Many of you will immigrate to the United States by undergoing consular processing, meaning that you will attend an interview at an Embassy or Consulate abroad and then seek entry to the United States. During this process, there will become a point at which your file with an approved I-140 or I-130 is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) to gather documentation and hold your case for scheduling with an Embassy or Consulate abroad. Don’t forget that after your case is moved to the NVC, you must take action within a year or you risk your case file being terminated before you finish your case. Here are some ways to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.

1. Pay a fee through CEAC and then take action to apply for a visa within a year of paying the fee. If you pay the fee but leave your case sitting there without action for a year or more then you’ll have to pay the fee again.
2. Submit a document through CEAC that can be tracked.
3. Send a message to NVC using the Public Inquiry Form.
4. Log into your CEAC account.
5. Complete Form DS-260 (also through CEAC).

The most important thing to remember is that you should contact the NVC using one of these methods every single year to make sure you don’t run the risk of having your case terminated or having to repay any fees! Once your case is forwarded to the Embassy for an interview then you’ll no longer have this obligation. But, until then, STAY IN CONTACT!

Last Updated: 11.7.2023 (*Note that immigration rules, regulations, and practices change frequently. Make sure to check for updated information since the posting of this article.)