Reference · Service times
U.S. National Visa Center queue dates on 9 November 2026
The National Visa Center was creating cases received on 26 October, reviewing documents submitted on 31 August and answering inquiries from 2 November.
Sources checked
The three figures compare the age of posted dates for separate queues. They do not predict how long an individual case will take.
Case creation starts when NVC receives the approved petition
On 9 November, the center reported working on cases received from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on 26 October. That date is 14 calendar days before the update. After creating a case, NVC sends a Welcome Letter with the case number and invoice ID for its online system. Source 1 Source 2
Document review has its own queue
The center was reviewing documents submitted on 31 August, 70 calendar days before the update. NVC reviews fees, forms and supporting documents to check whether the case has the documentation required to schedule a visa interview. Which documents are needed varies by petition type. Source 1 Source 2
Public inquiries use a different starting date
The center was answering Public Inquiry Form messages received on 2 November, seven calendar days before the update. The State Department posts those dates weekly and asks people to send a further inquiry only if they have missed the published response timeframe. Source 1
Interview timing depends on later steps
The Department of State says interview scheduling depends on appointment availability at the embassy or consulate. Some categories also depend on visa number availability and the applicant’s priority date. The posted queue dates track work at NVC before those later stages. Source 2