# What does “Administrative Processing” mean in Immigration?

- Link: https://www.lumlawgroup.com/what-does-administrative-processing-mean-in-immigration/
- Published: 2019-07-05T10:12:43-07:00
- Author: Albert J Lum

When applying for a visa to the United States, many applicants worry about their“
administrative processing” status.  Some think this means they are doomed for denial.
Others are just confused as to why there is a delay.  In this article, we will briefly
explain what administrative processing means in U.S. visa processing.

### Background Check

The reason behind the status, “administrative processing”, is that your case needs
to be forwarded to Washington D.C. for a background check.  Sometimes, the consular
office will require a background check to process your visa. This is an extra step
in the visa application process caused by either a database match or a trigger in
your application or interview.

### Database Match

The U.S. government keeps records of each visa applicant, and foreign visitor.  
When you have a name, fingerprint, or date of birth that is similar to another individual
on the “black list”, you will be further investigated.  This is also true if you
have had any issues in the past, such as visa overstays, visa denials, or criminal
arrests and convictions.  Sometimes your case requires further inspection because
of the answers you put on your [Form DS-160](https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/), but
the reasons are endless.  It’s hard to say exactly what triggered the database match.

### Processing Time

How long it takes to process your security clearance depends on the consular office
you attended.  Some offices have processing times of 60 days, and others require
more time. You can contact your local consular office (start by checking their website)
for their administrative processing time.

Remember, the processing time for administrative review is outside the processing
time of your visa. This means it is an additional time that is added on to the normal
visa processing time.  There is also **no way to expedite the process** of administrative
review.

To prevent further delays, comply with any document requests from the consular office
as soon as possible. Remember, the time it takes for you to gather your information
is outside the processing time.

If the processing time for your local office has passed, you can [contact your attorney](https://lumlawgroup.com/Staging/contact-us/)
to see about inquiring on the status of your case with the consulate.

### Processing Results

Does getting a notice for administrative processing mean your visa will be denied?
No, it does not.  It’s one thing to know you have issues in your history that warrant
a denial. It is another, to assume you will be denied for no reason. Overall, it
is not productive to think of the administrative processing status as an instant
denial.

Since a database hit is usually the case of administrative processing, there is 
no formal way to challenge a denial.  Even if the consular office  started the process
because he or she required additional information to make a decision, it is still
near impossible to appeal that decision.

If your visa has been denied after administrative review and you would like to [speak to an attorney about your options, contact us directly](https://lumlawgroup.com/Staging/contact-us/consultation/).
We will review such cases on a case-by-case basis.

Unfortunately, you cannot determine whether your case will be forwarded for administrative
review prior to applying.  If you have further questions, you can [contact our office](https://lumlawgroup.com/Staging/contact-us/)
to speak to an experienced immigration professional!