Confused about the paperwork and the virus

[mandarines 0]

I received an email March 7th saying, The national visa center (NVC) has received your approval immigrant visa petition from U.S citizenship and immigration services. Before NVC can schedule your visa interview, you need to complete the following steps:

Step 1; Pay fee

Step 2: Complete an immigrant visa (IV) application (form DS-260)

Step 3: Submit require financial and civil documents.

 

 

My question is, how much time do we have to complete the 3 steps if any? Because with that coronavirus everything is slowing down and I'm scared if I pay the fees there is a limit date to send the forms after. 

[canadavisa22 202]

3 hours ago, mandarines said:

I received an email March 7th saying, The national visa center (NVC) has received your approval immigrant visa petition from U.S citizenship and immigration services. Before NVC can schedule your visa interview, you need to complete the following steps:

Step 1; Pay fee

Step 2: Complete an immigrant visa (IV) application (form DS-260)

Step 3: Submit require financial and civil documents.

 

 

My question is, how much time do we have to complete the 3 steps if any? Because with that coronavirus everything is slowing down and I'm scared if I pay the fees there is a limit date to send the forms after. 

I believe  you have a year from the date you pay to complete at least one of the steps. Use the general IR-1/CR-1 forum search function to confirm.

Edited March 26, 2020 by canadavisa22

[NikLR 13,227]

10 hours ago, mandarines said:

I received an email March 7th saying, The national visa center (NVC) has received your approval immigrant visa petition from U.S citizenship and immigration services. Before NVC can schedule your visa interview, you need to complete the following steps:

Step 1; Pay fee

Step 2: Complete an immigrant visa (IV) application (form DS-260)

Step 3: Submit require financial and civil documents.

 

 

My question is, how much time do we have to complete the 3 steps if any? Because with that coronavirus everything is slowing down and I'm scared if I pay the fees there is a limit date to send the forms after. 

~~moved to IR1/CR1 process and procedures from Canada regional. Topic is not regionally specific~~

So you have to check in with the NVC once a year to keep your file active.  You dont even need to pay fees or give them forms. However you should try to complete the visa application within a year of paying the fee.  If there are fee increases, the NVC generally allows that much time between fee payment and IV application.  Keep in mind that you probably want your docs current and Montreal was slow at scheduling interviews already (about a 6 month wait before the pandemic.)  Do things at your speed, just keep in contact with the NVC by email, phone, or doing something active on your file once per year. 

[mandarines 0]

Thanks for your answer.