Skip to content
ChecklistMap
NVC EB-1 visa roadmap
Phase 6 of 6

Visa, entry and Green Card

Receive the visa, enter the US, pay the USCIS immigrant fee, and get your Green Card.

0/4
Not legal advice

This roadmap is general information to help you organize your own preparation. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Rules differ by consulate and change over time - always confirm against the official travel.state.gov, ceac.state.gov and uscis.gov guidance for your case.

  • Visa in passport (E11/E12)

    Your immigrant visa is glued into the passport and returned by courier.

    The principal applicant gets E11; family members get E12. The passport with the visa is delivered by courier, or you collect it from the pickup point you registered for.

    To do (0/2)

    • The immigrant visa has a validity window (tied to the medical) - plan your entry within it. Note the delivery method you registered for (courier or pickup point) so you know where the passport goes.

    Common questions

    • What is the difference between E11 and E12?

      E11 is the immigrant-visa class for the principal applicant; E12 is the class for accompanying family members (spouse and children). Both arrive in the passport returned by courier or at the pickup point you registered for.

    • On EB-1, when can I get a work permit (EAD)?

      On the consular path you do not get a separate - your immigrant visa and, after entry, the entry stamp authorize you to live and work in the US until the arrives. An EAD only exists on the other route: applicants already in the US who file () can get an EAD while the case is pending. That domestic path requires a current ; the consular roadmap here ends at the Green Card itself.

    My notes

    saved

  • Port of entry (USA)

    Cross the US border within the visa validity; you become a US tax resident.

    After crossing the border you become a US tax resident. The visa plus the entry stamp in your passport legally counts as the equivalent of a until the physical card arrives. Do NOT change the delivery address from the one in your - changing it strongly increases the risk of losing your documents.

    To do (0/4)

    • At the port of entry keep printed copies of your documents on you. Carry under $10,000 cash per family (declare more). Right after arrival it is easy to set up a US SIM/eSIM and a debit card; book an Airbnb for the first days, then rent.

    Common questions

    • When do I become a US tax resident, and how do I prove I entered legally?

      You become a US tax resident once you are admitted as a permanent resident at the port of entry. After admission, retrieve your electronic I-94 record online and save a PDF - together with the entry stamp in your passport it is your proof of lawful admission, and the visa plus stamp legally stand in for the Green Card until the physical card arrives.

    My notes

    saved

  • Pay the USCIS immigrant fee

    $235 per person - without it the Green Card and SSN will not be issued.

    Pay $235 per person at myaccount..gov (instructions come with the visa). Use your A-Number (issued with the visa) and DOS Case ID (your case number); pay online with any non-sanctioned card from any country. Do NOT leave the US before the arrives - immigration sometimes requests photos or fingerprints in person in the US, and missing that request leads to automatic abandonment of the Green Card.

    To do (0/3)

    Fees

    • $235USCIS immigrant fee / per person
    • Do NOT leave the US before the Green Card arrives, and do NOT change your delivery address - both routinely cause USCIS to lose or abandon the card. Never open the sealed envelope or post its contents.

    Common questions

    • What happens if I do not pay the USCIS immigrant fee?

      The Green Card and SSN will not be issued until the fee is paid. Pay $235 per person right after entry, using your A-Number and DOS Case ID, with any non-sanctioned card from any country.

    My notes

    saved

  • Green Card and SSN

    The physical Green Card and Social Security Number arrive by mail.

    Once the immigrant fee is paid and any biometric request is satisfied, the is printed and mailed, followed by the SSN. Keep using the address so nothing is lost.

    To do (0/3)

    • Do not open any sealed envelope, do not change the delivery address, and do not leave the US before the card is in hand - all three routinely cause USCIS to lose or abandon the card.

    Common questions

    • How long until the Green Card and SSN arrive?

      Once the USCIS immigrant fee is paid and any biometric request is satisfied, the card is printed and mailed - commonly within about 2-4 weeks - and the SSN follows. Keep the DS-260 address active so nothing is lost.

    Screenshots from the roadmap

    My notes

    saved
Stage 5The consulate interview