Skip to content
ChecklistMap
NVC EB-1 visa roadmap
Phase 1 of 6

Petition approved, sent to NVC

Your I-140 is approved by USCIS and the case is forwarded to the National Visa Center.

0/2
Not legal advice

This roadmap is general information to help you organize your own preparation. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Rules differ by consulate and change over time - always confirm against the official travel.state.gov, ceac.state.gov and uscis.gov guidance for your case.

  • USCIS: case approved

    Your EB-1 petition (I-140) is approved - the consular process begins.

    After approval forwards the case to the . This hand-off typically takes around four weeks. If more than a month passes with no movement, you can call USCIS to check.

    To do (0/2)

    Research and learn

    • Two conditions must both be met before the /NVC stage opens: an approved and a current . If your category is backlogged in the , the case waits even though the is approved.

    Common questions

    • I-140 is approved - can I just fill the DS-260 and wait for the interview?

      Almost - but there is a step in between. After approval the case goes to the NVC, which issues a welcome letter, then opens the portal for the DS-260 and the document package, checks them, and only then forwards the case to your consulate. Two conditions gate the DS-260: an approved I-140 AND a current priority date. Standard documents (birth certificate, police certificates from every country you lived in) can be gathered now, regardless of the case stage.

    My notes

    saved

  • Case received at NVC

    You get an email with a new NVC case number and invoice ID.

    The case number encodes the consulate, year and assignment day - e.g. FRT2022659003: FRT = Frankfurt, 2022 = year, 659 = Julian day (659-500 = day 159 of the year), 003 = third case assigned to that post that day. If the case is not sent to NVC for over three months, escalate to email.

    To do (0/3)

    • Receiving several near-identical NVC welcome letters a few days apart is normal - it is the standard mailing for applicants interviewing outside their country of citizenship, and it does not affect your queue or interview date.

    Common questions

    • Is it normal to get three NVC welcome letters within a few days?

      Yes. Several near-duplicate welcome letters arriving a few days apart is the standard pattern for people who will interview outside their country of citizenship - the letter offers the option to change or transfer the country. It does not mean the case is stuck and does not change your queue or interview date.

    • The case number shows a different consulate than I requested. Why?

      NVC often defaults the post to your address of residence when it assigns the case, regardless of what you asked for at filing. If the first three letters are not the post you want, send NVC a separate transfer request after submitting your , attaching a scan of your basis (residence permit, or a Schengen refusal), and always include the case number.

    My notes

    saved
All stagesStage 2NVC: fees and forms