Consular Processing
When a person is seeking permanent residence or a green card at a U.S. embassy or consular office in another country, this process is called consular processing. Consular processing applies when a person who wants to obtain the green card is living outside of the United States or if the person is in the United States but is not eligible to adjust his or her status or the person is in the United States but simply does not choose to adjust his or her status.