Establish Communication with the NVC

E-Mail Communication

The visa application process requires several exchanges of correspondence between the National Visa Center (NVC) and the parties to each petition.

The NVC recommends electronic mail (e-mail) as the fastest and most reliable way to communicate. To establish e-mail communication, an applicant, agent, or petitioner can simply send a request by e-mail to nvcinquiry@state.gov. The message must include:

  • NVC case number entered in the subject line of the message
  • The full name and date of birth of the principal applicant
  • The full name and date of birth of the petitioner
  • The names and e-mail addresses of all persons who are to receive correspondence from the NVC

The NVC will then stop sending paper letters and instead send e-mail messages to the e-mail address(es) provided in the request.

Important Next Steps: Review U.S. Embassy/Consulate Specific Requirements and Options

E-Mail communication and other information technologies are now being integrated to eventually achieve an entirely paperless immigrant visa application process. New paperless processes which may be available or required for your immigrant visa case include being able to:

  • Submit all correspondence to the NVC by e-mail with required documents and forms scanned and e-mailed to the NVC as attachments - Called Electronic Processing.
  • Register an agent and submit the immigrant visa application fully online - Web-based Form DS-260, Online Immigrant Visa Application and Registration and Form DS-261, Choice of Address and Agent.

At this time, the availability of paperless processes is limited to certain selected U.S. Embassies and Consulates.

If you will be applying for an immigrant visa at any of the following U.S. Embassies or Consulates, you may be involved in a paperless process. See the below chart which lists the paperless processes by Embassy/Consulate where immigrant visa applicants will be interviewed. Click on the Embassy/Consulate name for further instructions:

Country  Embassy/Consulate
 Electronic Processing
 Online Forms DS-260/DS-261
Afghanistan Kabul (KBL) Required
(limited) 		Required
(all)
Canada Montreal (MTL) Optional
(limited) 		Required
(limited)
China Guangzhou (GUZ)
 Optional
(limited) 		Not
Available
Greece Athens (ATH) Not
Available 		Required
(limited)
Iraq Baghdad (BGH) Not
Available 		Required
(limited)
Jordan Amman (AMM)
 Required
(all) 		Required
(all)
Mexico Ciudad Juarez
(CDJ cases only)		 Not
Available 		Required
(all)
Mexico Ciudad Juarez
(MEP cases only)		 Required
(all) 		Required
(all)
Mexico Mexico City (MEX) Not
Available 		Required
(all)
Peru Lima (LMA)
 Not
Available 		Required
(limited)
Syria Damascus (DMS)
 Required
(all) 		Required
(all)
Turkmenistan Ashgabat (AKD)
 Required
(all) 		Not
Available
Yemen Sana'a (SAA) Required
(all) 		Not
Available

If you will be applying for an immigrant visa at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate not listed above, then the new paperless processes will not involve you. Click here for further conventional processing instructions.

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