Once the NVC has processed your DS-261, you will need to pay two required fees online, for a total of $445: the State Department’s application processing fee ($325) and the financial support form fee ($120). It can take up to three weeks for the NVC to process the DS-261.
DS 260 FORM PDF SAMPLE HOW TO
This is a relatively simple form that tells the State Department how to communicate with you, and there is no fee to file it. The next step is to file the DS-261 form (technically called the “Online Choice of Address and Agent”). In this scenario, the NVC will send you a notice (by mail or email) stating that “visas are not currently available for your visa category” and that you should watch the visa bulletin to monitor progress. green card holders, the NVC will hold the case until the “priority date” for the case appears in the State Department’s visa bulletin (typically 8-10 months later). citizens, the NVC starts processing your case immediately after receiving it from USCIS. You’ll need all of these numbers in order to submit the online forms and fees described below at the NVC’s Consular Electronic Application Center.įor spouses of U.S. The beneficiary ID number is a unique number that the NVC assigns to each beneficiary in a case (e.g. This notice will include your case number, a beneficiary ID number, and an invoice number. Once the National Visa Center (NVC) receives your approved paperwork from USCIS, they will send you a welcome notice by mail or email, depending on which notification method you choose.
When approved, USCIS will forward your paperwork to the National Visa Center. Assuming that USCIS has all of the information that it needs, they will usually approve or deny this sponsorship petition within 7-15 months, depending on your situation. The sponsoring spouse will generally get a receipt notice in the mail from USCIS within about two weeks. The first step in this process is to file the family sponsorship form (I-130) with USCIS, along with supporting documents. When you’re ready to apply, Boundless can guide you through every milestone of the marriage-based green card process, starting with your Form I-130 all the way to the finish line. Not sure if you qualify for a green card? You canĬheck your eligibility through Boundless without providing any personal or financial information. Department of Homeland Security) to the NVC (which is part of the U.S. At this point, your marriage-based green card case is transferred from USCIS (which is part of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves your family sponsorship form (the I-130), they will forward this approved paperwork to the National Visa Center. government office in Portsmouth, New Hampshire that processes all green card applications for people who are living outside of the United States and applying through their local U.S. The DS-261 is a relatively simple online form that tells the State Department how to communicate with you during your green card application process. The DS-260 is technically called an “immigrant visa application” (where “immigrant” means a permanent resident, not a tourist or other person who is only traveling to the United States on a temporary basis). Anyone who is applying for a family-based or marriage-based green card from outside the United States needs to file the DS-260 online form, which is handled through the National Visa Center (NVC) and your local U.S.