In a peculiar case of prolonged administrative processing, a Delhi-based man has been waiting for over a year to get his passport back from the US Embassy after his B1/B2 visa was verbally approved during a consular interview. The delay has not only derailed his travel plans but also left him without a passport, restricting all international travel.
The incident came to light after his family member shared the ordeal in an online forum: “We applied for my sister and brother-in-law’s B1/B2 visas in 2024. Both were interviewed at the US Embassy in New Delhi in May that year. The officer said their visas were approved. While my sister got her passport back within three weeks, my brother-in-law’s passport is still with the embassy. It’s been a year.”
Despite multiple attempts to seek clarity, the responses from the embassy have remained vague. “Every time he raises a ticket, the reply is the same: it’s under administrative processing. No timeline. No explanation,” the family member wrote.
Administrative processing is a standard term used by US consulates when an application requires further review, often involving security clearances or background checks. While most cases resolve within 60 days, a wait of over a year is rare and concerning.
The delay has had tangible consequences. Without his passport, the man cannot travel internationally—even for personal or professional emergencies. This is not an isolated case. Several others have reported similar experiences on Reddit.
“Better call Trump!”
A user stated, ” Some say this is divine intervention. For the US.” Another claimed, “Better call Trump!.” “Thank god I insisted to have mine back. They slapped me with a 214 b notice after that but I got it back. This is outrageous for a tourist visa,” noted a user. “If that’s the case for one year, then it’s risky but try withdrawing your passport by mentioning travel plans to other country upload tickets In real do go there for formality, and ask them to continue there after because one of frnd had this issue he had business trip to attend but after coming he handed the passport to continue processing he got it in a week,” claimed another. “Write to the Counselor and/or US ambassador. I suspect they have lost the passport,” advised a user.