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Immigrant Visas

Application Procedures & Fees

How do I apply?

If you wish to immigrate to the United States through employment, then you must first have a firm job offer from a company in the U.S.  That company begins the immigration process for you by filing a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), as described on the USCIS web page on employment immigration.

If you wish to immigrate to the United States through a family relationship, then the first step is for the U.S. citizen or Legal Permament Resident relative to file an immigrant visa petition, Form I-130, with the USCIS, as described below and on the USCIS web page on family immigration. A separate petition must be filed for each person immigrating.  The petition must be accompanied by proof of citizenship of both the petitioner and the beneficiary, as well as proof of the legal relationship between the two, such as an original marriage certificate or birth certificate and official translations of these documents, if they are not in English.
 
Note: A petition cannot be filed for a spouse until after the marriage ceremony has taken place. 

What happens next?

Once the petition is approved, it will go to the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia.  All petition beneficiaries who live in Slovenia must finish the immigrant visa process in Zagreb.  The U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana does not issue immigrant visas.

The U.S. Embassy in Zagreb will send to the beneficiary additional forms that must be completed.  The petitioner will be required to submit an Affidavit of Support proving that he or she can financially support a new immigrant to the United States.  The beneficiary will be required to obtain a Certificate of No Criminal Record and to schedule a medical examination from a list of particular doctors in Zagreb. 

Finally, the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb will schedule an interview to finish the process and, if everything is in order, issue the immigrant visa.  For complete information about the Zagreb portion of the process, including required fees, please consult the website of the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb.

How long does it take?

Once the approved petition is forwarded to Zagreb, the process takes from eight to twelve weeks, depending upon Zagreb's workload.

Where to file the petition for family-based immigration

If the petitioner lives in the U.S.

If the petitioner's usual place of residence is in the United States, then the petition must be filed in the United States. It cannot be filed overseas. You can find the location of the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)Service Centers, as well as instructions on how to fill out the I-130 and a downloadable version of the form here (PDF).

If the petitioner lives in Slovenia

If the U.S. citizen petitioner's usual place of residence for at least the past six months is in Slovenia, then the petition may be filed at the U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana. The petitioner will be required to present his or her Slovene residence permit as proof of the required residency in Slovenia. 

Please contact us using any of the means listed in the Key Information box above to make an appointment to file the petition. Both the petitioner and the beneficiary must appear at the Embassy in person.

Please bring the following items with you to your appointment at the Embassy: 

  • The I-130 form (PDF) filled out completely. Please write "N/A" on any line where the question is not applicable and do not leave any part of this form blank. Do not sign it, as you will do that at the Embassy in front of the Consular Officer.
  • Four G-325A forms for the beneficiary and another four for the petitioner, filled out completely. Please write "N/A" on any line where the question is not applicable and do not leave any part of these forms blank. Do not sign them, as you will do that at the Embassy in front of the Consular Officer.
  • The original marriage certificate, with an official English translation if it is not in English.
  • Proof of termination of ALL prior marriages on both sides, with official English translations if this proof is not in English.
  • One passport photo each of the petitioner and the beneficiary.
  • The petitioner's U.S. passport
  • The beneficiary's Slovene passport
  • The petitioner's Slovene residency permit (dovolenje za prebivanje), with an English translation. Dual citizens should provide a copy of their most recent U.S. tax return indictating that they have been working and paying taxes overseas for at least the past six months.
  • If filing for a child, then the child's original birth certificate, with an official English translation if it is not in English.
  • If filing for a parent, then the petitioner's original birth certificate, with an official English translation if it is not in English.
  • US$355 fee, payable in Dollars or Euros, using cash or a credit card.