Consular Processing

Consular processing through marriage

If the Canadian spouse is outside of the United States after the I-130 petition is approved, they must undergo two processes. The first process is submitting paperwork to the National Visa Center. For most Canadians, this also involves doing an RCMP certified criminal record check for the consulate interview. Once the NVC is satisfied with the documents submitted, the Canadian spouse will be scheduled to attend an in-person interview at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal. The U.S. citizen will not be required to attend this interview. If approved, the Canadian will be given an immigrant visa stamp and they can enter the United States as a resident. The green card will be mailed to them a few months later.

Consular processing through employment

If a Canadian citizen is being sponsored for a green card through employment, they will undergo a similar procedure as marriage-based applicants. This includes the NVC process and an in-person interview at the consulate.