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How long does the US Embassy typically retain records of visitors who attend a visa interview?
The US Embassy retains visa interview records for approximately 12 months after the interview date for most routine visa interviews.
Records for "sensitive cases" or non-immigrant visas may be held for longer than 12 months.
If discrepancies or anomalies are identified during the interview process, the Embassy or Consulate may extend the retention period of your records.
You will be notified of the extended retention period and the specific reasons why your records are being held if it's deemed necessary.
The Department of State maintains visa applications and submitted documents in their original form.
Inquiries on visa cases in progress overseas should be made to the appropriate US Embassy or Consulate handling your case.
The US Embassy uses the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) to screen visa applicants, which contains over 143 million records of visa applications dating back to the mid-1990s.
The CCD database stores biometric information on visa applicants.
Visa interview records are maintained by the US Embassy or Consulate for potential future inquiries related to the interview.
Records may be held for a longer period if additional documentation is required or if there are issues with the application.
If you need to request your visa records, you can determine where the records are kept by contacting the Department of State or the US Embassy or Consulate that handled your case.
Immigration records for individuals are typically maintained by the US Embassy or Consulate that processed the visa application.
Passport return time after a visa approval at the US consulate can vary, but on average, it takes around 12 weeks.
In some cases, the consulate may hold on to your passport for a longer period if additional documentation is required or if there are issues with the application.
The US Department of State is working to reduce wait times for visitor visa interviews while maintaining national security standards.
It's recommended to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for the interview process, especially for visitor visas.
Each US visa interview may look different depending on the applicant's specific situation, but there are some common interview basics.
An important step in many US immigration journeys is attending an immigration or visa interview.
Records retention periods may vary depending on the type of visa being processed and the specific applicant's case.
The US Embassy or Consulate uses various databases, including the CCD, to screen visa applicants and maintain records of visa interviews.
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