What does “Administrative Processing” mean in Immigration?
- Background Check. The reason behind the status, “administrative processing”, is that your case needs to be forwarded to Washington D.C. ...
- Database Match. The U.S. ...
- Processing Time. How long it takes to process your security clearance depends on the consular office you attended. ...
- Processing Results. ...
Does administrative processing constitute a refusal of a visa?
In such cases, refused visa applications warrant further administrative processing. Upon completion of the case-specific administrative processing, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. Alternatively, the officer may conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa.
What is administrative processing?
Administrative process is the continuous and interrelated flow of planning, organization, management and control activities, developed to achieve a common objective: take advantage of human, technical, material and any other type of resources, which the organization has to make it effective for its stakeholders and society.
What is the process for an U.S. visa?
US Visa Application Process - A Step-by-Step Guide Get a digital photograph of each applicant. A digital photograph is required for while applying for a US visa. ... Complete US visa application form DS160. Visitor visa application (form DS160) must be completed online, over the internet. ... Pay the US visa application fee. ... Take appointment for visa interview. ... More items...
Do all K1 visas require administrative processing?
Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant's interview by a Consular Officer. After You Receive a K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa
What happens during visa administrative processing?
While the exact process is fairly opaque, Administrative Processing means: 1) that the applicant's case has been sent from the Embassy/Consulate to a data center to be reviewed for criminal convictions, security risks, immigration violations or other irregularities and 2) that the applicant's case will be delayed.
How long does it takes for administrative processing to issue a visa?
Visa processing takes approximately 21 workdays from the date on which the application is received by the Embassy.
What is the next status after administrative processing?
Upon completion of the case-specific administrative processing, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. Alternatively, the officer may conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa.
Does administrative processing mean denial?
0:001:16Administrative Processing | What does it mean to get a refusal ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAdministrative processing what does it mean to get a refusal under section 221g. At the end of theMoreAdministrative processing what does it mean to get a refusal under section 221g. At the end of the interview a consular officer will inform the applicant. Whether or not their visa application has
How long can administrative processing last?
DOS has stated that their goal is to complete administrative processing within a 60-day period. In recent experience, however, some administrative processing cases may take months. The period of time taken will vary based on individual circumstances.
Do all visa go through administrative processing?
Not necessarily. When an individual is placed in administrative processing, visa eligibility has not been determined. Rather, the individual case resulted in a hit on a database used by the consular post.
Is Refused same as administrative processing?
A visa application under “administrative processing” will be deemed “refused” unless and until the application is overturned.
Can I get my passport back during administrative processing?
During administrative processing, the consular post retains the applicant's passport. If urgent travel is required, the applicant may request for the passport to be returned temporarily and resume the processing of the visa application at a later time.
Is administrative processing random?
Administrative Processing may be applied randomly to international students and scholars from certain countries and/or from certain fields (usually STEM fields) who are applying for a visa. The U.S. Embassy/Consulate may request a security clearance of anyone, prior to issuing an initial or extension of visa.
How do I know my visa is approved?
Check the Status of a Visa Application For nonimmigrant visas, call 1-603-334-0888. Or use the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).
How do you know US visa is approved?
Check the Status of Your Visa You can check the status of your application any time at this website: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx. Please wait at least three business days following your visa interview to check on the status of your application.
How long is administrative review?
How long will it take for an Administrative Review to be decided? The Home Office service standard for deciding an Administrative Review is 28 calendar days.
Can I get my passport back during administrative processing?
During administrative processing, the consular post retains the applicant's passport. If urgent travel is required, the applicant may request for the passport to be returned temporarily and resume the processing of the visa application at a later time.
Is administrative processing random?
Administrative Processing may be applied randomly to international students and scholars from certain countries and/or from certain fields (usually STEM fields) who are applying for a visa. The U.S. Embassy/Consulate may request a security clearance of anyone, prior to issuing an initial or extension of visa.
How long is administrative review?
How long will it take for an Administrative Review to be decided? The Home Office service standard for deciding an Administrative Review is 28 calendar days.
How long does 221g administrative processing take?
around 3-4 weeksIn most cases, 221g administrative processing will be completed within 60 days—typically around 3-4 weeks. In some instances, however, some 221g processing times can take many months or even over a year. Note that you will likely be asked not to inquire about your case for at least 180 days.
What does administrative processing mean in immigration?
What does “Administrative Processing” mean in Immigration? When applying for a visa to the United States, many applicants worry about their “administrative processing” status. Some think this means they are doomed for denial. Others are just confused as to why there is a delay. In this article, we will briefly explain what administrative processing ...
How to prevent delays in consular processing?
To prevent further delays, comply with any document requests from the consular office as soon as possible. Remember, the time it takes for you to gather your information is outside the processing time.
What to do if the processing time for your local office has passed?
If the processing time for your local office has passed, you can contact your attorney to see about inquiring on the status of your case with the consulate.
How long does it take to get a security clearance?
How long it takes to process your security clearance depends on the consular office you attended. Some offices have processing times of 60 days, and others require more time. You can contact your local consular office (start by checking their website) for their administrative processing time.
Do you need a background check for a visa?
Sometimes, the consular office will require a background check to process your visa. This is an extra step in the visa application process caused by either a database match or a trigger in your application or interview.
Is there a way to expedite administrative review?
This means it is an additional time that is added on to the normal visa processing time. There is also no way to expedite the process of administrative review.
Why is a case placed in administrative processing?
Sometimes a case may be placed in administrative processing because the officer needs to do more investigation on the case, either because there are fraud indicators or some other information is outstanding which only the officer can retrieve —for example, the officer may need to have a discussion with a colleague at another Embassy.
What is the purpose of a visa interview?
When you attend your a visa interview, your visa is being adjudicated by a Department of State consular officer. Consular officers are required to make a decision on a case at the conclusion of the interview. In other words, a positive or negative decision has to be entered by the officer at that time; no case can remain in unadjudicated status.
How does a visa go through administrative processing?
During this time, the Government will run a security check and in many cases an applicant will move from administrative processing to “issued” on the same day. In some instances, though, an applicant may become “stuck” in administrative processing while the Government completes their review. During the review period, the Government will assess criminal convictions, security risks, past visa history and compliance and any other item that the Government deems relevant. In some cases, the Government may make an applicant complete an extreme vetting questionnaire.
Why is a visa application placed in administrative processing?
In most cases though, applications are placed in administrative processing because something in the application triggers a “hit” or a red flag to the Government.
How long does administrative processing last?
In some cases, Administrative Processing will only last for one day or less but in other instances the time period cannot be predicted. We have seen some instances where applicants are held in administrative processing for years.
Can a consulate ask for past travel information?
While an applicant (or the applicant’s lawyer) can follow up with a Consulate, Consulates will not provide much information given the security aspects of the case.
Can a visa be denied at a consulate?
When you apply for a visa (For example, E-2, B-1, H1-B, O-1) at a Consulate, there are several possible outcomes. The visa can be approved, denied (refused), or the application and applicant can be placed in Administrative Processing.
What is the purpose of “Administrative Processing”?
Department of State with the cooperation of other government agencies to ensure that a visa applicant is not a security risk and the he/she is not ineligible for the requested visa or otherwise inadmissible to the U.S.
How long will administrative processing take?
Processing times are unpredictable. According to the U.S. Department of State, most administrative processing cases conclude 60 days or less after the visa interview. However, the average wait time for administrative processing can vary depending on where the consulate is located. Administrative processing wait time can also be impacted by the individual circumstances surrounding the visa applicant’s case.
What should an applicant do if a case is placed in administrative processing without any written notice?
If the applicant has not received a letter stating that the case has been sent for administrative processing, he/she should contact the consulate or consulate official to inquire whether the visa application has been sent for administrative processing.
How to know if an application is likely to be sent for administrative processing?
Country of nationality: Residents or nationals of the following countries are more likely to be subject to administrative processing: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates or Yemen
Where can I find more information on administrative processing?
For more information about the administrative processing, visit the U.S. Dept. of State’s web page on administrative process ing by clicking here.
How to check status of US visa application?
Applicants can also check the status of their case by calling the U.S. Dept. of State Visa Office at 202-485-7600. When calling DOS, applicants must provide all relevant information relating to their case, including their name, date of birth, passport number, where and when the applicant submitted the visa application.
How to check visa status?
If the consular post associated with your application has a website, view the consular website to determine if there are any instructions on how to make a status inquiry. Also, the U.S. Dept. of State has a website that lets applicants check the status of their visas.
What is administrative processing?
Administrative processing is a catch-all term for all post-interview processing before a final visa decision is made. Any case that is otherwise approvable on its face, but has an open, unresolved issue is referred to administrative processing.
Why is administrative processing so frustrating?
Typically this is caused by a consular post waiting for a response on some form of advisory opinion. Although, as was experienced in 2014 and 2015, processing delays may also result from system failures in the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) and more recently due to additional administrative hurdles such as the recent flurry of executive orders regarding visa issuance.
Why are consular officers encouraged to increase scrutiny on cases potentially impacted by lengthy administrative processing?
The unintended results of all of these delays is even more frustrating: Consular officers are encouraged to increase scrutiny on cases potentially impacted by lengthy administrative processing in order to come up with a basis for pretextual denial – similar to we see at DHS in CARRP and TRIG cases. The only exception to this is when DHS wants to carrying out additional CARRP or TRIG review, but is intentionally doing its work behind the shield of consular non-reviewability, at which point it will tell the post to hold the case.
How to contact the NVC for a non-immigrant visa?
For non-immigrant visas contact the Department’s Visa Office. For immigrant visas reach out to the NVC and make sure the case hasn’t been sent back (some embassies are horrible about sending notices on this).
When to update documents for immigrant visa?
For immigrant visa and petition-based cases you will also want to update these documents when it goes to the NVC and again at the consular stage. Thus you optimize the possibility that the consular officer receives the relevant information or that the relevant information is readily available to whatever agency will be doing the necessary investigations and will make a final decision for your client.
How to reduce processing time for gang name checks?
For example, if your client is from El Salvador and has a relatively common name, you can reduce processing times related to name checks for gang members by providing contextual information for your client such as the names of close friends and family members in order to differentiate from potential HITS. Similarly, if your client is from a high immigrant visa fraud country such as Vietnam, you will want to spend extra time establishing your client’s relationships in order to remove all doubt. While for Somalis, you will need to satisfy additional identity requirements by providing more information and documentation establishing consistent use of the same identity for the last 5 to 15 years, preferably using documents that do not originate in Somalia.
What is legal advisory opinion?
For attorneys, the legal advisory opinion is the area where we are often the most comfortable: identify the legal question, analyze the law, apply the client’s facts, and provide a brief to the consulate. Legal advisory opinions are also an area where we usually feel comfortable telling our clients to be patient.
How long does it take to get a case under administrative processing?
However in some rare scenarios, it even takes more than 60 days, sometimes more than a year too. So in short, it is very difficult to put a specific timeline to cases under administrative processing.
Can you take administrative action on a case?
Unfortunately there is only limited action that you can take when your case comes under administrative processing. In all likelihood you will have to wait till you get an update on the status of the case.
