Chad Fickett

Assistant General Counsel

720 East Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53202-4797

414 665 1209 office

414 625 1209 fax

chadfickett@northwesternmutual.com

VIA EDGAR

                    May 3, 2012

Securities and Exchange Commission

Division of Investment Management

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549-8629

Re: Northwestern Mutual Variable Life Account/Variable Joint Life

Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to

Form N-6 Registration Statement (“Registration Statement”)

(File Nos. 333-59103, 811-3989) EDGAR CIK No. 0000742277

Commissioners:

Pursuant to paragraph (j) of Rule 497 under the Securities Act of 1933, please accept this letter as certification that the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information that would have been filed under Rule 497(c) would not have differed from that contained in the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement was filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2012.

This filing is being effected by direct transmission to the Commission’s EDGAR System.

Very truly yours,

/s/ CHAD FICKETT

Chad Fickett

Assistant General Counsel