CEAC status “Issued”: what it means and how long it takes

As of 2 November 2026, the median time from CEAC showing Approved or Issued to the passport being back in hand was 4 days, across 211 tracked cases; 85% were back within a week.

Issued means the visa has been approved and printed. The only thing left is getting your passport back.

What it means

The State Department says a consular officer can only issue or refuse a visa application. "Issued" is the positive outcome: the visa has been approved and printed in your passport.
For a 221(g) case, Issued often appears without an earlier email, sometimes directly after "Refused".
CEAC stops changing after Issued. Courier steps (dispatched, ready for pickup) appear on the scheduling site you booked through, not on CEAC.

How long people stay in this status

First Approved or Issued date to passport in hand, across 211 cases where both dates were reported.

4dmedian

6d75% back by

85%within a week

Based on reports applicants share publicly, anonymised. Cases with no outcome yet have no end date, so they are not in the medians. How we measure.

What to do next

Track the passport on the scheduling site you booked through. Wait for a clear ready-for-pickup message before going to the counter.
When you get the passport, check the visa for spelling, visa type, petition number and expiry date.
Families are often dispatched separately, so confirm each passport is ready.

Quick answers

How long after Issued does the passport come back?

Median 4 days across 211 tracked cases, with 75% back within 6 days.

Can an Issued visa still be refused?

Issued is the final decision on the application. Visas can be revoked later in rare cases, but that is a separate process.

Related CEAC statuses

Other statuses: Ready · Application Received · At NVC · In Transit · Expired

Community data, not legal advice.