I'm from Pakistan. After the interview at the Embassy, my case went into administrative processing for three months. What is really the purpose of the administrative process and why is it taking so long?
Administrative processing is a way for the consular officer to say that they do not have enough information available or enough supporting documents in evidence to adjudicate your case. Basically that means they don't have enough to approve your visa at this time. And in many cases, they will send your case up to like a supervisor or a manager for additional review. In many cases, administrative processing also involves an RFE, or Request for Evidence. Don't be surprised if you receive a letter asking for additional supporting documents or evidence proving you have a bona fide relationship or the sponsor meets the income requirements.
And to speak to the time frames, there's really no documented time frame for administrative processing. I can tell you from our experience, most cases are usually answered or resolved within four to eight weeks. Even the National Visa Center states that you must wait 60 days after your case has gone into administrative processing before even contacting the Embassy. You stated yours has gone on for three months now. I would recommend contacting the Embassy just to find out where it's at or maybe even check the status online because maybe they've already sent your case back to the USCIS so you won't know unless you contact the Embassy.
