F-1 Student Visa Approved, but Delayed!
It’s always helpful when some of our readers post their U.S. visa interview experiences here at HSB.
Here is the full version of one such comment posted by TSE at F-1 US Student Visa Interview . Thanks for sharing with us your interview experience in full detail.
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I was asked the same question on the 15th of July and I had gone all prepared for my interview.
My true reason for having chosen the University of Houston was that my sister was there. But since I was asked by one and all not to mention that as my reason, at that point, I did hesitate a little.
I told her that it was because of their research facilities and some of the professors have the same research interests as mine.
Now, this lead to the 2nd question which was, “What are your research interests?” and that was another thing that I was quite uncertain to answer.
This is because I had shifted from metallurgical engineering to software engineering during my professional life and then I wished to get back to materials engineering.
I somewhat faltered with my answers. However, I save myself by mentioning a few areas in engineering as my research interests.
At this point I noticed her writing my name on some green colored form. Along with that she started asking me other straightforward questions, such as “Who will be funding?”, “What does your father/sister do?”, “Where does your father/sister work?”, “How long has your father been with his company?”.
I was confident about the answers that I gave but the green-form was already on its way.
At the end of the interview, she asked me to wait explaining that some more information would be required for the processing of my visa.
I thanked her and waited ’till my name was called from the first counter that had verified my visa forms earlier.
Here, I was told that my ‘visa was APPROVED but is DELAYED’ and it can take a MAXIMUM period of 2 months for its processing.
The U.S. consulate needed more details regarding my research and work experience, my areas of interests, my past projects and publication details, and plans of research I wish to pursue in the U.S.
I submitted the documents via email on that very evening.
I was told that my classes will begin on the 24th of August and if I do not get my visa by the 21st of August, I would have to get my admission deferred.
At that point, I really have not a single clue as to how to expedite the process (as there is no option for that). The only thing that I can do is to check my visa’s status online as frequently as possible, hoping to see new updates.
I had inquired at the visa collection center the following day and one of the staff there had informed me that it can take a week or 15 days to complete, but the exact time cannot be said.
When I mentioned that I was told about the maximum period of 2 months, he negated that info. For student’s visa, he said that the processing tends to happen faster.
Things were really so uncertain right now for me and I feel more and more anxious as the days went by.
I just wished to share this experience with Happy Schools Blog so that other students can learn from it and avoid making the same mistakes I made.
If any of you had experienced some similar situations, kindly share with us how long had the visa processing taken in your case.
Related: What is 221g Administrative Processing?
Hi! I had an almost similar experience today at the VISA interview, hyderabad consulate. Like you, I m also heading to pursue MS in Materials Science at ASU. Please share how long it took for your VISA to be issued. Thanks
Education ;B.E. I.T
Work experience: 1yr 3 months
To pursue: MS in ITM at UTD
Hi HSB,
I appeared for an interview on 17 august 2012 at HYD consulate. This was my third attemp after my visa was denied twice at Mumbai consulate. This time I got a 221g administrative processing. My college was suppose to start on 27th August. My question is will my visa still get approved? In case it is approved, I have deferrred my admission to spring 2013 but haven’t received a new I-20 yet. What will be the next step in case my visa is appoved? Will this visa be still valid for spring or do I have to start all over again?
My case is the same as TSE case. Dear TSE did u get your visa finally?, or it remained pended?, if u get it , after how long did u get it?
tx
gene
Hello
I am Sumith from Bangladesh. Today I faced my visa interview. The VO asked me only one question “What is your undergrad institution?” I answered. Then he started doing something with his computer and talked with a woman behind him. After some time he handed me a white form which states that it is not possible to issue me visa now without doing further Administrative Processing. And they are doing this by the clause of 221(g).
My classes will start from August 22 at LSU. Can anyone shed some light on these matters , like what will they do next or what would be their steps? I have been offered assistant ship that covers my tuition and other expenses.
i have to apply for spring batch 2012 ……….next month 1sjulyt i havebeen xm gre
i got toefl score 100……in B>tech i have 5 backlogs………finally i will overcome those backlogs .kindle help me .here any proble occuring in visa interview time
specially in backlogs any problem will rised ….then what can i do for my self
Hi Respected,
On 23rd dec i'm going to face my third f1 visa interview.so please help me to face the interview cool and success.i hope this is the last chance to prove to my visa.its nearly i spend two years unnecessarily..
thanking you,
vijay.
First I got my visa rejected as i was not able to convince the counselor that i m just going to study. Next time I appeared on 22nd May 2009 for interview and became sucessful and i was asked to submit CV and original Sponsorship letter. As I mailed the CV and submitted original sponsorship letter through American Express. I was mailed by embassy to appear for interview and I appeared on 29th May 2009 and same officer inquired about original letter and I told that original letter has been submitted through American express and showed receipt of submission but he returned the passport. finally I appeared on 8th June 2009. As this time very young lady just inquired original sponsorship letter and I handed over and she told that now it was ok.
As sine passing 11 months I did not get my F-1 Studnet visa and whenever i inquired that they just mailed me " it is under administrative process" It is very long wait for student.
would you inform me why they delayed long as I have 7 international publications in MS and got an admission in PhD in Computer science.
They have also got verfied sponsorship letter January 2009 and stil no positive response.
I think I have chosen low rated university Northern Virgina might be reason of delay so long.
Please help me in this regard.
i got visa rejected once as i was not able to convince them that i m just going to study. my sponsor was my maternal uncle in u.s. and so they relected me. but now i have changed my sponsor its my father . but now they know the relation that my maternal uncle is in usa my interview is on 21 dec again so now will it create any problem for me
HELLO EVERYBODY
I am the victim of further administrative processing . when I get my interview done my CV and some certificates of training where taken by the lady who interview me. and she gave me a letter that my application is pendent for administrative process.
what is that going to be used for , are there any technical experts who can evaluate the CV for every field of study in Washington dc where the administrative process is done.
hello guys
I have done my interview and it was fine ,the man who interviewed me tells me that , my application need further administrative processing. I AM WORRIED that my program starts on august 24, 2009 and I have done my interview on July 31 . can i find my application processed before the start of the academic program . FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING IS GOING TO BE DONE IN WASHINGTON DC.
the man takes my CV and probably he is going to use it or summit it.
how long is going to take to be processed , is there any one who is victimized by firther administrative processing this month .
is there any means that they can expedite in Washington DC having considered the date on the I-20 . let me see your comment.
Hello,
I too had similar experience in so far as "Administrative process" wait was concerned. I attended my interview on 1st of June. Fortunately I had the full aid from the Grad school, so no questions on that, but sure I was asked to fill up some forms requiring details on Research interest and departmental references. The very pretty lady indicated that she was approving my VISA , but for the 30 to 60 days wait !
Well, to cut the long story short, I received the approval in 20 days, and the stamped VISA in another week. I believe they wanted hard copy confirmation from the University, as the VISA stamp included the date of confirmation from the University too.
So My guess would be that the One to Two months is the maximum time that would be required for the Documents to travel to the Dept of Inland Security, onward to the University and back.
So people, if you have your answers right, you need not worry. Yes, but please please do not tell lies, it can can be counter-productive
!!
this happened to me at my f1 visit. however it was due to some other stuff they needed to do. nothing with my answers.
i-20 date : aug 17
original interview : june 13
i made repeated calls to uscis washington to find out the status and it was always under processing.
even on the aug 9th it was under processing. on aug 10 consulate called said its done, come and get ur visa. on aug 11 i got the visa, and aug 14th i flew out.
Fanatic i just read your comment,
My F1 visa interview was on June 11th and my orientation for school in the US is August 19th. It is now Aug 7th and almost two months have gone by with my process having being suspended under administrative processing. Was ure process put under administrative processing?
How long do you think it will take for my problem to resolve. How often does it happen in the case of prospective students did they process the visa before the orientation date. I am a dual national, own a british and pakistani passport. I applied of the British Passport but the fact that I have a Pakistani passport caused the issues.
@HSB:
It is a pleasure to be even a minuscule part of this benevolent task that you have taken up to help thousands of aspirant students. Considering the immense guidance that Happy School's Blog has provided me from the very start (from my very GRE preparations till date), if sharing my experience can contribute even a little to it's vast knowledge base, it is the least that I could do to express my gratitude to you.
Thanks a ton.
Warm Regards,
Tanushree