The Guide to the National Visa Center

The National Visa Center is a service that is offered by the federal Bureau of Consular Affairs. The Bureau of Consular Affairs is an organization that is maintained and operated by the United States federal government. It functions to protect American citizens by securing the borders of the United States and effectively documenting registered immigrants who legally enter into the country. The Bureau is responsible for providing American citizens with appropriate travel documents, such as passports. These documents allow American citizens to travel to different locations throughout the world.

In addition, the Bureau provides legal immigrants and international visitors with the documents necessary to safely travel to the United States. The Bureau of Consular Affairs has established the National Visa Center, which is located in Portsmouth, NH. The National Visa Center plays a vital role in the United States immigration process. It is here that immigrant visas are pre-processed, prior to being distributed to the appropriate individual.

When an immigrant applies for a United States visa, he/she must complete this process through the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. An individual can obtain all necessary information about the immigration process by contacting this government organization. Once an individual successfully completes all of the necessary paperwork and provides the specified documentation, the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services will analyze his/her application packet.

Subsequently, USCIS will approve or deny the petition. If an individual's petition is approved by USCIS, it will be transferred to the National Visa Centers headquarters. The National Visa Center will be responsible for initiating any necessary pre-processing procedures. For example, the National Visa Center will bill an individual for his/her specified application fees.

Visa application fees vary depending upon the type of visa an individual is filing for, however, most visas require a filing fee of $140 USD. This organization will collect and organize an individual's application and any associated documentation, and hold these documents until the applicant is able to schedule an interview with his/her local U.S. Embassy.

The National Visa Center will maintain an individual's application until his/her specified Priority Date successfully meets the designated Qualifying Date. When an individual completes and files a visa application, he/she will be given a Priority Date. His/her application will be processed when his/her Priority Date matches the designated Qualifying Date. The Qualifying Date is updated each month by the Department of State. Once these dates match, the National Visa Center will begin to process an individual's immigration visa. The associated wait time can vary significantly.

Different circumstances, such as employment immigration, often have longer wait times. In addition to managing and processing immigrant visas, the National Visa Center also addresses Non-immigrant visas, which are issued to individuals seeking entrance into the country for a temporary period. It is important that a visa applicant understand the associated process when applying for an immigration visa. For more information about immigrant visa processing and Priority Dates, an individual can contact the National Visa Center by phone or e-mail.