National Visa Center No Longer Collecting Original Civil Documents
On November 12, 2014, the National Visa Center, a U.S. Department of State agency, stopped collecting original civil documents in support of immigrant visa applications. Applicants will now be required to submit photocopies of documents to support their applications. However, applicants may upon request be required to bring original documents to their scheduled interviews for review.
This new rule does not apply to Affidavit of Support forms, which applicants will still submit original versions to the National Visa Center. The National Visa Center hopes that this system change will reduce customer wait times and improve overall customer experience.