Submitting Your Expedite Request: What Happens After Submission and What You Should Expect
Give yourself a pat on the back for submitting your expedite request through the National Visa Center (NVC). This is the first step in getting the medical care you need or recovering your financial loss.
However, two questions loom on the horizon: What happens after submission, and how long does the entire expedited processing take? These burning questions need to be answered so you know what to do and what to expect.
This guide will explore how long after the expedite request is approved, the factors affecting post-approval timelines, and how you can be proactive about it.
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Key Takeaways:
- After you write and submit your expedite request, it may take a long time for it to be approved due to the embassy’s workload and other external factors.
- Your expedite request should be urgent, such as for medical reasons, to get approved.
- You should work with an immigration lawyer to get a better chance of approval of your expedite request.
Understanding NVC Expedite Approvals
When the Department of State, through the NVC, approves an expedited processing request, your case qualifies for expeditious handling procedures. However, it may not guarantee instant resolution.
To warrant expedited treatment and hopefully get approved, your written request should fall under one or more of these expedite criteria from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), including:
- Urgent humanitarian concerns
- Government interests
- Federal agency involvement
- Severe financial loss
- Cultural or social interests
- Clear USCIS error
- Impact on critical public benefits
- The need to obtain medical treatment or employment authorization
- Situations related to the Child Status Protection Act
When you request expedited processing, approval is often granted on a case-by-case basis. It’s subject to the sole discretion of the reviewing authority, even if your case qualifies for one of the USCIS expedite criteria.
Factors Affecting Post-Approval Processing Times
After your expedite request has been approved, you may think your case will progress right after. However, the timeline may vary due to these factors:
1. Severity of the Circumstance
Even in expedited cases, the priority is based on how critical your situation is. For example, sudden death, medical emergency, or humanitarian parole involving children may be approved faster than financial concerns.
2. NVC, Embassy, and USCIS Workload
The USCIS processes expedite requests. The NVC works on thousands of immigrant visa cases every day, and the Embassy has lots of paperwork to do. Depending on the situation, your expedite request can give you priority, but the NVC may still be working on other expedited cases or have limited capacity.
3. Completeness of Your File
Expect delays if your case has missing information. After approval, the NVC may request additional documentation from you. Being unable to timely file all these materials can stall your case despite the approval of the request.
4. Type of Visa or Petition
Not all immigrant visa interviews are scheduled at the same time. Some consulates work on family-based cases faster than employment-based ones, or vice versa.
Cases involving the employment authorization document may be different from those involving urgent humanitarian situations.
5. External Dependencies
Sometimes, there are forces beyond the NVC’s control that could affect the approval of your expedite request. The USCIS office may still need to run background checks on its applicants.
Cases connected to national interest or federal agency support may have to be coordinated with other channels, potentially increasing the delay. There may be further action needed before you get scheduled for an interview if you’re waiting for biometrics or a receipt notice.
Expectations After Approval
You will typically get an email or a message from the NVC after they approve your expedite request. Here’s what follows:
1. Confirmation of Expedited Status
You’ll be notified that your case is now up for expedited processing. It doesn’t include an exact timeline but signifies that your case is now being prioritized.
2. Monitoring for Movement
You can track your case in the Consular Electronic Application Center portal. You may see case document review updates, immigrant visa interview scheduling, and requests for final biometrics or forms.
3. Ongoing Delays Can Still Happen
Despite the approval, local embassy closures and holidays can delay the process. Pandemics and political disruptions can also delay your papers from getting processed right away.
4. Approval is Not Equal to Guaranteed Immediate Processing
Requesting expedited adjudication and approval are two different things. When approved, your case is reviewed with higher priority than others.
Tips to Be Informed and Proactive
1. Track Your Case Regularly
You should check your email for interview dates, status changes, or requests for further documentation. When you get any of these, prepare them ahead of the deadline for a smoother transaction.
2. Contact the USCIS Contact Center
If you don’t see any progress with your case after many weeks, contact USCIS and prepare your case number and receipt notice.
3. Keep Documents Ready
Approval doesn’t mean you’re fully off the hook. The immigration services may still need supporting documents, such as additional affidavits, medical exam forms, employment letters, and other related papers. You may need to obtain employment authorization or update your current one if your case is related to jobs.
4. Work with an Immigration Attorney
Teaming up with an immigration lawyer can help with the following:
- Guide you through immigrant visa processing during delays.
- Assist with expedite requests related to complex or urgent matters.
- Create a strong expedite request based on medical, financial, or humanitarian reasons.
- Resolves requests on a case that needs legal clarification.
Realistic Timeline Expectations
The timeline for submitting and approving expedite requests may vary. While some clients can see progress after a few days, others may wait weeks to witness changes.
You may be scheduled for an expedited immigrant visa interview two to six weeks after approval. Cases that may move faster are medical emergencies and employment-based expedite requests.
Ultimately, the case’s progress depends on its merits, the strength of your supporting documents, and the embassy’s availability.
Final Thoughts
What happens after the submission and approval of your expedite requests can be a long or short process. After approval, you still need to provide accurate forms, send appropriate documents, and follow up through the proper channels.
The USCIS and the Department of State usually process these requests carefully and ensure fairness in their decisions while dealing with genuine emergencies. There’s no fixed number of days to get results, but staying proactive, informed, and organized can keep you from fumbling through the entire process.