Immigrant Visas

Please use our Visa Services Navigator for more information on immigrant visa services at U.S. Embassy Cairo. The navigator will ask a series of simple questions to direct you to online information on the most common topics OR provide instructions on how to contact us by email for less common questions and direct assistance.

Embassy Khartoum: The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum has temporarily suspended all consular services in Sudan, including all visa services. Sudanese immigrant visa (IV) applicants will now be processed at U.S. Embassy Cairo. This includes K1 visas and Diversity Visas. If you have questions about a case that was previously designated to be interviewed in Khartoum, please email CairoSudanIV@state.gov.

Processing Times: For all applicants whose cases are documentarily qualified and are pending an appointment from the National Visa Center (NVC) and Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), you will receive your appointment on a first-in, first-out basis. There are currently backlogs in every visa category. If you have a serious medical emergency, you may contact NVC directly to request an expedited appointment.

Diversity Visa Applicants: The Department of State conducts a random selection of Diversity Visa candidates or “selectees.” Selection does not guarantee that a person will receive a visa or a visa interview. Being selected means that the person is eligible to participate in the DV program. To learn more about the DV program, please visit https://eg.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/diversity-visa/.

The Department of State has reached the annual Diversity Visa issuance limit worldwide for 2023. Therefore, U.S. Embassy Cairo will not be able to process additional Diversity Visas or appointments for the remainder of the 2023 cycle, which ends on September 30, 2023. We have issued cancellation notices to everyone who was scheduled for a Diversity Visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy between now and September 30, 2023.

We acknowledge and regret that the early conclusion of the 2023 program may be disappointing to selectees who were unable to receive a visa. The 2025 Diversity Visa program entry period will open in early October of this year, and we encourage all who are eligible to apply. If you were selected in the 2023 program but did not complete the process, you must re-apply for consideration in future year programs. Instructions for applying to the DV program can be found at https://dvprogram.state.gov/.

Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Egypt at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. The sponsor begins the process by filing a petition on the foreign citizen’s behalf with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You may wish to review the Directory of Visa Categories on usvisas.state.gov to learn about the different types of immigrant visas to the United States, including our Diversity Visa Program. Then, follow the steps for the Immigrant Visa Process or the Diversity Visa Process to begin applying for an immigrant visa.

Once USCIS has approved your petition and you have completed pre-processing with the National Visa Center (NVC), or if you have been selected in the Diversity Visa Lottery and completed processing with the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), review the instructions given to you by the NVC or the KCC, along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and next steps.

*** Important Note:  We advise applicants not to make any travel arrangements before they physically receive their visas. ***

Immigrant Visas

The U.S. Embassy in Cairo offers limited services to U.S. Legal Permanent Residents, such as Returning Resident Visas and Boarding Foils.