Reasons Your Credential Evaluation May Be Delayed

You applied weeks ago, but the status still says "pending." The deadline for your university or visa is creeping up, and you are stuck refreshing your portal for updates, feeling the weight of a future that is currently on hold. This frustration is a shared reality for many who enter the industry. International applications especially face significant delays due to errors in academic documentation. This "processing limbo" is intensified by the fact that synthetic identity document fraud surged 311% in North America recently, forcing agencies to implement much more aggressive and time-consuming authenticity checks.

When a credential evaluation is delayed, it usually isn’t random. It’s often a hold triggered by something small but fixable — a missing page, a name mismatch, or a translation issue that doesn’t meet strict compliance standards. Incomplete documentation remains the most common reason evaluations get paused, turning what should be a straightforward step into a maze of status updates and support tickets. We are here to help you navigate this bottleneck and get your application back on track.

In this article, we’ll talk about why your degree evaluation is pending, what a status on hold typically means, and where verification delays happen. We’ll also cover the most common translation problems agencies reject and how to avoid them in advance.

Let’s get right into it!

Poor-Quality or Uncertified Translations

Translation issues are one of the fastest ways to land in “on hold” limbo. Credential evaluators pause files when translations are missing, not in English, or not properly certified. Incomplete documentation remains the primary cause of delays for most agencies. Even small mistakes can slow everything down: wrong course titles, missing stamps or seals, unreadable dates, or leaving notes like "illegible" without transcribing what is visible. Check out our article about high school diploma evaluations to see how early documentation impacts your path.

Certification problems are just as common as language mistakes. Many agencies expect a signed statement of accuracy, consistent formatting, and full page coverage, including back sides and marginal notes. If the translation does not mirror the original layout, reviewers have to do more manual cross-checking, which adds time and increases rejection risk. This is why demand has shifted toward accurate, certified translations for high-stakes submissions. If you need certified output formatted for evaluators and official use, start here: Certified translation.

Missing or Incomplete Academic Documents

A lot of "pending" evaluations are simply paused because a single critical page is missing. The most common omissions include a final transcript page with totals, the back side of a diploma, or pages containing grading scales or institutional seals. Sometimes the document is present, but it is cropped or blurry in a corner where the registrar's seal sits, which still counts as incomplete in a professional review.

Here is the painful part: minor gaps can reset the entire processing clock. If the agency has to request a missing page, your file can drop back to the start of the review queue after the new upload arrives. If your school is the one re-sending, you are now waiting on their timeline, too.

Name Discrepancies Across Documents

A name mismatch is a quiet but common reason a credential evaluation gets stuck in manual review. If your passport says one name while your diploma or transcript uses a variation or a middle initial, evaluators may place the file on hold until they are sure it belongs to the same person. Name discrepancies are a frequent trigger for automatic holds, often adding five to ten days for manual identity checks. Check out our article about expert opinion letters for how professional validation handles identity nuances for specialty occupations.

Fix it before you submit by choosing one primary name and aligning everything to it. If you have changed your name due to marriage or a legal update, include a name declaration affidavit or supporting document so the reviewer does not have to guess. Make sure your English translation handles the name consistently and includes a translator note if the original document spells it differently. This is especially vital for international students whose home systems might drop patronymics or swap surname order.

Document Authenticity Checks

Sometimes your evaluation is paused specifically for authenticity checks. Agencies may hold your report while they confirm the document came from the issuing institution or while they review scans for security features. If anything looks edited or inconsistent, it can trigger a manual review and a direct verification request to your alma mater.

To stay ahead of it, send documents through the evaluator’s preferred channel. Use secure portals or ask your registrar to issue official transcripts directly to the agency. Keep proof of the request, such as a tracking number or confirmation email. If your file gets questioned, respond with a clear explanation and contact details for your university's records office so the evaluator can verify faster.

Delayed Transcript Requests from Original Institutions

A credential evaluation can sit pending even when you have uploaded everything because the agency is still waiting on your school to send official transcripts. Mail-based delivery and outdated registrar workflows can add weeks before your file reaches review. Verification replies can take 40+ days in higher-backlog regions, making this step the longest part of the process.

Plan for this early and treat your transcript request like its own project. Confirm the evaluator's exact delivery method and follow up with your registrar every week. If your school uses a third-party transcript vendor, create the account yourself and pay immediately to avoid administrative delays.

Agency-Specific Processing Times

Not all credential evaluators run on the same clock. Different agencies have unique intake rules and queue priorities, so what is normal at one provider might be a red flag at another. Timing also swings hard during peak seasons, especially from August to September, when application volume spikes and routine reviews slow down.

Most agencies offer a standard timeline plus a rush option, but rush usually only speeds up the in-house review once your file is complete. If you are waiting on your university to confirm records, a rush fee will not override that external bottleneck. The practical impact is significant: a few extra weeks can push you past admissions cutoffs or visa appointments.

Common Causes of Evaluation Delay, At a Glance

Here is the quick split between what you can fix today and what is stuck in someone else's queue. Incomplete documentation remains the number one trigger for holds, so start there before you contact the agency.

MotaWord Spotlight: Cut Through Credential Evaluation Delays

When your evaluation is stuck on pending or on hold, it is usually not a mystery. It is a translation or document issue that triggers a pause. We built our workflow to help you submit clean, evaluator-ready translations and fix issues fast before they snowball into months of waiting.

Here is how we help you move faster:

• 72 Hour Delivery: We offer Standard Evaluations for $65 and Course by Course for $120 with rapid turnarounds.
• Accepted by Major Agencies: Built for WES, ECE, and USCIS certification requirements.
• Expert QA: Human linguists plus AI checks ensure accuracy on names, dates, and stamps.
• No Hidden Fees: Straightforward pricing so you can budget with confidence.

Important Note: Please verify with your prospective U.S. schools whether they require a NACES-member evaluation service before ordering, as university admissions often have specific membership requirements.

FAQ

Why is my status on hold even after sending documents?

Usually, it means the agency marked your file as incomplete due to missing pages, a name mismatch, or an uncertified translation. It can also mean they are waiting for a response from your university. Check out our academic evaluation services to see how we streamline this.

How long does a credential evaluation typically take?

Standard timelines are often 4 to 7 weeks once all documents are received. Rush options speed up internal processing but do not bypass university verification waits.

Can a bad translation delay my credential evaluation?

Yes. If the translation is not certified or contains errors in names and course titles, your file can go on hold until you resubmit. Professional certification is essential for high-stakes filings.

What if my university doesn’t respond to the agency?

Follow up directly with the registrar every week. Provide the agency reference number and ask the school to reply from an official email. Being proactive is the only way to break a verification bottleneck.

Is it okay to submit PDFs or photos of documents?

Only if the agency allows it, and they are high resolution. Blurry photos or altered PDFs can trigger authenticity checks and significantly slow down your report generation.

Don’t Let Delays Derail Your Future: Fix Credential Evaluation Issues with MotaWord

When your credential evaluation is delayed, the fix is usually simple: a missing page, a name mismatch, or a translation that isn’t properly certified. Acting early is often the only way to stay ahead of peak-season backlogs and stricter authenticity checks.

Run a pre-submission audit today. Match your name spelling across every document and scan every page with stamps visible. If your evaluation is taking too long, check whether your school still needs to send official transcripts. We help you start clean and stay out of rework loops with certified translations built for evaluators.

Are you ready to move your application forward without the wait? Get started with MotaWord Academic Evaluation Services today and experience the gold standard in speed and accuracy.

Mark Rogers - Head of Evaluation Services at MotaWord

Mark is a credentials evaluator expert with over five years of experience in the industry. Throughout his career, Mark has demonstrated a keen attention to detail and a thorough understanding of international education systems, contributing to his reputation as a trusted authority in the field of credentials evaluation.