National Visa Center (NVC) Processing Time: NVC Timeframes and How to Check NVC Case Status

When submitting your application to USCIS, you can check your processing time by looking at the USCIS Check Case Processing Times page. You’ll input the type of form you are applying or petitioning for and the USCIS field office or service center. You can also check your case status using the USCIS Case Status Online tool.

Be sure to keep your receipt notice, Form I-979C, when USCIS receives your submitted form. Once USCIS processes your application, it will be sent to the National Visa Center.

Your priority date is the date your original immigrant visa application was filed. When your priority date matches the National Visa Center’s Visa Bulletin, your immigration process can continue.

Your priority date is on Form I-797, the Notice of Action Letter you received from USCIS. The National Visa Center publishes the NVC visa bulletin every month. It includes the date for the type of visa, country, and visa limits.

It’s crucial to pay attention to your priority date and stay current with Visa Bulletin monthly releases. When your priority date reaches the matched Bulletin date (or is about to match up), the National Visa Center will contact you. They will send you an invoice regarding your application fees and collect all of the evidence that supports your eligibility for the visa you are applying for.

You must keep all documentation sent to you from USCIS and the NVC. We also recommend making copies of everything they send. After the NVC contacts you, you will be able to set up an interview at your embassy or consulate.

Sometimes, the NVC processing time for your priority date and the NVC Visa Bulletin date can take years—and even decades—to match up. If your date does not meet the cut-off date, or “becomes current,” the National Visa Center will continue to hold your petition.

Working with an experienced immigration lawyer can help you keep track of dates, timelines, and deadlines. Staying on top of your processing dates helps expedite the immigration process.

The first step is to file your application with USCIS. A typical form is Form I-130, Petition for Foreign Relative, or Form I-140, Petition for Foreign Worker. Once again, USCIS is the first step in your immigration process. Approval can take months to years, so speak with your immigration attorney about your specific visa timeline. Once this step is complete, your case will be sent to the Department of State.

USCIS will transfer your approved petition to the National Visa Center. This is the pre-processing step, where the NVC uploads your case to its database.

Once this is complete, the NVC will send you a confirmation, either via email or physical mail. The welcome letter will give you your immigrant visa number. Note that this is not an approval; it is merely a confirmation that the NVC pre-processed your USCIS petition.

Since some visa categories have annual limits, you may not be pre-processed for a while due to limits and backlogs. Your USCIS approval is the first step. However, note that it is normal not to receive your NVC immigrant visa number immediately if your visa type is one of the limited categories. Check out the NVC Visa Bulletin for information on priority dates.

Once you receive your welcome letter, pay your required fees on the Consular Electronic Application page. You will need to pay your initial Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee and your Affidavit of Support Fee.

Note: You may see a message on the CEAC page about uploading documents. If you need assistance, contact your immigration attorney and follow the National Visa Center’s scanning tips page.

Regarding NVC timeframes, this step can take up to one week for processing.

Your financial sponsor, or the petitioner, must fill out and send Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. The petitioner signs the affidavit as a legal contract with the United States, stating they will be financially responsible for the applicant so that the applicant will not rely on government financial support.

Several types of Form I-864 may apply to your situation, including:

1. Form I-864
2. Form I-864A
3. Form I-864EZ
4. Form I-864W

Turn in the actual form and all supporting evidence. To find out the poverty guidelines for each state and which form you must fill out, visit the NVC website for the Affidavit of Support.

After you submit the Affidavit of Support, it’s time to submit all other supporting documents and financial evidence necessary to prove your visa eligibility. Financial evidence may include:

• IRS tax transcripts
• Any evidence of income, such as pay statements and business letters from your employer
• Proof of assets
• Proof of relationships, such as birth certificates, adoption certificates, and marriage certificates
• Proof of your sponsor’s U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency

Note that the evidence you turn in should be congruent with the type of visa application you are submitting.

If you need help submitting documents, ask your immigration attorney.

Form DS-260 is the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration. You must fill out your form along with each of your family members who are in the process of immigrating to the United States.

You can submit your Form DS-260 on the U.S. Department of State site.

After submitting Form DS-260, you must print out the confirmation page and bring it to your interview.

The next step is submitting all required civil documents to the National Visa Center. Each country has its requirements, so make sure you follow your country’s specified guidelines.

Civil documents include:

• Copies of your valid passport (specifically the biographic data page)
• Marriage certificates
• Birth certificates
• Adoption documentation
• Military Records
• Police certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Death certificates
• Annulment papers

Along with these civil documents, you need to submit all petitioner documents, such as divorce decrees or death certificates from your spouse, if necessary. If you have questions about whether you need to submit a document or are missing documents, talk to your immigration attorney.

If you have missing documents, your NVC processing time can take longer. If a required document is unavailable, you need to explain to NVC why that document is not being submitted.

It’s time to take all your collected civil documents and upload them to your CEAC page.

The NVC would like all documents to be electronically uploaded. They will let you know if you need to mail a form in.

Make sure you follow these document requirements to ensure your NVC processing time stays on schedule:

• Upload only .pdf, .jpg, or .jpeg files
• Do not password-protect your files
• Do not upload zipped files
• Multiple-page documents should be one file, which can be compressed if it is too large
• Keep files under 2 megabytes (MB)
• Make sure all documents are legible and complete, with nothing cut off
• Rotate documents so they can be read across the screen
• All documents need to be in color
• If you are uploading a translated file, upload that file along with the original document
• Rescan and increase resolution if a file is not legible

All the uploaded documents need to be photocopied. If you do need to mail in documents, be sure to send in a copy, not the original document.

It is helpful to make a guide for your uploaded documents in the form of a table of contents with a little description for each document. This way, the NVC will know the purpose of each document in relation to your application.

You can scan documents on a smartphone or with a computer and scanner. Note that you will need to be connected to the Internet to upload documents. If you have to perform this task on a public computer, make sure to delete all of the files from that computer before you are done to protect your identity and files.

Translated Documents

If you have translated documents, you need to include your translator’s signature on a “certificate of translation.” Note that you are not allowed to translate your own document.

When you are ready, upload your documents to the CEAC page by clicking “Start now.”

Click “Submit Documents” after your upload is complete. Now, your application is ready for review and will be placed in the NVC review line.

If you did not submit all the required or correct documents, the NVC will let you know, and you will need to resubmit them.

Once everything is uploaded correctly, your NVC stage is complete, and you can move on to the next stage: interviewing with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

You will need to prepare for an interview, such as gathering your required documents and taking a medical exam. You are now in the final stages of your immigration process, which takes place with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

If you would like to contact USCIS directly, there are a few options for doing so:

• Call USCIS at 800.375.5283
• Submit an e-request if your case is outside standard processing times—USCIS asks that if your application type is not specified on the page, you should wait six months before submitting an e-request
• If you applied legally from within the United States, you can contact your state’s elected officials; you can find their contact info here:
  • S. Senate Members
  • S. House of Representatives
  • State Governor
• Request expedition if you meet the USCIS criteria

You may contact the National Visa Center with questions or concerns if you are in the NVC stage of your immigration process:

• Phone number for immigrant visa inquiries: 603.334.0700
• NVC email for document scanning (if applicable): nvcelectronic@state.gov
• NVC email for questions about your case: nvcinquiry@state.gov
• NVC phone number for questions unrelated to your immigration process: 603.334.0888
• To submit a Public Inquiry Form, click here

When NVC is done with your case, they will direct it to your country’s U.S. Consulate or Embassy. To contact your embassy, find your country on the U.S. Department of State Embassies & Consulates Contact Information page.