Immigrant Visas
General Information
Obtaining an Immigrant Visa
There are a number of ways in which a person can apply for an immigrant visa in order to become a permanent resident of the United States (i.e., obtain a “green card”). The primary categories processed at the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn are:
1. Family-sponsored immigrant visas
(e.g., spouses, fiancées, children, parents and siblings of American citizens, as well as certain close relatives of Legal Permanent Residents), including adoption.
These categories are divided into “immediate relatives” (spouse, fiancé, parent or unmarried child of a U.S. citizen) and numerically limited “family preference” categories (certain other relatives of U.S. citizens and U.S. Legal Permanent Residents). For more information on these categories, including applicable wait times, please refer to the U.S. Department of State's main travel website.
2. Employment-based immigrant visas;
and
3. Diversity visas
(also known as the “green card lottery”).
Please read our information on how to apply for an immigrant visa
at the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn.
Lost & Stolen Green Cards
If you are a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States and your alien resident card (“green card”) has been lost or stolen while visiting Estonia, you will need to contact the Consular Section by telephone (+372-668-8100: business days 9 - 12 or 14 - 17) or by e-mail (VisaTallinn@state.gov) for an appointment. At the time of your appointment, please bring the following items with you to the Embassy:
- A valid passport (if your passport has also been lost/stolen, you must obtain a new passport or other travel document first);
- 2 identical recent full-face photographs where you are facing the camera directly, each of which measures 2 inches X 2 inches square (5 cm X 5 cm);
- Original police report filed in connection with your loss;
- Nonrefundable application fee of US $165, which can be paid in cash dollars, the cash equivalent in Estonian kroons, or with certain credit cards.
The Consular Section will be able to issue a transportation letter to you only after confirming your resident status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security). You will receive a replacement card upon your return to the United States.