Home » US Immigration - Visas » H1B Visa » H1B Visa Stamping 221(g) Tracker

H1B Visa Stamping 221(g) Tracker

Not everyone are lucky to get H1B visa stamping at first attempt…Some of you might have got 221(g) query from the Visa Consular officer  ( blue, white, yellow) asking to submit documents.

The most frustrating thing about 221(g) blue form is that there is no way to track your application…You just have to wait….it can be frustrating to wait…This page is meant to help others get an idea about processing times and how long does it take to process a 221(g) issued H1B case…If you were ever given 221(g), please share your details to help others get an idea.  You may check out below articles as well.

You can check out our 221(g) tracker that has anonymous data with users like you, who added the details for community benefit.

[prompt type=”left” title=”Check out 221(g) Case Tracker ” message=”Check out our 221(g) Tracker with anonymous data from everyone.” button_text=”View your 221(g) Tracker !” href=”https://redbus2us.com/trackers/221g-tracker/”]

Waiting for the 221(g) response from US Consulate can be very painful…To help everyone be informed on average processing time and other similar cases,  we have built an easy way to track for users their 221(g) status and let the community have an idea on the timeline as well. It is fully anonymous. Please add your case to the 221(g) Tracker.

[prompt type=”left” title=”Add your 221(g) Case ” message=”Please add your 221(g) Case for everyone’s benefit. It is fully anonymous and will help many waiting for it like you.” button_text=”Add your 221(g)Case!” href=”https://redbus2us.com/trackers/221g-tracker/”]

   

Other Articles

3,112 Comments

  1. Hi all,

    I went to the H1b interview on Match 11 and I got 221g.

    I submitted documents from the end and company side also.
    Due to Carona, they stopped processing 221gs.

    Can you please anyone help me from when they will start processing again.

    Reply
  2. Yes Kumar. I have also sent an email to USTravelsdocs email address inquiry about my case. And they also confirmed that it is currently with embassy/consulate.

    Reply
    • Itneverends,
      Great. I spoke to NVC as well. also, we got official news on March 5th, so it is clear now. Thanks for the NVC info, it helped a lot to clarify.

      Reply
      • I had my stamping (H1B) in January 2020 at Chennai consulate , In March my status changed to “AP” from Refused and on May 6 ,2020 got changed from AP to “Application Received” …please can anyone say what does it mean ?

        Reply
        • Did they issue 221g during stamping ? If yes when were your additional documents submitted ? And what’s the result now?

          Reply
  3. HI Sir,

    My husband is on H1 B . He changed the employer and his H1B transfer got approved in US.He is working for consulting firm currently .He is planning to travel to India in April 2020 for 4 weeks , his previous H1B is also valid till Aug 2020.He has to go through stamping after visiting to India .Is it safe to choose Drop box or go for an Interview. is it possible to choose interview even though he is eligible for dropbox for faster processing.

    Me and my Son (h4 Depndents)are currently in India . We travelled to India before our h4 VISA transfer process completed . Now we want to get the stamping done in India. Can we get it done before my husband is visiting here (dropbox/Interview ?).Is there any chances for 221g in our case.

    Reply
    • Sou,
      If you are eligible for dropbox, the system will automatically choose the dropbox for you, you cannot change it to interview. In fact, Dropbox is faster these days, they have SLA of a week to 10 days.
      You can do that ahead of time too, if you carry the approval notice that is latest. Well, the second part is hard to day, most of the times, it does not go into it for H4..

      Reply
  4. Hi Kumar,

    I called Nation Visa center and they confirmed this change. So it’s valid. Just wanted to let everyone know…

    Reply
    • Itneberends,
      Thanks for the update. So, it is basically a text change for Administrative processing right ? Did they say anything else ?

      Reply
      • Nothing much. I just called to get confirmation on this status change. If anyone is interested the NVC number can be found on https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/contact-us/us-visas.html

        Reply
    • Can you please let me know if I am going for dropbox option for H4 renewal/transfer, do i need to give biometrics as well. I am booking for drop box appointment and its not showing option for selecting Bangalore in it. Is it required to submit documents only in Chennai consulate office .

      Reply
      • sou,
        No need. You will not see Bangalore in it, you can only select Chennai for consulate, but can drop off docs at Bangalore.

        Reply
  5. My husband received 221g yellow form during our stamping on 12/17. His company submitted docs on 1/9. We ste still waiting to hear back and it is really stressful. I am.on h4 EAD and had to go on leave of absence due to this. My kids are missing their school. Did anyone received 221g recently and got it approved ? Also does anyone know any way to expedite this process ?

    Reply
    • itneverends,
      Well, I wish there was an option. It is sad, sorry to hear…Unfortunately, nothing you can do…There is no way to expedite…you can try to email the consulate and explain the situation of kids school….there is no estimated time for processing, it is up to USCIS discretion.

      Reply
          • Hi Kumar,

            Our status on ceac changed from administrative process to refused with subtext stating “A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. ”

            However we have not received any email from counselor or otherwise. Can you please advise what does it mean ? My husband has been on h1 since 2012 and with his current company for over 4 years. This doesn’t make any sense.

          • Thanks for the prompt response Kumar. It calms my nerves a bit. However I see on some other blogs that for few people it got changed back to administrative processing on 3/4. Have you seen such instances ? Also I couldnt find any official announcement on this change anywhere so we are still kind of on edge.

          • Itneverends,
            Well, at least, I have verified couple and still says the same. Not sure, they are migrating by countries…Yes, there is no official communication on this.
            Also, the text for actual refused has changed, I have updated the article to clear confusion. See the last section. You see that the status for refused is different too.

  6. (Got my 221g approval 8 months after the interview after emailing them to ask about my status)

    Hello All,

    My new employer had filled for h1b which got approved (2 days after my extension got denied so I had to leave the country for the visa interview) while I was in the US. My interview was in July 2018 and the embassy issued me 221g and collected my client letter (vendor informed me that the client has responded the questions asked by the embassy). I had contacted the customer care and was checking my status everyday but no luck. After 3 months I had again contacted the customer care and they had told me that there’s no timeline for 221g.

    Cut to 8 months after my interview, I had lost hopes and had almost forgotten about my visa but suddenly one day I had called the customer care (the status was still “Administrative Processing”) that’s when they suggested me to email to support@ustraveldocs.com for more info since it had been so long. After following their suggestion, I get a reply saying “Please submit your passport.” I got it approved but now there’s a problem.

    My client letter and vendor letter has been expired (also the client office has been moved to a different city than the one mentioned in the client letter), and the client no longer wants to support since the position has already been filled.
    My question to you people is –

    Is it safe to travel to the US in this situation?
    Would it be a problem at the port of entry?
    Would they dig deep and check with the client directly?
    If they send me back, will I no longer be allowed to enter the US in the future?

    Thank you for your replies.

    Reply
    • You need to have a job in US and to work to maintain your status on H1B. If you travel without having this, you may run into issues. They may or may not, but traveling without having a role for you is not recommended. Well, you may be barred depending on what the CBP officer decides…

      Reply
      • Hi Kumar,
        I am stuck with 221g since January 2018 with no update till date.Has this ever happened with anybody.My H1b sponsor is a leading Indian IT MNC and my passport was kept during my interview and was handed 221g white slip hyderabad.However it was returned after a week without any stamp and till date it stands unresolved.dropping mail to ustraveldocs gives same template response and in meanwhile my petition has expired.What could be my next step

        Reply
        • Well, it has been way too long. If your passport was returned without stamp, the chances are less. It has been over a year, so personally, I feel you should move on and pursue other options. You can write to US consulate as well and seek for the update. Check, if your company received anything from consulate….

          Reply
  7. Hi Saurabh,
    X company filed my petition, got approved in Nov 2017. Appeared VISA interview Feb 2018 in Hyderabad and returned with 221g white blank paper and status changed to “Administrative Processing”. After an year Feb 2019 got a mail stating your case has been sent USCIS for review. Then after 2 months USCIS sent NOIR, followed by notice sent for revoke. Checked with my employer X , he says can not challege the UCSIS decision due to other factors,which concludes some issue withe company X in eligibility. So this would lead to employer can revoke the petition. In this case what are my options
    1) Can I be cap exempt to employer Y
    2) I never been to US with this H1B.
    3) Do I have to go through the lottery again?

    Reply
      • My situation is same like Darla. I never entered into the US on H1b and this was my 1st H1b.

        As still revocation has not been updated in DHS /USCIS nor employer received any letter regarding Revocation. Revoke purely based on petitioner in eligibility or out of business . Hence my employer confidently says I can be cap exempt and do transfer. Please suggest.

        Reply
        • Sheril,
          It is a grey area. In the past USCIS was accepting and giving approval for such transfers, but lately they have been questioning that the H1B holder did not had status, so cannot use the cap. Also, in general, the cap number is not counted, if the first H1B petition is denied ultimately. These denials/ revocations are the reason they select more petitions than required for 85K cap during the lottery. Check Lottery vs Additional Cap Petitions Data . If your employer want to try and ready to sponsor, definitely worth a shot…you lose nothing.

          Reply
      • Thanks Kumar for the clarification. However the registration rule will affect from 1st April 2019. Mine was 2017 lottery pick. My petition approved for more than a year plus issue with employer ‘X’, since it’s my first H1B so I cannot have status maintained or exist. I read some blogs that irrespective of petition revoked or withdrawn, once the lottery thru it will exist for 6years validity. See the post mentioned: Petition revoked by employer means. I can not be eligible to work for that employer but I can work for another employer.
        https://www.immihelp.com/forum/usa-h1b-h4-visa/139938-h1-transfer-while-the-consular-is-notifying-the-uscis-to-revoke-the-petition

        Reply
        • As I mentioned, this is a grey area and sometimes USCIS has accepted it in past, sometimes they did not…and the forum post is from 2015, many things have changed since then. You may try working with an attorney and give it a shot, if it works out great…

          Reply
    • Hi Kumar,
      Is it mandatory to withdraw 221g application which is pending for nearly 2 years in case planning for another H1b interview.I have heard of cases people getting another 221g because of pending previous 221g

      Reply
      • Well, if there was any action item on your part to submit documents, then you have a timeline on how long it is valid…if not, it does not matter. Talk to your attorney. You can write to Consulate to get update as well.

        Reply
    • Hi all, this was Appala and I got 221g status as REFUSED on 10feb 2020. But still shows same after 1 year not updated, my passport also there at end.
      Can you suggest what can I do now.
      Thanks

      Reply
  8. 2 Approved H1B one open 221G one waiting for Stamping

    Currently i am working in top MNC company. I have applied for H1B in 2017 from US based company got picked in the lottery and petition was approved.I went for interview in the month of Oct 2017 got 221g.

    Here are the complete details about my case.

    Current Working Company: Reputed top MNC in the world.

    1st H1B: 2017 applied from small consulting company.
    Interview Date: 16 Oct 2017 Mumbai.
    Interview Status: 221g and collected passport. Requested for client letter.
    Submitted client letter on 22nd Oct 2017.
    Returned passport without stamping with another 221g on Feb 6th (Requested for couple of documents).
    Note: Waited till Oct 2018 not received the requested 221g documents from employer.

    2nd H1B: I have asked my current working MNC company to transfer the H1B petition but they are not ready to transfer as it was not activated(stamped) so they applied for new H1B in Apr 2018.

    Mean while Other US based company (Small Company) transferred my 1st H1B in Oct 2018 and it was approved in Jan 2019.

    2nd H1B gone through lottery and approved in 2019 March.

    Note: Both employers are not know each other about the approved petitions.

    Now i have 2 H1B approved petitions .I chosen MNC approved petition wanted to go to stamping.

    Questions:

    1.Do i need to with draw the 1st H1B visa application which is under 221g before going to interview.
    2.Do i need to with draw 1st H1B transferred approved petition before going to interview.
    3.What do i need to mention in DS 160 for the below questions.
    . Have You Ever Been Denied a U.S. Visa or Entry into the U.S., or Had a U.S. Visa Canceled?
    . Have you ever before applied for employment authorization from USCIS.

    Reply
      • Kumar Can you suggest .

        1. No need. It is already over a year, it would have expired.
        I have verified status in CEAC showing as administration process and the case was not withdrawn/expired yet.
        2. No need.
        Do i need to inform my MNC company about the previous petitions .

        3. You have not been denied a visa yet. If you get denied, you will get a H1B Denial Letter like in Sample

        What do i need to mention for the option . Have you ever before applied for employment authorization from USCIS.? YES or NO

        Reply
  9. Hi All,

    Need you to advise/help

    1. H1b filed – April 2017
    2. RFE – Sep 2017
    3. RFE responded – Nov 2017
    3. Upgraded to premium – April 2018
    4. Approved
    5. Visa Stamping – June 2019
    5. 221g received
    6. Continuous follow-ups with the embassy every month
    7. Received email stating ” My h1b was sent back to USCIS for Revocation”

    What are the chances in this regard?

    Reply
    • Well, it seems the chances are low as they have sent to USCIS for revocation, meaning something is not right from employer side or petition. Check with your attorney…

      Reply
      • Hi Kumar,

        Can I transfer my petition to the new employer before it gets revoked?

        Meaning , can any employer transfer my petition?

        Reply
        • Well, were you all the time outside of US ? Have you ever entered US on H1B or in US on H1B ? Is it your first time H1B ?

          Reply
          • Hi Kumar,

            I never entered into the US on H1b and this was my 1st H1b.

            As still revocation has not been updated in DHS /USCIS nor employer received any letter regarding Revocation. Can I have a new employer transfer my H1b which is valid until mid of 2020?

  10. Hi,
    F1 to H1B
    My H1B with COS got approved and I came to India for vacation. I had my interview on 02/19 and was issued a 221g saying ‘needs additional processing’, the VO took my passport. I have not been contacted by the embassy for any document submissions and nor my employer has been contacted. I work directly for my employer and my SEVIS also looks clear without any flags. It’s been 13 business days as of today and my last case update is still the interview date. I’m really worried at this point as my employer has given me only 2 more weeks to be back at work as they don’t understand about the 221g.

    Any suggestions on how to tackle this situation? Any inputs would be highly appreciated!!

    Reply
    • Hi
      Any update on ur visa?
      Could someone help me here I went for h1 interview on feb 25th
      With dui and VO issued221g white slip returned with passport. Asked me to provide with medical reports. Have submitted it on March 6th . And from then I was waiting and checking status online it shows application not found. I am concerned whom to contact or what next .. could some one plz suggest..

      Reply
      • San1,
        It can take a while with 221g and there is no ETA, you can try calling the customer service of ustraveldocs, but the guidance from State Dept is to wait for at least 60 days for any response. Read the FAQs in the article.

        Reply
  11. Hi,
    I am on the same boat, both h1 and h4 applications had interview on 5th march 2018 Got 221g but not asked for any documents amd passports are with VO.He said you will get it in couple of days..
    Did anyone have this type of issue.
    Any replies are Appreciated..!!

    Thank you in Advance..!!

    Reply
  12. Hi

    I have attended H1B visa interview in Delhi Consulate on 11 of Sept 2018. I am working in EVC model and got 221g white slip, asked to submit below documents –

    – Complete I-797 details (Which I have)
    – End Client letter ( That also I have)
    – List of petitioner’s Employees ( My employer is not providing this)

    Can you please suggest what’s the best alternative to employee list or can I submit my docs without this list?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • You need to submit the required documents as requested. There is no alternative other than work with your employer and submit the same.

      Reply
    • Hi , I am in same situation,
      I had interview on 27 th March .. gave me 2 , 221g : yellow: for documents and green for further administrative Processing
      He ask me to submit contract between me and my employer
      And employer and client

      Reply
  13. H1B was filed by Employer A for Employee X in April 2015 with a project in different location and the petition was approved, but X started working for a client at different location so h1b amendment was filed. The amendment resulted in an RFE asking about why employee X never worked at location mentioned in the original application. This RFE was not responded and employee X filed an h1b transfer with employer B. After the transfer was filed employer A withdrew the amendment petition. Meanwhile the status of original H1B petition filed by Employer A changed to “Intent to revoke notice was Sent” (about 6 months back). It hasn’t changed to revoked yet.

    Now, while answering the following question “Has your application ever been denied or revoked by USCIS” on DS-160 or anywhere else what should be chosen yes or no?

    Also, will the status of original application ever change to revoked?

    Your help is very much appreciated. Thanks.

    Reply
  14. Hi Guys,

    I was given a 221g white slip on 22 Nov 2017 and ticked the third box which is necessary admin processing and returned all my documents and passport too and asked me to check the status online

    Please find the below conversation

    Visa officer: who is your petitioner??
    Me: XXXXXX staffing LLC
    VO: are you going to work at client location or directly at XXXX staffing?
    Me: At XXXX
    VO: What is your salary??
    Me: 55000$ per year
    VO: turning his head from system and asked where is your company located??
    Me: Tempe, Arizona
    VO: Are you single or Married??
    Me: Married
    VO: What is your highest degree of qualification??
    Me: Bachelors in electrical and electronics

    VO: He took a white slip wrote the number and told me that my case needed further administrative processing and asked me to wait outside for some time

    Me : Waited for around half an hour and after that some one called me and asked to meet them in another counter. An Indian lady(not sure whether she is VO or not) with notepad and pencil in her hand and started asking the below questions

    Another Indian Visa officer: What is your company develop?
    Me: It’s a product development and profession services company it is developing a product XXXXX project

    Another VO: to whom they sell this product

    Me: They sell it to different hospitals and clinics in USA

    VO: What are the other products or projects they develop??

    Me: Currently they are developing this product alone but XXXX have a parent company called YYYY which is developing another project called ————-

    VO: Can you tell the name of that company and noted all these details in a notepad and not in the system

    Me: YYYYY

    VO: Do you know that your salary is very less??
    Me: Actually apart from my salary they promised me that they provide food accommodation and along with that they take care of my insurance too

    VO: how long will they provide food?

    Me: For first 6 months and after that they will hike my salary based on my performance

    VO: where are you working currently ??

    Me: XYZ pvt ltd

    VO: where is it located ??

    Me: Madhapur Hyderabad

    VO: What is your Current designation?

    Me Technical lead

    VO: How many people do you lead??

    Me: currently I am working on an individual project but sometimes based on the work I need to lead a team of around 2 to 3 people in the project

    VO: What is you designation in XXXX

    Me: Programmer Analyst

    VO: okay and she noted some thing in book and told that they need the case to be under administrative processing and it make take some time to get some more details and she told that the white slip issued by previous VO is 221g white slip and asked me to leave for the day.

    Guys please let me know if any one are having the same situation and let me know what to do??

    Reply
    • I am also in same situation, issued 221g white form and checked box..Additional Administrative processing required to made a final decision.

      @Ram&3rd Timer ,

      Please provide your suggestions on this.

      Reply
      • Ram& 3rd timer,
        I need your suggestions please, Today attended H-1B interview and VO asked straight forward questions and everything answered, no tricky. Then she was given 221g White form and check box clicked on – ‘Your application required additional administrative processing before a final decision can be made’.

        But i can see – My case was created on 12th-Dec under Admin Processing, case last updated is 14th Dec, as i attended interview on 14th Dec.
        They created my case under Admin Processing before it self- am attending interview with consular , FYI- They didn’t ask any documents.

        Is there hopes on my application? Looking for your response asap please on this.

        Reply
  15. Hi Saurabh,

    I came to US almost 4 yrs back through a reputed Indian IT Firm. Now I am planning to visit Chennai consulate around Dec 1st week to get my H1 stamped as the previous one expired 3 yrs back. I have moved from the ex-firm to a small consultancy which is US based but headed by Indians (You know what I am talking about). My client is a quite reputed one but I dont know if I would get a Client letter from them for my stamping. I work on E-V-C model as well. Please let me know your thoughts on the approval rate of my H1.

    Does the December month impact the interview? Like its a vacation time for the VO’s so there might be delays in their decisions etc?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Hi

    I attended H1-b visa interview last Thursday and was issued a 221-g, your application is going through needed administrative processing. I was stunned because I wrong for a top tech company as a full time employee. I reviewed and started searching in all my docs to uncover what must have triggered a 221g.

    I found that I made a mistake in DS 160 form for question

    Has anyone ever filed an immigrant petition on your behalf with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services?
    I selected “Yes”

    in the explain section I wrote “My company filed H1b petition and it was approved.”

    It was my mistake I misread the question as has someone filed non-immigrant visa.

    Now I am a worried and would like to know what are the possibilities will consulate verify with USCIS and find out that I wrongly selected YES while I should have selected NO. (or) will they outright reject the application?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi, if i140 approved. It’s correct you mentioned yes. The note section is OK.
      Did you get any decision?
      I am on the same boat and it’s administrative process since November 20th in kolkata consulate

      Reply
  17. Hello Folks,

    I attended H1B US Visa interview on September 15 along with my family. Yesterday, I got a mail saying passports for my family is returned with Visa *Issued* on ceac.state.gov/ceac/ website but when I checked for my status it says *Administrative Processing*. Gone through many forums and I see it could be a case of 221g. Just wondering why they have put me on *Administrative Processing* but *Issued* H4 for my family? Anyone had experienced this? I wasn’t given any slip at the time of interview and VO said out visa has been approved.
    Appreciate the responses.

    Reply
    • Hello,

      I am in the same boat. No slip issues and status says administrative processing. Today is 8th business day.
      How long did it take for you to get your passport back?
      Thanks

      Reply
    • The time they collect your passport, stamp it and return it back is administrative processing phase.
      So, each one’s status goes through that phase and changes based on update.
      Sometimes VO find a duplicate record of you (mostly if common name), and then it may take more time, like around 55 days to get an update again

      Reply
  18. My parents appeared for visa interview (Dubai) on April 25th 2017. They also received 221g. It’s been 106 days and there was no update for their case yet 🙁

    Reply
  19. Hi all,
    My husband Received 221g white for f2 visa on June 28th 2017
    Status updated on July 14th’
    Passport requested to submit on July 17th..
    Is that shows positive ways of visa to be approved..?

    and who are waiting for the status change please be patient your day will come soon…

    Reply
  20. My son, who plans to go for undergrad studies applied for F visa in delhi and got a white slip. asking to submit additional documents. not able to understand why he was given that. Can anyone help

    Reply
  21. my visa revoked at port of entry by seeing data in my mobile, officer said to go embassy again and get stamped.
    Now i have some questions now –
    how to get prepare for visa ?
    any1 is their who overcame my situation ?

    Reply
  22. Hi,

    I attended my interview on June 5th 2017, and got 221G white slip – Mumbai Consulate.

    Is there anyone, with 221g on the same date from mumbai consulate. And what is the rough estimation time of this process?

    Thanks.

    Reply
  23. One of my friend, she got the slip last year feb. uSCis asked to send the documents this year feb. It has been sent . But still it’s under administrative processing. Any idea why it is like this?

    Reply
  24. Hi I attend interview on april 28 2017 in chennai consulate,unfortunately i got 221G stating that need further documents.PFA documents they have asked.

    they have checked two boxes in that and asking those documents. PFA for reference.

    my client is not willing to provide client letter so my manager saying that instead of client letter we will provide manager letter and sow.

    now my question is: will consulate guys accept this?

    also my petition will expire on august 20 th 2017,till now i did not travel to US,this is the first time i went for stamping.

    if we did not respond to the 221 g,my petition will expire in next 2 months. so,can i use same petition for future cap exempted category with different company and different client.

    currently i have 2 i797B approved petitions in my hand one is for texas and 2nd is for amendment to that different client and location change is for chicago location.

    Note: its not 2 h1b petitions,its only one h1B having with amendments to 2 locations base location is texas and amendment for chicago.i went stamping for chicago location with amendment approved petition.

    could you please suggest the best way to hold my petition for future use with different client out terminating.

    Reply
  25. I attended US H1b visa interview at hyd on 3-May 2017. VO informed me that my visa is approved. After 10days, I dropped email to support-india, they responded that my case is in administrative processing under 221g. I don’t know which slip it is as I have not received any info. They did n’t ask to submit any document. my passport is with them. Anyone in same boat , please reply

    Reply
    • mine is pending since past 8 weeks. No documents were asked during interview except passport which was returned back. direct employee, has been working in the same company since 4 years but L1B to H1B.

      The interview was not good, I believe she wanted me to put on 221g somehow.
      the interview was not even 45 sec !!!
      Asked where quickly salary, company name, education, job duties. very quick, like she wanted me to catch I miss something or I do not know.

      Reply
    • Hi Saurabh,

      I have attended visa interview at Chennai consulate on May 2nd 2017, issued 221g blue slip. VO didnt ask any documents.. he just says we need some more time to give final decision.. please track your case status with this case number..

      MY H1B petition is valid till NOV 14 2017. if suppose I did not get any update from consulate.. what options i have?

      Company planning to apply H1 extension in the August month. After extension approve, Can I attend visa interview again even though old H1b petition is on admin process?

      Reply
  26. Hi All,

    Did any one 22G got cleared for 2017. How much does it takes for clearance? I am eager to know about average time period for clearance for “administratative process” after documents submissions? Please help

    Reply
  27. Hi Saurabh,
    Thank you

    My H1B case was picked up in 2016 lottery but denied recently on the grounds of specialty occupation. I was wondering if transfer of my petition is still possible? I am currently outside US.

    Reply
    • Kishore,

      If the petition was selected, not approved but denied, then you are not considered in the cap. You have to go through the cap again.

      Reply
      • Hi Saurabh… My petition was selected in 2014 lottery and i attended interview at Chennai consulate in october 2014.Got 221g with additional administration processing. After six months i. E in June 2015 petiiton sent back to uscis by chennai consulate. The petition revoked in August 2017. The petiiton also expired. Am i eligible for doing cap exempt transfer now with another employer. Please suggest.

        Fyi to all folks who were waiting for 221g reuslt with checkbox checked as additional administration processing required… Dont keep any hopes on the positive outcome.. They will send bavk petition to uscis.. And there will be no reply from them.. Its just lost opportunity… 90 percent it will get revoked…

        Reply
  28. Hi,

    I got 221g blue slip stating my case requires further administrative processing for H1B. So I travelled to US on H4 visa. I have my petition with me. So can I find other employer and change my status to H1 from H4? Is it possible to change the status from H4 to H1 though I have been issued 221g for H1 at the consulate?

    Reply
      • Thank you. I was in a wrong impression that I cannot apply and wasted many months.
        Few more questions.
        1. With a new employer can I start working with approved LCA without waiting for COS decision?
        2. How much time does it take to get LCA or COS in general as premium processing is not there now?

        Reply
        • AdviseMe,

          1. No, you need COS to be approved before you can start to work.
          2. It could take several months, say 8-9.

          One thing to watch out for (sorry, didn’t include in my previous response), if consulate has made the decision to deny the visa (after 221g processing) they would send the petition back to USCIS for possible revocation. Once USCIS does that, you cannot use the old petition for H-1 transfer. Your COS to H-1 would work only if the old petition has not been revoked by USCIS based upon consulate’s input.

          Reply
    • Hi,

      I received 221(g) in Jan and the final submission of documents on March. It’s been quite long since am away from my husband..

      We are planning to go for H4 stamping but we Re not clear on the procedure to follow for H4 stamping since my H1B Visa is put under administrative processing.

      Any one with similar situation who has gone through please share your advice to follow for H4 stamping. Also what VO would ask in the interview since he sees that H1B is already in admin processing.?

      Please help us!

      Reply
      • hi Anil,

        My case was similar to yours. I went to consulate for H1 Stamping and received 221g. I waited for 2 months for 221g to clear. But there was no update.
        I planned for H4 stamping and scheduled an appointment for the H4 visa interview.
        VO asked me questions like – “Were you here few months back? and what for?”. I honestly replied and told that I have received 221g and its under admin processing. She checked in the system and confirmed the same.

        she approved my H4.
        I am in US now.

        regards,
        JD

        Reply
  29. Urgent help needed:
    I am stuck in India because of 221G Admin processing (yellow slip). My US employer might ask me to Resign because of delay in 221g.
    1. What will happen to my visa if I have to join other employer in India while 221G is in process.
    2. What documents should I ask my current employer before leaving them?
    3. Can other Indian employer transfer my visa if this 221G comes as rejection or in process?

    Reply
    • Rahul Goswami,

      1. Join other employer on H-1 or as their Indian employee?
      2. Experience letter, copy of 797.
      3. If 221g results in denial, they would send the petition back to USCIS for reconsideration and possible revocation. Try to transfer to another employer before that happens. Unfortunately due to PP ban, this cannot be sped-up.

      Reply
  30. I attended interview on Jan 30th. I was given a blue slip 221g after 3 hours of wait. they marked tax documents to be submitted. After submitting the documents again on March 11 was asked to submit the passport but after 5 days I got my passport without stamping and again with a blue slip mentioning admin processing before a final decision can be made. Eagerly waiting with fingers crossed. Did anyone face any similar situation? Has their visa got approved.

    Reply
  31. Here is my case, i went to VISA interview on March 3rd, had my ofc done on 2nd March.

    1. OFC –> I did mistake with my dependent while taking appointment, i gave same reference as mine for my dependent too
    2. I raised query with Chennai consulate, they asked me to update proper Application ID while Biometri
    3. When i went for Biometri, i asked VFS officer to correct the mistake. he said no issues, but he updated my dependent as H1
    4. Next day, when i went for interview, while verifying our finger prints, VFS officer got confused and asked me who is the petitioner for H1B, i gave my Petition, he made correction to my dependent, i thought its corrected for good.
    5. When i went to Interview, first question was, who is your petitioner, i answered, VISA officer didn’t get convinced, she consulted someone and came back.
    6. I knew something is wrong, she asked me to handover all my supporting documents.
    7. I handed over, she typed something on the computer and went to consult someone again.
    8. She came back and asked me to sit, she said she will call me back
    9. After one hour wait, she called me back and said, we need to do further processing.
    10. She handed me over 221g and marked Admin Processing.
    11. I greeted her and came back. when i checked for the case numbers for status
    12. case no mentioned were only 12 digit, ceac visa tracker needs 14 digit no
    13. when i entered my Application ID, status says Admin processing
    14. for my dependent same status but, case created date as the day i went for OFC, mine updated as the date of interview.
    15. I am confused. what might be real issue.

    Reply
  32. Anybody got 221(g) blue slip with Administrative Processing checked on 3rd Feb 2017 (Friday) from Chennai consulate? Please reply whether got any update from USCIS on your visa status? Ours still showing the same Administrative Processing status. Please share.

    Reply
  33. Hi,
    My H1B visa interview was on 23rd feb.
    Consular asked me about my research. Asked me for my research publications.
    He retained my passport and issued 221g blue slip highlighting that additional administrative processing needs to be done before taking decision.

    Any idea what’s going on????

    Reply
    • 221(g) is very common this past few months the consultae will process you application. The average duration seen is 4 weeks. in some cases up to 7 weeks. It is a painful period as no updates are provided by the consulate. You do not have any other option but to wait for an email correspondence from the consulate.

      Reply
  34. Hello everyone,

    I had my interview on 6th feb 2017 at mumbai consulate.
    Was issued a 221g slip askig for end client letter.
    Ive submitted the same through email,as directed,on 7th feb.
    I would like to know how long does the processing take to complete.
    I know it takes a few weeks.
    Any inputs would be helpful.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  35. I had h1b extn interview on 1st of Feb and was given a white slip with 221g….and asked to submit additional docs…anyone know difference between white,yellow,blue slip?

    Reply
    • They are all the same, every consulate uses different color slips. It’s the check box that matters. If they asked you for additional documents then it’s clear. If they just checked the box for administrative processing, it’s like a black hole. We don’t know how long it may take. Usually, it’s taking 4-6 weeks if it’s Hyderabad and Chennai. While Delhi and Mumbai have lesser wait times.

      Reply
      • 3rd Feb h1b Extension stamping interview…got 221g white slip and asked to submit extra doc…submitted same day which was received by embassy on 6th Feb ..since it was a weekend….its almost 5 weeks now ..still waiting for update ..mine was in Delhi …any idea how long is the approx wait time ?

        Reply
  36. I recently gave my documents for drop-off for H1B extension and with a new employer (so new i797). My passport was returned with 221G and I was told to come for an interview. Yesterday, during the interview they said they needed some more confirmation from the university I did my masters from. Currently, the status is showing as Administrative processing. What could be the reason? Currently a full-time employee at a firm.

    Reply
  37. Me and my husband where asked to do a drop box , after 21 days we were asked to come for the interview with client letter , we attended the interview , the officer took all the documents and made us wait for 3 hours and then gave the blue slip mentioning they ran out time , and the slip mentioned administration processing , we have all documents correct and my husband is 140 approved , any idea how long will it take ?? Is it 60 days or 21 days ?? This silence from their side is killing us

    Reply
  38. Hi

    I have attended H1B visa interview in Chennai on 13 Jan 2017. The VO asked standard questions and finally gave me 221g with check on “your application requires additional administrative processing before final decision can be made” He returned all documents except xerox copy of 797. He returned passport also. Any idea how long does it take to get my case resolved?

    Reply
  39. Hi

    I have attended H1B visa interview in Mumbai Consulate on 07 of Sept 2016. I got 221g and asked to submit documents but employer didn’t show interest to submit docs . After few days I got another employer ,who applied for Cap Exempt in PP and petition approved.As i have big client name and all documents.

    In 12 Jan 2017 attend visa interview in Hyderabad Consulate.But after basic questions like employer name, client name, salary, client location.She asked

    Have you previously applied for visa?
    1st time i said No.

    Again she asked same question.
    Ans: Yes in Mumbai location from previous employer.And issued Administrative Process slip.

    She moved out of her place n went somewhere and back again and by looking at her computer asked
    1. What is your full name
    Ans: Answered
    2. Date of birth
    Ans: Answered

    Then looked into computer and typed something for 1-2 minutes.
    And issued Administrative process slip.

    Please let me know the what will be reason?? What will be the outcome.

    Reply
    • Hi There,

      What happened to your Visa application ? Was your admin processing resolved? It would really help if you can share what the timeline was like.

      Thanks.

      Reply
  40. I appeared for visa interview on 4 nov and was given yellow slip . Today my status update date has been changed , and still it says admin processing and may take several weeks ,and mentioned if your visa is approved we will mail in 2 business days.

    Any idea whats going on?

    Reply
      • Hi sa191..

        So, you went for a visa stamping on 4th November. On that day, did the US Visa officer keep your passport or s/he give your passport back to you? If they have kept it with them, havae you received the passport yet (With or without visa stamped)?

        I am asking this coz few of the employees from the consultancy that filed my visa have been issued 221g. So, if I am issued 221g and consulate officer keeps my passport, then I may not be able to go for other international travel that is coming up. Can you please reply to my above query? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Hi aditya sorry for late reply.
          actualy i have recieved my passport with stamp.
          on 4th they kept passport and issued 221g . and on 21 dec i got email and message to pick passport

          Reply
  41. Hi,

    I have attended the Visa Stamping interview in Calgary, Canada on 14 Dec 16.

    VO: Asked my Passport and I797
    Me: Gave her
    VO: Where do you work
    Me: Gave the location information.
    VO: Asked my job duties
    Me: Answered

    She gave me 221g form and told me that I will get a Email and I have to submit the documents. Please note that she did not take my passport.Can some one help me understand how long this process will take. I have to travel to India on a personal work by end of Jan. Can I still travel to India and continue this process. Please let me know the best possible solution for this problem.

    Reply

Leave a Comment