How to Track Your Visa Application Progress

Obtaining a visa is usually one of the most stressful parts of organizing international travel, be it for work, school, holiday, or immigration. Aside from paperwork, interviews, and documentation, the most anxiety-provoking aspect may well be waiting to learn whether your visa was granted. No wonder, applicants would like to know their visa status, particularly if travel dates are imminent or plans hinge on expedited processing.

The good news is that most countries now offer clear ways to track your visa application progress. With digital technology being integrated into immigration systems, applicants no longer need to make repeated phone calls or visits to embassies. Still, navigating these systems can be confusing if you’ve never done it before. This guide walks you through the key steps and options for tracking your visa application — so you can stay informed, reduce stress, and be prepared.

1. Familiarizing Yourself with the Visa Process First

It’s helpful to know the general stages of the visa application process prior to diving into tracking. Although steps vary by country and visa type, most visa applications roughly follow the same procedure:

• Application Submission: You present your completed application on the internet or at a visa application center.
• Verification of Documents: The corresponding authorities verify accuracy and completeness of your documents.
• Biometric Appointment (as needed): Most countries ask you to give fingerprints and a photo for the purposes of biometric data collection.
• Interview (if needed): Certain visas demand a face-to-face interview at the consulate or embassy.
• In Background Check and Review: The application is treated to a number of checks such as security and financial reviews.
• Decision: Upon decision, the visa is approved, refused, or referred for further consideration.

They are not instant and delays are the norm. Having this knowledge makes you pragmatic about processing times and why tracking is so important.

2. Tracking Using Official Online Portals

Most nations now offer online visa tracking services. After you’ve applied, you’ll usually receive a reference number or application ID. That number is crucial — it’s your passport to tracking progress.

These are the details that you normally need to track online:

• Your passport number
• The application/reference number
• Sometimes date of birth or email address

Examples of Online Tracking Options

• US Visa: For non-immigrant visas, the status can be monitored after the interview via the CEAC website. Immigrant visa petitioners usually monitor their status via the NVC portal or USCIS case status tool.
• UK Visa: The UK updates on the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website. The applicants get notified via email and can also log in to check the updates.
• Canada Visa: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offers the facility to log into your account to search application status.
• Schengen Countries: Application centers such as VFS Global or TLScontact enable you to track visa status by your application ID.

The outcome of tracing may be shown by each country or processing agency in various formats — for instance, “under process,” “sent out,” or “decision taken.”

3. Using Email or SMS Notifications

A few of the visa application centers or consulates also offer optional SMS or email update services. You can sign up for these kinds of updates when you apply. You’ll be informed of every major status change — e.g., when your application is received, processing, or available for collection.

Such status messages are typically automated and in real time, which can be an excellent way of being in the know without having to keep going back to portals.

While a few of these centers provide such notices for free, others may charge a minor fee. Always inquire if the embassy or center does so and at what cost, if any.

4. Employing the Visa Application Center’s Tracking Facility

In the event that you submitted your application through a Visa Application Center (VAC) such as:

• VFS Global
• TLS contact
• BLS International
• Gerry’s Visa

You may track your application yourself through their websites. These third-party websites are middlemen between applicants and embassies/consulates. Once you have submitted your documents to them, they send all of it to the corresponding government department and provide you with updates through their own tracking system.

Typically, you would find:

• Date of submission
• Present status (e.g., “in transit”, “under process”, “ready for dispatch”)
• Return of passport

Be sure to hold on to the receipt they handed you when you submitted — it will have the tracking number.

5. Calling Embassy or Consulate Directly

If online tracking is not producing good news or being in some status for too long, you can call the consulate or embassy directly. But keep in mind:

• Embassies are busy and will take time to communicate.
• Some embassies follow a questioning policy — they will accept emails or designated hours of calls.
• You may be asked to wait for some days after submission before answering status queries.

When writing to them, ensure to give them your name, passport number, application number, and date of birth so that they can locate your file.

6. Using Government Immigration Accounts

For some types of visas, such as work, study, or permanent residence visas, you might need to create an online government immigration account. On the website, you can:

• Upload documents
• View immigration officer messages
• View real-time status
• View decision notifications

For countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the accounts are used from beginning to end in applying for a visa.

7. Understanding Application Status Meanings

Visa tracking systems also have a propensity to report in general terms the status of your application. Examples of some of these and what they might mean are as follows:

• Application Received: The assessing body receives and inputs your application into the system.
• Under Process: Your application is being considered by the assessing body.
• Additional Documents Requested: Information or documents needed.
• Ready for Interview: Interview date set.
• Decision Made: Visa issued or refused.
• Hot Mail Key: You have received your passport back in the mail, most likely including the visa.

Between the lines there may be difficult-to-read. As an example, “decision made” is not a sign that you are aware of the decision — you may know nothing until your passport arrival whether or not you have received the visa.

8. Customer Support or Help Desks

You would be able to see some of the visa application websites having live chat options, helpline numbers, or contact forms. In case of confusion over status meaning, or weeks passed by without being updated, it is advisable to call customer service.

Have ready:

• Application reference number
• Passport information
• Communication received till now

Be polite and considerate — support staff have to deal with hundreds of queries a day, and while they won’t be able to reverse the decision, they will be able to tell you where you stand.

9. Being aware of Processing Times

In order not to be overly anxious, the applicant must have some idea. Visa processing times vary with:

• Country
• Type of visa (holidaymaker, student, work, etc.)
• Season (festival seasons and the period when universities receive students are the peak seasons)
• Your nationality
• Whether or not you sent all of your papers in the proper manner

Use the average processing time that the embassy or visa office has provided at all times. If the projected processing time has not yet expired, you will receive no detailed updates.

10. Tracking Group or Family Applications

If you’re applying as a family or group, each member will likely have a separate tracking number. However, some systems allow tracking all applications under a single group ID. Keep track of each person’s reference number and status separately to avoid confusion.

Sometimes the decisions come at varying times, especially if they reviewed applications in distinct phases. So don’t fret if your friend’s visa comes earlier than yours — that is not necessarily a problem.

11. Offline Process – In Hand or by Courier

There are certain applicants who want to have their passports in their hands after processing. In such instances, the center will let you know when their passport is available.

Otherwise, if you have asked for courier return, you can track courier delivery through their own tracking number. It comes in very handy in case your visa has been issued and receiving your passport delivered to you.

12. Handling Delay or Indecision

If your application has been “under process” for unusually prolonged period, panic unnecessarily not. Delays can happen because:

• High application volume
• Aggravated security or background checks
• Political or diplomatic matters
• Vagueness or documentation issues

Must be after normal processing time, write to concerned authorities, preferably by email (for papers). Politically correct and non-verbose message per day.

13. How and When to Escalate

If you feel that your case has been missed or mismanaged, there are means to escalate:

• Use the redressal mechanism of the embassy
• Phone your local MP or representative (for study visa or family reunion applications)
• Get a lawyer, if travel is urgent or if application is legality-related

Escalation must be undertaken last and with a documented, cautious procedure.

14. What to do after a Decision

Your visa status will say “approved” or “granted,” but it is not finished yet. Ensure that:

• Copy-check the visa details: Recheck your name, dates, and visa class.
• Be aware of your entry deadline: Certain visas ask you to enter the country within a specified time.
• Make copies of all visa documents, approval letters, and emails.

In case your application has been rejected, check reasons provided. You can reapply, appeal, or submit additional information, as per the policies of the country.

Conclusion

You will not be left hanging in the dark not knowing what is going on with your visa application. With meticulous pre-planning and detail, you will be informed at every step. Be prepared with your application number and supporting documents, visit reliable websites, and sign up for notices where they exist. If they are going too slowly, sit back calmly, but make arrangements for follow-up options.

Getting the visa is occasionally merely part of a greater undertaking — a new job, a dream vacation, or redo. Staying on top of where you are with it can help things go more smoothly and enable you to sleep a bit more soundly as you get along.