Please follow the steps below before your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Important Update:

You will visit the embassy at least twice during the immigrant visa process.  Once to complete Document Review and a second visit for your visa interview.

First Visit: Document Review & Biometrics

Your first visit to the embassy is for Document Review to ensure you have all necessary papers, collect fingerprints, submit photos, and verify passport information.  This process will reduce the time spent in our waiting room and – more importantly – significantly increase the chance your application can be issued on the day of the interview.

You do not schedule an appointment for Document Review.  Come to the embassy between 1:00pm and 2:00pm on the same afternoon as your medical examination, except on Friday afternoons, U.S./Salvadoran holidays, or if the embassy is otherwise closed to the public.  If your medical examination occurs on a Friday or when the embassy is closed, you must visit the embassy any afternoon between 1:00pm and 2:00pm (Monday – Thursday) to complete Document Review.

Second Visit: Visa Interview

Your second visit to the embassy is for your actual visa interview and occurs on the date and time scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).  If you do not complete Document Review before the day of your visa interview, you may be required to reschedule your visa appointment. 

Step 1: Create your Online Profile

You need to register your interview appointment in our Visa Information and Appointment Services website. You must complete this step before you schedule your medical appointment (prior to your consular interview). The online registration will provide us with the information we need to return your passport to you. After you complete your registration, you will receive an IVR number which will be required to schedule your medical exam appointment. If you have questions regarding your IVR number, you can call our contact center at 2230-4394. 

It is important that you provide phone numbers from El Salvador and an updated email address as we will use this information to contact you throughout the process.

To start the registration process, you must click on the "Register" button below:

Register >>

Step 2: Schedule a medical exam in El Salvador

As soon as the National Visa Center (NVC) provides you an interview appointment date, you must schedule a medical exam in El Salvador with one of the authorized Panel Physicians at least 3 weeks prior to your visa interview appointment through the following website: doctorvisa.org.  Remember: to obtain a medical exam appointment you must first complete the online profile registration process described in the Medical Exam Instructions.

Failure to schedule a timely medical exam may result in your visa interview being rescheduled. Click the “Medical Exam Instructions” button below for a list of designated doctors’ offices in El Salvador.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

The CDC requires that applicants receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if a dose is due at the time of the immigration medical examination. According to CDC guidelines, applicants who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine dose in the 12 months prior to the date of the exam are considered due for a dose.

Medical Exam Instructions >>

Step 3: Complete your pre-interview checklist

The consular section will review your immigrant visa case file and contact you regarding any missing documents, such as original divorce decrees, marriage or birth decrees or taxes forms.  We will send instructions via email explaining how to scan and upload any missing documents.

Following your medical exam, the panel physician will provide instructions to visit the U.S. Embassy the same afternoon between 1:00pm and 2:00pm (Monday – Thursday) to complete Document Review. If your medical exam occurs on Friday or when the embassy is closed, please visit the embassy between 1:00pm and 2:00pm on the next business day to complete Document Review.

Please review the Pre-Interview checklist below for a detailed list of the documents you need to bring to your Document Review and interview. Failure to bring required documents will delay your application. 

Pre-Interview Checklist >>

Step 4: Review interview guidelines

Read our interview guidelines to learn about any special actions that you need to take before your visa interview.

Interview Guidelines >>

Medical Exam Instructions

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 one of the doctors listed below at least three weeks before your visa interview (two weeks for children under 14). We cannot accept medical examination results from other physicians.

To schedule an appointment, you must access the following website: doctorvisa.org. You will need to have your online profile registration number ready and complete each field, please ensure that your contact information is accurate as you will receive an email and a phone call from the panel physician’s clinic to provide you with a confirmation and additional instructions for the day of your medical examination

Any medical examination fees, including x-ray and blood test fees, must be paid directly to the examining physician. The prices established are the same for all Panel Physicians: the basic exam fee is approximately $415 per person. Any required vaccinations, additional x-rays, or follow-up tests will be charged separately and require additional fees. Costs can be as high as $695 per applicant. Any fee in conjunction with further tests or examinations will be at the expense of the applicant. The total cost of the medical examination will depend on your personal medical condition.

Authorized Physicians:

DR. JUAN GUILLEN
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 03-A, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

DRA. FRIDA BICHARA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 9, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

DRA. MAGDALENA MANCIA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 11, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

DRA. MARÍA JOSÉ HERRERA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 12, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

DR. ROBERTO ZELAYA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 03-B, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad

DRA. MARGARITA CHICA
Edificio Avante, Nivel 9, Local 13, Santa Elena
Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
Schedule Monday to Friday
7:00AM - 5:00PM

Items to bring to your medical examination

Bring the following items to your medical exam:

• Your profile registration number on the Visa Information and Appointment Services website. (see Step 1),
• Your passport plus one photocopy of the passport’s biographical page,
• The original documents that you will need to bring to the Embassy for the Document Review that you will attend after your medical examination,
• Your visa interview appointment letter showing your case number,
• Five (5) recently taken color photographs sized 2x2 inches on a white background,
• Your vaccination records and a copy. If you do not have vaccination records, the physician will work with you to determine which vaccines are medically necessary for you. Note: Presenting counterfeit or falsified vaccination records may result in the denial of your immigrant visa.
• Medical records and prescription information for any medical conditions you currently have, and
• A white sheet of paper with the following information:
  • Current home address,
  • Address in U.S. where you plan to reside,
  • Contact email, and
  • If the patient is a female and has children, the dates of birth of all children.
• Applicants under age 14: If the mother or father does not accompany the applicant to the medical exam, the person accompanying the applicant must bring a legal power of attorney giving him/her authorization to accompany the minor to the exam and for the minor to take the exam.

Items to take into consideration on the day of your exam:

• It is not necessary to fast on the day of your appointment.
• Access to the clinic is limited to the applicant. A parent/legal guardian or escort may accompany a minor or an applicant with a special need.
• All applicants must arrive at the physician’s office before 10:00 a.m. for the results to be completed on the same day.

Scope of the Examination:

Please be advised that all immigrant visa applicants are required to submit themselves to a thorough examination conducted by an approved panel physician. Examinations are conducted in conformity with technical instructions issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and will include:

• A mental status examination which includes, at a minimum, assessment of intelligence, thought, cognition (comprehension), judgment and mood, and behavior
• A physical examination that includes, at a minimum, examination of the eyes, ears, nose and throat, extremities, heart, lungs, abdomen, lymph nodes, skin and external genitalia (visual and palpation)
• And all diagnostic tests required for the diagnosis of the diseases identified as communicable diseases of public health significance and other tests identified as necessary to confirm a suspected diagnosis of any other condition that may affect the applicant’s eligibility for an immigrant visa.

Applicants should bring their vaccination records to the examination, along with any medical records the applicant believes might be relevant to their medical history, including current prescription drug names, doses, and frequency of use.

During the medical exam

The medical examination will include a medical history review, physical examination, chest X-ray, gonorrhea test, and blood tests (for applicants 8 years of age or older). In 2024, the United States will begin requiring additional TB testing for all applicants 2 years of age and older. The embassy-approved physician will give you a referral to an approved x-ray clinic and/or serologic testing laboratory if required that you take these tests. The approved laboratory is:

Healthcare Laboratorio Clínico
Calle Llama del Bosque
Edificio Valencia, 1er Nivel, Local No. 1, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad
Phone: 2246-1524, 2246-1527, 2246-1528

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 Centers 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 the CDC's Website. You can also read Frequently Asked Questions about our medical examination requirements requirements online.

Special Cases

Physicians authorized by the Embassy of the United States, based on the results of their evaluation, may indicate follow-up with a psychologist, a psychiatrist or other types of studies for certain health conditions. These processes can last for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. These additional processes could mean that additional payments must be made and that your immigrant visa process can be delayed. Also, there is a possibility that medical exams may have to be re-performed because the validity of the former may have expired.

After the medical exam

When your examination is completed, the doctor will send results directly to the U.S. Embassy. The vaccine and x-ray report will be given to you. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO bring them to the interview. The medical report must be less than six (6) months old when you enter the United States as an immigrant. 

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Pre-Interview checklist

Below is a list of documents that you will need to bring to your Document Review and to your visa interview. Please review the checklist and prepare your documents according to your visa category and if they are applicable on your case. The embassy will send you an email titled “Preparación del Caso” if any of these documents are missing from your case file, you will need to gather all mentioned documents and bring them to our interview.

FOR APPLICANTS PROCESSING ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): PLEASE BRING THE EXACT ORIGINAL OF ALL DOCUMENTS YOU UPLOADED INTO CEAC AND LIKEWISE ENSURE THAT YO UPLOAD ALL THE DOCUMENTS YOU WILL BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT INCLUDING RECENT POLICE CERTICATE.   IF YOU DO NOT BRING THE EXACT DOCUMENTS TO YOUR INTERVIEW, YOUR CASE WILL BE DELAYED.

You must present the following documents on the day of your interview:

• A copy of your NVC interview letter (does not apply to Diversity Visa, fiancé(e), adoptive, or asylee/refugee applicants).

• Unexpired passport. Please also bring any unexpired passport and any previous passports used to travel to the United States, including all U.S. visas previously issued to you.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• All applicants must present their original birth certificate.
  
  NOTE: If the petitioner is your parent, sibling, son/daughter:  If you, your sibling, or your son/daughter were registered months after your/their birth or you/your parents made a change one year after your/their birth, you must present your/their infant footprints that were taken in the hospital when you/they were born and the baptismal certificate (only if the parent's name appears in the document). You can also include photos.
  
  
• If you are petitioned by your spouse: You must present your original marriage certificate.
  
  
• If you are petitioned by your spouse: You must present any original divorce decree for your petitioner or yourself if applicable.
  
  
• If you are petitioned as an Unmarried son or Daughter: You must present any original divorce decree if you have been married before.
  
  
• If you are the petitioner’s stepchild:  The original marriage certificate of the petitioner and your biological parent, and original divorce records for any previous marriages of either parent.
  
  NOTE: If the previous relationship ended due to the death of a spouse: You must present the ex-spouse’s original death certificate.
  
  
• All applicants 18 years old and above must present the Police Certificate named: Solvencia de la Policía Nacional Civil. Please note that if you obtain a new police certificate and your case is electronic, you MUST upload the new copy in your Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).
  
  NOTE: If you lived in another country for more than one year: You must present the Police Certificate from that country. 
  
  
• Financial documents:  I-864 form version as applicable, (I-864, I-864 A, I-864 EZ I-864W), W2 and/or 1099 forms as applicable, (1099-G, 1099-R, 1099-SSA, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, W2G), IRS transcripts.
  
  NOTES: 
  • Financial documents must be from the most recent year and for petitioner and/or Joint Sponsor. (If applicable).
    
    
  • If the petitioner does not declare taxes, you must present a letter explaining the reason why he/she does not declare, and MUST be signed by the petitioner.
    
    
• If you are under the age of 14:  You must be accompanied to the interview by your biological mother or father, a legal guardian, or a special attorney. They must present proof of legal custody or personal care of the minor or a special power that entitles them to accompany the minor to the interview given by the biological father or mother.
  
  
• If you have served in any country’s military: You must present your military history.
  
  
• For employment-based visa applications: You must present your employer's letter with the job offer.
  
  
• If you are adopted:  You must present the original documents of the adoption process.

• If the petitioner is your father:  If you were registered months after your birth or your parents made a change one year after your birth, you must present your infant footprints that were taken in the hospital when you were born and the baptismal certificate (only if the father's name appears in the document). You can also include photos.

• If you have been detained in or deported from the United States at any time:  If you have ever been detained or deported from the United States: you must attach all documents related to your immigration processes, including the deportation order, the voluntary deportation order, and any court documents.
  
  
• If you were in the United States illegally and were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or political asylum:   You must submit all applications for TPS/asylum, any approval or denial documents, and cards issued to the applicant. Claims of TPS or political asylum will not be acknowledged without complete documentation – the burden of proof of legal status in the United States is on the applicant.
  
  
• Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying).

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Interview Guidelines

Sending documents to the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador

If you need to send us any documents, please DO NOT mail them to us directly. Instead, visit our online Visa Information Center (telephone numbers in the yellow box next to step 1) and ask for information on courier services.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview

If you are unable to attend your appointment,go to our online Visa Information Center (telephone numbers in the yellow box next to step 1) to select a new appointment date There may be a significant wait before the next available appointment, so please attempt to attend the date already assigned. For some family-based and employment preference visa categories, a visa became available within the month you have been scheduled by NVC. 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 on a date after your assigned appointment.

Security screening procedures

All visitors to the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador must follow certain security procedures. Telephones and other electronics are not allowed into the embassy. If you come with items not allowed into the embassy, you will be required to store those items at your own expense which can only be paid in cash. 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. There is no parking area at the embassy for visa applicants. Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.

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:

• Interpreters:  Applicants may bring ONE interpreter if they do not speak English or Spanish well enough to participate in an interview.
• Special Needs Visitors:  Applicants may bring ONE person to help if they are elderly, disabled, or a minor child. For more information, please refer to the section below.

Accessibility

Arriving & Parking
There is no parking available at the Embassy for applicants. However, if you have any mobility limitations (use of a wheelchair, walker, advanced pregnancy, etc.) you may be allowed to park temporarily in the visitors parking lot to facilitate your access to the Embassy’s pedestrian entries. Please take into consideration that your vehicle will not be allowed to remain in the visitor’s parking lot.

Wheelchair Availability
There are a limited number of wheelchairs available at the Embassy’s pedestrian entrances. Please make sure you inform the guards about your need of a wheelchair and come with someone else to help you move through the different stages of the process.

Access to the embassy
A parent/legal guardian or escort may accompany a minor or an applicant in need of special assistance due to medical reasons such as hearing, mobility, or visual impairments. Please let our embassy employees know so we can take reasonable steps to accommodate our process to your needs.

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. We accept cash and credit cards only (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club). We do not accept personal checks. Please note that if you are found ineligible to receive a visa, the application fee cannot be refunded. A complete list of fees can be found Travel.State.Gov.

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After Your Visa Interview

A consular officer can decide 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.

Do not make travel plans outside of El Salvador

If your visa is approved, we will keep your passport at the embassy while we prepare your immigration packet and print a visa for your passport. We will return your passport to you later via courier services only (see Step 1). 

If more information is needed

Sometimes a consular officer is unable to decide 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 or send you in email that asks you to submit additional documents. The letter will include instructions on how to send those documents to the Embassy.  Before inquiring about the status of your case, please wait at least 60 days after you sent the requested documents.

Administrative processing takes additional time after the interview. Most administrative processing is resolved within 90 days. However, the timing varies based on the circumstances of each case. Before inquiring about the status of administrative processing, please wait at least 90 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. 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. If you receive X-rays during your medical examination, carry those with you and give them to the U.S. immigration authorities. 

Do not open that envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage.

FOR APPLICANTS WHO PROCESSED THEIR CASE ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THE PASSPORT WITH THE VISA.

USCIS Immigrant Fee – All individuals who are issued immigrant visas overseas must pay an Immigrant Fee of $235 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 payment is online, and the instructions will be sending to you among your passport and visa packet.

The only people exempt from paying this fee are children entering the United States under the Hague Process, returning residents, and people traveling on a K visa.

FOR APPLICANTS WHO PROCESSED THEIR CASE ELECTRONICALLY (MIV): YOU WILL RECEIVE THE PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS WITH YOUR PASSPORT. 

When You Should Travel – You must enter the United States before the expiration date on your visa, which is usually six months from the date of your medical examination. 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 following 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 because 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.
 

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