You will also answer questions about any personal social media platforms you have used in the last five years. It also asks for any addresses where you have physically lived since the age of 16 (not just the addresses you have used as permanent addresses). Form DS-260 asks biographical questions, such as any names you have used, and your date and place of birth. You need your case identification number, beneficiary ID number, and invoice number from the NVC’s welcome letter to access the form. You should expect to wait up to a week for the NVC to process your DS-261 payment.Īfter the NVC processes your DS-261 payment, you can file Form DS-260 online through CEAC. You can confirm that on the State Department website. But, sometimes you won't have to pay the Affidavit of Support Fee. The immigrant visa application processing fee is $325 and the Affidavit of Support fee is $120. Be sure to check that all contact information you provide is correct-you can’t change this information after submitting the form.Īfter the NVC processes your Form DS-261 (up to three weeks later), you will have to pay two required filing fees online. Your green card sponsor, a friend, an immigration attorney, or another trusted individual can be the agent too. If you are filling out your own Form DS-261 you should identify yourself as the “Applicant.” If another person completes the form for you, they should select the corresponding options, for example, “Petitioner.”Īfter, you'll arrive at a webpage asking you to choose an “agent.” An agent is the person whom NVC will communicate with throughout the process. When you're signed in, you'll identify your relation to the person applying for a green card. To file Form DS-261, you first need to sign in to the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website with the case number that the National Visa Center (NVC) sent you earlier. You'll use this information to access the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) online where you'll complete both Forms DS-261 and DS-260.
Your case identification number, beneficiary ID number, and invoice number will be on the letter. When the NVC opens your case, they'll send you a welcome letter by mail or e-mail. Then, they can submit the rest of their green card application. They'll have to wait 8-10 months for their priority date to be current on the Department of State’s visa bulletin. green card holders, processing will continue when their “ priority date” is current. The NVC will begin processing green card cases for spouses of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will send your approved I-130 petition to the National Visa Center (NVC).
You’ll be ready to file the DS-260 and 261 after the NVC receives your case and begins processing.įirst, U.S. When do I need to submit forms DS-260 and DS-261? The CEAC website will give you access to Forms DS-261 and DS-260, which you will need to submit to complete your application. You can complete the form and pay the fees when you visit the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC). You'll need these details to complete your online immigrant visa form and pay your application fees. The welcome letter will contain your case identification number, a beneficiary ID number, and an invoice number. The NVC will take over with processing your green card case.įirst, the NVC will send you a welcome letter by mail or e-mail, depending on which notification method you selected on your application. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will send your documents to the NVC. The NVC is responsible for processing the second stage of your green card application if you're applying from abroad.Īfter approving your Form I-130 petition, U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. The National Visa Center (NVC) is a branch of the U.S.