INSTRUCTIONS FOR DIVERSITY VISA APPLICANTS
To assist in providing the most efficient customer service and to expedite your diversity immigrant visa processing, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara uses a pre-appointment document screening system.
To process a diversity immigrant visa, beneficiaries are required to courier their documents via United Parcel Service (UPS) to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara at least 15 days before their appointment date. As UPS services are not available in Iran, applicants in Iran may send their documents to our office by any reliable courier service.
The local UPS phone number is (312) 444 0033. The address is U.S. Embassy, Immigrant Visa Unit, 110 Ataturk Boulevard Kavaklidere, Ankara 06100 Turkey.
There are no other alternatives for submitting diversity immigrant visa documentation. You should follow the instructions below and submit the required forms via UPS.
STEP 1 Obtain required documents listed.
STEP 2 Contact your local UPS office (or any reliable courier service if there are no UPS in your country) and courier the documents listed in paragraph “REQUIRED DOCUMENTS”
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
1. FULL PHOTOCOPY OF PASSPORT: Full photocopy of passport must be provided for each applicant. The beneficiary’s passport must be valid for travel to the United States and must have at least eight months validity beyond the issuance date of the visa. Children may be included in a parent's passport, but, if over the age of 16, they must have their photograph attached to the passport. Please do not send your original passport. You must present your passport at the interview date.
2. DIPLOMA: A copy of the last diploma of the principle applicant is required. If the principle applicant is not a high school graduate he/she must provide the proof of his/her employment during the last five years.
3. BIRTH CERTIFICATES: Iranian applicant are required to submit a copy of their “Shenasname”. Iranian applicants are required to submit their National ID cards, “Cart e Meli” in addition to their birth certificates.
Please do not send the originals of the Iranian and Iraqi birth certificates and ID cards to our office. Copies with original translations will be sufficient before the interview. Original documents will be required at the time of final interview.
4. MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE: Two full photocopies of your Turkish marriage certificate is required (one copy for each spouse). If the marriage took place in a country other than Turkey or US, a certified English translation of the foreign marriage certificate is also required.
5. DIVORCE DECREE OR DEATH CERTIFICATE: If you were married previously, provide a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate to prove the dissolution of each prior marriage. You will be requested to submit the original of this document at the time of your interview. If the divorce took place in a country other than Turkey or US, a certified English translation of the foreign divorce decree is also required. For divorces that took place in the U.S. or Turkey, the court-certified original divorce decrees must either have the raised seal or rubber stamps of the court and original signatures. Attorney certified copies without raised seals, rubber stamps or plain photocopies of court certified divorce decrees will not be accepted. Marriage or birth certificates on which the divorce is registered and translations of divorce documents without the originals are not accepted in lieu of a court-certified divorce decree.
6. FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS: Please see the following pages for evidence which may be presented to meet the public charge provisions of the law. Financial documents must be prepared as one set for each family member.
7. POLICE CERTIFICATE REQUIRED FOR APPLICANTS 16 YEARS AND OLDER. Police certificates from Iran are not required.
8. MILITARY CARD: For Iranian applicants only. If you have served the Iranian military, please provide a copy and English translation of your military card. If you are exempt from the service please provide a copy and English translation of your military service exemption card. Originals of these documents will be required at the time of final interview.
9. COURT AND PRISON RECORDS: Persons convicted of a crime must obtain a copy of each court record and any prison record, even if the beneficiary has been pardoned or granted amnesty. Originals of these documents will be required at the time of final interview.
10. OTHER COURT DOCUMENTS: Copies of court records regarding name changes, age ammendments, adoption and similar subjects must also be submitted. Originals of these documents should be submitted at the time of interview.
11. CONTACT INFORMATION: Please fill out the contact form provided in this packet.
12. TRANSLATION: All documents not in English or Turkish must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Translations from a swarn translator do not need to be notarized.
13. PHOTOS: Regardless of age, all U.S. Immigrant Visa applicants must present two un-retouched color photographs, approximately 2 X 2 inches (5 X 5 cm) in size, taken on a white background. Please read the following instructions carefully.