Tracking your F-1 Visa Application Status and Passport Delivery

Learn about your visa application phases and how to track your passport delivery.

If you are a F-1 Visa applicant in India and have completed a successful interview (Consular Appointment) at a US Embassy or Consulate location or submitted your documents (Dropbox Appointment) at a Visa Application Center, here are different ways you can track the status of your visa application and your passport.

Visa Application Status

F-1 Visa seekers can check their visa application status online by visiting the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website. Select ‘Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV)’ from the drop down list as your visa application type, select your Consular Appointment (Visa Interview) location (or VAC location for Dropbox Appointment holders), and enter your DS-160 Application ID from your confirmation page. 

Note: If you received a slip from the US Consulate for ‘administrative processing’ or ‘221G’, please enter the Case Number instead of the DS-160 Application ID to check the status of your visa application.

Here are some possible statuses of your F-1 Visa application:

1. Application Receipt Pending
‘Application Receipt Pending’ implies that your visa application has not yet been entered into the Embassy or Consulate’s system. Your application will remain in this status until you either show up for the in-person visa interview or submit your documents.

2. Application Received
This status implies that your visa application is ready for your interview and biometrics, and that you need to submit your required documentation. For Dropbox Appointment holders, ‘Application Received’ indicates that the US Embassy or Consulate has received and is reviewing your application documents. 

3. Administrative Processing
‘Administrative Processing’ means your case is still undergoing processing with the US Embassy or Consulate, and no decision has been made on your visa application. If you were given specific instructions by your visa officer during your interview, or were asked to provide additional information / documentation, you must follow the instructions and provide the Embassy / Consulate with everything they have requested. 

4. Issued
If your visa application reads ‘Issued’, it implies that the Embassy or Consulate is done processing your visa application and has issued you a student visa. It can take anywhere between 2-14 days for you to receive your visa, and if you don’t receive your passport with your visa stamp within this time frame, you should contact the Embassy / Consular / VAC location where you originally submitted your application for more information.

5. Refused

Unfortunately, if your visa application status reads ‘Refused’, the Embassy or Consulate has finished processing your visa application and has refused to issue you a F-1 Visa. You must contact the US authority that reviewed your application to get further clarification on your visa refusal. 

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Live Webinar: F-1 Visa Document Checklist Review (India)

Applying for a F-1 Visa in India and not sure which documents to carry? Sign up today for our free live webinar where we’ll discuss the different types of visa application / academic / financial / university application / professional experience documents you need to gather and carry to your visa appointments! We’ll open the floor to a 30 minute Q&A session at the end.

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Passport Tracking Options

If you are applying for the F-1 Visa in India, have submitted your passport, and are waiting to receive it back, there are several ways you can track the location of your passport. 

Note: The US Embassy or Consulate locations cannot help you regarding the status of your passport location and you must avoid contacting them regarding the same.

You can use this link and enter the Passport Number printed on your passport ID page into the ‘Passport Number’ field to check the delivery status of your passport. You may also log into your CGI Federal account or email passportstatus@ustraveldocs.com to track your passport. If you choose to send an email, simply enter the valid Passport Number printed on your passport ID page in the subject line and body of the email, exactly the way your Passport Number was entered for your visa application and at the time of your visa appointment. Ensure to remove any email signature or other text from the body of the email, and you will receive an automatic response with the delivery status of your passport.

Note: After a decision has been made on your visa application, the status of your passport delivery will update to ‘Origination Scan’. This means that your passport has left the US Embassy or Consulate and is on its way to the delivery location that you have chosen; however, it is not yet available to be collected. Once your passport reaches your selected delivery location, your passport delivery status will update to ‘Ready for Pick Up’, and you will now be able to pick up your passport.

You must collect your passport within 14 calendar days from your selected location, or else your passport will be returned to the respective US Embassy / Consulate that processed your visa application. If you choose the Blue Dart courier location, ensure to pick up your passport within 7 business days.

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Frequently Asked F-1 Visa Interview Appointment Questions (India)

It’s important to be as prepared as you can. We’ve compiled some commonly asked questions during F-1 Visa interviews and provided tips for each question as well. Click on the button below to get your free copy of this quick guide to nail your F-1 Visa Consular Appointment in India.

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