However, the application processing fee is $345 if applying for an employment-based green card. It can take up to three weeks for the NVC to process the DS-261.Īfter the NVC has processed your DS-261, you need to pay two required fees online, for a total of $445: the State Department’s application processing fee ($325) and the financial support form fee ($120). This is a relatively simple form that tells the State Department how to communicate with you, and there is no fee to file it.

citizen), the next step is to file the DS-261 form (technically called the “Online Choice of Address and Agent”). You can use the information from this message to log in to your Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to check your status, receive messages, and manage your case.Īssuming you have no priority date (for example, you are the spouse or child of a U.S. This notice will include your case number, a beneficiary ID number, and an invoice number. After USCIS sends your petition to the NVC, the NVC creates a case in its system and assigns you a case number.Īfter this is complete, the NVC sends you a Welcome Letter by email or mail. Embassies and consulates and ensure that only complete applications are sent to them. The NVC is designed to take the paperwork processing pressure from individual U.S. What Does the NVC Do With a Green Card Application? When you partner with Boundless, an independent immigration attorney reviews your application and answers all your questions.

State Department regularly updates these dates and you can find a summary of each bulletin in the Boundless’ Visa Bulletin report. As your priority date gets closer, the NVC will contact you to start processing. However, if your priority date doesn’t meet the most recent cut-off date, the NVC will notify you and hold your petition until your priority date becomes current or is likely to become current soon. If your priority meets the most recent cut-off date in the visa bulletin, or is likely to become current soon, the NVC will proceed. Depending on your priority date, the NVC will either start pre-processing your application or will wait until your priority date is current (meaning there is now more waiting). After your petition is approved and if the applicant is based outside the United States, USCIS notifies the NVC that your petition is approved and that green card application pre-processing can begin. Instead, you send your petition to USCIS and they decide whether to approve or reject it. State Department and doesn’t handle the initial approval process for your family or employment-based green card petition (for example, Form-130 or Form I-140).

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