visas
Immigrant and Fiancé Visas
There are essentially three ways in which you may qualify to apply for a visa to immigrate or move permanently to the U.S.:
- a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident (LPR) relative or U.S. citizen fiancé may file a petition for you;
- a U.S. employer may file a petition for you; or
- you may apply for one of the limited number of Diversity Visas offered each year.
For detailed information on types of immigrant visas or to find out how to file a petition for a relative or employee, please see travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants_types.html.
The U.S. Embassy in Oslo can now accept petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. Please see the information below on how to submit a petition. (For more information on recent changes in immigrant visa processing, please click here.).
Petitioners Who Live in the U.S.
Petitioners who live in
the U.S. must file Form I-130 with the appropriate USCIS Service Center as
outlined on the following website: www.uscis.gov
The petitioner must put a U.S. address on the petition and ensure that they enclose the fee payment according to the instructions for filing in the United States .
Petitioners Who Live in Norway
Petitioners who have been
resident in Norway for at least six months, OR who are dual nationals (U.S. and
Norwegian passport holders), OR who are in the U.S. military and can present a
copy of PCS orders assigning you to Norway may submit their petition to the U.S.
Embassy in Oslo. Please send an e-mail to oslovisa@state.gov
with "Immigrant Visa petition" in the subject line. We will send you
instructions on how to file your petition, including the necessary forms. Once
we have received all of the paperwork, we will contact you to arrange an
interview date. Please be aware that this procedure can take one month or
longer.
This checklist outlines documentary
requirements.
See Instructions for Medical
Examination.
If you have further questions, please contact us at oslovisa@state.gov
Entering the U.S. with an Immigrant Visa
When you enter the U.S.
with an immigrant visa, you may be interviewed by several immigration officers.
These officers will review your documentation and ask you similar questions to
those encountered during your visa interview. When they have decided that you
are qualified to enter the U.S. as a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) of the
United States, they will stamp your passport with the date of your entry. This
stamp is your primary evidence of legal permanent resident status in the U.S.
and gives you permission to work in the U.S. or travel in and out of the U.S. as
an LPR. You should receive by mail a Permanent Resident card (sometimes called
a “green card”) a few months later.
Questions?
Further information about the specific categories of
immigrant visas is available from the web site travel.state.gov or from an office of USCIS
(www.uscis.gov) or from the Immigrant Visa
Section of the Embassy.