Intro: The journey to securing an immigrant visa can sometimes feel like a maze with unexpected delays. One question echoing in the corridors of every immigration forum is – why does the National Visa Center (NVC) take an eternity to schedule visa interviews?
Here’s a breakdown of the process to help you gain a clearer understanding.
Understanding the NVC Backlog: With the end of the fiscal year looming, it’s imperative to discuss the backlog at the NVC. As of late July to early August, a staggering 320,000 cases that are documented complete, await their interview schedules. Surprisingly, only about 39,000 of these have been scheduled for visa interviews during that timeframe.
Factors Behind the Delay:
• Embassy Capacity: While the NVC is hard at work in Virginia to process these cases, the US embassies and consulates globally cannot open enough interview slots due to varying capacities and conditions of different countries.
• High Demand: Major embassies such as Islamabad, Mumbai, Manila, and Lagos are grappling with processing large volumes due to high demand from countries like Pakistan, India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Brazil.
• Staff Shortages and Procedural Hiccups: Many embassies are under-staffed, and procedures differ from one embassy to another. This, combined with differing conditions in various countries, leads to bottlenecks.
The Importance of ‘Document to Complete’: ‘Document to Complete’ is a pivotal milestone in the visa process. Once your application reaches this stage, it means all necessary documents have been uploaded, including:
• Immigrant visa & affidavit of support fees
• Form DS-260
• Affidavit of support and associated documents
• Civil documents like birth certificates.
Good News Amidst the Wait:
• Speedy Processing by NVC: The silver lining in this clouded process is that the NVC is now quicker in processing cases. Applicants can now expect their applications to be marked ‘Document to Complete’ in less than two weeks if all details are meticulously provided.
Advice for Applicants:
1. Do Not Reschedule: Rescheduling an interview could push your case back by months. Always make an effort to attend the scheduled interview.
2. Get Medicals Done Promptly: Once your interview gets scheduled, ensure you get your medical examination done swiftly.
3. Stay Updated: Register your appointment online with the US Embassy. This aids faster communication between the embassy and you.
Conclusion: With a new fiscal year approaching and the lessons learned from current challenges, there’s hope for faster processing times in the future. Until then, staying informed, prepared, and patient is the key. Remember, every step you take, no matter how slow, is a step closer to your green card dream.
If you or your family members have any questions about how immigration and nationality laws in the United States may affect you, or if you want to access additional information about immigration and nationality laws in the United States or Canada, please don’t hesitate to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us by emailing info@visaserve.com or by calling us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. We also invite you to visit our website at www.visaserve.com for more information.