Q. Visa offices now require that we provide the original passport in order for the necessary visa to be entered. If I do not do this in person, how long will it take to get the passport back?

Answer: The service standards for the return of passports are as follows:

Prepaid Courier: 5 days
Regular Mail: 10 days

You should start by confirming the date on which your passport arrived
at the visa office (I.e., registered mail or courier tracking). Once you
have determined this, it may be necessary to send a written inquiry to
the visa office requesting the status of your visa, quoting the date on
which the document was received at their location.