US visa passport tracking: If your US visa has been approved, the interviewing officer will send the passport and documents for further processing and you will be informed how and when your visa and passport will be returned to you. You can collect your passport and visa from the pickup location which you selected when scheduling your interview appointment. Here is everything you need to know about US visa/ passport tracking and passport delivery options.
Also Read: How to check your USCIS Case Status Online?
How to get your passport back after visa approval
When you book a visa interview appointment, you can see a list of 33 passport/ visa pickup locations. You can select a convenient location for you. Once your visa is approved, Blue Dart will deliver the passport and visa to the address you specified when listing the courier service. You don’t have to pay any extra delivery charges as the service charges are already included in your visa application fee.
When your passport is ready for pick-up, you will receive confirmation through an email or SMS. If you have opted for one of the 22 Blue Dart Courier service locations, the passport will be delivered within 7 days; or if you have chosen to collect the passport from one of the 11 service centers, you have to pick up the passport within 14 days. If the passport is not collected within 14 calendar days from the selected location, the passport will be sent back to the respective Embassy or Consulate and you can pick it from there.
Note: Passports will not be delivered across the counters at the US Embassy or Consulate.
Also read: How will the new H-1B Visa Rules affect Indians?
When will I get my passport after the visa interview?
It is not safe to tell the definite turnaround time. When you will get your passport back after the visa interview depends on various factors such as workload, holidays, etc. It takes around 2-3 calendar days after the interview to get the passport and visa delivered.
US Visa Passport Tracking
Here are the steps for a US visa and passport tracking after the interview.
- CEAC visa status check
- Passport tracking
CEAC Visa Status Check to track US visa application
The US CEAC website allows US visa applicants to create DS-160, DS-260 visa applications and check the US visa stamping status online. You can use the CEAC portal to check the status of both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas.
How to check US visa status online
You can use the CEAC Visa Status Check tool to track the status of any of the nonimmigrant or immigrant US visa application online. Here are the steps to check US nonimmigrant/ immigrant visa status online:
Step 1: Log in to CEAC Visa Status Check portal to know the current status of your visa application.
Step 2: Select Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) or Immigrant Visa (IV) in the ‘Visa Application Type’ section.
Step 3: Select the location where you went for a US visa interview.
Step 4: Now type the Application ID or Case Number.
- Application ID: Also known as CEAC barcode, it can be found on the DS-160 confirmation page, starting with AA followed by 8 digits.
- Case Number: Case number is given by the consulate on a slip to a visa applicant, basically for administrative processing or 221g. Type it correctly with space, else you will get an error – “Your search did not return any data”.
Step 5: Enter the captcha code that is shown in the image.
Once you successfully insert the required details, your visa status will be displayed on the screen. The output will be one of the following:
US Visa Application Status
| Status | Message Displayed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Issued | Your visa stamping is already completed and awaiting final approval. If you don’t receive it in a week to 10 days, you can contact the Embassy or Consulate where you submitted your application. | The visa has been issued |
| Application receipt pending | Your visa application has not yet been processed into the visa system. At some embassies, the application will remain in this status until you show up in the interview or your application is ready for review. | – The application information yet to be entered into the embassy system. – Status of the application will be pending until the applicant shows up in the interview. – For mail-in cases, this means the Embassy has not received the application. |
| Application received | Your visa application is ready for your interview, biometrics, and you need to submit required documents. | – Includes cases that are pending for additional documents. – For mail-in cases: The embassy or consulate has received the visa application and is under review. – Cases pending for additional documents are also included here. |
| Administrative processing | More information and checks are required in your case. It can take another 60 days to process the application after the visa interview. In case of additional documentation or another interview, authorities will get in touch with you. | This status includes: – The visa has been approved but not yet stamped. – Pending for additional documents/ information |
| Refused | This indicates your application has been refused. For further clarification on the same, you can contact the US authority that handled the interview process. | This includes cases that are: – Pending for additional information/ documents – Cases with a waiver request pending. – Denied under Section 214(b) of the INA. |
Note:
- In case of additional documents, authorities may contact you via email or phone. Keep checking your inbox regularly.
- Due to a variety of factors, the US Embassy or Consulate can’t guarantee the issue of a US visa before a fixed date. Hence, it is advised not to buy tickets or make final travel plans until your visa is granted.
Passport Tracking Options
There are several options available to track the location of your passport. If the status of your passport shows ‘Origination Scan’, it means your passport has been dispatched from the Embassy or Consulate and is on its way to the delivery location selected by you. However, you can’t collect it. When the status shows ‘Ready for Pick Up’, it means you can collect the passport from the delivery location you have chosen.
Remember the Embassy or the Consulate can’t help you find the status of your passport delivery. Please don’t contact the Embassy for the same.
Passport tracking options are as under:
Instant: Enter your passport number in the ‘Passport Number’ box and click on ‘Track My Passport’ to check the status of your passport instantly.
Email: You can write an email to [email protected]. Write the valid passport number in the subject and/or body the same as it was mentioned at the time the appointment was scheduled. No need to mention any additional text such as a signature. You will receive an auto-reply with the status.
Online: Click here to track your passport online.
Telephone: Stanley has set up a multi-language call center to handle all telephone and email queries. In India, you can call on 91-120 660-2222 or 91-22 6720-9400 from:
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 8: 00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
In US call: 1-310-616-5424
Also Read: How to check Passport Status in India
Documents Required to Pick up the Documents
In person: To collect the passport yourself, carry a government-issued photo ID, its photocopy, and a printed copy of your appointment letter.
Pickup by a Representative: You can ask a family member or friend to collect the documents. He/she needs to carry their own government-issued photo ID and photocopy of your photo ID.
They will also need to show a letter of authority signed by you authorizing them to pick up your passport. The authority letter should contain your name, representative’s full name same as on their government issued ID.
Group/ Family: Only one letter of authorization is enough if the representative represents a group/family. The authorization letter should contain the representative’s name and the names of the family members who are applicants. A photocopy of the government issued ID of the person who wrote the letter of authority is also needed.
If the applicant is less than 16-year old, then a letter of authority signed by any of the parents is required. And the applicant needs to carry a copy of the government issued photo ID of the parent and his own photo ID.
Note: The photocopies should be clear and the writing should be legible.
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FAQs
Stanley handles all passport-related tasks. You can get in touch with them and ask about the status of your passport.
– Phone numbers: +91-120-6602222 or +91-22-67209400; from US: 1-310-616-5424
– Email ID: [email protected]
For correction in the visa, you should contact the embassy or consulate in which your interview was held. You can also mail [email protected] and explain the errors. They will give instructions on how to submit your passport.
You need to apply for a new visa if the visa is damaged.
You can log in to the CEAC system portal to check the status of a US visa application. You can also contact the NVC via phone. Keep your personal details and barcode handy for visa status updates.
Ready indicates that your application has gone through the initial screening and your case is ready for an interview.
Return to NVC means your application has been sent back to the National Visa Center due to a problem at the time of visa application processing. You need to get in touch with the NVC to know further actions.
There isn’t any certain fixed time frame for visa application processing and it largely depends on the US visa type you are applying for and the volume of applications.
