Travels

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A VISA?

The length of time it takes to obtain a visa depends on a few factors. The type of visa in question is the first consideration, and whether it is an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa is the second. Every application must, in general, be reviewed, authorized, and the applicant must be questioned. While it’s true that waiting times vary even for the same type of visa, if you have the chance, you can speed up your visa application procedure by utilizing premium services.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Visa USA

How long it takes to get a US visa depends on what kind of visa you want. Generally, a US visa
application takes between 3 and 5 weeks to be processed. After the application has been
processed, the applicant can get a positive answer, and the document will be sent to them by
the consulate. The consulate’s delivery time takes about two working days. This simply means
the total time it takes to get your visa in the USA is about 5-7 days.
USA Visa Types And How Long It Takes To Get Them

The following are the types of visas in the United States and how long it takes to process them;

#1. E-1

Processing Time| 2 to 4 weeks

The time it takes to get an E-1 visa depends on how busy the US Embassy or USCIS is. But, it
takes a short period of about 2-4 weeks to know whether your application was approved or
denied.

#2. E-2

Processing Time| 2 to 6 weeks

Processing time depends on how busy the US Embassy is, so if you don’t hear back within
those times, just chill. There’s no need to fret over it.

#3. E-3

Processing Time| 14 days

Even though the expected length of time it takes for this visa to be ready is just about 2 weeks,
sometimes it takes more time. The time it takes to process could be longer if the Embassy has a
lot more work to do.

#4. F-1

Processing Time|As soon as the interview was over

Generally, when going for an F-1 visa interview, your heart expects the result immediately after
the interview. F-1 visa takes much less time to process than other visas. This type is
actually taken care of before your interview. The interview is the last thing the US Embassy will
do to decide whether or not to give you an F-1 visa. There are also rare longer than expected.

#5. F-2

Processing Time|Few days to 2 weeks

The F-2 visa is very much like the F-1 visa. Your interviewer might tell you right away if you got
the visa or not immediately after your interview. But it’s more likely that you’ll have to wait a few
days or weeks.

#6. J-1

Processing Time|1-4 months

The approval for the J-1 visa will be done by the Waiver Review Division and USCIS. Although the
waiver review division will give its recommendation, the final verdict lies with the USCIS.

#7. Q-1

Processing Time|15 days to 3 months

If you meet the requirements and your own is approved, you’ll be informed between 15 days to
three months.

#8. M-1

Processing Time| Within 4 weeks

The M-1 visa takes very little time to process. There are times when you hear back right away
after your visa interview, and the interviewer either congratulates you or tells you why your visa
the application was turned down.

#9. B-1

Processing Time|From a few weeks to 2 months
There are no exact times for getting a B-1 visa. This depends on how busy the US Embassy is
and other things they have to think about.

#10. B-2

Processing Time|From a few weeks to two months
Different countries take different amounts of time to process B-2 tourist visas and US visitor
visas.

#11. H-1B

Processing Time| 3-6 months
The time frame for this particular one differs from state to state. Your country’s embassy may be
the only one to answer your question.

#12. H-1B1

Processing Time|4–6 months.
The time it takes also changes with the seasons, so you should call the US Embassy where you
applied for more accurate information.

#13. H-2A

Processing Time| Varies
The processing times for H-2A visas can be different depending on the time of year. But it is
advised that US employers file USCIS petitions at least 60 days and not more than 120 days
before they need the foreign workers. This is generally to hasten the process.

#14. H-3

Processing Time|4 to 6 weeks
If this will be ready within the above timeframe, you’ll have to ensure the institution pleads
on your behalf six months before the program starts. Once they do that, get your documents
ready even before applying.

#15. H-4

Processing Time|Varies
There is no specified period for this, it’s totally up to the embassy.

#16. L-1

Processing Time |3–4 months
L-1 visa is particularly for groups. This is because individual petitions take longer to process
than group petitions. But if you’re an employer, you have the option of paying extra money for
“premium processing,” which speeds up the L-1 visa processing time and gets you a response
in 1 to 3 weeks.

#17. L-2

Processing time|15 days to 30 days
It could take longer, depending on how busy the embassy is and other things.

#18. K-1

Processing time| Few month intervals
The duration varies and also depends on the embassy.

#19. R-1

Processing time|8–9 months.
Getting the R-1 visa approved takes some time, but you can hasten the entire process with
premium processing. However, it’s on the condition that USCIS visits the organization in
question. If they do, you can hasten things up with just about $1,225. If you don’t have premium
processing, it could take another 2 to 3 months for the visa to be processed after USCIS
approves the petition.

#20. P-1

Processing Time| 3–6 months.
P-1 visas take time, but like R-1, you can hasten the process at an extra cost. However,
you’ll get back your money if the US institutions don’t tell you the status of your visa within 15
days.

#21. I

Processing Time|10 days
I-visa processing time varies and depends on the embassy.

#22. O

Processing Time| 2–3 months
There is a way to speed up the process if you don’t want to wait this long to hear back. Premium
processing can be added to O visas for an extra $1,225. If you pay extra for premium
processing, your visa will be processed in 15 days, and you will know the answer much sooner.

#23. C

Processing Time|5 working days
C-visas take a very short period to process.

#24. T

Processing Time| Not specified
It’s quite unfortunate, but the USCIS does not tell visa applicants how long they will have to wait
for their application to be processed or how long they should expect to wait. This means that the
processing time is different for each person and depends on the proof they provide.

#25. U

Processing Time| 12 -18 months
Processing the U-visa takes a long time. The processing times can be very different, though,
and this depends on whether the embassy in question requested USCIS.

Tips on How to Get a Visa

The following are proven tips on how to get yours on time;

#1. Start In Time

First, start your application process on time. No one wants their visa application denied. Let’s
face it; sometimes it happens. Imagine if you’re going for something as serious as a scholarship
and waiting for the time to draw near before applying for your visa. What happens if you are
denied the visa? You may likely lose the scholarship if there isn’t enough time to apply for
another one. So, as much as possible, start your visa application early.

#2. Get Your Document Ready

Your passport and other relevant documents must be ready for submission. So, get these ready
as soon as possible.

#3. Ask Questions

If it means asking other people questions about how they followed through till they received their
visa, please do. Also, the internet for relevant information. Thanks to technology, many
businesses currently have a knowledge management system to keep tabs on their metadata.
This simply means you’ll always find an answer to most questions across the internet if you
know how to structure the questions. Finally, if you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid
to ask. If you think you need one, talk to an immigration lawyer.

#4. Attend Interview

You already know you’ll schedule an interview date immediately after completing your
application. Go through the date and bookmark it. If it isn’t convenient for you, go ahead and
change it to a new date. However, remember that your visa application becomes void if you
change the date more than twice. You already know you’ll schedule an interview date
immediately after completing your application. Go through the date and bookmark it. If it isn’t
convenient for you, go ahead and change it to a new date. However, remember that your visa
application becomes void if you change the date more than twice.

Get to your interview at least 15 minutes early to allow time for security checks, and make sure
you have all of your documents ready. If you can, do the interview in English, and dress like
you’re going to a job interview.

How Can I Get a US Visa?

Knowing what is required of you will make the process of applying for and receiving a visa in the United States less difficult. Anyone seeking a visa must go through a number of procedures. If you omit any of these processes, your visa application could be rejected. You don’t want it to happen, I’m sure of it. For instance, unless it’s through the Visa Waiver program, applying for a USA visa without going through the consular process is a complete waste of time. You can obtain the criteria at the embassy, depending on where in the USA you wish to travel.

Step-by-Step Guide on USA Visa Application

  1. Create an online profile on the website of the visa information service CGI Federal Inc.
  2. Fill out and send the online form for DS-160, along with your digital passport photo.
  3. Pay your administration fee. This is a compulsory payment that must be made before your
    visa application is processed. However, it’s not refundable, and this means that should your visa
    application fall through, you’ll not be getting back the money.
  4. Immediately after setting up your online profile, you can set up an interview through your
    online visa profile or by calling the U.S. consulate in your home country. When you make an
    appointment online, you can see what dates are available in your city and choose one. You will
    receive a confirmation of your appointment and a confirmation that your visa application fee has
    been paid.
  5. If you’re okay with the date, you can choose a more convenient day, but should you change the
    date more than twice, you’ll begin the process from the beginning.

What Happened to My Passport, When I Applied for a Visa?

During the whole time it takes to get a visa, the applicant’s passport will stay at the US embassy
or consulate where he or she applied. It’s also very important to note that you wouldn’t be
getting this yourself, the consulate does deliver the visa using a courier service.
However, you can track your application’s progress using a tracking number. Every
applicant receives an email with a tracking number immediately after applying for a visa.

Conclusion

The exact time it takes to get a US visa depends on the type of visa you’re applying for.
However, ensure you do a background check on the visa in question to see if you can hasten
the process through premium processing. For more Information Join Us on Twitter

Related Articles

About the author

emeliebuka

Leave a Comment