NATO-6 employee and qualifying family

Petition stage

What happens

The qualifying NATO-6 organization or individual files Form I-360 with USCIS, documenting the civilian employee's NATO-6 service, the residence and physical-presence thresholds tied to that service period, and the specific sub-category for each applicant, including surviving spouses and unmarried children who each have their own residence requirements.

When

File the I-360 before beginning any subsequent green card step; approval of the I-360 establishes the EB-4 priority date and is the prerequisite for NVC or AOS processing.

Common pitfalls

Conflating the NATO-6 route with the G-4 international-organization route; using the wrong sub-category; failing to document the specific U.S. residence period tied to the NATO-6 service; missing the separate residence rules for derivative sub-categories.

When this stage is done

USCIS approves the I-360 and mails an approval notice, which establishes the priority date and permits the case to move to NVC or adjustment.

Sources: 9 official sources inform this stage.

Priority dates and the Visa Bulletin

What happens

NATO-6 cases fall under EB-4, a numerically limited category; the priority date is set when USCIS receipts the I-360, and the case cannot proceed to green card issuance until the EB-4 cutoff date for the applicant's country of birth is current in the monthly DOS Visa Bulletin.

When

Check the Visa Bulletin each month after I-360 approval and before filing the I-485 or scheduling a consular interview; EB-4 has retrogressed for several countries and the cutoff must be re-verified each month.

Common pitfalls

Using the wrong Visa Bulletin chart for AOS filers; missing the USCIS monthly chart-use announcement; ignoring retrogression that can interrupt a case already in progress.

When this stage is done

The EB-4 Final Action Date (or Dates for Filing date when USCIS authorizes that chart) is current for the applicant's country, and the case can move to adjustment or consular interview scheduling.

Sources: 9 official sources inform this stage.

Related guides: Reading the Visa Bulletin

NVC processing

What happens

Once the I-360 is approved and an EB-4 visa number is available, NVC opens the NATO-6 immigrant-visa case, collects the DS-260 online application, the consular fee payment, and civil documents for the principal and accompanying derivatives; an I-864 affidavit of support is generally not required for this special-immigrant category.

When

NVC processing begins after I-360 approval and runs until NVC marks the case documentarily qualified and forwards it to the consulate for interview scheduling.

Common pitfalls

Failing to list all qualifying derivatives; submitting incomplete or low-resolution document scans; missing NATO-6 service records from the upload; not monitoring the CEAC portal for checklist items.

When this stage is done

NVC marks the case documentarily qualified and notifies the family that the case has been sent to the consulate for interview scheduling.

Sources: 12 official sources inform this stage.

Civil documents, translations, and reciprocity

What happens

Gather passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate where applicable, documentation of the NATO-6 service period, and evidence of U.S. residence; for family-member sub-categories also include proof of the qualifying relationship and of the residence period tied to the NATO-6 principal's service; all non-English documents need certified translations.

When

Begin collecting documents as soon as the I-360 is filed, since some NATO-6 service or residence records may take time to obtain from official sources.

Common pitfalls

Missing the service-period residence evidence required for the specific sub-category; relying on the same document list used for G-4 cases; submitting uncertified translations.

When this stage is done

All required civil documents with certified translations are uploaded to NVC or assembled for the AOS package, and NVC (or USCIS) accepts the submission without a pending document checklist.

Sources: 7 official sources inform this stage.

Related guides: Civil documents and reciprocity

Medical exam

What happens

Consular applicants complete the medical exam with a DOS-designated panel physician covering vaccinations, a physical exam, and a mental-health review; AOS applicants use Form I-693 completed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon, sealed and submitted with the I-485 or at the interview.

When

Schedule the panel physician appointment after NVC qualifies the case and well before the visa interview; for AOS, schedule the civil surgeon exam within the USCIS validity window before or close to I-485 filing.

Common pitfalls

Scheduling the exam too early so results expire before the interview; using a physician not on the official DOS or USCIS list; opening the sealed I-693 envelope before submission.

When this stage is done

The sealed medical packet is in hand and has been submitted to NVC (for consular cases) or is ready to present with the I-485 or at the USCIS interview.

Sources: 10 official sources inform this stage.

Biometrics

What happens

AOS applicants receive a USCIS biometrics appointment at a local Application Support Center after filing the I-485 to have fingerprints, photograph, and signature collected; consular applicants may be required to complete biometrics at an overseas ASC before the visa interview depending on post procedures.

When

The biometrics appointment notice arrives by mail within weeks of the I-485 receipt; for consular cases, the post or pre-interview instructions specify timing.

Common pitfalls

Missing the appointment without rescheduling; arriving without a valid government-issued photo ID; confusing the biometrics appointment with a substantive interview.

When this stage is done

Biometrics are collected at the ASC (or formally waived by a USCIS notice), and the appointment step is complete.

Sources: 8 official sources inform this stage.

Interview preparation

What happens

NATO-6 applicants should expect a substantive interview at the consular post or at a USCIS field office for AOS cases covering the qualifying NATO-6 civilian service, the residence and physical-presence thresholds for the applicable sub-category, family relationships for derivatives, and admissibility.

When

Prepare documents well before the scheduled interview date; for AOS cases the interview notice specifies the date and the documents to bring.

Common pitfalls

Inability to explain the specific NATO-6 service category or the periods and locations of U.S. residence during the service period; missing original service records; failing to account for gaps in the employment or residence record.

When this stage is done

The officer concludes the interview, indicates approval or identifies any outstanding issues, and the case moves to a final decision.

Sources: 8 official sources inform this stage.

Consular processing

What happens

After NVC schedules the interview, the applicant appears at the designated consulate where the officer reviews the DS-260, civil documents, NATO-6 service records, residence documentation, medical results, and admissibility; if approved, an immigrant visa is placed in a sealed packet for use at a U.S. port of entry.

When

The consular interview is scheduled by the post after NVC qualifies the case and an EB-4 visa number is available; after entry, pay the USCIS immigrant fee online promptly so the green card can be produced.

Common pitfalls

Failing to bring original documents to the interview; not paying the USCIS immigrant fee after entry; forgetting that the sealed packet must not be opened before presenting it to CBP.

When this stage is done

CBP admits the applicant as a lawful permanent resident at the U.S. port of entry, the USCIS immigrant fee is paid, and the green card arrives by mail.

Sources: 11 official sources inform this stage.

Adjustment of status

What happens

NATO-6 employees in the United States in a qualifying status file Form I-485 once the EB-4 priority date is current, including the approved I-360, sealed I-693, identity and status documents, two passport photos, and the filing fee; work authorization (I-765) and advance parole (I-131) may be filed concurrently.

When

File the I-485 as soon as the EB-4 priority date is current and confirmed by the USCIS chart-use announcement for the current month; derivatives file separate I-485 applications concurrently.

Common pitfalls

Filing before the priority date is confirmed current using the correct chart; omitting the sealed I-693; failing to include separate I-485 applications for each derivative; missing current-status documentation.

When this stage is done

USCIS approves the I-485 and mails the ten-year green card, confirming lawful permanent resident status.

Sources: 10 official sources inform this stage.

Waivers and inadmissibility overlays

What happens

NATO-6 applicants with a ground of inadmissibility may need Form I-601 before the visa or adjustment is approved; NATO-6 diplomatic status does not eliminate inadmissibility bars in the immigrant context, and each ground has its own statutory waiver standard.

When

Identify potential inadmissibility issues during the I-360 filing stage or at NVC intake so that waiver preparation does not delay the case once it is ready for interview.

Common pitfalls

Assuming diplomatic status eliminates inadmissibility grounds; filing Form I-601 without addressing the correct statutory provision for each specific ground; waiting until the interview to discover a waiver is needed.

When this stage is done

Any required I-601 waiver is filed and approved (or determined not to be needed), and the case can proceed to the interview or final adjudication.

Sources: 7 official sources inform this stage.

Related guides: I-601A provisional unlawful-presence waiver, I-601 general waiver of inadmissibility

Post-specific particulars

What happens

NATO-6 cases are not typically routed through Ciudad Juarez, but if DOS assigns the case there, the applicant must follow the CDJ supplement, which requires completing biometrics at a local ASC before the interview and attending a panel physician exam at a designated clinic.

When

Review the current CDJ supplement on the consulate website before booking travel if the case is assigned to Ciudad Juarez; the supplement specifies the required sequence of steps and timing.

Common pitfalls

Arriving at the consulate interview before completing the ASC biometrics step; skipping the panel physician exam; planning a one-day trip when the CDJ sequence typically requires multiple days.

When this stage is done

All CDJ pre-interview steps (ASC biometrics, panel physician exam) are complete, and the applicant appears at the consulate for the visa interview as scheduled.

Sources: 9 official sources inform this stage.