국립비자센터 이민비자 흔한질문

General Immigrant Visas Processing

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Why don't you have my case at the NVC yet?
• I am the beneficiary (applicant) and my case is at NVC. Now what happens?
• How do I pay the fees for the National Visa Center’s Services?
• How much are the fees for the National Visa Center’s Services?
• I am in the United States and would like to adjust status. How do I do that?
• If the applicant is adjusting status with USCIS, what do I do about the fees requested by the NVC?
• When I filed a petition for my relative I was a legal permanent resident (green card holder). I recently became a U.S. citizen. How can I upgrade the petition?
• I have been waiting for a very long time for my relative to get an immigrant visa. Now there is a family emergency and I need my relative to immigrate soon to the U.S. Can NVC help me?
• My relative went for his interview for an immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy, but was refused. Can NVC review this case?
• I moved. How do I give you my new address?
• What do I need to do to remove an attorney from my case?
• What do I need to do to add an attorney to my case?
• What do I need to do to withdraw a case?
• How do I contact the NVC?
• Other FAQs

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Why don't you have my case at the NVC yet?

When you complete a petition (I-130, I-140, etc.) for an immigrant visa you send it to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) in the Department of Homeland Security for approval. If the CIS approves the petition they will send you a Notice of Approval (I-797) and then they will send the petition to NVC. There is a delay between when you get the Notice of Receipt and the Notice of Approval from CIS and also between when you get the Notice of Approval and when NVC receives the petition. After NVC receives the petition, we will create a case record and assign a case number. We recommend that you wait at least three weeks after you get your Notice of Approval before calling NVC if you have not heard from the Center by that time.

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I am the beneficiary (applicant) and my case is at NVC. Now what happens?

This depends on whether or not your case is current. If your visa category is an immediate relative category (spouse, parent or child (under 21) of a U.S. citizen) then your case is automatically current. If your visa category is one of the family preference or employment categories, there are legal limits on the number of visas that can be issued in each category and in most categories, the demand is higher than those limits. In these categories, waiting lists have been established based on your priority date, which is the date your sponsor filed your petition with the CIS. Cutoff dates established by the Visa Office determine when your petition will be reached for processing. Your petition can only become current and thus ready for further processing when the cutoff date in your visa category has advanced up to your priority date.

If your case is about to become current, the NVC will send you, the beneficiary, an Agent of Choice and Address letter containing the form DS-3032. You must complete the form DS-3032 and follow the instructions to continue with the visa application process. Your sponsor (petitioner) will receive an Affidavit of Support (I-864 form) processing fee bill, which will be sent directly to the petitioner by NVC.

If your case is not current, the NVC will send you a letter informing you that the NVC has received your file and will hold it until your case becomes current. The NVC cannot predict when a case will become current. You should monitor the movement of the cutoff dates as announced by the Visa Office to learn when your priority date is reached. To hear the cutoff dates you may call the State Department Visa Information line at 202-663-1541 or refer to the Visa Bulletin .

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How Do I Pay the Fees for the National Visa Center (NVC) Services?

At the appropriate time in the immigrant visa process, the NVC will send the Affidavit of Support fee bill and the Immigrant Visa Processing fee bill. When you receive a fee bill from the NVC, send a cashier's check or money order in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank to the address shown on the bill (a return envelope will be enclosed for your convenience). The check MUST be made payable to the Department of State and be sent together with the immigrant visa fee bills. Please keep in mind the following when submitting payment for the NVC’s services:

• Do not send a personal or attorney/firm check.
• If you wish to send your payment via an overnight mail courier service, please note that only the U.S. Postal Service provides such delivery service to post office boxes.
• Use the return envelope provided to you, when paying the fees.
• Do NOT send any payments to the Portsmouth, NH address, as they will be returned to you.
• Send only the payment and fee bill to the St. Louis, MO address.
• Do not send any other documents to the St. Louis, MO address.
• Do not forget to put the correct postage on the envelope.
• If you have misplaced your fee bill or return envelope, please contact the NVC.

Note: It is important to follow the NVC’s instructions carefully. Sending the NVC documentation (or paying fees) when they were not requested by the NVC will result in a delay in processing.

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How much are the fees for the National Visa Center’s Services?

The Affidavit of Support Fee is $70. The Immigrant Visa Fee is $355 and the Security Enhancement Fee is $45.

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I am in the United States and would like to adjust status. How do I do that?

If you live in the U.S., you may be eligible for adjustment of status as a permanent resident. When your case becomes current, the NVC will send you a letter informing you that you may be eligible for adjustment of status and asking you if you will adjust or apply at a U.S. consular section abroad. If you inform the NVC that you will adjust status, the NVC will update your case record accordingly and retain your file until a CIS office requests it to process your adjustment application. If the NVC does not get a reply after 30 days, the NVC will begin processing your case as if you have chosen to process at a consular office abroad.

The NVC is not involved in adjustment of status. You should contact the CIS office nearest you for information, forms, and adjustment of status updates.

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If the applicant is adjusting status with USCIS, what do I do about the fees requested by the NVC?

If you are adjusting status or planning to adjust status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS formerly known as INS) refrain from submitting any fee bills to the National Visa Center (NVC) as these fees will not transfer to USCIS.

When I filed a petition for my relative I was a legal permanent resident (green card holder). I recently became a U.S. citizen. How can I upgrade the petition?

Please make a copy of your Naturalization Certificate. Send the copy - NOT the original - to the NVC with a letter containing the beneficiary name and case number of the petition you want to upgrade.

Please see the NVC’s contact information.

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I have been waiting for a very long time for my relative to get an immigrant visa. Now there is a family emergency and I need my relative to immigrate soon to the U.S. Can NVC help me?

Unfortunately, if your relative's case is not current, there is nothing that the NVC can do to expedite visa processing. Immigrant visa processing is governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, which controls visa categories, priority dates and the availability of visa numbers. Immigrant visa numbers are made available strictly in the order of priority dates. There is no provision within the law that would allow the NVC to waive numerical limitation in any individual case.

If your relative’s case has a visa available (is current by Cutoff Date), the NVC has expedite procedures for applicants/petitioners with life or death medical emergencies. If you wish to request a review for expedite, please submit medical documentation declaring a life or death medical emergency to the NVC.

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I moved. How do I give you my new address?

Please see the NVC’s contact information .

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What do I need to do to remove an attorney from my case?

If you no longer wish to utilize an attorney as your representative, please contact the National Visa Center (NVC) in writing.

Please see the NVC’s contact information .

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My relative went for his interview for an immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy, but was refused. Can NVC review this case?

No. NVC has no authority to review the granting or refusal of any immigrant visa case. If you want to have more information about the processing of an immigrant visa case that has already been sent to a U.S. consular section abroad or to request a review of a visa refusal, please contact the U.S. consular office where the visa case was processed.

What do I need to do to add an attorney to my case?

If you wish to add an attorney to your case, please submit a signed G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative) to the National Visa Center (NVC).

Please see the NVC’s contact information .

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What do I need to do to withdraw a case?
In order to withdraw a petition, the NVC must receive a signed written statement from an authorized representative of the petition (the applicant, the petitioner, the applicant’s attorney) stating that the petition should be withdrawn and explaining why you would like to withdraw it. If an attorney or accredited representative submits the request, a G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative, must accompany the request.

Please see the NVC’s contact information .