After I-130 approval, the case is transferred to the National Visa Center (NVC) for document collection and fee processing. The timeline depends on visa category availability and how quickly required documents are submitted. If the visa category is current, document review may take several weeks to a few months before an interview is scheduled at the consulate.

Consular processing involves multiple stages: NVC review, document qualification, and interview scheduling. Delays can occur if civil documents are missing or if additional financial evidence is required. Once the case is documentarily complete and a visa is available, the interview is scheduled based on consulate capacity.