Overview
Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Belize at the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan.
To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. The sponsor begins the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You may wish to review our Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to learn about the different types of immigrant visas to the United States, including our Diversity Visa Program. Then, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process, or on the Diversity Visa Process, on usvisas.state.gov to begin applying for an immigrant visa.
Once USCIS has approved your petition and you have completed pre-processing with the National Visa Center (NVC), or if you have been selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery and completed processing with the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), review the instructions given to you by the NVC or the KCC, along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Immigrant Visas: Family-Based Immigration
Two groups of family-based immigrant visa categories, immediate relatives and family preference, are provided under the provisions of U.S. immigration law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). You may wish to review our Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to learn more about these two categories of immigrant visas, as well as other types of immigrant visas to the United States, including our Diversity Visa Program.
To apply for an immediate relative or family preference immigrant visa, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the National Visa Center (NVC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Immigrant Visas: Fiancé(e) Visa
The fiancé(e) K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. You can learn more about fiancé(e) visas on usvisas.state.gov.
Immigrant Visas: Employment-Based Immigration
Every fiscal year (October 1st – September 30th), approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are made available to qualified applicants under the provisions of U.S. immigration law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Employment based immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories. Certain spouses and children may accompany or follow-to-join employment-based immigrants. You can learn more about these five categories of employment-based immigrant visas on usvisas.state.gov.
To apply for an employment-based immigrant visa, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the National Visa Center (NVC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
Immigrant Visas: Diversity Visa Program
The Immigration Act of 1990 established the Diversity Visa (DV) program, which makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available through random selection. The program allows those from countries with low immigration rates to the United States; to enter for a chance to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa.
To apply for this visa, follow the steps on the Diversity Visa Program website. Please also click on DV Instructions for specific and updated guidance.
- Submit an entry. Eligible individuals may submit an entry at state.gov during the specified registration period in October/November of each year.
- Check your DV application status. In early May, entrants may check their DV application status and see if they were selected using the Entry Status Check atstate.gov/ESC. Entrants must have their confirmation number to access information through Entry Status Check. This is the ONLY website where Diversity Visa entrants are notified of their selection, provided instructions on how to proceed with their application, and notified of their immigrant visa interview appointment date and time. Please be aware, the U.S. Department of State is unable to provide results to DV entrants or provide your confirmation number.
- Receive notice of your visa interview appointment. The Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) will inform DV selectees of their scheduled interview via email with instructions on what to do next. Please click here for additional information on the notification and scheduling process.
- Prepare. DV selectees must bring all required documents to their interview, so please be prepared.
- Review local instructions. Please review all local instructions for the interview on our website. Please note that some of the information included in these instructions may apply to immigrant visa classifications other than diversity visas. If you have questions about the country-specific information included here, please contact the embassy, consulate, or office providing consular services where you will apply for your visa.
- Schedule a medical examination. Schedule a medical examination with the U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or office providing consular services approved physician at least 15 days before your visa interview. Please locate the list of approved physicians on our website.
- Follow post-interview instructions. Please click here for general information on the “after the interview” process. Please send any questions to the U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or office providing consular services at which you interviewed.
Additional Notices to Applicant:
All entries must be submitted electronically during the specified registration period in the DV Instructions. No late entries or paper entries are accepted. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. If you submit more than one entry you will be disqualified.
Beware of fraud and scams. Some websites and emails attempt to mislead customers, posing as providers of official U.S. government information. Read our Fraud Warning for more information.
Complete your own application. The online entry application is easy and free.
Immigrant Visas: Returning Resident Visa
A permanent resident (called lawful permanent resident or LPR) or conditional resident (CR) who has remained outside the United States for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, will require a new immigrant visa to enter the United States and resume permanent residence. You can learn more about Returning Resident Visas on usvisas.state.gov.