· Immigrant Visas · 2 min read
What is an EB-2 Visa? Application Process and Timeline
The EB-2 visa allows highly skilled professionals and individuals with advanced degrees to apply for U.S. permanent residency at any time of the year. While applications are accepted continuously, the process depends on labor certification (PERM), I-140 petition approval, and visa availability under the monthly Visa Bulletin. For those applying under the National Interest Waiver (NIW), the process is faster since PERM is not required.
What is an EB-2 Visa? Application Process and Timeline
There is a roughly two-step process to obtain a Green Card through the EB2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) visa:
1. Application and Approval Process
First, the EB2 NIW application is prepared and submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The application must be approved.
2. Green Card Application
- If you are in the United States, you can apply directly for Adjustment of Status.
- If you are in Turkey, you wait for a consulate appointment to be scheduled, and the consulate procedures are completed on that date.
How the Process Works Using a Sample File
Our client’s EB2 NIW application was submitted; Premium Processing was not used for this application, and the standard process was selected. Despite this, the application was approved in just 3 months.
After approval, the file was sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). Approximately one month after approval, the NVC requested documents. One and a half months after the documents were sent, the NVC approved them. Thus, only the stage of granting the consulate appointment remained.
Priority Date and Visa Bulletin
- For a consulate appointment to be granted, the priority date must be current according to the visa bulletin.
- Our client’s NVC document approval was completed at the end of September 2023.
- However, at that time, the priority date was not available.
Progress was made in the October 2023 visa bulletin, and it became available for applications filed before August 1, 2023.
Despite this, the consular appointment was not granted immediately. Even though the priority date was current, after waiting 8 months, the NVC contacted us and granted the consular appointment.
-The entire process, including the priority date waiting period, consulate appointment, and interview, took approximately 2 years. The main reasons for this length were the long period of inactivity in the visa bulletin and the capacity constraints of the Ankara Consulate.
Important Notes
- These timeframes apply to EB2 NIW; for visas such as EB1A, consulate appointment processes can proceed much faster.
- If the visa bulletin changes positively, the timeframes may shorten; conversely, they may lengthen.
- For the process to proceed smoothly, it is crucial to submit all documents requested by the NVC without omission.
Let Us Guide You Through Your Application Process for a Positive Outcome
If you are considering applying for an EB2 NIW or EB1 visa, please contact us. When you email us your current and detailed CV, Capitol Law Partners will conduct a free preliminary assessment and plan the process together.
