Case Status Update: Consular Processing Wait Times
The scheduling of Consular Processing requires collaborating between NVC and U.S. Consulates or Embassies world-wide. Unlike USCIS cases, there is no way to check online for your interview date. It is case-and country-dependent. Truly, every case is different.
For our “Preference Category” clients, your interview date is dependent upon the visa bulletin and the date your case was “Documentarily Qualified”. This includes anyone who is not an “immediate relative” with a visa available immediately upon approval of a Family Petition (Form I-130). The visa bulletin can be found here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
Immediate Relative cases do not follow the visa bulletin. Immediate Relatives include the following: The spouse of a U.S. citizen; the unmarried child under 21 years of age of a U.S. citizen; or the parent of a U.S. citizen (if the U.S. citizen is 21 years of age or older). Immediate Relative cases are scheduled according to the date the case was “Documentarily Qualified”.
If you have an I-601A waiver application pending, your interview date is dependent upon your I-601A completing adjudication by USCIS.
Each country schedules interviews on their own timeline, according to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate’s availability. While some countries are very fast (e.g. one month), other countries can have waits as long as two years. Apart from Mexico, we are seeing many interviews scheduled around the six-month mark.
Once the interview date is received, our office works diligently to prepare the many necessary details and we empower our clients for a successful interview.
WHILE YOU WAIT:
UPDATE FINANCIAL INFORMATION Please provide our office with updated 2023 tax information for all sponsors. Generally, we need Federal Tax Returns or Tax Return Transcripts and W-2/1099/K1 forms to update the Affidavit of Support.
LOCATE YOUR ORIGINAL, VALID VITAL DOCUMENTS: Make sure you have the original and updated version of all birth certificates for applicant, petitioner, and applicant’s children, marriage certificates, marriage termination documents, police certificates, court records, passports and any other vital document specific to your case. If you can’t locate the original, now is the time to obtain a certified copy of an original document!
UPDATE CONTACT INFORMATION: Please notify Soberalski Immigration Law of any change in contact information, including address (and move date), phone, or email.
RESEARCH TRAVEL AND LODGING OPTIONS: Everyone has their own unique travel preferences for lodging, flights, and in-country travel. Please use this “waiting time” to think about what works best for you and your family. We suggest that clients research available lodging options through legitimate sites such as “Travelocity” or “TripAdvisor” where you can read reviews from others who have stayed there. Many Facebook groups exist for individuals waiting for an interview and offer good perspectives on lodging/transportation options. Additionally, once your interview is scheduled, your Soberalski team can provide personalized suggestions based on our own clients’ review.