tronsky

What does an "administrative processing" status mean for an E3 visa? Is it cause for concern?

mikelincs

It's a catch all phrase used for all US visa when they have received your application, and are now sorting things out, it means absolutely nothing in the way of what is happening, it can mean nothing or anything, so you just have to wait.

Noorah101

Hard to say. There is the kind of admin processing which just means they are creating the visa, which only takes a week or so....then there is the kind of admin processing that means they are running further security checks, which can take much longer.

Rene

ian-mstm

It can be good or bad... depending on where you are in the process. You don't say, and we're not mind readers.

Ian

tronsky

My spouse had their interview on Thursday and they were 'approved'. They were told 3-5 days to get the passport back. It's still sitting in "administrative processing' today.

This is the second time getting the E3. Last time, two years ago, it took about a day and a half after the interview to get the passport.

ian-mstm

They don't work on the weekend... so today is only day 2, because nothing happened on Thursday except the interview.


Ah - well then, this is good. In this context, administrative processing is the process of creating the visa and affixing it to the passport.


Ah, now I see the problem. In addition to your impatience, you have the unrealistic expectation that what happened two years ago is what will happen now!

Ian

tronsky

Do you know what the next 'processing' step will be? Will it just show up at the post office depot?

How many days does it usually take from this administrative processing to actually getting the passport back?

Noorah101

The next step will be issuing the visa. You should get an email from the courier, I believe. I think there were two options, either they deliver the passport to you, or you pick it up from one of their locations. I don't know which one you chose.

If your admin processing is only for visa production (not security checks), then it shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks at the most.

Rene

tronsky

They said '3-5 days' at 9AM on Thursday. It's been either 2 or 3 business days now. Could it potentially all shift tomorrow and be at the postal depot that was selected for delivery by evening?

Just trying to figure out travel plans and such.......

Noorah101

Anything can happen. They can tell you anything they want, it's not set in stone. Best advice is not to book anything until you have the visa in hand.

Rene

ian-mstm

They tell everyone "3-5 days" whether it actually takes 3-5 days or 3-5 weeks... which it does on occasion! Don't be fooled into believing that they told you the truth.


It could, yes. But it likely won't.


Don't make any travel plans until you have the visa in your hands. Otherwise, you'll be a fool.

Ian

Ray

Administrative processing, also known as Security Advisory Opinion (SAO), is the time period during which visa applications undergo additional review outside of the “normal” visa processing times. Administrative processing takes place after the visa interview

tronsky

So Ian is wrong?

Ray

Ian has not been wrong since 1962 ...

Noorah101

No. There is the other kind of Admin Processing which is simply manufacturing the visa. Ray only mentioned the security check kind of AP.

Rene