NVC PROCESS
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After USCIS approves your petition, they will transfer your case to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) for pre-processing. The first step in this processing is the creation of your case in their system. Once this is complete, NVC will send you a Welcome Letter by e-mail or physical mail. With the information in this letter, you can log in to Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) account to complete your immigrant visa application.

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​ To determine which cases NVC is currently creating cases for, please refer to the NVC Timeframes page under Current case file creation time.

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​ When and How to Contact NVC: ​


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​ You will need to submit all your inquires through the Public Inquiry Form ​
​ Phone: +1 (603) 334-0700 (for immigrant visa inquiries only) ​
​ Customer Service Representatives are available from 7:00 AM to 12:00 midnight Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays

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STEP 1: PAY FEES

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​ The first thing you need to do after receiving your NVC Welcome Letter is pay your processing fees.

There are two processing fees: ​
  • Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee USD 325.00 per applicant
  • Affidavit of Support Fee USD 120.00
You will need a bank routing number and a checking or savings account number from a U.S. based bank.

Please note you cannot pay these two fees simultaneously; the online system will ask you to pay them one at a time. Allow up to 1 week for NVC to process your fees before continuing to the next step.



STEP 2: Complete Affidavit of Support


There are several types of Affidavit of Support forms (I-864, I-864EZ, and I-864A).

For detailed information about Affidavit of Support requirements and forms, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s (USCIS) website

Instructions on how to complete I-864 can be downloaded from here

To see if you are above the poverty level, see Form I-864P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Affidavit of Support

If you cannot meet the minimum income requirements using your earned income, you have various options:

  • You may add the cash value of your assets. This includes money in savings accounts, stocks, bonds, and property.
  • To determine the amount of assets required to qualify, subtract your household income from the minimum income requirement (125% of the poverty level for your family size).
  • For LPR, you must prove the cash value of your assets is worth five times this difference (the amount left over).
  • For USC, you must prove the cash value of your assets is worth three times this difference (the amount left over).

STEP 3: Collect Financial and Other Supporting Documents


For the financial documents use Financial Evidence Assistant tool to learn more about what must be submitted.

Each financial sponsor (petitioner, any joint sponsors, and any household members) must submit an Affidavit of Support as well as evidence of their finances and other supporting documents. Failure to do so will delay the processing of your case.

  • Transcripts are always preferred. Transcripts are not equal to Returns (aka From 1040)
  • If you are or have been filing your taxes as:
    • Single : You need Transcript OR Return and W2 uploaded
    • Married Filing Jointly: You will need both Transcript AND W2 uploaded
  • Joint Sponsor (JS) income cannot be clubbed with your own income.
  • Two separate i864 need to be filed
  • Those who are self employed - need 1099, business licence, plus any document that proves their source of income and receipt of income

STEP 4: Complete Online Visa Application (DS-260)


After you pay your fees and the status in CEAC is updated to ‘PAID’, you and each qualified family member immigrating with you must complete the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (Form DS-260).

You can get a sample copy of DS-260 from here. Sample DS-260


After submitting Form DS-260 online, you must print the confirmation page and bring it to your interview. You can print this from CEAC any time after you complete your DS-260 application.

STEP 5: Collect Civil Documents


Each family member immigrating with you must collect the civil documents required to support your visa application.

Please refer to Document Finder to learn about the civil document requirements for India.

All documents not written in English, or in the official language of the country from which you are applying, must be accompanied by certified translations. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that:

  • The translation is accurate, and
  • The translator is competent to translate.

If you cannot obtain a required document for another reason, you must submit a detailed written explanation to NVC when you scan your other documents. During your visa interview, the consular officer will determine whether you must obtain the missing document before a visa can be issued

Uploading your documents (Things to remember)
  • Acceptable file types include .pdf (preferred) .jpg, and .jpeg
  • Each individual file (scanned document) must be no larger than 2 MB (megabytes).
  • Scan and upload your multiple page document, such as your I-864, as one file. If the document size is more than 2 MB, compress the file.
  • Scans must be in color.
  • Include the front and back side of any document that has stamps, seals, or writing on the back.
  • Document is clear, easily seen and read, and no parts of the document are cut off.
  • Oriented so it can be read across the screen without the need to rotate the document.
  • Do not sign digitally on any documents. Always sign in BLACK Ink.
  • Naming: Name of the pdf that you upload should make sense. For example, if you are uploading 2018 Tax Transcripts, then name the file as 2018_Tax_Transcripts.pdf
  • “Zipped” files, modifiable PDFs, or password-protected files will not be accepted.

STEP 6: Upload & submit scanned documents


Once you press “Submit Documents”, your case will be placed in line for review at the National Visa Center (NVC).

To determine which cases NVC is currently reviewing, please refer to the NVC Timeframes page under Current case review time.

Once NVC reviews your case, you will receive an email stating one of the following:

If NVC determines you did not submit the correct documents, you will receive a notification that the status of your case has been updated. When you receive this message, follow the instructions to provide additional information or to correct documents. Once you complete that, you will need to resubmit your case for review by pressing “Submit Documents”.

If NVC determines you have paid the necessary fees, submitted the required immigrant visa application, Affidavit of Support, and supporting documents to NVC, you will receive an email that your case is documentarily complete and NVC will work with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate to schedule an appointment for you.

Note: The U.S. Embassy or Consulate General tells NVC what dates they are holding interviews, and NVC fills these appointments in a first-in, first-out manner.

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