The below information is for applicants who have submitted civil and financial documents in support of an immigrant visa case to the National Visa Center (NVC).
To figure out what your next steps are, please choose the item that best describes your last interaction with NVC:
I submitted forms or documents to NVC
If it has been less than two (2) months since you submitted documents to NVC:
- You don’t need to take any action at this time. We are still reviewing your documents.
- Please allow up to two (2) months for NVC to review your forms and documents once we receive both the financial documents from the petitioner and the applicant’s civil documents. You must also have paid the required fees and submitted a DS-260 Immigrant Visa Application online. We will not review your file until we have received all of the above requested items. At that time, we will let you know if there are additional items required or if visa pre-processing is complete.
If it has been more than two (2) months since you submitted documents to NVC, and you have not received any communications from NVC:
- Action required: Keep in mind that NVC will not review your case file until you have paid your fees, submitted your Form DS-260, and submitted both financial and civil documents. If you are missing any of those items, please submit those now using these online instructions.
- Action required: If you have submitted all of the required documents, forms, and fees and still have not heard from NVC, please give us a call at 1-603-334-0700 or send an email using our online inquiry form. Our Customer Service Representatives can confirm whether NVC received your documents and update you on the status of your case.
I received a letter from NVC saying they can't review my case yet
NVC will not review your case until you have paid your fees, submitted your Form DS-260, and submitted the required financial and civil documents. If you submit only civil documents to NVC, or only financial documents to NVC, we will send you a reminder notice telling you that something is missing. If you receive this notice:
I received a "checklist" for missing or incorrect information
If you received a “checklist letter” from NVC asking you to re-submit some of your documents, that means NVC received the documents you sent but something is missing or incorrect. Your case is on hold until you submit the missing or corrected documents:
- Action required: The checklist letter you received contains a list of missing or incorrect information that you must fix. After you gather the missing or corrected items, please follow the online instructions to submit them to NVC. For information on the types of documents that are required, please visit our online Civil Documents information and Financial Documents information.
- After we receive and review the missing items, we will let you know the status of your case.
- If you do not understand the checklist you received, please contact us by phone at 1-603-334-0700 or send us a question using our online inquiry form.
I received a qualification notice from NVC
If you received a letter from NVC saying that your case is documentarily qualified and that you are waiting for a visa interview appointment:
- You don’t need to take any action at this time. NVC schedules appointments one month in advance. The U.S. Embassy tells us what dates they are holding interviews, and NVC fills these appointments with cases in the order they become documentarily qualified. Most appointments are set within three months of NVC’s receipt of all requested documentation. However, we cannot guarantee or predict when you will receive an appointment.
- If you are applying in a numerically limited (preference) visa category, keep in mind that before you can receive an appointment, your priority date must also be “current.” This can delay receipt of an appointment. You can track your priority date using the online Visa Bulletin.
- When an appointment is available, we will notify the applicant, petitioner and your attorney (if applicable). You can prepare for your interview by reading about the embassy’s interview requirements online at click link. Thank you for your patience.
I received an interview appointment from NVC
If you received an appointment letter from NVC with the date and time of your immigrant visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas:
- Action required: Carefully read the interview letter and visit our online interview preparation instructions. On that page, you must read the information specific to the embassy where your interview will occur. To do that, select the city where you will be interviewing from the drop-down box. You will then see instructions on how to schedule a required medical exam and other tasks you must complete prior to your interview.
- NVC will forward your case file and all of the documents you submitted to NVC to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you have any questions about your interview, please contact the Consular Section at that embassy or consulate.
I'm not sure of my last interaction with NVC
If you don’t know whether you need to submit anything to NVC in support of your immigrant visa case, please contact us by phone at 1-603-334-0700 or send us a question using our online inquiry form. You can also read instructions online about the steps required to submit an immigrant visa application.
I submitted my DS-260 to NVC
If you submitted your DS-260 to NVC but have not yet sent any of the required civil and financial documents, please take the following steps now:
- Step 1: Your petitioner should select and complete Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support). (Read more here)
- Step 2: Your petitioner should collect photocopies of financial documents showing income level (example: their federal U.S. tax return, W-2 form). (Read more here)
- Step 3: Collect photocopies of your civil documents (example: copy of your birth certificate, passport). (Read more here)
- Step 4: Submit the documents from Steps 1, 2 and 3 to the National Visa Center (NVC) in one package using our submission instructions online.
Your case will not advance until you complete the step(s) above. Also, NVC will not review your file until we have received your fees, Form DS-260, the financial documents from the petitioner, and the applicant’s civil documents. At that time, we will let you know by letter or email if there is anything that is missing or incomplete.
Reminders: If you move or change your address, we will not be able to provide updated information and your case may be cancelled. To update your address, please use our online inquiry form or call us at 1-603-334-0700.
If there is no activity on your case for one (1) year, your case will enter termination. If your case is terminated, you will have to restart the process and repay fees.