Visa Delays & Denials

Visa processing times can vary widely. Some visa applicants may be subject to additional security checks and visa application processing delays before the visa is issued. Consular officers routinely refer to it simply as "administrative processing." Read more about administrative processing and visa wait times.

Most delays are resolved within 30-60 days. The Department of State has stated that requests to expedite processing will not be considered. Each consulate has its own process for handling inquiries. Visa applicants should refer to the written notice provided by the US consulate for information about the inquiry process.

What To Do

There's not much anyone can do to expedite the process. If a student or scholar's field of study or work involves sensitive technologies, before they apply for a visa, they should obtain a letter from their department about the research in layman's terms. If the research has a public benefit, an explanation should be included in the letter. A letter from the student's academic department or the scholar's supervisor may help the US consulate to make an informed decision about the program in the US. 

Students or scholars waiting more than 30 days for a visa decision, should contact their ISSS advisor for further guidance.

Reason for denial

If a visa application is denied, the applicant will receive a form that identifies the reason for the denial. Emory students and scholars who receive a visa denial letter should contact their ISSS advisor right away. 

The most common reason is failure to convince the consular officer that they will return to their home country after their time in the United States.

Before reapplying for the non-immigrant visa, students and scholars should consider these questions:

• How did the applicant explain their overall plan for their education?
• What questions did the consular officer ask?
• Did the consular officer overlook something?
• Is there additional information the applicant can present to establish their intent to leave the US?

Re-applying for a visa

Consular officers often look for information that is materially different from what was posed in the previous application. Material changes include:

• New financial information
• A new family situation
• A new proposed area of study