Stage 2: National Visa Center (NVC)

Typical review 14 days if no issues $325 visa fee + $120 Affidavit of Support fee Reviewed 18 Sept 2026

Bottom line

Stage 2: NVC. USCIS has approved your I-130 and the case has transferred to the National Visa Center. NVC collects fees, the DS-260, financial documents and civil documents; the goal is Documentarily Qualified (DQ) status. DQ is NVC’s minimum, not London’s bar, so always meet the higher standard. Do this first: get the actual IRS tax transcript for every sponsor.

Action list

  1. Petitioner: Pay the $325 visa processing fee and the $120 Affidavit of Support fee from a US bank account, one after the other.
  2. Petitioner: Complete and wet-sign the I-864. Secure a joint sponsor if you are relying on assets or income is anywhere near the threshold.
  3. Petitioner: Get the IRS Tax Return Transcript for every sponsor and joint sponsor, and upload it before the interview.
  4. Beneficiary: Complete the DS-260 from the worksheet, and print the confirmation page.
  5. Beneficiary: Order police certificates early, especially from any country of citizenship you no longer live in.
  6. Either: Upload color scans of every page, then click Submit Documents. Uploading alone does not enter the review queue.

Reached a milestone in this section? Add your NVC dates and DQ date to the community tracker →

After USCIS approves the I-130, your case transfers to the National Visa Center (NVC). NVC collects fees, the DS-260 visa application, financial documents, and civil documents before forwarding the case to the US Embassy London for interview scheduling. The goal of this stage is to reach Documentarily Qualified (DQ) status.

NVC's bar is not London's bar, always meet the higher standard

Documentarily Qualified (DQ) means NVC has accepted your submission as meeting the federal minimum requirement. It does not mean the US Embassy London will accept the same evidence at interview. NVC and London apply different levels of scrutiny to the same document categories: cases have reached DQ on a lower standard (e.g. a tax return copy only) and then been placed in administrative processing (221(g)) after interview for not meeting London's higher, post-specific standard (e.g. requiring the actual IRS transcript).

This site's default recommendation is always the higher, London-specific standard, even where it exceeds what NVC or DOS officially requires, because DQ is not the finish line, the interview is. Reaching DQ on a lesser standard and then hitting 221(g) for the same document costs significantly more time than meeting the higher bar up front. Where this guide's checklists exceed the stated USCIS/DOS requirement, that gap is intentional and reflects observed London practice, not an error.

Full step-by-step NVC guidance is available via the community Discord NVC channels, which follow the official NVC process at Travel.State.gov.

Most common RFEs (Request for Evidence)

  • Missing or incomplete Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support): Petitioners (Primary sponsors) and Joint sponsors must complete separate I-864s. Household members must complete I-864As.
  • Incomplete document scans: Documents folded at a corner or not showing all sides trigger RFEs. Every page must be fully visible, and documents with a front and back must include both sides.
  • Inconsistent information between forms: Mismatched names, birthdates, or addresses across the I-130, I-485, DS-260, and civil documents cause RFEs. Use exact legal names consistently.
  • Police certificates missing or expired: Certificates must be original or certified. UK ACRO must be dated within 12 months of interview. Any country lived in for 12+ months after age 16 requires a certificate, plus any country where the beneficiary has citizenship requires a certificate.
  • I-864 digitally signed instead of wet signed.
  • Uploading documents to the wrong CEAC category.
Prevention is faster than correction

Focus on quality documentation, prepared to the higher standard the US Embassy London applies, so your submission is complete and sufficient the first time: leaving no room for second-guessing.

Getting Started

Usually 1–7 days after I-130 approval (occasionally 2–3 weeks, not a cause for concern). NVC emails both the petitioner and beneficiary from National_Visa_Center@state.gov with the subject Notice of Immigrant Visa Case Creation. The email contains your NVC Case Number (3 letters + 10 digits) and Invoice ID Number (IVSCA + 11 digits). Save both: you need them to access CEAC.

Log in at ceac.state.gov/IV using your Case Number and Invoice ID. It can take up to 72 hours after the Welcome Letter for the account to activate. CEAC is where you pay fees, submit the DS-260, upload documents, and receive messages from NVC.

12-month inactivity rule

If you do not log into CEAC or communicate with NVC for 12 months, your case can be terminated under INA §203(g), even if NVC has not contacted you. Log in and upload documents every 6–11 months to keep the case active if your process is slow.

Payments & Application

FeeAmount
Immigrant Visa (IV) Application Processing Fee$325
Affidavit of Support Fee$120

Requires a US bank account. The two fees must be paid sequentially, not simultaneously. Allow up to 10 calendar days for fees to clear before DS-260 becomes accessible. More info: NVC fee guidance.

The petitioner must meet 125% of the US Federal Poverty Guidelines based on household size. If income is insufficient or the petitioner lives abroad (foreign income typically counts as $0), a joint sponsor is required. Use the NVC Poverty Guidelines Calculator to check eligibility.

The I-864 must be wet signed: print, sign by hand, scan back in. Do not use a digital or e-signature. The I-864EZ is available for simple cases but many users encounter issues with it; the standard I-864 is recommended for all.

Asset-based sponsorship risk at London

London has demonstrated that they are highly skeptical of petitioners relying solely on assets. Cases relying primarily on savings, property equity, or investments have received 221(g) at interview even when technically meeting asset thresholds, often requiring these folks to get a joint sponsor anyway. Secure a joint sponsor if you are relying solely on assets. The same discretion applies to income: officers have judged sponsor income "too low" at the window and requested a joint sponsor even where it exceeded the 125% guideline, so income near the threshold is safest backed by a joint sponsor lined up in advance.

I-864 / AOS preparation worksheet

Use the worksheet to prepare all answers before entering CEAC. The form is long and CEAC is unreliable: working from a completed worksheet avoids losing progress.

Open I-864 Worksheet

Documents & Verification

IRS Tax Transcript: treat as required for London, not just recommended

Per DOS guidance (travel.state.gov, Step 5: Collect Financial Evidence), NVC officially accepts either an IRS Tax Transcript OR a complete copy of the filed tax return from the most recent year. The transcript is "strongly recommended" because NVC can process it more efficiently, but a return copy is not stated as insufficient.

In practice at the interview stage, London has placed cases in administrative processing (221(g)) specifically for a missing transcript, even where DQ was already granted and the complete tax return, W-2, and recent pay stubs were on file. This applies to every financial sponsor on the case, including joint sponsors.

Recommendation: obtain the actual transcript from irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript for every sponsor and joint sponsor, and upload it before the interview date, regardless of DQ granted on the 1040 (complete copy of the filed tax return) from the most current year.

What to submit if the transcript is not yet available, by scenario:

  1. Filed an extension for the most recent tax year (DOS-recognized)
    • Copy of IRS Form 4868, or a signed statement confirming the extension
    • Plus a transcript or complete return copy from the prior tax year
  2. Not required to file (income below IRS filing threshold) (DOS-recognized)
    • Signed statement explaining why no return was required, citing the applicable filing threshold
    • Plus alternative evidence of income (pay stubs, benefit statements, employer letter)
  3. Return filed, but IRS has not yet processed/issued the transcript (not a DOS-recognized substitute, no official waiver exists for this scenario)
    • NVC may grant DQ using a complete return, W-2, and proof of IRS acceptance without the transcript, since NVC's DQ standard does not always match what London checks at interview. Reaching DQ does not mean the case is inevitably going to be approved at interview. DQ is an NVC checkpoint, not London's checkpoint.
    • London has held cases in administrative processing (221(g)) after interview specifically for a missing transcript, even where DQ was already granted and return/W-2/pay stubs were on file.
    • General principle: when NVC's requirement and London's actual practice diverge, meet the higher standard before submission rather than the DQ minimum. It is far more efficient to obtain and upload the transcript before interview than to reach DQ on lesser evidence and then face a 221(g) delay post-interview for the same document.
    • If the transcript genuinely is not available yet, submit the strongest available proof of filing:
      • Complete signed Form 1040 for the tax year (or signature page)
      • W-2(s) for the tax year
      • Pay stubs covering the tax year
      • IRS e-file acceptance confirmation (e.g. e-filer acceptance email, or certified mail receipt if filed by paper)
      • Add an explicit note in the CEAC notes/comments field stating the transcript will be uploaded before interview once available
    • Additional community-reported evidence assembly (for pre-interview preparation only, not confirmed to resolve cases already in AP/221(g)):
      • IRS "Where's My Refund" (or equivalent IRS return-status tool) screenshots, showing both the detail page and the main status page, as evidence the return is actively in IRS processing
      • Combine all filing-evidence screenshots (e-filer acceptance email, IRS status tool pages) into a single PDF, with a short paragraph explaining what each screenshot shows and how it relates to the pending transcript
      • This single-PDF format has been reported as helpful preparation before interview. It has not been confirmed effective for cases already placed in administrative processing after interview. Treat it as a pre-interview strengthening step, not a fix for an existing 221(g) hold. If already in AP for a missing transcript, the reliable remedy remains obtaining and submitting the actual transcript.
    • Label all of the above as supplementary evidence of filing, not a substitute for the transcript. The transcript must be uploaded before interview to avoid 221(g), regardless of DQ status.
NVC is where you plan against a 221(g)

Uploading the actual IRS transcript for every sponsor here, and lining up a joint sponsor if income is anywhere near the threshold: is the single highest-value step you can take to avoid a 221(g) at interview. Our dedicated page explains the mitigations to build in at this stage, before you DQ.

Plan against a 221(g) →
  • IRS Tax Return Transcript: most recent year, from IRS.gov (create an account via ID.me if you don't have one). Use Tax Return Transcripts specifically. They have been accepted and verified by the IRS. Up to 3 years of transcripts is advised.
  • W-2s / 1099s
  • Proof of current employment: employment letter and recent pay stubs
  • Joint sponsor: separate I-864, their own tax transcript, W-2s, proof of US status and domicile, see "Joint sponsor, documentation by scenario" below
  • Evidence of US domicile for the petitioner, even if not listed as required, and for any joint sponsor. Upload under "Other": driver's license, job offer, lease, US bills, school enrollment, moving quotation, or intent letter. A joint sponsor cures insufficient income but cannot cure the petitioner's domicile, and a lease alone evidences an address rather than residence: see the petitioner's domicile problem
Self-employed sponsors

Required (USCIS I-864 checklist):

  • Complete federal tax return with ALL schedules attached: Schedule C (sole proprietor / single-member LLC), Schedule E (rental / partnership / S-corp), Schedule F (farm income), Schedule SE
  • Most recent tax year required; up to 3 years strongly recommended
  • Any 1099s issued to or by the business

Recommended (strengthens the case, reduces RFE/221(g) risk):

  • 12 months of business bank statements
  • Signed, dated statement describing the business and the sponsor's role / ownership percentage
  • Business registration / formation evidence (state Secretary of State filing, EIN confirmation letter)
  • Professional or trade licensing where the occupation requires it
  • Better Business Bureau listing or equivalent public record, if one exists
  • Current year-to-date profit and loss statement, signed and dated
  • Client contracts or invoices showing ongoing work (especially for gig / contract self-employment)

Bank statements and BBB listings support current income and legitimacy, but do not replace the tax return: officers weigh Schedule C as the anchor evidence. The same requirements apply to self-employed joint sponsors.

Joint sponsors, regardless of scenario, need:

  • Form I-864 (separate from petitioner's; wet signed)
  • IRS Tax return transcript (see the transcript callout under Step 5, treat as required for London)
  • Proof of US citizenship or LPR status
  • Proof of US domicile

W-2 employed:

  • W-2s for most recent tax year (3 years recommended)
  • Employment letter on company letterhead (position, start date, salary)
  • Recent pay stubs (minimum 3, ideally 6 months)

Self-employed:

  • See "Self-employed sponsors" under Step 5 above. The same requirements apply to joint sponsors

Retired:

  • Social Security benefit statement (SSA-1099) or pension statement
  • Proof of ongoing benefit (award letter, most recent 1099-R)
  • If drawing from retirement accounts: statements showing distribution pattern

Military:

  • LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) showing base pay, BAH, BAS
  • Most recent W-2

Using a household member's income (I-864A):

  • Form I-864A completed by the household member
  • Household member's proof of income (same as their employment type above)
  • Proof the household member resides with the joint sponsor
  • Proof of relationship or lawful basis for including them

Using assets instead of / alongside income:

  • Strongly recommend not using: get a joint sponsor instead
  • Documentation of ownership, acquisition date, and value
  • Evidence of any liens or liabilities against the asset
  • Note: London has shown refusal to accept assets alone even when the multiplier threshold (3× shortfall for a spouse or child of a US citizen, 5× for everyone else) is technically met. Treat as last-resort evidence for London cases. Better to secure a joint sponsor.

Sponsor not required to file taxes (income below filing threshold):

  • Written statement explaining why no return was filed, citing the IRS filing threshold for the relevant year
  • Alternative evidence of income (benefit statements, pay stubs, employer letter)

If sponsor is married and files jointly with a non-sponsoring spouse:

  • Full joint return is acceptable, but the sponsor should also submit W-2s/1099s isolating their individual income, since only the sponsor's own income counts unless the spouse also signs Form I-864A

The DS-260 is the immigrant visa application form, completed in CEAC. [CEAC DS-260] CEAC times out after ~10 minutes of inactivity and progress is lost. Prepare all answers in advance using the worksheet before logging in. Once submitted you cannot edit it: double-check everything.

You will need: passport details, all addresses from age 16, employment history (10 years), travel history (5 years), family information, and US contact details. Print the DS-260 confirmation page after submitting. It is required at the medical and interview.

For the vaccination question: if you plan to get missing vaccines at the medical, select "Other" and explain in the dialog box.

For children who are US citizens (e.g. via CRBA), the answer to "Is the child immigrating with you?" is No: they are returning as a citizen, not immigrating.

DS-260 preparation worksheet

Complete this before logging into CEAC to avoid losing progress to timeouts.

Open DS-260 Worksheet

Final Steps to NVC

Use this to work out which police certificates you need. You may need more than one. All must be original or certified: photocopies not accepted. [travel.state.gov: Civil Documents]

If you hold citizenship of another country: act early

If you are a citizen of a country you no longer live in, even if you left as a child. You almost certainly need a police certificate from that country. A visa will not be issued until this requirement is fulfilled satisfactorily.

The UK ACRO certificate is valid for 12 months. Police certificates from other countries are generally valid indefinitely, provided you have not returned to live there, but order early regardless, as processing times vary widely by country.

Obtaining a police certificate from a country you do not currently reside in can take months and may require you to travel there in person. Identify this requirement early and start the process as soon as you receive your Interview Letter. Do not leave it until the document check.

If you… And… You need a certificate from…
Hold citizenship of any country You are 16 or older, and lived there for more than 6 months at any point in your life, including as a child That country, even if you left long ago
Are 16 or older Currently living in a country different from your nationality, for more than 6 months Your current country of residence
Have ever lived in another country for 12+ months Were 16 or older when you lived there That country
Were ever arrested anywhere Regardless of age, length of stay, or outcome The city and/or country where you were arrested

Note: Present and former US residents do not need to submit a US police certificate.

Validity (London embassy guidance): The UK police certificate (ACRO) is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance. All other police certificates are valid indefinitely, provided you have not returned to that country and resided there for 6+ months (if it is your country of birth or current residence) or 12+ months (any other country). Source: US Embassy London FAQ

  • Birth certificate (long form with parent names)
  • Marriage certificate
  • Divorce or death certificates (if applicable: all prior marriages)
  • UK ACRO Police Certificate: required for all applicants aged 16+. Valid 12 months for embassy purposes regardless of any shorter local validity.
  • Foreign police certificates: required for every country lived in for 12+ months after age 16, or any country of citizenship. Use the decision tree above to confirm what you need.
  • Passport biographic page
  • Court, prison, or military records (if applicable)

Non-English documents require certified translations. Check the NVC Document Finder / Reciprocity Schedule for country-specific requirements. Scans must be color, all pages included, max 4MB per file, PDF preferred. For certified translations, community members recommend Rush Translate.

After uploading all documents, click Submit Documents: uploading alone does not enter you into the review queue. Do not mail originals to NVC; bring them to the interview.

After submission, NVC reviews your case. Typical review time is 14 days if no issues.

Two possible outcomes:

  • RFE (Request for Evidence): fix the issue, re-upload, resubmit. The 10 business day clock restarts after each resubmission.
  • DQ (Documentarily Qualified): all documents accepted. Case moves to embassy scheduling queue. Your CEAC status will still show "At NVC" until you receive your Interview Letter.

Note: DQ does not clear the evidence hurdle. It merely gets you into the queue for interview. London's interview-stage standard is often higher than NVC's DQ standard. Build to the higher bar the first time where possible to avoid delay.

What DQ does not mean
  • Your interview has been scheduled
  • Your case has moved to the embassy in CEAC: status still shows "At NVC"
  • That you are guaranteed a visa
  • That additional documentation won't be required

What the DQ notice email looks like

The DQ notice arrives by email from National_Visa_Center@state.gov with the subject Notice regarding your Immigrant Visa Case becoming Documentarily Qualified. The name and Case ID below are placeholders. Read what it does and does not say: NVC now has everything it needs and will begin working with London on scheduling: your interview is not scheduled at this point. The appointment date comes in a separate notice later (see Stage 3).

Expect this wording to change

The contents of this notice can change at any time, and we expect them to change as part of the anticipated public charge changes: particularly the reminder that sponsors may have to provide updated evidence of other income, assets and current employment. Treat the text below as the notice as issued at the time of writing, not as a fixed template, and read it alongside the public charge section.

From: National Visa Center <National_Visa_Center@state.gov>
To: [Beneficiary] / [Petitioner]
Subject: Notice regarding your Immigrant Visa Case becoming Documentarily Qualified

Dear BENEFICIARY,

The National Visa Center (NVC) received all of the fees, forms, and documents that are required prior to scheduling your immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate General overseas.

NVC will work with the U.S. Embassy/Consulate General in LONDON, GRBR to schedule an interview appointment for you. Once we have confirmed an interview date, we will send a notice to you, your petitioner, and attorney (if applicable).

Please do NOT make any travel arrangements, sell property, or give up employment until you have received an immigrant visa from the U.S. Embassy/Consulate General.

The U.S. Embassy/Consulate General may require additional documentation at the time of the interview. Please visit https://nvc.state.gov/prep for information about immigrant visa interviews. Additionally, the petitioner, as the sponsor, and all other sponsors (household members and joint sponsors), may be required to provide updated or additional evidence to you to present at the time of your interview, such as:

  • Other income
  • Assets
  • Proof of current employment

Note: You submitted documentation to the National Visa Center through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC). You can continue to upload documents to CEAC up until the date of your visa interview.

Regards,
National Visa Center,
U.S. Department of State

Case ID: LND0123456789

**NOTE: Please do not reply to this email. This is not a monitored account. If you have questions, please review the help topics available to you at https://nvc.state.gov/ask.**

If you have not heard from NVC within 10 business days, you should submit a Public Inquiry on the NVC website.

Multiple family members with different DQ dates: action required

If you have multiple applicants on the same case, for example, a spouse and children who were ineligible for a CRBA, or stepchildren. They may reach DQ at different times and be assigned different interview dates.

You need to contact the embassy directly and ask for all cases to be combined into the same interview appointment. Include the IOE numbers (case reference numbers) for all applicants in the email. The embassy can bundle them together so everyone is seen on the same day.

Email: LNDIVSubmissions@state.gov

Do this as soon as you are aware of the differing DQ dates. Do not wait until ILs have already been issued separately.

Timing your NVC completion strategically

Some applicants deliberately delay paying NVC fees or submitting documents to control when their case enters the London embassy queue. Reasons include: waiting for a more convenient interview season, aligning with a job start date, or avoiding school-year disruption.

This is a legitimate personal decision. There is no penalty for taking longer at NVC, and your I-130 approval date does not expire. However, be aware that the London embassy queue, and therefore interview slot availability, may be longer or shorter by the time you DQ, and this is difficult to predict more than a few months ahead.

If you do hold at NVC, consider the Visa Bulletin and any known backlogs when deciding timing. Community data on the tracker reflects the current London queue position.

12-month inactivity rule: INA §203(g)

If you do not log into CEAC or communicate with NVC for 12 months, your case can be terminated, even if NVC has not contacted you. If you are holding your case deliberately, log in and upload documents every 6–11 months to keep it active.

NVC document checklist

Full submission checklist with financial documents, civil documents, upload standards, and failure points.

Open NVC Checklist
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Before you move on

  • Either: CEAC shows our case is Documentarily Qualified, and we have the DQ notice email.
  • Petitioner: Every sponsor’s IRS tax transcript is uploaded, not only the tax return.
  • Petitioner: Every I-864 is wet signed.
  • Beneficiary: The DS-260 confirmation page is printed for the medical and interview.
  • Either: If family members reached DQ on different dates, we have asked LNDIVSubmissions@state.gov to combine the interviews.