Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia.
You must set up return document delivery to your preferred address. This will allow us to return your visa and passport to you after your interview. Registration is free. Click the “Register” button below to register.
You will be able to update your address information if necessary at a later date.
As soon as you receive your appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in Latvia. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for more information. Please schedule and attend a medical exam with the doctor before your interview.
It is important that you bring all required original documents to your interview. We’ve created a checklist that will tell you what to bring. Please print the checklist below and bring it to your interview along with the listed documents.
Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.
All immigrant visa applicants, regardless of age, require a medical examination prior to the issuance of a visa. Only a physician accredited by the U.S. Embassy can perform this exam. It is your responsibility to schedule a medical exam with the doctor listed below before your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy. Medical examination results from other physicians will not be accepted.
Approved Physicians:
Livija Caune-Kazocina, MD
Vīlandes St. 4-1, SIA "Medica Rīga"
Riga, Latvia, LV-1010
Tel.: +371-2913 9115
““Medical Center ARS”, Skolas St. 5, room 402, Rīga, Latvia, LV-1010
SIA “Jūrmalas slimnīca”, Vienības pr. 19/21, room A-310, Jūrmala, Latvia, LV-2010
The doctor will need the following items to complete the medical exam forms:
Any medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid directly to the examining physician or medical facilities to which you may be referred by the panel physician.
The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, and chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 15 years of age or older). The United States also requires tuberculosis (TB) testing for all applicants two years of age and older. Please be prepared to discuss your medical history, medications you are taking, and current treatments you are undergoing. More information on general medical requirements for U.S. immigrants is available on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of a visa. Current immigrant visa vaccination requirements are available on CDC's website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements on Travel.State.Gov.
If your medical exam is completed under the new paperless process, the doctor will send examination results to the embassy electronically. If your medical exam is not performed under the new electronic process, the doctor will provide you with exam results in a sealed envelope or send them directly to the U.S. Consulate. IF GIVEN AN ENVELOPE TO CARRY TO YOUR INTERVIEW, DO NOT OPEN THIS ENVELOPE. Instead, bring it to your visa interview. Any x-rays taken will be given to you. You DO NOT need to bring the x-rays to your visa interview unless you suffer from tuberculosis (TB). However, you must carry the x-rays with you when you travel to the United States for the first time. Your immigrant visa validity will match with the medical exam’s expiration date, which is usually six (6) months from the exam completion date.
Please use the list below to determine the items that every applicant must bring to the immigrant visa interview:
A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).
Unexpired passport valid for six (6) months beyond your intended date of entry to the United States.
One (1) color photograph of each person applying for a visa (5 cm x 5 cm, or 2 inch x 2 inch). Please review our online photo requirements.
Form DS-260 completion confirmation page (Online Application for an Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration) that you submitted at ceac.state.gov/iv.
Your original birth certificate, notarized English translation, and a photocopy if not already submitted to NVC.
Medical examination results in a sealed envelope. (Not required, if medical exam completed electronically).
Original documents confirming any name changes, notarized English translation, and a photocopy, unless already submitted to NVC.
Original birth certificates for all living minor children below 21, including step-children, notarized English translation, and a photocopy for each document, if not already submitted to NVC.
Latvian resident card, if you are a non-Latvian passport holder.
Applicants who fall into any category listed in italics below should bring these additional documents, unless already submitted to NVC:
For family-based visa applications:
If you are married: Your original marriage certificate, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
If you were previously married: Your original divorce or spouse’s death certificate, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are older than 16 years of age: The original police certificate from your country of current residence (if residence exceeds six months) and countries where you resided for at least one year after your 16th birthday (except the United States) and from any country where you have been arrested or tried. You must bring a more recent police certificate to the interview if you have been arrested or tried after acquisition of your initial police certificate.
For employment-based visa applications: Original letter from your U.S. employer dated less than one month ago.
If you have ever been convicted of a crime: Your original court and criminal records, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
If you have served in any country’s military: Your original military records, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are adopted: Your original adoption papers or custody documents, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
If you are the petitioner’s stepchild: The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, notarized English translation, and a photocopy.
Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in Riga
If the U.S. Embassy requests additional information or documentation from you, the consular officer will provide instructions on how to submit those to the embassy following your interview.
Rescheduling or cancelling your interview
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please create an account at ustraveldocs.com (Select Latvia – Immigrant Visa) and reschedule your appointment for a later date. To avoid potential processing delays, we encourage all applicants to attend the interview appointment on the date assigned. If you are a DV applicant and choose to postpone your interview towards the end of the program year, there is no guarantee that a visa will still be available on the date of your rescheduled interview. Please carefully consult the Visa Bulletin before you decide to reschedule your interview.
Please note: Rescheduling is only possible for a later date after your initial appointment.
Security screening procedures
All visitors to the U.S. Embassy must follow certain security procedures. Any visitor who declines to be screened by U.S. Embassy security personnel will be unable to enter the embassy. To avoid delaying your entry and that of those in line behind you, please bring only what is required for your interview.
Accompanying persons
Attorneys are not permitted to accompany clients into the waiting room or to their interview. Only the following persons may accompany a visa applicant to their interview:
If another person plans to accompany you or a minor visa applicant for the interview, please contact the embassy by phone or email to let us know who will accompany you or your child. This information will be used to allow the accompanying person to enter the embassy.
Immigrant 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 in U.S. dollars or Euros. We accept cash and credit cards only. Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, theapplication fee cannot be refunded. A complete list of fees can be found on TSG website.
Do not make travel plans outside of Latvia
If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your visa. We will return your visa and passport to you within several business days to the address in Latvia that you will have arranged.
A consular officer can make a decision on a visa application only after reviewing the formal application and interviewing the applicant. There is no guarantee that you will receive a visa. Do not sell your house, car or property, resign from your job or make non-refundable flight or other travel arrangements until you have received your immigrant visa.
If more information is needed
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. Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 60 days after your interview.
What happens after visa approval
Passport, Visa, and Sealed Immigrant Packet – We will place your immigrant visa on a page in your passport. Please review your visa to make sure there are no spelling errors. If your visa is not prepared under the new paperless process, 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.
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. The following immigrant visa holders are exempt from paying this fee: adopted children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and K visa holders.
When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the which is usually six months from the date of your medical exam. Your visa cannot be extended and all fees are nonrefundable. The principal applicant must enter before or at the same time as other family members with visas. Unless they are eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act, children who are issued a visa before turning 21 years of age must enter the United States before their 21st birthday to avoid losing their immigrant status.
Getting a Green Card – Your Form I-551 Permanent Resident Card, also known as a green card, will be automatically mailed to the address in the United States that you write in your visa application form. This is a very important document that proves you have permission to reside in the United States. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. before your green card arrives: Please consult USCIS's and CBP's websites for rules about what documents you need to re-enter the country. We also recommend you check with the airline to ensure you are in compliance with their rules. Once your card is issued, you should not stay outside of the United States for more than one year. If you do, you will lose your status as a Lawful Permanent Resident.
Children’s Issues – In the United States, children are required to have certain vaccinations before they can enroll in school. We recommend that you bring your child’s complete vaccination records with you to the United States. If your child is adopted, you have full custody as a result of a divorce, or you share custody with another parent, you should bring a copy of all applicable adoption or custodial papers from the authoritative court in your home country. You will need these papers (translated into English) for issues such as school enrollment, medical care, and eventual citizenship.
Information for New Immigrants – Please visit the USCIS web page for helpful information on moving to the United States. You can read their publication “ Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” online.
If you are interviewing for a Diversity Visa (DV), all of the above instructions apply to you. Please schedule and attend a medical examination prior to your visa interview; arrange your document delivery address; and gather the required documents.
Below are additional instructions that apply only to DV applicants.
Bring to your interview
In addition to the documents listed on the Pre-Interview Checklist in this package, DV applicants should also bring the following items to your visa interview:
Review your DV Lottery entry
Prior to your visa interview, we recommend that you review the data on your initial E-DV entry. On your initial E-DV application, you must have correctly entered your marital status. If you are legally married you must have listed your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her (unless your spouse is a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident).
Additionally, you must have listed ALL of your living children who are unmarried and under 21 years old. This includes your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country.
Failure to have listed an existing spouse or children at the time of your entry in the Diversity Visa lottery will result in the denial of your visa and visas for your family. Any fees paid to the U.S. government in support of your visa application(s) are nonrefundable. If you failed to include a child who had already been born, or a spouse to whom you were married when you entered the lottery, you should not proceed with the visa application. You can review the eligibility requirements online.
Last Updated: 9/14/2023
1 Samnera Velsa St. (former Remtes)
Riga, LV-1510
