NVC wait times
Last updated 12/16/2024, next update expected in 7 days (EST).
Here’s how long you should expect to wait until the National Visa Center processes your case.
Document review takes 10 days
Time until documents submitted on CEAC are reviewed by NVC.
These numbers are anecdotally accurate: my case was processed in April 2021 exactly when this chart predicted.
Case creation takes 11 days
Time after USCIS sends a case to the NVC until the NVC creates a case for it in CEAC.
Count starting from the day the USCIS Case Status page updates your status to ‘Case Was Sent To The Department of State’. If the USCIS page only says ‘Case Was Approved’, you still need to wait a bit until they send the case to the NVC.
Inquiry response takes 5 days
Time until questions and requests sent via NVC’s public inquiry form are answered.