Visa application process
Visa Application Decisions
There are two main visa application decisions: Denial, and approval. There may also be delays due to administrative processing.
1. Denial
If the interviewing officer doesn’t feel that you’ve shown sufficient evidence to warrant the requested visa, you’ll be issued a denial.
Before leaving the interview, you should receive a written explanation for the denial. Be sure to request this if you aren’t given one automatically. The most common reason for a visa denial is a failure to prove nonimmigrant intent to the consular officer.
Please report the visa denial to our office via URcompass.
If you choose to reapply, you’ll need to provide new information or documents to address the reason(s) for the previous denial. The consulate won’t reconsider your application if additional materials aren’t available for review. Depending on the timing of a second interview, you may need to request updated documentation from the International Services Office (ISO).
2. Approval
After successfully meeting the eligibility requirements for your requested category, your application for a nonimmigrant visa should be approved by the interviewing consular official. In some cases, the application will be approved subject to additional administrative processing, which can cause significant delays to processing time.
It may take the consulate a few days to process the approval and return the updated passport to you. The visa stamp will be issued as a full-page sticker in your passport. Make sure you understand whether you’ll receive your passport by mail or are expected to pick it up in person.
Delays: Visas pending administrative processing
The US government may require certain visa applications to go through additional review before issuing the visa.
When subject to “administrative processing” or “security clearance,” the consulate must wait to receive clearance from several other government agencies. This can add weeks, or even months, to the amount of time needed for visa approval (though most clearances take three to eight weeks to process). Plan your travel accordingly.
Will my application require additional processing?
It’s impossible to know which applications will require additional processing. However, additional processing is more common among applicants:
- Coming from certain countries
- Specializing in potentially sensitive fields of study or research (e.g., sciences, technology, or engineering)
- Having common names that are likely shared with other people
Planning for administrative processing
If you suspect your application may require administrative processing, ISO recommends that you request a letter from your department to offer additional details about your program or work in the United States. This letter may include:
- Specifics of your research
- Source(s) of funding
- Contact persons in the United States
- Any other information that establishes the legitimate, non-military purposes of your stay
The letter should be written in English, with limited use of technical terminology or jargon. You may present this letter at the time of the visa interview, as needed. While it won’t prevent your application from being subject to security clearance, the letter may help to provide explanatory information and speed processing along. Once a security clearance is granted, it remains valid for up to four years for subsequent visa renewals.
Next steps if your visa application is delayed
If your visa application is delayed, use the Visa Delay/Denial form in URcompass to let ISO know about the delay and details of your application. Follow the consulate’s instructions and send any extra information or documents that is requested. Unfortunately, ISO cannot speed up the process directly with the consulate. Most delays are resolved quickly, but some may take longer depending on the situation.
If you want to talk more about your situation and options, you can schedule a 30-minute appointment with your ISO immigration advisor.