Visa Delays

Some visa applications are delayed for “administrative processing.” Typically, security concerns lead to administrative processing, which allows U.S. government agencies time to review any potential security issues and to process any necessary security clearances, which often take from one to three months.

While the U.S. Department of State has indicated that its goal is to complete any administrative processing within 30 days, some cases take more time. Once the U.S. Consulate has initiated the process, it cannot be stopped until it is completed in Washington, D.C. 

Some Factors Influencing Visa Delays:

• Citizenship, nationality, or country of birth: Applicants from countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism always undergo a security clearance. Applicants for other countries may also face additional scrutiny, though it is not always clear why that is the case.

• Field of study: Applicants from science-oriented fields may face administrative processing, though there is no list of majors, fields of study, or research areas that indicate which trigger a security clearance. 

• Common names: For those individuals with common family names, there is an increased likelihood of a “false hit” when processing through the National Crime Information Center Database. 

• Combination of citizenship and field of research: Recent trends indicate that individuals engaged in scientific research from China, Russia, and India are more frequently subject to administrative processing. 

Typically, these delays affect applicants at the Masters, Ph.D., or higher level, but undergraduates should be aware–and contact International Student Affairs for support.