What Does National Visa Center (NVC) Timeframe Tell You?
While “Time is money” is a well-known conventional wisdom, it especially hits home to most U.S. immigrants because lots of matters are at stake such as marriage, family reunion and jobs. Your visa processing is said to be done usually, give or take, within 6 months, but soon you often find it to be extended by another 6 months or even more. Various factors can come into play from the service center to the global pandemic to immigration policies this year. Despite the unpredictable nature of U.S. immigration, USCIS as well as National Visa Center (NVC) are putting their efforts into bringing you up to date for your application. National Visa Center (NVC) provides three different timeframes every week on its website regarding its current processing time. Note that those timeframes don’t inform you of the processing time of your application itself.
Current case file creation time
This timeframe indicates that National Visa Center (NVC) created cases received on a specific date. If you are an applicant for an employment-based green card outside the U.S., Form I-140 should have been submitted to USCIS first before USCIS approves the petition by sending you I-797, Notice of Approval. Once USCIS transfers your case to National Visa Center (NVC) for the rest of the process, National Visa Center (NVC) will create your case on its own system. As the National Visa Center (NVC) website explains, after creating your case, National Visa Center (NVC) will send you a Welcome Letter including your Case Number and Invoice ID. You will use these numbers to log into Consular Electronic Application Center.
Current case review time
This information shows that National Visa Center (NVC) is reviewing cases that were completed and submitted online (CEAC) by applicants on a specific date. When I said you completed a case, it assumes you have paid all the required fees and submitted all the required documents. To pay your fee, log into your case in CEAC and click the ‘PAY NOW’ button under Affidavit of Support Fee or Immigration Visa (IV) Fee on your summary page. When you submit documents, prepare, for example, petitioner’s affidavit of support, supporting financial documents, applicant’s DS-260, and applicant’s civil documents.
Current public inquiry form response time
National Visa Center (NVC) opens an inquiry window to receive questions from visa applicants. The last timeframe gives you updates on the inquiries submitted on a specific date being reviewed by National Visa Center (NVC).
