How to Check USA Visa Status? A Quick Guide

If you wish to study abroad, two primary things are must-haves. It constitutes your passport which allows you to travel overseas, and your visa, which offers you entry into the country. 

Even post approval of your visa, curiosity can creep in. So, how can one check this? How to check your USA Visa status? How must you check your visa status if your passport is returned due to administrative processing? Read on to know more. 

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Steps to Check for US Visa Status

There are multiple answers to the question,’ How to track US Visa status?’. Some of them are as follows:

How to Track a US Visas Passport using a Passport Number?

Here are the steps you can use to track your US visa status using a passport number:

1. Find the official website for visa application for the United States of America {US Dept. of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website}. 
2. On the homepage, you will find an option called ‘Check my application status.’
3. Click on this option, and then choose the type of visa application you want to check the status for. (Immigrant or Non-immigrant visa)
4. Enter valid acknowledgment/passport number and DOB (Date of birth)
5. Enter the required captcha mentioned in the above box and click on proceed. 

How to Check the Visa Status in the US with the Case Number?

Here are the steps you can employ to track the status of your US visa application using your case number:

1. Find the official visa application website for the United States of America (US Dept. of State’s Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website). 
2. On the homepage, you will find an option called ‘Check my application status.’
3. Click on this option, and then choose the type of visa application you want to check the status for. (Immigrant or Non-immigrant visa)
4. Once you proceed, you will have to fill in the following details:

• Location: The location of your US visa interview. 
• Application ID: ID mentioned on your US visa appointment confirmation letter.
• Case number: The number provided by the consulate for administrative processing. This will be given to you in the form of a slip. 
• Captcha code: Enter the captcha mentioned in the above captcha box to avoid spam. 
• Once you enter all the above-mentioned details, you can access your Visa application status.

Tips to Check US Visa Status Online (Nonimmigrant Visa)

The US offers different types of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. You can easily check the status of your non-immigrant US Visa. All you have to do is visit the official website of the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), Bureau of Consular Affairs, US Department of State at https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx

To check the status of your US visa online (non-immigrant visa), you need the following details:

• DS-160 barcode number
• Interview location

Your Visa can be refused or kept pending either under section 214(b) of the INA Act of the United States or through administrative processing.

How to Check US Visa Status Online (Immigrant Visa)

Step 1: To check the status of your US visa online (immigrant visa), you have to log on to the official website of the Consular Electronic Application Center of the US Department of State.

Step 2: To know the status of your US visa online (immigrant visa), you need your Immigrant Visa Case Number as in MTL1999636035 (example).

Why has Your US Visa Application Been Rejected?

While applying for a USA visa, remember that thousands of people are applying for the same visa on the same day. In this case, a minor blunder might translate to a roadblock in the approval process. To give you a better idea, here is a compilation of the top reasons for USA visa application rejection:

• The application doesn’t comply with the visa regulations. 
• Documents aren’t authentic.
• Documents are in the regional language. 
• An insufficient explanation was provided for the visit to the USA. 
• Inadequate links to your homeland. 
• Ineligible sponsor. 
• Quite a few discrepancies in your travel documents. 
• Application delay. 
• Insufficient funds. 
• Weak or incomplete schedule. 

Internships USA (J-1 visa)

The US Department of State manages various exchange programmes under the J-1 visa. With a J-1 visa, young professionals and students can temporarily live in the USA and complete internships. Internships are not the same as starting a job; rather, they are viewed as opportunities for a cultural and practice exchange and for the intern to gain experience with various business procedures. Interns and trainees are under no circumstances permitted to work as laborers or to obtain part-time or full-time employment as Americans. The J-1 visa even includes some research initiatives. A J-1 visa is typically granted for 12 to 18 months. Even exchange program participants are generally given an extra 30 days to acclimate to living in the United States.

What is an M1 Visa?

An M1 visa is a non-immigrant visa for vocational or nonacademic studies. The visa is issued by the US Department of State after you have been accepted to study at a post-secondary vocational school, community or junior college, or post-secondary business school, with at least 12 semester or quarter hours.

What is an F-1 Visa?

The US also grants nonimmigrant  F-1 visas to people who want to enroll in full-time educational programs there. Therefore, individuals who intend to enroll in a university, seminary, language program, private elementary school, or any other academic institution in the US are those who apply for an F-1 visa. To be granted an F-1 US student visa, applicants must satisfy eligibility conditions and English language standards.