The steps to apply for the SB-1 visa are as follows:
- File Form DS-117, Application to Determine Returning Resident Status
- Submit Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card or Green Card which you had before you traveled outside the U.S.
- Submit your Re-entry Permit if you have one
- Submit supporting documents such as: Dates of planned travel outside the U.S such as your airline ticket or passport stamp Proof of intention to return such as employment offer, tax ...
What is a US SB-1 visa for returning residents?
US SB-1 Visa for Returning Residents. The SB-1 visa is issued to individuals who have previously held an immigrant visa or Green Card for the U.S. Home/US Visa/Immigrant Visas to US/SB-1 Visa – Returning Resident Visa. SB-1 Visa – Returning Resident Visa 2019-08-16T15:29:27+00:00.
Do you have to pay for immigration interview for SB-1?
You will need to be interviewed for both your application for returning resident status, and usually later for the immigrant visa. An SB-1 applicant is required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and have a medical examination. Therefore, this involves paying both visa processing fees and medical fees.
How long does it take to get a SB-1 visa?
The SB-1 visa processing time depends on the workload of the U.S Embassy where you are applying from. In general however, it take 3 to 6 months for your application to be completed and for them to notify you whether you have gotten the SB-1 visa or not.
How do I apply for SB1 visa in India?
The U.S. Embassy, New Delhi accepts ONLY cash payment (US dollar or Indian Rupee) for SB1 applications. If visiting the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai, a credit card or bank draft can also be used. The bank draft must be issued in the name of “U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai”, and should be payable in Mumbai.
How do I apply for SB-1?
If you wish to apply for a Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa, you should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in advance of your intended travel (at least three months in advance, if possible) to permit sufficient time for visa processing.
How long does it take to get SB-1 visa?
3-6 monthsYou should apply for the SB-1 visa as far in advance of your intended travel date as possible to allow time for the application to be approved, but the processing time on these visas is fast and generally doesn't take any more than 3-6 months.
Can I apply SB-1 visa online?
The application does need to be filed in person. SB-1 visas cannot be filed online. In addition to the interview, applicants need to submit DS-260 which authorizes the medical examination.
What documents are required for SB1 visa?
Your original passport. Your completed Form DS-260 or the “Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application.” You must complete Form DS-260 on the U.S. Department of State's Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website. Two photographs that meet the U.S. government's photograph requirements.
What happens after sb1 is approved?
What happens if the application is approved? If the application is approved, then you have six months to apply for an immigrant visa. In addition to attending another interview, you will need to pay the immigrant visa processing fee of $205 and complete a medical exam and pay vaccination fees.
What happens if sb1 is denied?
If the SB-1 Visa is denied on the basis that the alien (applicant) has resigned his/her residence in the United States, it may or may not be possible to obtain a non-immigrant visa, depending on whether the applicant has established residence abroad to which he will return to.
Can I stay in U.S. while waiting for green card?
Some people can stay in the U.S. for the entire period of applying for a U.S. green card. Others must leave the U.S., either while they wait for a visa to become available (which can take years in some cases) or in order to attend their immigrant visa interview, which is the last major step in the immigration process.
Can I stay on green card forever?
Although some Permanent Resident Cards, commonly known as Green Cards, contain no expiration date, most are valid for 10 years. If you have been granted conditional permanent resident status, the card is valid for 2 years. It is important to keep your card up-to-date.
Can I surrender green card and get visitor visa?
You will need to sign a form confirming your desire to relinquish your status (Form I-407) and surrender your green card. Even though you do not have a visitor's visa in your passport, you can still be admitted as a visitor if you sign Form I-193 - waiving the visa requirement.
What is the cost of a resident return visa?
The Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155 & 157) currently is $405 for an online application or $485 for a paper application. Process times can vary significantly.
Is sb1 an immigrant visa?
If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident and you have been outside the United States over one year (or beyond the validity of your re-entry permit) for reasons beyond your control, you may be eligible for a Returning Resident (SB-1) Visa.
How do I fill out a DS 117 form?
2:407:52US Returning Resident Visa DS-117 | How to apply ? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMedical incapacitation. And others how to complete form ds-117 form ds-117 has three pages. And youMoreMedical incapacitation. And others how to complete form ds-117 form ds-117 has three pages. And you will have to complete two of them luckily it's not that difficult to complete the ds117.
Where to apply for SB-1 visa?
An SB-1 visa application can be submitted to the nearest US consulate in the country where the green card holder is located. This type of return visa can take several months to process. As part of the visa application process, an interview at the US Embassy or Consulate is required, as well as certain forms and requirements.
What does the US Ambassador provide?
US Ambassador providing information on the circumstances of the country and why you were unable to leave.
Can a spouse use a green card to enter the US?
A spouse or child of a US military or US government civil servant who is overseas on an official order can use their Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) to enter the United States, even if the Green Card has expired. Consequently, you will not need a Returning Resident Immigrant Visa (SB-1) unless you renounced your LPR status; and your spouse or parent (a member of the US military or a US government civil servant based overseas) returns to the US.
How to apply for the SB-1 visa?
Since you have had an immigrant visa before, you will not need to have an employee or family member issue a petition, but will only go through the U.S Embassy where you are currently located .
What is the SB-1 visa?
The SB-1 visa is given to those people who have previously held a US immigrant visa or Green Card. They traveled to a different country for a temporary visit, but due to reasons beyond their control or knowledge, they could not return to the U.S within one or two years and lost their immigration status.
What are the requirements for the SB-1 visa?
In order to be allowed to apply and get this visa, these are the conditions that you must fulfill. You must prove that:
How long is the SB-1 visa processing time?
The SB-1 visa processing time depends on the workload of the U.S Embassy where you are applying from. In general however, it take 3 to 6 months for your application to be completed and for them to notify you whether you have gotten the SB-1 visa or not.
What if my SB-1 visa is denied?
If for whatever reason, they decide that you do not qualify for the visa they will notify you to either submit additional documents or that you simply cannot get a returning resident visa.
Why is SB-1 visa beneficial?
The SB-1 visa is beneficial because instead of applying for the immigrant visa status from the beginning, the applicant only applies for it as a regular visa. This means that the procedures of petitioning to USCIS or the Department of State or Homeland Security are eliminated and the waiting and processing times are shorter.
What form do I need to submit for a green card?
Submit Form I-551 , Permanent Resident Card or Green Card which you had before you traveled outside the U.S.
What is the SB-1 visa?
A Returning Resident (SB-1) immigrant visa allows those who have surpassed a permanent resident card’s (or green card’s) limits on extended travel to return to the United States and resume their lawful permanent resident status. Both U.S. lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and conditional residents (CRs) may apply for an SB-1 visa if they have overstayed their visits abroad but can prove that returning to the United States was not possible for them at that time.
What happens if your SB-1 visa application is not approved?
consulate or embassy may determine that your Form DS-117 and supporting documents do not qualify you as a Returning Resident since you have abandoned your permanent residence in the United States. In some cases, you can still apply for a nonimmigrant visa to the United States if you have established a residence outside of the United States to which you intend to return. If you can’t provide enough evidence that you have established a residence abroad, you will need to apply for a new immigrant visa to return to the United States. You should apply under the same category and on the same basis as your original immigration application. You may wish to consult with an immigration law expert or attorney during this process. If so, you can find legal help at no or a low cost on the U.S. government’s Legal Aid website.
What Is An SB-1 Visa?
People categorized as lawful permanent residents in the United States are advised not to go out of the country for more than 12 months at any time. Doing so would result in their permanent residency being revoked.
Who Needs A Returning Resident Visa?
Only a select group of immigrants that have stayed beyond two years away from the united states at a stretch have any chance of applying for a returning resident visa. The qualifications for the same are as follows:
How To Apply For An SB-1 Visa
Application for the returning resident visa or the SB-1 visa is almost the same as any other immigrant visa you could apply for.
Documents Required To Apply For A Returning Resident Visa
The following documents are needed for all applicants that are willing to apply for a returning resident visa:
SB-1 Visa Appointment And Interview
Once you have completed the submission of the above documents, you are required to book an appointment to this effect so that a consulate officer can determine the status of your SB-1 Visa application. Usually, you will have to go to your consulate’s website and book your appointment date and time once you have submitted your documents.
Final Thoughts
The SB-1 visa is for those permanent residents that have been away from the United States of America for more than two years at a stretch due to reasons beyond their control. Upon being granted this visa, one can return to the United States and continue their permanent residency from then on.
What is required for a SB-1 visa?
You will need to be interviewed for both your application for returning resident status, and usually later for the immigrant visa. An SB-1 applicant is required to establish eligibility for an immigrant visa and have a medical examination. Therefore, this involves paying both visa processing fees and medical fees.
How far in advance do you need to apply for a returning resident visa?
Embassy or Consulate in advance of your intended travel (at least three months in advance, if possible) to permit sufficient time for visa processing.
How long does it take to return to the US to be a permanent resident?
A permanent resident (called lawful permanent resident or LPR) or conditional resident (CR) must return to the United States within one year of departure to maintain permanent resident status. There is currently no change to the requirement that LPR (s) maintain their status.
Can I pay for SB1 visa in India?
The U.S. Embassy, New Delhi accepts ONLY cash payment (US dollar or Indian Rupee) for SB1 applications. If visiting the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai, a credit card or bank draft can also be used. The bank draft must be issued in the name of “U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai”, and should be payable in Mumbai. Current fees for submitting an application for determining Returning Resident status can be found here. As the consulate rate of exchange can change, check the current consular rate of exchange here the day prior to your interview. Please note that visa fees are not refundable;
