THROUGHOUT the novel coronavirus pandemic there has been several factors affecting the processing of immigrant visas causing extended delays for many cases.

It is, however, important that applicants continue to maintain contact with the National Visa Center (NVC) and/or the US Embassy in Kingston regarding their immigrant visa to avoid termination of their petition.

Section 203 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that the “Secretary of State shall terminate the registration (petition) of any alien who fails to apply for an immigrant visa within one year” of notice of visa availability. The petition may be reinstated if, within two years of notice, the alien establishes that the “failure to apply was for reasons beyond the alien’s control”.

If an applicant does not respond to notices or requests from the NVC or the embassy within one year, they risk termination of their petition under this section of law and lose the benefits of that petition, such as the priority date. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that she or he makes contact at least once per year.

How can I see the current status and update my contact information?

Check the status of your case by going to the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website at ceac.state.gov/ceac/. It is your responsibility to update contact information in the CEAC; providing the correct contact information ensures you receive requests for information.

Whom do I contact?

You can contact either the NVC or the US Embassy, depending on where your case is in the immigration process. NVC will transfer a case to the US Embassy when interviews are available for the particular visa class and priority date. Many cases currently at NVC are “ready”, but not yet transferred to the embassy due to appointment availability.

To update the last contact date for cases actively processing at NVC, please continue to pay fees and submit the required documents via your CEAC. You can also contact NVC through their public inquiry form found at travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/ask-nvc.html.

Once NVC transfers your case to the embassy for appointment scheduling, you should maintain contact with the Immigrant Visa Unit. Please continue to monitor your CEAC to see if the Immigrant Visa Unit has requested further documentation or information. If you come to an interview and the consular officer asks for additional documentation, it is essential that you provide the requested information in a timely manner.

You can e-mail KingstonIV@state.gov with your case number, full name, and date of birth to inquire on the status of your case.

What happens to my case if I don’t maintain yearly contact?

If you fail to maintain contact for a year, the system automatically sends your case to termination, or TERM 1 status. You will receive a letter to the address on file in your CEAC notifying you of termination status and giving instructions on how to respond and reinstate. After two years with no contact, the case goes to TERM 2 status, which means the petition will be administratively closed. If you wish to pursue your case after this point, you must demonstrate to us how your failure to maintain contact for two years was due to circumstances beyond your control. Otherwise, the petition is terminated, and your sponsor will have to file a new petition.

The latest information on our operating status can be found on our website at www.jm.usembassy.gov or by visiting www.travel.state.gov.

Keep on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general consular questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.