Q: What documents do I need for my upcoming immigrant visa interview?

A: If you have an upcoming immigrant visa interview, double-check that you have provided the correct documentation to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of your case.

Most cases are now processed under the Modern Immigrant Visa (MIV) system, which makes it easy to upload documents before your interview. Consular officers pre-screen cases to identify missing or expired documents, so please monitor the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) at ceac.state.gov to check your status, receive messages, and manage your case.

If a consular officer determines that you need an additional or updated document, we will send a note through the CEAC explaining what you need to provide. Most frequently, we request tax documents from your petitioner or other sponsor.

Please note that we currently require tax documents from 2019. We recommend submitting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Individual Tax Return Transcript (available at www.irs.gov under “Get Your Tax Record”), as it provides the most complete information. We also accept the 1040 Individual Tax Transcript and the W2 Wage and Tax Statement together, but not the 1040 by itself. If you have uploaded only the 1040 form, we will ask you to provide the tax transcript or W2 form as well.

Q: How do I upload documents?

A: For step-by-step instructions on scanning and uploading documents, please review this guide: travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/PDF-other/MIV-Scan-Documents-Smartphone.pdf. Acceptable file types include .pdf (preferred), .jpg, and .jpeg. Each scanned document must be no larger than two megabytes. Please upload documents with multiple pages as one file whenever possible.

Q: If I uploaded a document, do I still need to bring it to my interview?

A: You must bring certain original documents with you to the interview, including your original birth certificate, your original police certificate, and original copies of any other civil documents or court documents issued outside of the United States. For example, if your US citizen spouse is filing for you and you were married in Jamaica, you need to bring original copies of your birth certificate, your marriage certificate, and your police certificate.

For further guidance on preparing for your interview, please visit: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/KNG-Kingston.html

Keep on top of embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/ and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter and Instagram. We also answer general visa questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.