F2B Visa

Eligibility requirements will apply to both the US resident and the Canadian applicant, as the US resident will become the visa sponsor on behalf of the F2B Visa applicant. Eligibility requirements for the application will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The F2B visa sponsor must be a green card holder
• The green cardholder must be living in the United States with a verified American address
• The green cardholder must be the legal parents (whether by birth or adoption) of the applicant who they are petitioning
• The applicant for the F2B Visa must be over the age of 21
• The applicant must be unmarried
• The applicant must be the child of the green card holder
• The applicant must have sufficient documents to prove their relationship to the US sponsor. These can be in the form of a birth certificate or adoption certificate

It should be noted that if the applicant gets married before the petition is approved, they will automatically become ineligible for the F2B visa. They may be in a relationship or engaged to be wed, however. Their spouse does not qualify for an F2B Visa alongside them unless sponsored by their own US resident parents.

Like most visa applications, the F2B visa application process can take quite some time, and requires a lot of documentation and steps. The first step in the application process is for the US sponsor to file a petition on the applicants behalf to United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS).The process may vary depending on your personal circumstances, but the process usually plays out as follows:

Filing the Petition

Filing the petition on behalf of the Canadian applicant is the first step in the F2B visa application process. To do so, the US sponsor files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, to the USCIS. You will be required to pay a fee when submitting this application, and it is important to make sure that you keep a copy of this, as it will be required later on in the process. This petition is then forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security.

Failure to submit the petition properly, or rejection of the petition means you will not be able to proceed with this application, and you will not be eligible for a refund. Both the sponsor and the applicant need to complete the petition separately.

Step 1: Filing the Petition

The US sponsor begins the application process by filing form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. The sponsor then pays the required fee to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It is important to keep a copy of the paid invoice for these fees, as they will be required as part of the documentation required later on in the process. The petition then goes to the DHS, where the USCIS processes it.

Step 2: Petition is processed

Once a sponsor submits the application form, the USCIS will process the petition, which can take up to several months. The USCIS will determine whether to approve or deny the petition and will subsequently send the US to sponsor notice of their decision. If the petition has been denied, the USCIS will inform you of the reasons for the rejection. Upon approval, however, the USCIS will then send the petition to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing.

Step 3: Getting A Case Number

Once they have received the petition from USCIS, the NVC will send the approval documents to the US sponsor and the family members who are applying for the F2B Visa. These documents will include the petition’s case number, applicable fees, payment instructions, and instructions on how to proceed. Once the NVC has finished the visa processing and sent the approval, the applicant may now apply for the F2B visa. However, it is crucial to note that if the quota for the year has been reached, the visa application process will not begin until the following year, as F2B Visas are processed in chronological order. You will be advised if this is the case.

Step 4: Complete Medical Examination and Vaccination

This process is mandatory for all people who are immigrating to the US. The applicants will have a set of documents highlighting what specific check-ups they must complete, and a list of vaccinations that are required. The applicant must complete the examination with a licensed physician, who must sign the documents clearing a good bill of health, and ascertain that the applicant has taken all the required vaccinations.

Step 5: Attend a Visa Interview

The applicants for the F2B Visa must undergo a visa interview at the US embassy or Consulate in Canada. Once the NVC is satisfied with all the received documentation, a visa interview will be scheduled for the applicant. At the interview, the applicant will be sworn in and asked a series of questions concerning their background, nature, relationship with the US sponsor, and any other line of questioning they wish to approach at their discretion.

Step 6: Visa Approval

Once the Embassy or Consulate decides whether or not they will approve the F2B Visa, they will advise the applicants. If denied, you will be provided with a letter that explains the decision, and what steps you are eligible to take next. Upon approval, the F2B passport will get the visa stamps, and the successful applicant will be given a sealed document that they are not permitted to open. Only a US immigration officer is permitted to open these documents as you enter the US at your port of entry.