
Whereas, countries under the visa waiver program, applying through Electronic TravelĪuthorization System for short term visits, can get a reply in their ESTA application within 72 Keep in might that they will have to wait for 6 to 8 months from the date of their interview to In some certain cases, the processing might take more than 6 months.Īpplicants who are required to apply for a waiver of ineligibility in order to get the visa, should Pending additional processing, can take around 60 days from the date of the visa interview toīe processed. The delivery of the visa can take up to two other workdays.Īpplications refused under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) After the processing, theĪpplicant can get a positive reply on their application, and the consulate will deliver theĭocument. It takesįrom 3 to 5 weeks for a US visa application to get processed. The US visa processing time depends on the type of visa that you are applying for. May take months for another to get a response for the same visa, because of his / her It can take a few weeks for an applicant that applies for i.e. The US government considers each applicant on a case-by-case basis, in the order that theyĪre received. It is not easy to give a definitive answer to how long an application takes to get reviewed, since While the temporary nonimmigrant visas might take you up to a few weeks, or monthsĪt most, the immigrant visas can take years to get approved. The processing time for a US visa application depends a lot on the type of visa you are trying

US Visa Processing Times for Different Visa Types.How Long Does it Take to Get a US Visa?.Contact Ibrahim Law Office for an immigration consultation today. We report changes and updates that impact our clients. Ibrahim Law Office continues to monitor the status of USCIS’s policies.
#U visa processing time update
The agency will periodically update and review background checks to determine whether BFD recipients may keep their work permits and deferred action. The policy also modifies eligibility as determined by marital status it will evaluate whether a marriage existed at the time the principal application was favorably adjudicated, rather than when the application was filed. These individuals may also apply for a four-year work permit. Principal applicants and their qualifying family members on the waitlist receive deferred action. USCIS’s new policy states that those who do not receive work permits and deferred action under the new procedures will have their cases continue on the traditional route - if their cases are approved, they’ll be placed on a waitlist. Under the new policy, petitioners and families of petitioners with pending U visa applications can receive a work permit valid for four years without the extensive wait time. It allows USCIS to issue benefits to cases on extensive waitlists determined to be “bona fide” - made in good faith and without intent of deceit or fraud. This month’s update to the policy implements a new procedure, Bona Fide Determination (BFD), which quickens the process by which U visa petitioners receive work permits and deferred action. Official USCIS statistics show that 161,708 U visa applications are pending with the agency as of November 2020.

High volumes of applications have led U visa petitioners to wait approximately five years before receiving the determination needed to be granted work permits or deferred action.

The U nonimmigrant visa, commonly referred to as a U visa or victim visa, offers temporary immigration benefits to victims of certain crimes who “are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the prosecution or investigation of criminal activity.” U visa applicants must obtain a signed “certification” from the law enforcement agency in charge of the investigation proving they were helpful and cooperative before submitting their case to USCIS. The new Bona Fide Determination procedure outlined in a June USCIS policy update aims to abate the consequences of those wait times. While the U visa is a potential pathway to permanent residency, unprecedented wait times over the last few years have hindered the application process.
#U visa processing time manual
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its Policy Manual to allow for certain U nonimmigrant visa applicants the chance to obtain an employment authorization document, or “work permit.”
