General Information
Please refer to the pre-interview checklist to identify the documents that you must upload to your online application and/or bring with you to the interview. To avoid delays, please carefully read the interview guideline for your immigrant visa category and follow all instructions. Please note that if you fail to bring even one of the required documents, you will need to reschedule your appointment.
The National Visa Center attempts to collect documents for all files assigned to Ankara. Some files take an extended amount of time, and some documents can expire before your visa interview. In that case, you must bring (and for electronic PIVOT cases upload) updated documents to your interview.
You must bring the originals of all required documents to your interview. Please review this checklist. You must print and bring this checklist and the listed document to the interview.
Accompanying individuals
The following individuals may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
- Special Needs Visitors: Applicants may bring ONE person to help if they are elderly, disabled, or a minor child.
- Interpreters/Translators: As of January 1st, 2025, the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara provides services in English, Turkish, Farsi and Arabic. If you require your interview in another language, you must bring a sworn translator who is certified by a Turkish Notary Public on the day of your interview. The translator must speak English and your native language. Please note that as of March 13, 2023, only English-speaking interpreters/translators will be accepted. Please provide your interpreter’s full name, date of birth, copy of his/her ID card/passport bio page and copy of his/her translator certification by sending an email to https://tr.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visa-navigator/ 48 hours before your interview. Please make sure that your interpreter brings his/her original documents. Petitioners or family members (unless they are also applying for visa with you as a derivative applicant), cannot act as a translator.
- Attorneys and petitioners are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview without prior approval from the consular section.
STEP 1: Register your appointment online
STEP 1: Register Your Appointment Online
Each applicant, including all accompanying family members, must register their appointment by visiting the official Visa Appointment Services website or by calling +90 850 390 1950 from Türkiye or +1 313 572 0883 from the United States.
Registration is required before your interview and provides the necessary information for the return of your passport. Failure to register in advance may delay your entry to the Embassy on the day of your appointment.
- Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en
- Click “Immigrant Visa”, then the green “Visa Login” button
- If you are a new user, click “New User?” to create an account
- Complete your profile using your Immigrant Case Number
- Select your document delivery option:
- Pick-up from a courier office (free)
- Home delivery (fee applies)
- Confirm and print your registration confirmation
- Bring the printed confirmation to your interview
You may register or update your delivery address by calling +90 850 390 1950 (from Türkiye) or +1 313 572 0883 (from the U.S.) or submitting an inquiry online at: https://ustraveldocs.com/tr/en/contact-us
Rescheduling or Cancelling Your Interview
To reschedule or cancel your immigrant-visa interview, sign in at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en (Immigrant Visa → Visa Login). On your dashboard you can select “Reschedule Appointment” or “Cancel Appointment”.
If you miss the interview, wait 24 hours, log in again, choose “Missed My Appointment,” and follow the prompts to pick a new date if one is available.
Please note that new slots are limited; Diversity-Visa cases must still be completed by 30 September of the program year. After any change, confirm your passport-delivery option in the system. For assistance, call +90 850 390 1950 (Türkiye) or +1 313 572 0883 (U.S.), or use the contact form at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en/contact-us.
Before your interview, you must register your appointment and select a document delivery option through www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en. This is required to enable the return of your passport after your visa interview.
If no appointments are available, continue monitoring the website for openings. If you experience issues scheduling or rescheduling your appointment, please contact our visa information service at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en/contact-us. Be aware that if you miss your original appointment, there may be a significant delay before the next available slot.
Reminder: You must first register your original NVC/KCC appointment online before rescheduling. Rescheduling is only permitted for dates after your assigned appointment.
Expedite Requests
- Log in to www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en.
- Go to your dashboard with your scheduled appointment.
- Look for the “Emergency Request” link in the sidebar or appointment menu.
- Complete the form:
- Explain your medical or humanitarian situation in detail.
- Attach supporting documentation (e.g., doctor’s letter, hospital records).
- Submit the request and wait for a response, typically within 5 business days.
- If your request is approved, you must log back into your account and go to “Reschedule Appointment” to select a new date. The system will allow you to book a time based on the approved expedited slot.
Please note that for DV applicants, visas are numerically limited and must be issued by September 30 of the program year. There is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Be sure to consult the Visa Bulletin carefully before deciding to reschedule.
Case Transfer Requests
Generally, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara does not accept case transfers from other embassies, except in cases of urgent medical or humanitarian emergencies. If you are experiencing such an emergency, please contact us. Due to our high volume of cases, even if your transfer request is approved, it may take several months before an interview is scheduled.
If you wish to transfer your case from Ankara to another embassy or consulate, please contact that office to request the transfer. If they agree, they will request the file directly from us.
STEP 2: Get a medical exam in Türkiye
Medical exam instructions can be found here.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, are required to undergo a medical examination by one of the medical doctors or clinics listed in the instructions. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. Medical examination results from other physicians are not accepted.
It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with one of the doctors listed below before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Failure to complete your medical exam before your visa interview will result in processing delays.
Each applicant must show his/her passport as identification at each step of the medical examination process.
Once the medical exam is completed, the panel physician will electronically send the medical report to the Immigrant Visa Unit.
Medical reports classified as “Class B1 (TB)” are valid for 3 months from the date the last sputum sample is reported and signed by the doctor. All other medical reports classified as “No apparent disease or defect” are valid for 6 months after the doctor’s signature date.
Note: Fiancé(e), Diversity and Following-to-join Asylee visa applicants receive a sealed medical report which must not be opened prior to the interview.
STEP 3: Interview day
IMPORTANT: Please review the pre-interview checklist and make sure you collect, upload (if PIVOT – electronic) and bring the required documents. Please note that if you fail to bring even one of the required documents, you will need to reschedule your appointment.
Please read this carefully and be prepared before you come for your interview. Being unprepared may cause delays in your visa processing.
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. Please review the U.S. Mission Access Policy before coming to the Embassy. Please do not bring any prohibited item with you.
- Once you arrive waiting area in the Consular Section, you will receive a ticket number. This ticket number is used for calling you to collect documents, payment and visa interview. Please watch your ticket number on the monitors.
Document Collection
Before your interview a visa assistant will call you to collect your documents on the day of the interview.
- Please prepare the documents listed here before you arrive in the Embassy.
- Please put your documents in order. Provide all the required documents to the visa assistant at once.
- Translations of the documents: Any documents that are not in English and/or Turkish must be submitted by with an original and certified English translation. However, all court documents, including Turkish (except for divorce decree) must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
- If your case is electronic (PIVOT/MIV), you must UPLOAD/SCAN all the required documents to your account prior to your interview on https://ceac.state.gov/ceac/. Please see guidance on uploading/scanning your documents. For more information please also see Uploading and Scanning Tips.
Civil Documents: Please visit the Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country to learn more on the civil documents for each country. Each reciprocity page will provide detailed information obtaining them these documents from the country you selected.
Interpreters/Translators: Interviews are conducted in English, Turkish, Farsi and Arabic. If you need your interview in another language. Please click here for further instructions. You may bring a sworn translator who is certified by a Turkish Notary Public. The translator needs to speak English and/or Turkish and your native language. Please provide your interpreter’s full name, date of birth, copy of his/her ID card/passport bio page and copy of his/her translator certification by sending an email to us 48 hours before your interview. Please make sure that your interpreter brings his/her original documents. Petitioners or family members (not applying to an immigrant visa with you), are not allowed to provide translation.
Visa Fees: If you have not paid all required fees to either the National Visa Center or via the appointment website, please be prepared to pay these fees on the day of your interview. All fees may be paid either in U.S. dollars or Turkish Lira via cash or credit card. Please bring exact change for each applicant. This fee is non-refundable, whether a visa is issued or not.
Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. You can find a complete list of fees at Fees for Visa Services.
After the Interview
Sometimes a consular officer is unable to make a decision on a visa application because he/she needs to review additional documents, or the case requires further administrative processing. When additional documents are requested, the consular officer will give you a refusal letter that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the embassy.
Reminder:
A visa denial (refusal) under section 221(g) of the INA means that the consular officer did not have all of the information required to determine if you are eligible to receive a visa. This means you are not eligible for the visa now, but your case is pending further action for one of the following reasons:
- Administrative processing,
- Your application is incomplete and/or further documentation is required.
Administrative processing
If administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the interview. Duration of administrative processing varies but most administrative processing is resolved within 6 months. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 6 months after your interview. Please check your email frequently, as soon as the administrative processing is completed, we will notify you by email with additional instructions.
Tips
Form DS-260 (the online immigrant visa application form) accurately and completely filled out including the applicant’s entire employment history, not just the past 10 years. Responses such as “retired” or “self- employed” without an explanation may cause delays. In addition, exact dates of every trip (not just the year) to the United States must be provided. If the applicant stayed more than six months in the United States on a tourist visa, he/she must bring to the interview proof that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security granted an extension of stay.
During the interview, you will receive a refusal sheet that includes a QR code. You can use this QR code to access DS-5535 form. Alternatively, you will receive an email from us with additional instructions. Please ensure that you fully complete the DS-5535 form and submit it to us as instructed.
Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e., serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family), before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 6 months from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents.
You will not receive an individual response to email inquiries about administrative processing, and we cannot predict how long the process will take or cannot give advice on where to wait while this process is on-going.
If your case requires further administrative processing, please send all of the missing documents along with your valid passport after receiving processing completed confirmation via email from the Embassy.
Online Status Check
Visit he Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), applicants can verify the status of their application online at: https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC/ and clicking the link for “Check My Visa Application Status” located under the “IMMIGRANT” category. You will be required to enter your case number.
Missing documents
If your application was denied because documentation or information is missing, please provide the missing documents or information after your interview. You have one year from the date you were refused a visa to submit the additional information, otherwise your case will be terminated.
Documents may be submitted to the U.S Embassy via any courier service and must also be uploaded/scanned to your file in the Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at https://ceac.state.gov/IV for electronic/paperless cases. To see the uploading/scanning tips, please review the instructions on: https://tr.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/169/2022/07/Uploading-to-CEAC-instructions-1.pdf.
Please send the missing documents along with your passports at once. Documents uploaded will not be reviewed until they are received with your passport at the Embassy.
If you already submitted additional documents for your case as requested by the Embassy, please allow 2 weeks for a consular officer to review your case. Due to the volume of mail received, you will not be notified of receipt of your documents unless we require additional information. DO NOT send multiple emails with the same inquiry. Once the additional information is evaluated, we will provide additional information.
After Your Visa Approval
We will place your immigrant visa in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. If applicable, we will also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage. If you receive X-rays during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities.
Many IV packets are now transmitted electronically to Customs and Border Protection and are accessible at the U.S. Port of Entry. Any immigrant traveler carrying a visa with a special annotation (IV Docs in CCD) is not required to hand-carry an IV packet.
USCIS Immigrant Fee: All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to traveling to the United States This fee is for processing your residency status and printing your Permanent Resident Card. Only children are exempt from entering the United States under the Hague Process, Returning residents. and people traveling on a K visa are exempt from paying USCIS fee. Please refer to USCIS Immigrant Fee to make the payment.
We encourage you to read the following instructions: Know Before You Go.
Visa Renewal/Replacement/Re-issuance: Applicant(s) who are unable to use an Immigrant Visa during its validity, or an applicant seeking a replacement visa can reapply by resubmitting the DS-260 if the petition has not been revoked and if the basis for immigration still exists (i.e., familial relationship). They (and any derivative applicants) will need to come to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara in-person to bring their passport, 2 new photos, new medical report, unused visa packet (if you have one), and to pay the appropriate IV application processing fee per applicant. Complete list of fees can be found at: Fees for Visa Services.
Getting an appointment: If your IV has expired and you are planning to travel to the United States in the next six months, please send an email with the subject line “reissuance request”. As soon as we receive your e-mail, we will provide you further guidance on getting an appointment.
If your appointment request has already been approved, please visit our service provider’s website at: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en/ login to your account and proceed with scheduling an appointment. If there are not available appointments on the website, please check this website regularly for availability. If you encounter any technical issues with your account, you can contact our service provider at: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/tr/en/.