There are typically three stages to the family visa application process. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes family visa petitions, while the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) and consulates handle visa processing.
Tracking your application is essential to keep you informed of its progress. Contact our office to speak to an immigration attorney about family visa application tracking in Union City.
The first stage when applying for a family visa is to file a petition for approval with USCIS to establish your family relationship and eligibility.
During the second stage, your application passes to the NVC, who collect the relevant documents and fees. At this stage, you will complete any necessary electronic applications before the agency issues approval.
Once the NVC approves your application, you will attend an interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. This also includes a medical examination and background check, as well as biometric data collection.
These agencies have different platforms and identifiers that are important for tracking the status of your application. Our Union City attorney can advise on how best to track your family visa application progress.
To track USCIS applications, you will need to obtain your case receipt number. This is a 13-character identifier, consisting of three letters and 10 numbers. USCIS will send this number with your Notice of Action after receiving your application.
Once you have your identifier, you can visit the website to check your application’s status using the Online Tracker Case Status tool. Enter your number exactly as it appears on your Notice of Action, and the system will show your application’s current status. These updates include Case Received, Request for Evidence, or Approved. The tool can also show you update alerts. Our attorney can help you understand each of these stages as you follow the progress of your Union City family immigration application.
Tracking NVC and Consular applications for visa processing occurring outside of the U.S. requires you to obtain your Immigrant Visa Case Number. You will receive this number with a notification letter via email when the NVC receives your USCIS-approved petition.
After receiving your NVC notification, you can visit the U.S. Department of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center to check your visa status. If you are checking for a family-based case, select Immigrant Visa and enter your case number. The system will show your application’s current status. These updates may include NVC Document Review, Ready to Schedule for Interview, and Issued Visa Approval.
A valid USCIS identifier receipt number for the petition stage or an NVC case number for the visa stage is necessary to receive updates via government websites. You cannot track the status of your family visa application in Union City without these numbers.
Account setup is optional on both websites, but an online account allows you to access enhanced status update features, such as uploading requested documents and receiving update notifications.
Monitoring your application’s progress is important to ensure it is still moving forward and there are no outstanding requests. The easiest way to do this is to create an online account, but you can also contact USCIS and NVC via email or phone. You should also use the appropriate case numbers to request updates to make sure that you receive the correct information.
Our knowledgeable immigration lawyer can help if you have any questions or difficulties tracking your family visa application.
The visa application process can take anywhere from one to 10 years, and knowing how to check your application’s status is vital. While visiting or calling federal agencies is an option, checking your status online is the most efficient method.
Contact the Law Office of Lloyd E. Bennett Esq., P.C. if you require help with family visa application tracking in Union City.
(201) 330-8883