For the benefit of U.S. embassies, the National Visa Center (NVC), a division of the U.S. Department of State, manages the pre-processing of visas. Each embassy is relieved of the burden by the NVC, based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and conducts a large portion of the core processing for immigrant visas (green cards). Additionally, they handle various applications and non-immigrant visa types.
It is essential to keep in mind that your petition will only be sent to the NVC after the USCIS has approved the application. When the NVC receives the petition from the USCIS, it issues a case number. The NVC will contact candidates if the organization has accepted their applications.
The case number issued by the NVC differs from the case number assigned by the USCIS or the number assigned to an immigrant visa; therefore, candidates should be mindful of this. You should note down and store these details if you are applying because you will require them for the immigration process. After the NVC has completed reviewing your request, you will be interrogated.
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How to contact the National Visa Center?
You can contact the NVC by phone or email. From Monday to Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, are the regular business hours. Federal holidays are not included in this.
- Phone (603) 334-0700 to only make queries about immigrant visas.
- Phone: (603) 334-0888 (only for non-immigrant visa inquiries).
Wait times could go beyond 30 minutes due to the heavy call traffic. Please be aware that the non-immigrant visa inquiry line only has English-speaking agents.
Email inquiries usually receive a response from NVC within a week. They could take a little while to reply to your questions. Send in your query with all the necessary information. Any address modifications that affect the applicant or beneficiary must be reported to the NVC via the public inquiry form.
Which Petitions Are Processed Through the NVC?
The NVC processes the following U.S. petitions:
Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative
Form I-140: Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker
Forms I-600, I-600A, I-800, and I-800A: Petition for adopting an orphan by a U.S. Citizen
Form I-360: Special immigrant categories, including EB-4
Form I-526: EB-5 visa
Form I-129F: Petition for fiancé and/or children of the fiancé
FAQs Regarding the NVC
How can I inspect the status of my NVC case?
The Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center allows you to track your NVC case’s progress (CEAC). You can call or visit the CEAC website to verify the status. An NVC case number is necessary for immigrant visas, whereas a location for the interview is necessary for non-immigrant visas.
How long does it take NVC to set up an interview?
Although NVC makes an effort to schedule appointments within three months after receiving the necessary papers, this time frame is reliant on the capacity and operating state of the consular section.
How can I find out when my NVC priority date is?
Your priority date can be located on the I-797 form that USCIS sent to you following the approval of your I-130 petition. “Current” in the visa bulletin’s context means there are no backlogs and no backlog periods for green cards. A priority date becomes “current” when it moves to the front of the queue, and a green card becomes ready.
What Should I Pack for My NVC Interview?
The candidate must bring all necessary original or verified copies of civil documents to the visa interview. The visa application process could be delayed or denied if the required documentation is missing from the discussion. The following papers must be brought to the interview:
- Appointment Letter – The letter NVC sent to you confirms your appointment for an interview.
- Passport – Each applicant must have a current and valid Passport for at least six months after the date they want to enter the United States.
- Photographs – applicants must submit two similar color photos that adhere to the basic photograph requirements.
- Confirmation Page for DS-260
- Supporting Documents: All civil papers you uploaded to CEAC in original form or as certified copies.
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