nearest Social Security Administration office, in the U.S., to apply for your Social Security Number. It is strongly recommended that you apply for your Green Card (I-551) too, because many Aboriginal Canadians, without the card, have experienced problems with their employers. However, they are not required by law to have a Green Card.

For further information, you may contact Customs and Border Protection (CBP), either at the Vancouver Airport at (604) 278-3360 or at the Peace Arch Border Crossing at (360) 332-8512.

Diversity Immigrant Visa ("Visa Lottery")

The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered on an annual basis by the Department of State and conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-649) amended INA 203 provides for a class of immigrants known as "diversity immigrants". Section 203(c) of the INA provides a maximum of up to 55,000 Diversity Visas (DV) each fiscal year to be made available to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. For further details, please refer to www.state.gov.

The Diversity Visa (DV) 2009 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 3, 2007, and ends at Noon EST on December 2, 2007. After you have carefully reviewed the instructions on line at www.dvlottery.state.gov, access the Diversity Visa electronic Entry Form during the entry period explained above.

The U.S. Consulate in Vancouver does not process Diversity Visa Lottery, and cannot provide any further information.