BurundiWinner
Registered Users (C)
Hello guys, hang on in there. It should be over soon.
DV-2013 Under Administrative Processing
- Thread starter Jimma Boy
- Start date
got dis in4 frm.
http://www.quora.com/Visas/What-hap...h-as-B1-B2-J1-or-H1B-stamp-in-a-U-S-consulate
Visas: What happens behind the
scenes when you apply for a U.S.
visa (such as B1/B2, J1, or H1B)
stamp in a U.S. consulate?
I'm really curious to know what
exactly happens when one applies
for visa in a U.S. consulate (in
Canada or India for example). Why
some people have to go through
additional administrative process,
and why the process could take so
long? Why do they repeat the
administrative process again if you
leave the country for even one day?
Why no one cares about all the
complaints of people who are stuck
out of the country away from their
loved ones? (Just search google for
"221g administrative processing
canada" for example!)
2 Answers
Tobiloba Oni, A jukebox of
questions.
14 votes by Anonymous, Shahid
Hussain, Oktie Hassanzadeh, (more)
Administrative processing, officially
referred to as Security Advisory
Opinion (SAO), could be a most
frustrating process for US visa
applicants. The Office of the
Secretary of State for Visa Services
maintains, though, that it is a
necessary process for sifting out
terrorists, spies, and unscrupulous
people that illegally transfer
sensitive ************. It also claims
it only affects 2% of applicants, so if
you're unlucky to be chosen, be
prepared to wait 12-360 days for a
response, which might be a
revocation of your previously
approved visa. Most times, though,
you would be approved.
What they do during administrative
processing is pretty much
background checks. Based on your
background, application data or,
specifically, nationality, you will be
assigned one or more categories or
class:
Visas Mantis: (potential illegal
transfer of sensitive technology)
Visas Bear (for foreign government
officials, representatives to
international organizations, and
their families)
Visas Donkey (name hits, certain
nationalities)
Visas Merlin (for refugees and
asylees)
Visas Eagle (certain nationals of
Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, Vietnam)
Visas Condor (certain nationalities
e.g Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain,
Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco,
Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia,
Turkey, the United Arab
Emirates,Yemen.)
Visas Hawk (for immigrant visas).
Visas Horse (diplomatic visa holders
of certain nationalities)
Visas Pegasus (officials of
Commonwealth of Independent
States)
Afterward, your information is
forwarded to the pertinent agencies
for a very thorough check-- mostly
FBI. Others could be CIA, DEA, U.S.
Department of Commerce,
Department of Treasury's Office of
Foreign Assets Control, Interpol, and
the Department of State's Bureau of
International Security and
Nonproliferation.
This is where the delay really occurs.
If everything goes well, you can have
your approved visa in as little as
three weeks, but if there is a
problem of any sort, a delay could
be anything from 30days to 360days.
The most painful part is that you
dont know exactly how long it's
going to take, and there are no step
by step updates, so you are stuck in
a timeless time of waiting. Here are
some reasons for delay:
1. Errors in the visa submission : The
US Embassy from the country you
are applying might mistakenly
submit your information in a wrong
format (different from what the
agencies want), so the agency
returns the data to the embassy.
This obviously prolongs the security
check and approval process. This
situation happens every now and
then, but it seems that the various
agencies are working to standardize
the submission format, which would
help reduce such mistakes.
2. False Hits(Especially for Visas
Mantis and Visas Condor): If your
name matches that of someone on
the FBI's (or any other agency's) list,
you will be subjected to more
scrutiny till you are either cleared or
marked as a concern to security.
Imagine if you are from a country
with many identical names, this
process will take much longer for
you, and this accounts for most of
the average processing time
differences across various countries.
3. Visa Burden: If you apply at a
peak time, when a lot of people are
seeking to travel, this process will
obviously take much longer. The
agencies do not have enough
personnel to deal with the spike, so
they just do the best they can.
Sometimes there are even backlogs,
and this is why some people dont
get their visas for more than a year.
More so, the agencies prioritize
certain visa classes, therefore when
there is an overload, certain
requests are sidelined. For example,
the FBI prioritizes Visas Condor and
Visas Mantis.
4. Hits: If your name and
information submitted by the
Embassy matches the one in any
agency's database, then you might
want to forget about traveling any
time soon because they will resort to
fetching as much information as they
possibly could. This would take a
long time since they might have to
request information from other non-
related sources-- sometimes this
could require judicial approval. In
addition, some agencies are yet to
centralize their information storage
systems, which means that it could
be necessary to request
paper files from branch offices. If
you are considered a security threat,
the agency will write a security
advisory opinion on you and then
send it back to the State for Visa
Services, who then revokes your visa.
Below is an chart (from wikipedia)
that shows how a Visa Mantis is
processed:
The biggest problem of the waiting
process is that you do not have any
access to the nature of the delay.
You could call the consular a million
times, and they would say the same
exact thing-- "your application is
undergoing administrative
processing..." While the reasons of
establishing such procedure is
understandable, it seems inhumane
to put people in the prison of time
just because they want to travel to
the United States-- mostly to add to
economic or/and intellectual growth
of the nation. It is thus evident that
the US government, especially in the
context of this problem, is yet to
realize the delicate balance between
securing borders and opening doors.
Is the government aware of the
pains this process causes to
applicants (See https://
openhomelandsecurity.ide... )?
Apparently, they are aware, and they
say they are working towards a faster
and better system-- although they
admit that it will always be thorough
and thus protracted. But the good
news is that there are signs of
improvement. The agencies and
State for Visa Services are working
towards a more efficient partnership
in order to streamline the process.
The agencies are hiring more
personnel and upgrading their
technology tools to meet the
demand for visa checks. Hopefully,
things will get better in the coming
years.
However, it is important for visa
applicants to apply well ahead of
their intended travel date if
possible. This gives some cushion for
the time required for the processing
just in case such applicants are
picked. And for those who are stuck
in the timeless time of
administrative processing, I
encourage them to remain hopeful,
and in unusually long cases, consult
an attorney, contact a senator, or an
organization such as the
International Visa Office for
individuals in the scientific
community (including students)
<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/
PGA/biso/visas/PGA_048017>
http://www.quora.com/Visas/What-hap...h-as-B1-B2-J1-or-H1B-stamp-in-a-U-S-consulate
Visas: What happens behind the
scenes when you apply for a U.S.
visa (such as B1/B2, J1, or H1B)
stamp in a U.S. consulate?
I'm really curious to know what
exactly happens when one applies
for visa in a U.S. consulate (in
Canada or India for example). Why
some people have to go through
additional administrative process,
and why the process could take so
long? Why do they repeat the
administrative process again if you
leave the country for even one day?
Why no one cares about all the
complaints of people who are stuck
out of the country away from their
loved ones? (Just search google for
"221g administrative processing
canada" for example!)
2 Answers
Tobiloba Oni, A jukebox of
questions.
14 votes by Anonymous, Shahid
Hussain, Oktie Hassanzadeh, (more)
Administrative processing, officially
referred to as Security Advisory
Opinion (SAO), could be a most
frustrating process for US visa
applicants. The Office of the
Secretary of State for Visa Services
maintains, though, that it is a
necessary process for sifting out
terrorists, spies, and unscrupulous
people that illegally transfer
sensitive ************. It also claims
it only affects 2% of applicants, so if
you're unlucky to be chosen, be
prepared to wait 12-360 days for a
response, which might be a
revocation of your previously
approved visa. Most times, though,
you would be approved.
What they do during administrative
processing is pretty much
background checks. Based on your
background, application data or,
specifically, nationality, you will be
assigned one or more categories or
class:
Visas Mantis: (potential illegal
transfer of sensitive technology)
Visas Bear (for foreign government
officials, representatives to
international organizations, and
their families)
Visas Donkey (name hits, certain
nationalities)
Visas Merlin (for refugees and
asylees)
Visas Eagle (certain nationals of
Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, Vietnam)
Visas Condor (certain nationalities
e.g Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain,
Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco,
Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia,
Turkey, the United Arab
Emirates,Yemen.)
Visas Hawk (for immigrant visas).
Visas Horse (diplomatic visa holders
of certain nationalities)
Visas Pegasus (officials of
Commonwealth of Independent
States)
Afterward, your information is
forwarded to the pertinent agencies
for a very thorough check-- mostly
FBI. Others could be CIA, DEA, U.S.
Department of Commerce,
Department of Treasury's Office of
Foreign Assets Control, Interpol, and
the Department of State's Bureau of
International Security and
Nonproliferation.
This is where the delay really occurs.
If everything goes well, you can have
your approved visa in as little as
three weeks, but if there is a
problem of any sort, a delay could
be anything from 30days to 360days.
The most painful part is that you
dont know exactly how long it's
going to take, and there are no step
by step updates, so you are stuck in
a timeless time of waiting. Here are
some reasons for delay:
1. Errors in the visa submission : The
US Embassy from the country you
are applying might mistakenly
submit your information in a wrong
format (different from what the
agencies want), so the agency
returns the data to the embassy.
This obviously prolongs the security
check and approval process. This
situation happens every now and
then, but it seems that the various
agencies are working to standardize
the submission format, which would
help reduce such mistakes.
2. False Hits(Especially for Visas
Mantis and Visas Condor): If your
name matches that of someone on
the FBI's (or any other agency's) list,
you will be subjected to more
scrutiny till you are either cleared or
marked as a concern to security.
Imagine if you are from a country
with many identical names, this
process will take much longer for
you, and this accounts for most of
the average processing time
differences across various countries.
3. Visa Burden: If you apply at a
peak time, when a lot of people are
seeking to travel, this process will
obviously take much longer. The
agencies do not have enough
personnel to deal with the spike, so
they just do the best they can.
Sometimes there are even backlogs,
and this is why some people dont
get their visas for more than a year.
More so, the agencies prioritize
certain visa classes, therefore when
there is an overload, certain
requests are sidelined. For example,
the FBI prioritizes Visas Condor and
Visas Mantis.
4. Hits: If your name and
information submitted by the
Embassy matches the one in any
agency's database, then you might
want to forget about traveling any
time soon because they will resort to
fetching as much information as they
possibly could. This would take a
long time since they might have to
request information from other non-
related sources-- sometimes this
could require judicial approval. In
addition, some agencies are yet to
centralize their information storage
systems, which means that it could
be necessary to request
paper files from branch offices. If
you are considered a security threat,
the agency will write a security
advisory opinion on you and then
send it back to the State for Visa
Services, who then revokes your visa.
Below is an chart (from wikipedia)
that shows how a Visa Mantis is
processed:
The biggest problem of the waiting
process is that you do not have any
access to the nature of the delay.
You could call the consular a million
times, and they would say the same
exact thing-- "your application is
undergoing administrative
processing..." While the reasons of
establishing such procedure is
understandable, it seems inhumane
to put people in the prison of time
just because they want to travel to
the United States-- mostly to add to
economic or/and intellectual growth
of the nation. It is thus evident that
the US government, especially in the
context of this problem, is yet to
realize the delicate balance between
securing borders and opening doors.
Is the government aware of the
pains this process causes to
applicants (See https://
openhomelandsecurity.ide... )?
Apparently, they are aware, and they
say they are working towards a faster
and better system-- although they
admit that it will always be thorough
and thus protracted. But the good
news is that there are signs of
improvement. The agencies and
State for Visa Services are working
towards a more efficient partnership
in order to streamline the process.
The agencies are hiring more
personnel and upgrading their
technology tools to meet the
demand for visa checks. Hopefully,
things will get better in the coming
years.
However, it is important for visa
applicants to apply well ahead of
their intended travel date if
possible. This gives some cushion for
the time required for the processing
just in case such applicants are
picked. And for those who are stuck
in the timeless time of
administrative processing, I
encourage them to remain hopeful,
and in unusually long cases, consult
an attorney, contact a senator, or an
organization such as the
International Visa Office for
individuals in the scientific
community (including students)
<http://sites.nationalacademies.org/
PGA/biso/visas/PGA_048017>
Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing. This processing can take several weeks. Please follow any instructions provided by the Consular Officer at the time of your interview. If further information is needed, you will be contacted. If your visa application is approved, it will be processed and mailed/available within two business days. Under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, Immigrant Visas for "Diversity Visas" cannot be issued after September 30th of the year in which you were selected to apply for a Diversity Visa. For example, entrants into the Diversity Visa Program in Fall of 2011 were selected for Diversity Visa 2012 Program, and selectees MUST apply and receive their visa prior to September 30, 2012 otherwise they lose eligibility to receive a Diversity Immigrant Visa, regardless of additional administrative processing. In addition, please note that some immigrant visas may not be able to be issued if the...
what that sentences means ?
what that sentences means ?
Nothing yet! In shaa Allah very soon it'll b processed.
This firm belief of yours is also giving the rest of us high hopes. God bless you!!!
SusieQQQ
Well-Known Member
It means that if they haven't finished AP by 30 Sept 2012, tough luck, you don't get the DV visa.
But most the times they finish everything by September 30th. I have even see people getting their visas on the last week of September. In fact, one guy on this forum got his visa stamped on 30th September!!!
SusieQQQ
Well-Known Member
I wasn't making a prediction, I was answering the poster when he asked what that sentence meant.
Yes, I got your point. I was just sharing some piece of information. By the way, I think they also give priority to DV cases as far as finishing the AP is concerned. Other cases like family visas and employment visas can take very long, even upto a year. I think student cases and DV cases are handled comparatively quicker!!!!
gabam what's happening my friend? I can see and understand the wait is really getting to you. I will pray for your paperwork to go through.
Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Scheduled for the week of 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
Yes, my friend!!!! The wait is terrible, but let's hope for the best!!!!!!!!!!
Where does it say that this case is taking one year to complete its AP???????????????????? There is no mention of the interview date there!!!!!!!!!!!! It only says that this case had an update on 17th June, but we don't know anything about the interview date of this person!!!!!!!!! Case Creation date doesn't mean interview date, it means the date on which the person had applied for the DV-2013!!!!
No. Not for me
Hi Guys,
I'am a another AP , who have been waiting for almost 83 days now, my case also bit wired , they said and gave a visa collection letter for wife and the kids and mine will be on AP , but when we go to collect the visas , our name was not in the collection list with Security desk, and sent us back saying " wait for a call " , but till today no news , sent few mails as well same default response ...
CN : 2013AS00005***
1st NL Checked : 30th Oct 2012
Sent Forms to KCC : 1st Nov 2012 DHL
Forms Received : 3rd Nov 2012 (DHL Confirmed)
Medicals : 12 Feb
Interview : 28th March 2013 - Administrative Processing
visas : ??
Visas: What happens behind the scenes when you apply for a U.S. visa (such as B1/B2, J1, or H1B) stamp in a U.S. consulate?
I'm really curious to know what exactly happens when one applies for visa in a U.S. consulate (in Canada or India for example). Why some people have to go through additional administrative process, and why the process could take so long? Why do they repeat the administrative process again if you leave the country for even one day? Why no one cares about all the complaints of people who are stuck out of the country away from their loved ones? (Just search google for "221g administrative processing canada" for example!)
•
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By signing in, you indicate that you have read and agree to the Terms of Service.
Sign Up with Email
Why do I need to sign in?
Quora is a knowledge-sharing community that depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something.
2 Answers
Tobiloba Oni, A jukebox of questions.
14 votes by
Anonymous,
Shahid Hussain,
Oktie Hassanzadeh, (more)
Administrative processing, officially referred to as Security Advisory Opinion (SAO), could be a most frustrating process for US visa applicants. The Office of the Secretary of State for Visa Services maintains, though, that it is a necessary process for sifting out terrorists, spies, and unscrupulous people that illegally transfer sensitive ************. It also claims it only affects 2% of applicants, so if you're unlucky to be chosen, be prepared to wait 12-360 days for a response, which might be a revocation of your previously approved visa. Most times, though, you would be approved.
What they do during administrative processing is pretty much background checks. Based on your background, application data or, specifically, nationality, you will be assigned one or more categories or class:
Visas Mantis: (potential illegal transfer of sensitive technology)
Visas Bear (for foreign government officials, representatives to international organizations, and their families)
Visas Donkey (name hits, certain nationalities)
Visas Merlin (for refugees and asylees)
Visas Eagle (certain nationals of Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, Vietnam)
Visas Condor (certain nationalities e.g Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates,Yemen.)
Visas Hawk (for immigrant visas).
Visas Horse (diplomatic visa holders of certain nationalities)
Visas Pegasus (officials of Commonwealth of Independent States)
Afterward, your information is forwarded to the pertinent agencies for a very thorough check-- mostly FBI. Others could be CIA, DEA, U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, Interpol, and the Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
This is where the delay really occurs. If everything goes well, you can have your approved visa in as little as three weeks, but if there is a problem of any sort, a delay could be anything from 30days to 360days. The most painful part is that you dont know exactly how long it's going to take, and there are no step by step updates, so you are stuck in a timeless time of waiting. Here are some reasons for delay:
1. Errors in the visa submission : The US Embassy from the country you are applying might mistakenly submit your information in a wrong format (different from what the agencies want), so the agency returns the data to the embassy. This obviously prolongs the security check and approval process. This situation happens every now and then, but it seems that the various agencies are working to standardize the submission format, which would help reduce such mistakes.
2. False Hits(Especially for Visas Mantis and Visas Condor): If your name matches that of someone on the FBI's (or any other agency's) list, you will be subjected to more scrutiny till you are either cleared or marked as a concern to security. Imagine if you are from a country with many identical names, this process will take much longer for you, and this accounts for most of the average processing time differences across various countries.
3. Visa Burden: If you apply at a peak time, when a lot of people are seeking to travel, this process will obviously take much longer. The agencies do not have enough personnel to deal with the spike, so they just do the best they can. Sometimes there are even backlogs, and this is why some people dont get their visas for more than a year. More so, the agencies prioritize certain visa classes, therefore when there is an overload, certain requests are sidelined. For example, the FBI prioritizes Visas Condor and Visas Mantis.
4. Hits: If your name and information submitted by the Embassy matches the one in any agency's database, then you might want to forget about traveling any time soon because they will resort to fetching as much information as they possibly could. This would take a long time since they might have to request information from other non-related sources-- sometimes this could require judicial approval. In addition, some agencies are yet to centralize their information storage systems, which means that it could be necessary to request
paper files from branch offices. If you are considered a security threat, the agency will write a security advisory opinion on you and then send it back to the State for Visa Services, who then revokes your visa.
Below is an chart (from wikipedia) that shows how a Visa Mantis is processed:
The biggest problem of the waiting process is that you do not have any access to the nature of the delay. You could call the consular a million times, and they would say the same exact thing-- "your application is undergoing administrative processing..." While the reasons of establishing such procedure is understandable, it seems inhumane to put people in the prison of time just because they want to travel to the United States-- mostly to add to economic or/and intellectual growth of the nation. It is thus evident that the US government, especially in the context of this problem, is yet to realize the delicate balance between securing borders and opening doors.
Is the government aware of the pains this process causes to applicants (See https://openhomelandsecurity.ide... )? Apparently, they are aware, and they say they are working towards a faster and better system-- although they admit that it will always be thorough and thus protracted. But the good news is that there are signs of improvement. The agencies and State for Visa Services are working towards a more efficient partnership in order to streamline the process. The agencies are hiring more personnel and upgrading their technology tools to meet the demand for visa checks. Hopefully, things will get better in the coming years.
However, it is important for visa applicants to apply well ahead of their intended travel date if possible. This gives some cushion for the time required for the processing just in case such applicants are picked. And for those who are stuck in the timeless time of administrative processing, I encourage them to remain hopeful, and in unusually long cases, consult an attorney, contact a senator, or an organization such as the International Visa Office for individuals in the scientific community (including students) <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/biso/visas/PGA_048017>
Courtesy of http://www.quora.com/Visas/What-hap...h-as-B1-B2-J1-or-H1B-stamp-in-a-U-S-consulate
I'm really curious to know what exactly happens when one applies for visa in a U.S. consulate (in Canada or India for example). Why some people have to go through additional administrative process, and why the process could take so long? Why do they repeat the administrative process again if you leave the country for even one day? Why no one cares about all the complaints of people who are stuck out of the country away from their loved ones? (Just search google for "221g administrative processing canada" for example!)
•
Sign in to read all of Quora.
Sign In with GoogleSign In with Facebook
By signing in, you indicate that you have read and agree to the Terms of Service.
Sign Up with Email
Why do I need to sign in?
Quora is a knowledge-sharing community that depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something.
2 Answers
Tobiloba Oni, A jukebox of questions.
14 votes by
Anonymous,
Shahid Hussain,
Oktie Hassanzadeh, (more)
Administrative processing, officially referred to as Security Advisory Opinion (SAO), could be a most frustrating process for US visa applicants. The Office of the Secretary of State for Visa Services maintains, though, that it is a necessary process for sifting out terrorists, spies, and unscrupulous people that illegally transfer sensitive ************. It also claims it only affects 2% of applicants, so if you're unlucky to be chosen, be prepared to wait 12-360 days for a response, which might be a revocation of your previously approved visa. Most times, though, you would be approved.
What they do during administrative processing is pretty much background checks. Based on your background, application data or, specifically, nationality, you will be assigned one or more categories or class:
Visas Mantis: (potential illegal transfer of sensitive technology)
Visas Bear (for foreign government officials, representatives to international organizations, and their families)
Visas Donkey (name hits, certain nationalities)
Visas Merlin (for refugees and asylees)
Visas Eagle (certain nationals of Cuba, China, Russia, Iran, Vietnam)
Visas Condor (certain nationalities e.g Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates,Yemen.)
Visas Hawk (for immigrant visas).
Visas Horse (diplomatic visa holders of certain nationalities)
Visas Pegasus (officials of Commonwealth of Independent States)
Afterward, your information is forwarded to the pertinent agencies for a very thorough check-- mostly FBI. Others could be CIA, DEA, U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, Interpol, and the Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
This is where the delay really occurs. If everything goes well, you can have your approved visa in as little as three weeks, but if there is a problem of any sort, a delay could be anything from 30days to 360days. The most painful part is that you dont know exactly how long it's going to take, and there are no step by step updates, so you are stuck in a timeless time of waiting. Here are some reasons for delay:
1. Errors in the visa submission : The US Embassy from the country you are applying might mistakenly submit your information in a wrong format (different from what the agencies want), so the agency returns the data to the embassy. This obviously prolongs the security check and approval process. This situation happens every now and then, but it seems that the various agencies are working to standardize the submission format, which would help reduce such mistakes.
2. False Hits(Especially for Visas Mantis and Visas Condor): If your name matches that of someone on the FBI's (or any other agency's) list, you will be subjected to more scrutiny till you are either cleared or marked as a concern to security. Imagine if you are from a country with many identical names, this process will take much longer for you, and this accounts for most of the average processing time differences across various countries.
3. Visa Burden: If you apply at a peak time, when a lot of people are seeking to travel, this process will obviously take much longer. The agencies do not have enough personnel to deal with the spike, so they just do the best they can. Sometimes there are even backlogs, and this is why some people dont get their visas for more than a year. More so, the agencies prioritize certain visa classes, therefore when there is an overload, certain requests are sidelined. For example, the FBI prioritizes Visas Condor and Visas Mantis.
4. Hits: If your name and information submitted by the Embassy matches the one in any agency's database, then you might want to forget about traveling any time soon because they will resort to fetching as much information as they possibly could. This would take a long time since they might have to request information from other non-related sources-- sometimes this could require judicial approval. In addition, some agencies are yet to centralize their information storage systems, which means that it could be necessary to request
paper files from branch offices. If you are considered a security threat, the agency will write a security advisory opinion on you and then send it back to the State for Visa Services, who then revokes your visa.
Below is an chart (from wikipedia) that shows how a Visa Mantis is processed:
The biggest problem of the waiting process is that you do not have any access to the nature of the delay. You could call the consular a million times, and they would say the same exact thing-- "your application is undergoing administrative processing..." While the reasons of establishing such procedure is understandable, it seems inhumane to put people in the prison of time just because they want to travel to the United States-- mostly to add to economic or/and intellectual growth of the nation. It is thus evident that the US government, especially in the context of this problem, is yet to realize the delicate balance between securing borders and opening doors.
Is the government aware of the pains this process causes to applicants (See https://openhomelandsecurity.ide... )? Apparently, they are aware, and they say they are working towards a faster and better system-- although they admit that it will always be thorough and thus protracted. But the good news is that there are signs of improvement. The agencies and State for Visa Services are working towards a more efficient partnership in order to streamline the process. The agencies are hiring more personnel and upgrading their technology tools to meet the demand for visa checks. Hopefully, things will get better in the coming years.
However, it is important for visa applicants to apply well ahead of their intended travel date if possible. This gives some cushion for the time required for the processing just in case such applicants are picked. And for those who are stuck in the timeless time of administrative processing, I encourage them to remain hopeful, and in unusually long cases, consult an attorney, contact a senator, or an organization such as the International Visa Office for individuals in the scientific community (including students) <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/biso/visas/PGA_048017>
Courtesy of http://www.quora.com/Visas/What-hap...h-as-B1-B2-J1-or-H1B-stamp-in-a-U-S-consulate