Weekly Immigration News Recap (November 21-27)

State Department Puts Dent in Green Card Backlog in November

The backlog for immigrant visas (IV) at the National Visa Center (NVC) of the Department of State decreased somewhat in November, from 384,760 cases to 399,286 cases, a 3.6% reduction. The number of green card applicants whose cases were documentarily finished and thus prepared to be scheduled for an interview decreased this month by more than 12,000, from 435,063 to 423,367, according to the NVC (a documentarily complete case is one in which all the required forms and documents have been submitted to and accepted by the NVC and that the case is ready for an interview to be scheduled).

Source: Boundless

U.S. Has No Immigrant Visa Processing in Nearly 70 Countries

When requesting a green card from outside the country, you must visit the closest consulate for an interview before your application may be granted. But what if there isn’t a U.S. consulate in your nation of residence? According to a recent report from the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, the United States does not process immigrant visas for citizens of 67 nations. This necessitates expensive and time-consuming travel for applicants in those nations to attend a consular interview.

Source: Boundless