Consular Processing

Consular Processing

Consular Processing begins after the approval of a Visa Petition if the beneficiary is outside of the United States.   The National Visa Center (NVC) processes immigrant Visas for beneficiaries outside of the United States.  Upon approval of an immigrant visa petition, the  USCIS will notify the National Visa Center who will collect the required fees and documents.  The NVC will forward the petition to the appropriate consulate or Embassy once they have completed processing if a visa is available.

• Your preference category and priority date will determine how long he or she will have to wait for an immigrant visa number.

NOTE: A visa petition is only used to demonstrate a qualifying relationship. An approved petition DOES NOT grant any benefit, it simply creates a place in line for visa processing.