1. Get Immigrant Visa at U.S. Embassy or Consulate

The first step in applying for an immigrant visa is for the U.S. citizen (petitioner) to file an immigrant visa petition with a Service Center of USCIS. Each person immigrating will be required to complete a biographic data form DS-230 Part I. The appointment for the visa interview and medical examination will be scheduled. 

The Immigrant Visa Unit at U.S. embassy or consulate will process your application for an immigrant visa. While no assurance can be given regarding the appointment date of your visa interview, you should prepare for that appointment and obtain the documents required for your visa application. 

When you have obtained all of the required documents and are prepared for the interview, you should notify U.S. embassy or consulate. You may notify them that you are prepared for the interview by mailing to the Immigrant Visa Unit, using form and document checklist. 

2. Form I-864 and Public Charge 

The USCIS Form I-864 - Affidavit of Support is required for family-sponsored immigration. An affidavit of support is a guarantee to U.S. government that an immigrant will not become a public charge. The affidavit could be offered by the petition sponsor or someone who could provide financial assistance to the immigrant in the event that such help would be necessary. 

All petitioners, regardless of whether or not they have been working or living in the U.S. since the past three years, must submit a notarized Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, for the beneficiaries of the petitions. The determination of a possible public charge must be made in all cases. A public charge is defined as someone who cannot support him or herself, and may therefore become reliable on the adopted country - the United States. 

3. The Form I-485 Adjustment of Status for Parents inside U.S.

The Form I-485 adjustment of status application is for an applicant who is in U.S. already on a non-immigrant visa. If your Form I-130 application has been approved, you can submit Form I-485 to get your Green Card. 

If the eligibility of your I-485 application is based on an immigrant petition, you need to attach a copy of the approval notice for an immigrant petition that makes a visa number immediately available to you. If your eligibility is based on the Form I-130 approval, you need to attach a copy of the Form I-130 approval notice.

The medical examination, endorsed by a civil medical doctor on Form I-693, Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status, is a necessary part of the Green Card application process. The examination is submitted in connection with the Form I-485, to ensure that the individual does not have any "communicable diseases of public health significance" or other medical conditions that may pose a danger to the individual or to others. The medical examination includes proof that the foreign national has had vaccinations against a specified list of preventable diseases.