U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will no longer process Immigrant Visa

General Information

Important Announcement: The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will no longer process Immigrant Visa petitions as of January 1, 2012.  

The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will no longer process Immigrant Visa petitions as of January 1, 2012.  The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai will become the only acceptance centers in India for Immigrant Visas.  The Immigrant Visa allows an individual to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis, as well as provides the immigrant the opportunity to work towards U.S. citizenship.

Examples of Immigrant Visa based petitions are those that work toward family reunification of parents, children and siblings.  These petitions also include Fiancée and the unique employer category, where one’s employer can petition for the individual and their dependents to immigrate to the United States.  

This change affects only the locations for processing of Immigrant Visas; it does not change the law or policy for visa processing.  Applicants currently in the process of petitioning for an Immigrant Visa may contact ChennaiIVU@state.gov for clarification on their status.

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Immigrant visas are for persons who plan to live permanently in the United States. Processing an immigrant visa takes time and planning. Please review the information on the left side of this web page about eligibility, fees, and documents required.

Most immigrant visas (IV) require a petition approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before any IV processing starts. For additional information on the IV petition approval process, follow this link to the USCIS office at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. Please click here (PDF: 99 KB)for an important change on how to file the petition with USCIS. 

If you would like information on a visa other than an immigrant visa, such as a visa for a short-term stay in the U.S. to vacation, conduct business, study or the like, please follow this link for nonimmigrant visa information.  

In order to complete the process for an immigrant visa to the U.S., all applicants must complete the necessary forms, provide all relevant documentation, pay the immigrant visa fees, and appear for an interview. Immigrant visa forms are available here.