Consular processing occurs when someone applies for a United States green card from outside the country. The application process for green cards can vary depending on a few factors, including whether you’re applying from within the country or without. When immigrants apply to become a lawful permanent resident from their home country, they go through consular processing (also called CR-1 or IR-1 visa). This means that your immigrant visa petition will be handled by the local consular office or embassy.