If you want to live and work in the U.S. on a visa, making it to the National Visa Center (NVC) is a promising next step. That means that your application to USCIS has been approved and is now headed for processing. Here is how to check your case status with NVC.
Also Read: USCIS Case Status and How To Check Your Visa Petition
The NVC gathers and verifies visa paperwork before an application is sent overseas to a U.S. embassy. The NVC serves more of a clerical function to ease the process for consular officers, who make the actual review and judgment about a visa application. Once the following six steps are completed, the NVC will schedule an applicant’s visa interview at an embassy or consulate.
- Fill out the DS-261 form
- Pay processing fees online, which can be between $345 and $445
- Fill out the DS-260 form
- Have your petitioner complete a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support and collect supporting financial documents
- Collect identification documents, like birth or marriage certificates
- Send all of this to the NVC in support of your case
How To Check Your NVC Case Status
How long does it take for the NVC to complete its process? Check out the U.S. State Department’s NVC case status tracker for an estimated timeframe.
When your application reaches the NVC, the agency creates a case in its system and assigns the applicant a case number. You will receive notice of this in mail or email, and you’ll need this information to track your case status. Visit the Consular Electronic Application Center and input your case number to follow up on your immigrant or nonimmigrant visa petition.
Also Read: Refugees, Asylum Seekers Can Work Legally in the U.S. For Longer Due to New USCIS Rule
