本文作者：Yevgeny （Eugene） Samokhleb

After an immigrant applicant’s petition is approved by USCIS, their case is transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC), which collects each family member’s personal information and sends the case for interview scheduling at a U.S. consulate overseas. Cases are assigned by default to the U.S. consulate in the primary applicant’s country of birth. However, applicants may request to transfer their case for interviewing in another country. This is called a change of venue. There are 4 options for venue: (1) country of birth of the primary applicant, (2) country of birth of the primary applicant’s spouse, (3) country of residence of the primary applicant, or (4) country of nationality of the primary applicant, if different from the country of birth.

在移民申请人的申请获得美国移民局（USCIS）批准后，这些已批准的申请将被转交至国家签证中心（NVC）。该中心会收集每个家庭成员的信息，并将申请发送到美国海外领事馆以安排面试。移民申请将被默认发送至主申请人出生地的美国领事馆。然而，申请人可以请求将他们的移民申请转移到另一个国家以进行面试，这叫做变更受理地。有4种选择受理地的方式：（1）主申请人的出生地，（2）主申请人配偶的出生地，（3）主申请人的居住地，或者（4）主申请人的国籍国，如果与出生地不同。

To request a case be transferred, evidence of the above criteria must be submitted to NVC. To process a case based on country of birth or nationality requires submission of proof of such country of birth or nationality, which typically includes a birth certificate or passport. To process a case based on residence, the primary applicant must submit sufficient evidence that he or she actually resides in the requested country. This requires proof of address and long-term valid immigration status (not just as a tourist) in that country.

请求转移移民申请，申请人必须向NVC提交证明上述4项标准的证据。根据出生地或国籍转移移民申请需要提交出生或国籍证明，通常包括出生证明或护照。根据居住地转移移民申请，主申请人必须提交足够的证据证明其实际居住在所请求的国家。这需要提供地址和长期有效的移民身份证明（不能仅仅是游客）。

If an applicant decides to change venue for consular processing to another country after the NVC has already transferred the case to the original consulate for interview scheduling, then the change of venue process can become complex. The original consulate must consent to transfer the case, and the newly requested consulate must consent to accept it.

如果申请人在NVC已将申请转移到领事馆以安排面试后决定更改签证程序的受理地，那么变更受理地的过程可能会变得更复杂。原领事馆必须同意转移申请，而被请求的新领事馆也必须接受该申请。

It is important to note that consular venue is distinct from country chargeability. As discussed above, venue refers to the country in which the immigrant interview takes place. Chargeability refers to the country queue from which the applicant and his or her family members will obtain visas. While venue may be based on birth, residence, or nationality, chargeability is based only on the country of birth.

需要注意的是，领事移民签证程序受理地与配额地是不同的。如上所述，受理地是指进行移民面试的国家。而配额地是指申请人及其家庭成员将从哪个国家的排队队列获得签证。虽然受理地可以基于出生地、居住地或国籍，但配额地只能基于出生地。

However, if a husband and wife were born in different countries, they may use each other’s immigration chargeability. An applicant who is born in one country may request to be charged to the visa queue of the spouse’s country of birth, which may often help to bypass a long visa wait.

然而，如果夫妻出生在不同的国家，则他们可以相互使用彼此的移民配额。出生某国的申请人可以请求从配偶出生地的排队队列获得签证，这通常有助于避免漫长的等待。（例如，中国大陆、香港、台湾和澳门在美国签证公告中都有各自的签证排队队列。如果出生在中国大陆的移民申请人与出生在香港的人结婚，则这对夫妻可以请求根据香港的排队队列获得移民签证，这可能为他们节省数年的等待时间。但是，申请人只能使用主申请人或配偶的出生地确定配额地而不能使用他们子女的出身地。）