How long does Administrative Processing of visa take?

[JenDave3121 30]

Our case status was updated to Admin Processing on Dec 19th and still hasnt been touched or reported as issued!! Is this normal? I know they claim it can take several weeks but what is the longest you guys have heard of.... I am freaking out that something has happened and is delaying our visa.....any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Our case status was updated to Admin Processing on Dec 19th and still hasnt been touched or reported as issued!! Is this normal? I know they claim it can take several weeks but what is the longest you guys have heard of.... I am freaking out that something has happened and is delaying our visa.....any advice would be greatly appreciated!

There is administrative processing that is general paper shuffling prior to the printing of the visa that can be a few hours (on the status thing) to a week. Most often lately it has been 2-3 days and don't count the weekend.

Then there is the AP where extra security checks are done. That is most often for those not born In the UK , especially those from middle eastern areas, or with Muslim ties. That can be 4 weeks, 8 weeks...10 months. I know quite a few that had that. I can only think of one British born, white, female who got stuck in that kind of AP for many months. They never tell you why. I think that was the member name Tree-Hugger or Tree_Hugger. (Forgot the exact way their member name was written. )

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Not wanting to scare you, but AP can last anything from a week to several years.

Do you know why you are in AP? The long ones are usually because of security concerns(say, the beneficiary is a young muslim man with ties to Iran etc).

[JenDave3121 30]

My fiance is English with a typical English name and we went from approved to NonImmigrant Ready to AP on Dec 19th.....guess I was just thinking Issued would come Monday or today but status still says AP and it is 2pm in UK.....hopefully is just slow with holidays and employees taking vacation time????

There is administrative processing that is general paper shuffling prior to the printing of the visa that can be a few hours (on the status thing) to a week. Most often lately it has been 2-3 days and don't count the weekend.

Then there is the AP where extra security checks are done. That is most often for those not born In the UK , especially those from middle eastern areas, or with Muslim ties. That can be 4 weeks, 8 weeks...10 months. I know quite a few that had that. I can only think of one British born, white, female who got stuck in that kind of AP for many months. They never tell you why. I think that was the member name Tree-Hugger or Tree_Hugger. (Forgot the exact way their member name was written. )

How do you know what type of AP you are in? I thought we were just in the normal Admin processing that everyone reports as they check their CEAC status.....

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Chances are it is just normal paperwork, and with the holidays, I wouldn't expect anything till next week.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

How do you know what type of AP you are in? I thought we were just in the normal Admin processing that everyone reports as they check their CEAC status.....

You don't know what type. If it goes three weeks, then you can begin to worry it's the security checks. You asked how long, so the answer is 2 hours to a year in rare cases. No specific time.

And yes, it is the holidays when people take vacation and leave town, even those that have jobs in the embassy. I remember working between Christmas and New Years and being the only one in our building, with 20+ phone lines rolled to my phone. Slower response is to be expected this week.

[JenDave3121 30]

Okay I will try not to worry too much! My fiance did have a SAR for fight at a pub 15 years ago so I just hope that isnt going to cause problems!

[JenDave3121 30]

Thank God....it was issued today!!!!!!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thank God....it was issued today!!!!!!!!

I figured it would be today or tomorrow.