Key Deadlines After Receiving the NVC “Notice of Immigrant Visa Case Creation”
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Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only and is not an official source for the immigration process. Please consult with your immigration attorney and official channels, including the sources provided in this article, and conduct your research based on your specific situation.
1. Account Creation
You should log into the CEAC portal (using your Case Number and Invoice ID from the Welcome Letter) as soon as you receive the notice. There’s no fixed deadline—but staying active matters. The NVC’s policy states that if you do not log into CEAC or otherwise communicate with the NVC for one continuous year, your case will be subject to termination under INA §203(g) (Reddit, Travel.state.gov).
This means: logging in at least once every 12 months resets your active status, but completing required steps sooner is strongly advised.
2. Submitting Forms and Paying Fees
After case creation, here’s the required sequence:
- File DS-261 (Choice of Address/Agent) — optional in some cases, processed by NVC (could take up to 3 weeks) (Boundless).
- Pay fees in CEAC:
- Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee
- Affidavit of Support Fee (if required)
- Processing timeline: Allow up to 10 calendar days for NVC to process payment before moving to the next step (Travel.state.gov).
- Submit Form DS-260 (Immigrant Visa Application) — only accessible once fees are processed (Travel.state.gov, Boundless).
- Upload required civil and financial documents as outlined in your Welcome Letter (Boundless, fibilaw.com).
3. Overall Deadline
There’s no hard deadline for each individual action—but you must not let a full year pass without communicating or engaging with the NVC. Any lapse could trigger termination of your case (Travel.state.gov, Reddit).
Summary Table
| Stage | Recommended Action | Deadline / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Log into CEAC / create account | Immediately after receiving the Welcome Letter | No strict deadline, but log in to remain active. |
| Pay required fees | After logging in (DS-261 optional) | Allow 10 days for NVC to process payments. |
| Submit DS-260 | Once fees are processed | No fixed deadline, but don’t delay. |
| Upload civil + financial docs | After DS-260 | ASAP—submission delays slow your case. |
| Avoid inactivity | Log in or communicate at least once every 12 months | Prevents termination under INA §203(g). |
Bottom Line
- Act promptly: Immediately log into CEAC upon receiving your Welcome Letter.
- Don’t wait: Pay your fees, file DS-260, and gather all required documents without delay.
- Stay engaged: Log into the portal at least once a year to keep your case active and avoid termination.
