What is this service?
When USCIS approves a family petition and the person being petitioned lives outside the United States, the case continues at the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) and ends with an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate.
We help with the NVC stage: we prepare the forms that apply to your case, organize the evidence, and upload the documents to the CEAC system until the case is complete for the interview.
Who is this service for?
- Relatives of U.S. citizens or permanent residents with an approved family petition (I‑130) who live outside the United States and will apply for an immigrant visa at a consulate.
- Petitioners who must submit the Affidavit of Support and financial evidence.
- Joint sponsors and household members who join the financial sponsorship.
How does consular processing work?
- USCIS approvalUSCIS approves the family petition (I‑130). If the person being petitioned lives outside the United States, the case is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC).
- NVC and CEACNVC sends the case number and invoice ID number used to log in to the CEAC system. There, the fees are paid, the Affidavit of Support is submitted with the financial evidence, the DS‑260 is completed for each applicant, and the documents are uploaded. NVC reviews everything and posts a message in CEAC when the case is complete or if something is missing.
- Consular interviewNVC coordinates the appointment with the embassy or consulate, based on each post's capacity and the order in which cases became complete. The notice usually arrives about 2 to 3 months in advance. Before the interview, each applicant completes a medical exam with a physician authorized by the embassy. The consular officer makes the decision.
When is a visa available?
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21) are not subject to an annual visa limit.
Family preference categories are limited each fiscal year:
- F1: unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
- F2A: spouses and unmarried children under 21 of permanent residents.
- F2B: unmarried sons and daughters age 21 or older of permanent residents.
- F3: married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
- F4: brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens who are at least 21.
In these categories, the interview is scheduled only when the priority date is current according to the Department of State's Visa Bulletin. An approved petition does not mean a visa is immediately available.
Which forms may apply?
Online immigrant visa application. It is completed in CEAC, one for each applicant, including accompanying family members.
Financial sponsorship form. The petitioner signs it and, if their income is not enough, a joint sponsor also signs their own I‑864.
Contract between the sponsor and a household member whose income is added to meet the requirement.
It may be used only if the petitioner meets all of USCIS's conditions; for example, they sponsor only one person, with no family members traveling with them or within the following 6 months, and they do not use household members' income.
According to the Department of State, it is submitted when the principal applicant has 40 qualifying quarters of work, along with their Social Security earnings statement.
We prepare only the forms that apply to your case.
What does our service include?
- Review of the approval notice and the case information in the CEAC system.
- Preparation of Form I‑864 and, when applicable, Form I‑864A, I‑864EZ, or I‑864W, with the financial evidence.
- Completion of Form DS‑260 for each applicant using the information you provide.
- Organizing, reviewing, and uploading the civil and financial documents to CEAC.
- Guidance on paying the government fees in CEAC.
- Monitoring NVC messages and preparing any additional documents it requests, as stated in the contract.
- A list of documents to bring to the consular interview.
Decisions are made by NVC and the consular officer. We do not provide legal advice or guarantee approval or an interview date.
Main documents
- IRS tax transcript for the most recent tax year (recommended by NVC) or a copy of that year's federal tax return.
- If you filed jointly: the W‑2 forms or schedules for that same year.
- If you filed an extension: a copy of Form 4868 and the prior year's return or transcript. If you were not required to file: a signed explanation.
- Proof of current income (recent pay stubs or an employer letter) when the reported income is below the poverty guidelines.
- Proof of assets (location, ownership, and value), only if they are used to meet the income requirement.
- Joint sponsor: proof of U.S. citizenship, U.S. nationality, or permanent residence. Household member signing Form I‑864A: proof of their relationship to the sponsor.
- Proof of U.S. domicile, if the sponsor lives outside the United States.
- Each applicant's civil documents (certificates, passport, police certificates, and others), according to the official list for their country. Documents in another language must include a certified translation.
After you hire us, we will email you the questionnaire and the complete list of documents. Please do not send documents through the form on this page.
Do I need three years of tax returns?
Not as a general rule. NVC asks for the most recent tax year and recommends submitting an IRS tax transcript. Returns from earlier years may be added if they help explain the sponsor's income.
Does NVC schedule the interview as soon as the case is complete?
Not necessarily. NVC assigns appointments in the order cases became complete and according to each embassy's or consulate's capacity. In preference categories, the priority date must also be current. NVC itself states that it cannot predict precisely when an interview will be scheduled.
Official resources
Visa Bulletin (opens in a new tab)
Costs
Our fees
Government filing fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Affidavit of Support Review Fee | $120, when applicable |
| Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee (immediate relative and family preference) | $325 per applicant |
| Other possible charges: medical exam, USCIS Immigrant Fee, translations, and civil documents | Vary by case |
Department of State fees are paid in CEAC. Exceptions may apply depending on the category, and other charges may apply depending on the case. The medical exam is paid directly to the authorized physician, and the USCIS Immigrant Fee is paid to USCIS after the visa is issued and before travel.
Government fees are paid separately and are not included in our fees.
How to get started
- Fill out the request form.
- Receive the service information, the contract, and the questionnaire by email.
- Review and sign the contract before making any payment. Then send the required documents so we can begin preparing your forms.
Ge Chanfon Services LLC provides document preparation and administrative assistance services. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Approval of any application is decided by the appropriate government agency.