National Visa Center (NVC) Immigrant Visa Backlog Report Last updated January 2023 Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the Department of State’s ability to process immigrant visa applications.  U.S. embassies and consulates are working to resume routine visa services on a location-by-location basis as expeditiously as possible in a safe manner.  However, the pandemic continues to severely impact the number of visas our embassies and consulates abroad are able to process.  The particular constraints vary based on local conditions and restrictions, but include local and national lockdowns; travel restrictions; host country quarantine regulations; and measures taken by our embassies and consulates to contain the spread of COVID-19.   On Feb. 2, 2021,  President Biden issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14012 on Restoring Faith in our Legal Immigration Systems.  Though we continue to face real and persistent challenges in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to resolving the immigrant visa backlog and transparently sharing the current status of our worldwide visa operations, while remaining dedicated to the safety of our staff and applicants, and the national security of the United States. Number of IV applicants whose cases are documentarily complete at NVC and ready for interview as of December 31 422,954 Number of documentarily complete IV applicants scheduled for January 2023 interview appointments 36,167 Number of eligible IV applicants still pending the scheduling of an interview after January 2023 appointment scheduling was completed 386,787 Note: In Calendar Year 2019 on average, 60,866 applicants were pending the scheduling of an interview each month.

the Nvc has nothing to do with the processes for spouses already in the us