Updated October 31, 2026
CEAC status: what each US visa status means and what to do next
CEAC is the State Department's free visa status check at ceac.state.gov. For a nonimmigrant visa it shows one of five statuses: Application Receipt Pending, Application Received, Administrative Processing, Issued or Refused. Administrative Processing can mean your visa is approved and waiting to print, and Refused can mean a 221(g) case that is still open, so read your status together with what the officer told you.
Below: each status in plain words, what to enter on the tracker, the paths a case usually takes, and when to check again. Status wording was checked against US embassy pages on October 31, 2026.
What does each CEAC status mean?
The US Embassy and Consulates in Japan publish the clearest list of the messages CEAC shows for nonimmigrant visas (DS-160 cases), with notes on what each one covers:
| CEAC status | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Application Receipt Pending | You submitted the DS-160, but it isn't in the embassy's visa system yet. For interview cases it usually stays this way until you appear. For mail-in cases, the embassy hasn't received your package. | Nothing, if your interview is still ahead. If you mailed documents, give them time to arrive. |
| Application Received | Your case is open and ready for the interview, fingerprints and documents. For mail-in cases, the embassy has your application and is reviewing it, which includes cases waiting for more documents. | If you already interviewed, or no interview was needed, the Japan embassy says to check again after two business days. |
| Administrative Processing | Your case is in processing. The embassy says this covers two situations: a visa that's approved but not yet printed, and a case waiting for more documents or information. | Follow what the officer told you at the window. The embassy contacts you if it needs more. |
| Issued | Your visa has been issued and is in final processing. | Wait for the passport return. The Japan embassy says to contact the post if it hasn't arrived after 10 working days. |
| Refused | A consular officer refused the application. This includes cases waiting for documents, cases in administrative processing, cases with a waiver request pending and 214(b) denials. | Read the letter you got at the window. It tells you which kind of refusal you have. |
Why "Refused" doesn't always mean no. The Foreign Affairs Manual tells officers that once an application is made, they must either issue the visa or refuse it, with no option to hold it. So a case that needs documents or more processing is recorded as a 221(g) refusal and stays "Refused" until it's decided again. Our 221(g) guide explains that status in full, and our 214(b) guide covers the other kind of refusal.
Not sure which one you have? Our free 221(g) and 214(b) refusal decoder asks what your letter says and what CEAC shows, then tells you what it means.
What do immigrant visa and K-1 statuses mean on CEAC?
Immigrant visa and K fiancé(e) cases use a different status list. These meanings come from the US Embassy and Consulates in Japan's IV and K status page:
| CEAC status | What it means |
|---|---|
| At NVC | Your case is still at the National Visa Center. Follow the instructions NVC sent you for the next step. |
| Application Receipt Pending | Your DS-260 was submitted and is waiting for review. The Japan embassy says to allow up to 20 business days. |
| Ready | Your case is ready for the interview when one is scheduled. Prepare the documents your appointment letter lists. |
| Transfer in Progress | Your case has moved to another US consular office. Check back later. |
| Administrative Processing | Your case is in processing, which can take several weeks. You'll be contacted if more is needed. |
| Issued | Your visa has been printed and will be mailed or ready for pickup, depending on the post. |
| Refused | An officer refused the application. If you were told it's for administrative processing, it stays Refused until it's decided again. |
| Expiring Soon | You were told what to do more than a year ago and didn't respond, so under INA 203(g) the registration and petition were canceled. You have one year to show the delay was beyond your control and ask for reinstatement. |
| Expired | That one-year reinstatement window passed, and the case records were destroyed. |
Diversity visa cases have a hard stop: the Japan embassy notes a DV can't be issued after September 30 of the program year you were selected for. K-1 applicants getting ready for the interview itself can start with our K-1 interview questions guide.
How do you check your CEAC status?
- Go to ceac.state.gov and open the Visa Status Check.
- Choose Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) for a DS-160 case such as B1/B2, F-1, J-1, H-1B or L-1. Choose Immigrant Visa (IV) for an immigrant visa or a K fiancé(e) visa.
- Pick the location where you applied or interviewed. The Japan embassy notes, for example, that Sapporo applicants choose "JAPAN, TOKYO."
- Enter your case number. For a nonimmigrant visa that's the barcode on your DS-160 confirmation page, which the Japan embassy says starts with AA followed by 8 digits. Immigrant and K cases use the case number from the National Visa Center, such as MTL1999626025.
- Enter your passport number and the first 5 letters of your surname, then the code shown on screen.
| If this happens | What CEAC's pages say |
|---|---|
| You completed your form before January 1, 2022 | Enter NA in the Passport and Surname fields, per the note on the tracker. |
| Your case is more than a year old | The Japan embassy says NIV cases created within the past year are in the status check, so an older DS-160 may not show. |
| You applied for a K-1 visa | Use the Immigrant Visa option with your case number, even though K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa. |
| Your petition is still with USCIS | There's no CEAC case number yet. The Japan embassy says one is assigned after USCIS approves the petition and sends it to the National Visa Center. |
CEAC's status check is free, and you don't need a third-party tracker to use it. If a site asks for your passport number and DS-160 barcode to watch your case, remember that you're handing it personal data the State Department already shows you directly.
What order do CEAC statuses usually come in?
Here are the common paths, built from the embassy definitions above. Your post's timing can differ.
| Your situation | What CEAC usually shows over time |
|---|---|
| Approved at the interview | Application Received, then Administrative Processing while the visa prints, then Issued |
| Told you need to send documents (221(g)) | Refused, until the embassy reviews what you send and decides again. If approved, it moves to Issued |
| Told your case needs administrative processing (221(g)) | Refused for weeks or longer, then Issued if approved, or Refused again if not |
| Refused under 214(b) | Refused. That application is finished, and you can apply again later |
| Interview waiver or mail-in case | Application Receipt Pending until the embassy gets your package, then Application Received, then Administrative Processing and Issued |
If you qualify to renew without an interview, our interview waiver guide explains the mail-in route that produces the last path. Before any of this, a clean DS-160 avoids surprises at the window.
How long does each CEAC status last?
The State Department doesn't publish a fixed time for any status. The embassy pages give these guideposts, which apply to their own posts:
- After an interview with no 221(g): the Japan embassy says to check again after two business days.
- Approved visas in administrative processing: the Japan embassy says an approved visa is processed and mailed back within two business days.
- Administrative processing for more information: the Japan embassy says it can take several weeks, and the US Mission in India says the embassy can't move the case forward before processing finishes and can't waive it.
- K visas: the Japan embassy asks K applicants to wait 10 business days after the interview before sending an inquiry, and says earlier inquiries won't get a reply.
If you're still waiting on an appointment rather than a decision, our visa wait time checker shows the current wait at your consulate.
Can CEAC show a status before your interview?
Yes. Most applicants see Application Receipt Pending or Application Received before the interview. That's normal and says nothing about the outcome. The interview decides it, so use the wait to practice your answers out loud. Our US visa interview questions guide is a good place to start.
Visaful is an AI mock interview app for US visa interviews: an AI officer asks your visa's questions out loud and shows what to fix.
Frequently asked questions
What does Administrative Processing mean on CEAC?
It can mean your visa is approved and waiting to be printed, or that your case needs more documents or information. The US Embassy in Japan lists both under this status, so follow what the officer told you at the interview.
Why does CEAC say Refused when the officer kept my passport?
Under State Department rules an officer must either issue or refuse a visa, so a case that's still being processed under 221(g) shows Refused until it's decided again. See our 221(g) guide for what that means for you.
How do I check my visa status on CEAC?
Go to ceac.state.gov, choose Nonimmigrant Visa, pick your interview location, and enter the AA barcode from your DS-160 confirmation page, your passport number and the first 5 letters of your surname.
Why does CEAC say no data for my case?
Check the location you picked and the barcode. If you completed your form before January 1, 2022, the tracker says to enter NA in the Passport and Surname fields. NIV cases older than a year may not show at all.
How long after Issued do I get my passport?
It depends on the post and the courier. The US Embassy in Japan says to contact it if you haven't received your passport 10 working days after the Issued status.
What does At NVC mean on CEAC?
Your immigrant visa or K case is still with the National Visa Center, before it moves to the embassy. The Japan embassy says to follow the instructions NVC sent you. Once the case is ready for an interview, the status changes to Ready.
Do K-1 applicants use the NIV or IV tracker?
The IV tracker. K fiancé(e) visa applicants check status under Immigrant Visa with their case number, even though the K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa.
Does a Refused status on CEAC mean I was denied for good?
Not always. Refused includes 221(g) cases still waiting for documents or processing, and those can still end in a visa. A 214(b) refusal closes that application, but the US Mission in India says you may reapply, ideally with new information or changed circumstances.
Related guides
- 221(g) and administrative processing: what the letter means and what to do next
- 214(b) visa refusal: what it means if your visa was rejected and how to reapply
- US visa interview waiver (dropbox): who still qualifies after the 2025 update
- How your DS-160 answers come up in your visa interview
- K-1 visa interview questions: what the officer checks about your relationship
- K-1 visa processing time: every stage, and where to see your real wait
Sources
Checked October 31, 2026.
- Visa Status Check Online (CEAC Status Check), nonimmigrant visas, US Embassy and Consulates in Japan (read Oct 31, 2026)
- CEAC Status Check, immigrant and K visas, US Embassy and Consulates in Japan (read Oct 31, 2026)
- Check your case status, US Mission India (read Oct 31, 2026)
- CEAC Visa Status Check form, ceac.state.gov (Wayback copy of Oct 21, 2026, read Oct 31, 2026)
- 9 FAM 403.7, Application and adjudication procedures, fam.state.gov (read Oct 31, 2026)
This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.
