How do you check visa status? A lot of different visa types require that you first make an application to the USCIS here in the United States to get an approval. If the beneficiary of the visa application, the person who will receive the visa, is not in the United States the approval is then transferred to the US Consulate with jurisdiction over the beneficiary. The beneficiary is then required to apply for the visa.
This scenario plays out if you apply for your fiance. You first complete an application with the USCIS here, the fiancée visa petition, and then when it is approved the USCIS transfers that approval to the US Consulate where your fiancé is located. A similar situation applies if you are petitioning for temporary H-2A agricultural workers. The employer would petition here in the United States to the USCIS. When the application is approved it is transferred to the US Consulate where the temporary workers are located. In both these scenarios it is sometimes difficult to find out the status of the visa application process.
These difficulties in determining the status of the visa came to an end with the recent change in how nonimmigrant visa queries are handled. Previously, the only point of contact for inquiries regarding the status of these visas was the individual Consulate that was processing the visa. Most consulates only handle inquiries by email, and some consulates like the one in the Philippines are horribly backed up. You might have to wait 25 to 30 days for a reply.
On January 12, 2015, the National Visa Center (NBC) began responding to email and telephone inquiries from attorneys and members of the public that have filed visa applications. The idea here is that the NVC could be a central processing warehouse for all inquiries. Applicants and sponsors can then receive this information in a timelier manner. The email address for submitting queries on an application is AskNVC@state.gov.
If you find yourself with a complicated visa case and need assistance, we can help. Please contact us.
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