Immigrant Visas  

General Information

Immigrant visas entitle the recipient to permanent resident status in the United States. "Green Card" holders may live and work there, and eventually become naturalized if they so desire.

Most immigration is initiated by the petition of a close relative or an employer in the United States. The petition is often filed with and adjudicated by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, but if your relative is physically present in Botswana it can be presented here for forwarding for approval. All final interviews and approvals are done at the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg, RSA. After initial approval, applicants will be notified by the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg about documentation requirements and how to schedule the final interview. Required medical examinations for immigrant visas for Batswana are conducted only in Johannesburg and only by doctors certified by the U.S. Consulate there. You may contact the Consulate in Johannesburg at (27) (11) 646-6900 for more information.

Certain categories of immigrant visas are numerically controlled. This may necessitate a waiting period before the application can be further processed. Spouses of American citizens (and some others) are not subject to the same waiting period, but should anticipate a delay of up to approximately six months to complete the procedure and be scheduled for a final interview.