Welcome to the Immigrant Visa Unit
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan processes immigrant visas for residents of Kyrgyzstan. The Immigrant Visa Unit also accepts Third Country Nationals on a discretionary basis.
An immigrant visa is required of anyone who wishes to enter the United States to reside there indefinitely, whether or not that person plans to seek employment in the United States.
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. Additional information may also be found on our post supplement page of travel.state.gov.
Applicants for immigrant visas are now required to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 in order to immigrate to the US. Only vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use or licensed or authorized for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration are acceptable; at the current time, Sputnik-V is not on the list of WHO-approved vaccines. Please see the WHO website for more information. Approved vaccines are available in Kyrgyzstan. During the medical exam, you are required to show proof of prior vaccination or receive the vaccine from the panel physician. Please discuss any concerns you have with the panel physician at the time of the medical exam. If you are eligible to receive the vaccine and you do not, you will not be admitted to the United States. Please see the CDC website for more information.
Hours of Operation
Immigrant visa services are offered at the following times:
- Immigrant visa interviews: Mondays, by appointment only.
- Services for U.S. Legal Permanent Residents: by appointment only. Please contact the Consular Section at BishkekIV@state.gov for an appointment.
Please note: The U.S. Embassy is closed on Kyrgyz and American holidays.
For specific information regarding immigrant visa services, please email BishkekIV@state.gov
To change an appointment date:
If you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, please:
- Notify the Immigrant Visa Unit at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment by email BishkekIV@state.gov
- Provide approximate dates when you would like to reschedule.
Please Note:
- Preferred dates cannot be guaranteed.
- It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the “timing out” of their petitions
