Any person planning to travel to the US must undergo a visa interview process at the US embassy/consulate. As part of the visa interview process, the US Consular officer reviews all the submitted documents and information and decides whether to approve or reject the visa for that individual.
If the US Consular officer does not have clarity about a document or any aspect of your application and they are not convinced to approve the visa, they may issue a visa refusal form 221(g) and inform the applicant regarding the same and inform, if additional documents need to be submitted.
This article will review all the details around US visa refusal under section 221(g), what administrative processing is, what to expect, how long it can take, what the color of the 221g form indicates, and other common FAQs.
What is 221(g) in the context of US Visa Stamping?
When the US Consular officer determines that additional processing is required before deciding on your US visa issuance, they issue a letter that reads, “Your visa application has been refused under section 221(g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act(INA)…“. This letter is called 221(g) Form or 221(g) Administrative Processing Form.
Depending on the US Consulate, this US Visa refusal 221(g) letter can be printed on different paper colors, such as yellow, green, pink, blue, or white. The US Visa refusal letter 221(g) form will have additional instructions on what the US Consular officer expects to do or expects the applicant to submit.
Below is an example of a US Visa Refusal Form 221(g) issued at Hyderabad for H1B Visa recently in December 2024
Why is a US Visa Refusal Form 221(g) issued? Common Reasons?
The US visa applicant may be issued a US Visa Refusal form 221(g) in a few scenarios. There is no comprehensive list of reasons for issuing 221(g). Below are some of the common reasons the visa applicants can get it:
- Background Check or Security Screening: If the US Visa applicant has a common Muslim name or is working in an industry like pharmaceutical, biotech, engineering, etc., that’s there on TAL (Technology Alert List) or has a name that matches with any security lists that US Department of State has, they may be issued a 221(g) form.
- Employment Check: If the applicant is applying for a US work visa, they want to ensure their employment is genuine. Usually, in scenarios where the visa applicant is working for a consulting company and the officer wants to ensure that the submitted client/project information is correct or wants to check if the submitted details about the employer are accurate, the US consular officer may issue the 221(g) administrative Processing form.
- Dropbox Applicants (Visa Renewals): If an applicant is applying for US Visa renewal using the Dropbox option, they may be issued a US Visa Refusal 221(g) form indicating that they need to attend the in-person appointment. In this case, the consular officer wants to talk to the applicant. Sometimes, it is also given for submitting additional documents.
- Petitioner Information Management Service(PIMS) Not updated: The Consular officer can also issue the 221(g) form if their systems are not updated for whatever reason and they need to verify the same. The Consular Officers use a PIMS system to get all the work visa-related petition information from USCIS for various visa types. The Consular officer puts the visa processing on hold until the data is updated for them to verify.
- Consular Officer Needs Time to Understand: They may issue a 221(g) if the consular officer needs time to understand more about the applicant or the area of expertise of the visa applicant and what they are seeking a visa for. For instance, if the applicant is a researcher in nuclear physics and the visa officer has limited knowledge in that area, the visa officer may issue 221(g) to understand more about the applicant and their purpose before issuing the visa.
- Past US Visa History: If the visa officer finds any inconsistencies with the information presented by you and it does not match with past visa history of the applicant either approvals or refusals, then the applicant may get 221g.
- General Administrative Processing: Sometimes, there may be cases where the Consular officer believes some additional details have to be verified or checked with their internal systems, then they may issue the 221(g) for general administrative processing. Usually, if they expect something from the applicant, they will ask the applicant and indicate it in the form or email them. If not, then it is something internal, and they do not give specific details.
Sometimes, the visa officer can issue 221(g) for the applicant, even if the reason is not directly related to the applicant. It could be for a simple reason, such as the Visa Officer’s computer suddenly crashed and cannot be used while you are at the interview. Instead of letting you wait, the office can choose to issue a 221(g). There can be any reason, the officer most of the times will let the applicant know or email the applicant, if something is needed from them.
Received 221(g) form, Passport Returned Without Stamping?
When you get a 221g form for administrative processing, your passport will be returned without visa stamping. It is a standard process and nothing to be concerned about.
Your passport was returned to you without the visa stamping because the US Consular officer could not verify all the facts or documents, and it needs additional processing on your case. After you submit the documents or they do additional processing on your case, you will be asked to submit your passport if the consular officer believes they can issue you the US Visa.
US Visa Renewal or Dropbox Stamping: 221g with passport returned.
If you received the 221g form during Dropbox submission for US visa renewal, your passport would have been returned without stamping. In this case as well, there is nothing to be worried about. It is a standard process for them to return the passport without stamping and suggest the applicant’s next steps, such as attending a personal interview, giving biometrics, or submitting more documents or proofs.
Below is the screenshot of a 221g form issued for the Dropbox visa stamping. If you look at it closely, it suggests the applicant attend an in-person interview and carry additional documents such as a “copy of the current petition/visa.”
Next Steps after you get a US Visa Refusal 221(g) Form?
Once your US visa stamping case is put under administrative processing and you are issued a form 221g, below are the next steps that you can expect to happen:
Step 1: Issuance of 221g Form on a White or a Different Color Sheet: The visa applicant is given a white or different colored sheet of paper by the US Consulate officer which reads “”Your visa application has been refused under section 221(g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act(INA)…“. Different color slips are issued for various reasons by different consulates. There is no standardized color code all the consulates follow. The 221(g) slip or sheet of paper will have your case number, usually the Consular Officer would write it.
Step 2: Submit Documents, mentioned in 221g Slip: If the consular officer wants certain documents or information for processing, they will ask you to submit the documents in person or via email. These can be submitted electronically or through the dropbox. The issued slip will have information about the required documents and how to submit them. The processing will not start until all the documents have been submitted.
Step 3: Processing Time, Waiting time: After you submit the documents, if they were requested by the consular officer in the 221g form or via email, you need to wait for them to process your case. There is nothing you need to do, you need to wait. There is no estimated time or Service Level Agreement(SLA) time for 221(g) cases.
Step 4: Submit Passport or Visa issuance Decision: Once the processing is complete on your case, and the visa officer determines that you are eligible for the US visa, then you will be asked to submit the passport(if they have not collected it during the interview). After you submit the passport, they would issue your US Visa and glue it in the passport. If, for some reason, the visa officer believes you are not eligible, then they will return the documents and give the applicant a denial letter. Check out Sample 221g US Visa Denial Letter.
You can add your case at community based tracker at 221g Tracker
How long does 221(g) Administrative Processing Take?
There is no set timeline or an SLA for 221g administrative processing. It depends on the case complexity and the reason for getting a 221(g) refusal letter. It can take as little as a week or as long as several months.
Usually, if the consular officer asks for a simple documents or needs to do any minor verifications in their systems, it can be resolved quickly. But, if they need to verify your info across security databases, or contact other agencies or companies, it can take much longer.
The official guidance from the US Consulates/ Embassy, as it appears on the USTravelDocs.com India website – 221g page, is that each case is different and processing time depends on that particular case. They say most of the cases in 221g administrative processing should be resolved within 180 days from the date of the interview.
See the below screenshot from their website.
When can you follow up with the US Consulate/Embassy on your 221g Case?
As per the US Dept of State, unless it is a travel emergency due to a serious illness or injury, death of a family member, or something critical, you should not contact them regarding administrative processing before 180 Days. If you have submitted documents after the issuance of 221(g), then you need to wait 180 days from that submission date before you can contact the US Consulate/Embassy.
Below is the screenshot of the actual guidance on the USTracelDocs Website as per US Consulates/Embassy
How to Check the Status of 221(g) Case on the CEAC Website?
You can check the status of your 221(g) case on the Consular Electronic Application Center(CEAC) website. While this may not be updated every day or every week, this is the only avenue for applicants to check the status of their case before they hit the 180 days mark to contact the consulate.
- Visit the CEAC Web page
- Click on the Application Status section, depending on the type of your application, either immigrant or non-immigrant. See the below screenshot.
- If you applied for F1, H1B, H4, L1, L2, you fall under Non-immigrant.
3. Enter the details of the location, application id or case number, passport number, and first 5 letters of your surname/family name and enter the captcha. Below is the screenshot of what all fields you must complete.
4. You will get the status of your 221(g) case at the end. Depending on the processing, it can show as refused, approved, or issued. See the below screenshot on how the status would look like for refused case of 221(g), when they are processing the case.
How to follow up on your 221(g) Case with US Consulate?
As per the US Dept. of State guidance, you cannot contact the US Consulate or Embassy before 180 days regarding your 221(g) administrative processing from the day of issuance of the 221g form. But, many applicants do follow-up on their case before they reach 180 days in a very professional tone. While you may or may not get a response, it is worth a shot to try after a few weeks from the date of issuance of your 221(g) form.
The process of contacting the US Consulate is different in each country. In some countries, they provide an email on the Consulate/Embassy website, in some countries, you must go through the US Visa Globals Support Services Provider such as CGI.
For instance, in India, they have completely removed the ability to contact the US Consulate/ Embassy directly using email for 221(g) cases. They have introduced the concept of completing a form for your need. You are asked to email the US Visa Globals Support Services Provider contact email support-india@usvisascheduling.com.
You must check the US Embassy/ Consulate website in your country and see, if there is a direct option to contact the consulate. If not, you should email the relevant outsourced services provider such as CGI to their standard support email address and request for support indicating your emergency or if you have completed the 180 days and still have not heard back from the Consulate. You can also try to call the US Embassy/Consulate for more info.
Also, if you are working in US, then you can email your Senator and ask them for help. However, this should be done only if it has been pending for 180 days or more. Again, there is no guarantee.
You may interact with the community by joining the Telegram Group for 221(g)
Can I expedite 221g Administrative Processing? Premium Processing?
The US Department of State does not have an option to expedite the processing of your 221(g) case. There is nothing you can do before 180 days. If there is an emergency travel need, you must submit the requet by attaching all the relevant proof and email the consulate or the global support services provider such as CGI requesting to expedite. It is up to the discretion of the US Consulate/ Embassy to process the same.
Unlike USCIS premium processing, there is no premium processing option for 221(g) cases with US Department of State. You just need to wait. The wait can be long, but it is what it is…
Very long delay with 221(g): Can I sue the US Govt. and file Writ of Mandamus?
If the delay in the processing of your 221(g) administrative processing is unreasonable, then you can file a Writ of Mandamus. Basically, what you are doing is suing the US Govt. saying that they have not done their work properly on time and it has impacted your life. Unreasonable delay is very subjective and you may consider anything around 6 to 8 months unreasonable. The longer the delay, the more unresonable.
Filing a Writ of Mandamus Lawsuit will help you get a decision on your 221(g) case, but it does not increaes your chances of approval or gurantee the approval of your case. It can take anywhere from 3 months to 4 months to get this Mandmanus Lawsuit to have some effect on your case.
Depending on your case, attorneys can charge a lot of money. They can charge anywhere from $3000 to $10,000 based on your case.
221(g) Final Decision – Visa Denied
Depending on the type of US Visa you applied for, the US Consular officer will make a decision on your case and communicate the decision to the applicant. A letter or email will be sent to the applicant stating that the Consular officer cannot issue the visa to the applicant as they do not meet the requirements for the visa as per the Immigration and Nationality Act(INA).
In some 221(g) cases for visa types like H1B, the petition related to the H1B and a memorandum explaining the decision is sent to USCIS for further review and revocation as applicable. Below is the screenshot of a sample final refusal/ denial letter and an email sent to the applicant after the initial 221(g) refusal form.
Below is the sequence of events that usually happen after the denial decision is made for an H1B Visa.
- Consulate will send the H1B petition back to USCIS for reconsideration along along with their comments with a memorandum explaining their decision.
- All the original documents will be returned to applicant, except for I-797, which will be sent to USCIS
- Once USCIS receives the petition, they will send a notice of receipt to the petitioner.
- USCIS will review the petition (this could take 2-3 months or more) and either issue a NOIR (Notice of Intent to Revoke) or NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny). The petitioner will be given certain days (30-60 days; actual days given are mentioned in the NOIR/NOID) to respond.
- Based on the petitioner’s response, USCIS will finally reinstate the petition or deny it.
- If the petition is reinstated, then USCIS will send the document to the concerned US consulate, which in turn will get in touch with you to appear at the consulate. This overall process can take many months and not much can be done.
Common FAQs
Not necessarily. Unfortunately, 221g administrative processing takes time, and one needs to remain hopeful. If one has been asked to submit the passport after submission of documents or after the interview, then that’s definitely a positive sign.
Sometimes, the US Visa officer may want to verify something on their end and may not need any information from you. This is very common and nothing to be worried. Every case is different and the processing time totally varies by case and cannot say.
Also, you can check out our 221(g) tracker that has anonymous data with users like you, who added the details for community benefit. 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.
What do you think of the way 221(g) administrative processing is done? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
My visa’s dropbox for H4 was Refused. She received the passport back on 03/23/2024. There was no 221g or any letter of explanation. What are my options now?
Hello All,
We submitted our passport for visa renewal (H1B & H4) as part of dropbox submission on 01/11/2024. Today the CEAC website, shows the status as Refused. Does anyone know, how and when we can receive more information regarding the status and further steps to be taken?
Thanks in anticipation.
VK
You case is clean as you will get stamping ….Post stamping the status will be changed….So wait for some more time….All the best
Hello All,
My spouse received 221 g white slip for H4 visa requesting to another format of marriage certificate. Documents submitted on June 1st week and still not received any response. I know the time to get a reply from consulate takes time but not sure if it takes this long for H4. Can anyone suggest for further steps to follow up or any way to expedite ?
Hi Rajkumar ,is your wife received H4 visa if yes how many days it took?
My Sister’s 221g case is stuck and pending with USCIS for more than a year since April 2022. Case was sent to USCIS for review in October 2022 from consulate of Hyderabad and is pending since then. Recently the date got changed from October 2022 to March 2023 but no change in status. Her employer says they are sending emails through attorney but no response from USCIS.
Please suggest what can be done here?
same as happened with me and I don’t know what to do!
Hello Everyone,
I would like to share our experience with L1A visa stamping for everyone’s benefits. My husband is on L1A visa. His L1A got renewed in the month of January. He travelled to India in April for visiting his mom. Since the visa had got renewed, he had to get it stamped in India. What should have been a 3/4 days of process, took more than 10 weeks to get the visa stamped.
Following is the chronological order of the entire process at the embassy in New Delhi.
April 18th : Drop-Box appointment for visa stamping. Since it was same visa category, drop box was recommended, hence all the supporting evidence (listed as part of visa stamping process) along with passport was dropped at at the VFS center in Delhi.
April 24 th : Online update of Visa status as “Refused”.
April 28th : Passport received with 221g requesting submission of LCA. LCA (Labor Condition Application) is never filed for L1 visa category. Hence my husband’s company issued a letter mentioning that LCA is unavailable as it is not filed for L1A.
April 30th : Drop box appointment with the company letter and rest of the supporting documents submitted again at the VFS center.
May 5th : Passport was delivered with 221g once again requesting for in-person interview .
May 8th : In the in-person interview, the officer requested to show the petition that was filed for L1A extension. Since the visa was already extended and since the petition is never mentioned as list of documents to be taken / submitted for visa stamping, my husband did not have this 150 page document with him. The visa stamping was refused for third time asking to submit the petition @ HandLprocessing@state.gov email ID.
May 9th : The petition was emailed to the ID given .
May 30th : No response , no update. The visa status just reflected “Administrative Processing” on ceac website.
While my husband was in India going through this multiple trips to Delhi from his native place in Punjab, my kids and I were in the US going through the stress and uncertainty that any non immigrant family would go. I did some research online and found out that if the family is in the USA and if the person is already working in the USA, one can contact congressman/woman or senator of the state after 180 days of lack of response from the embassy. Having spent 1 and half months already, waiting for another 4 and 1/2 months before reaching out to the congressman/congresswoman was unimaginable.
May 30th : I reached out Congresswoman, Dr Kim Schrier (https://schrier.house.gov/) from our district to check out what help they could extend for our unique situation.
Dr Schrier and her team were very empathetic in understanding the situation. A case was created by the team for tracking purposes. A dedicated case worker was assigned to our case. The case worker worked continuously with the NVC and Delhi Embassy and within less than 2 weeks, my husband was asked to drop off the passport for the fourth time.
June 12th : We got a email message from the embassy requesting my husband to drop the passport at the VFS center.
June 13th : Passport was dropped off at the VFS Center
June 15th : ceac site changed the visa status to “Approved”
June 20th : ceac site changed the visa status to “Issued ”
June 21th : Passport was delivered with Visa Stamped 🙂
I am sure some of you may have gone through this nerve wrecking process and are still waiting for the final stamping. If you are working in the US before getting stuck in India or any other country for visa stamping, you should definitely reach out to the congressman/woman in your state and request them to help out instead of waiting for 180 days. I am very thankful to our elected officer congresswoman, Dr. Kim, for her kind, empathetic and quick support in expediating the whole process.
Although everyone’s situation may be unique, but know that there is support available with your elected officer.
Hope this information helps anyone who is in similar situation and looking for some answers/solution to the L1 visa stamping issue.
Manisha,
Thanks a lot for sharing! It will help the community a lot.
Hi Kumar, My B1 visa interview, during which the officer informed me that my case needs to undergo a review. They provided me with a yellow 221g slip labeled “admin processing” and retained my passport. The officer did not request any additional documents. I am curious if anyone have any insights or information about this situation it’s been for than 47 days
Hi abhi,
Im in the same position , my mom got white 221g slip on july 2023. Its been more than 180 days but didn’t get any reply from uscis
Same I got email
To submit passport, copy of i797 and 221g latter.
So is it posivite sign?
I got 221 g yellow slip saying to submit additional documents. I have that document. The yellow slip says submit documents to VAC. Does it meant that I don’t have to take appointment, I can just walk in to submit documents. Also how long it takes to get passport back?
I am also on the same boat ..My wife received a Yellow slip not sure if I need to book the appointment or directly walk .Tried calling the VAC support numbers to clarify but they again and again directing me to follow what has been in the letter.
I am pasting the content of the letter below
“Your application has been refused under section 221(g) of Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) until the below indicated documents are submitted.
In order to continue processing on your case, please follow the instructions that the Officer has marked below. Please submit copies of documents as indicated below along with this letter to the Visa Application Center. To locate the VAC closest to you, please check www.ustraveldocs.com/in or call +91120-4844644 / +914046258222 / +1 703 520 2239 (USA local number), between Monday Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., India Standard Time (IST), and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., IST. Be sure to refer to your case number on any submission o the information. Do NOT submit any original personal documents (degrees, mark sheet, etc.) Documents submitted will NOT be returned (other than passports and petitions). Please be advised that for U.S. visa purposes, including ESTA, this decision constitutes a denial of a visa.
@vinod Did you submit the additional papers by visiting the Visa application center without booking an appointment?
@amit
Did ur wife’s visa get the stamp? How did u submit the documents and and how long it took?
did you issued visa
I Have Attended my H1B Interview on 8th Feb 2023 and Received 221G Blueslip Asking the documents like I-129,I797B,LCA, COVER LETTER
And I have sent the requested documents on 13Feb after that on 25th April 2023 – Received Refusal Letter from HL Processing New Delhi like Below.
Based on the documents you have submitted to us, and the information elicited in your interview with an American Consular Officer, we are not able to issue you an H1B temporary work visa because your petition is being sent back for revocation.
In accordance with the United States law and Department of State guidelines, action on your case has been suspended, and the I-129 Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker filed on your behalf will be returned to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with a memorandum explaining the facts of your case as presented to us at the time of interview. The U.S Embassy in New Delhi is no longer handling your case and will be unable to give you any information on the status of your petition.
For your information, your visa was refused today under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Essentially, this section states that a visa cannot be issued to anyone whose application does not appear to the Consular Officer to meet the requirements of the INA or of the regulations there under.
Sincerely,
Non-Immigrant Visa Unit
U.S. Embassy New Delhi
Can someone please let me know shall I Transfer my Petition to Other Employeer and go for Stamping if Yes what is the Process?
Hi Kumar, I have a question, My H1B visa has been issued on dec 14th 2022 and post that there are 3 people attended the interview (1 in Feb , 2 were in march) who are also from same my company and for all 3 status refused and admin processing . Now question is , Since I have valid visa If I travel to US during the immigration process will there be any chances to hold me or send back considering others are in admin processing state from same company.
The 221g process can be confusing and frustrating, but your FAQs provide much-needed clarity. Thank you for explaining the common reasons for delays and denials and offering tips on how to navigate the process. This is a great resource for anyone going through the 221g process. check -t.ly/NaxHX for more details related to this blog
My H1B is in the case of 221g at india.I travelled to USA with H4 visa.Can I change my status from H4 to H1B to new employer?if yes what will happens to existing case of 221g in India?
Hi Sravanthi,
Did you already have a h4 visa or you applied h4 after h1’s 221g denial. I am in the same boat and thinking about my next steps.
Hello,
my mom’s renewal B1/b2 visa (dropbox) got refused last year with 221G
yellow slip that is requesting some documents which we are not able to provide to US embassy and due to that I tried various times calling the embassy but they keep on telling me the same answer that “concern department is looking and they will take action” but no action taken yet. I also tried withdrawing the application by sending more than 6-8 emails to US embassy in India but no luck. Should we submit a new application? Please if anyone came across or knows what needs to do in this situation? Your help and guidance will be very much helpful to me and my family. Thanks in advance appreciate it.
Thanks,
Shah
Shah,
Sorry to hear. All we can do is wait for them to come back. Not much can be done. I wish there was another answer.
Hi Kumar,
I applied for my daughter 3 years old for B2 visa via Dropbox facility as we parents both have usa b2 visa. On 23 March we received the passport back with the Zerox copies of our passport and visa copies. There was not 221g letter in the cover with the passport.
But on CEAC it stills shows Refused with that Administration Processing big comment.
Please advise that what shall we consider is it still in process or denied ?
Regards
Haloo
I had interview IV Visa .But they Give White Slip Paper .And My Visa Status Refused . Thay Need additional Documents And I Sent Via Dhl
But Stil Refused .
In the same boat.. did you get your visa?
Hi,
How did you send your additional documents, I got blue 221g an consular said upload 2 document more, I don’t know where should I uploaded.
I was issued a 221g white slip following an in person interview after my Dropbox was denied initially. The interview took place on Jan 13 2023. The documents requested within the 221g slip were more relevant for a PhD candidate or researcher vs. H1B applicant. I submitted all the documents on Feb 1st 2023. Since then I’ve been waiting on a response from the NVC. What are the chances for an approval?
Hi Team
I had visa interview in October 2022 and got blue slip 221(g) to update LCA with corrected work location. In my LCA SECTION – F they have mentioned New York location as a secondary entity. During the interview i said i will be working from illinois location to my end client because in SECTION – C i have illinois location. hence i have submitted latest amended LCA with corrected location(illinois).
How many days it will take to approval please be advised
I have been interviewed last year and where they gave me 221 G slip but still my case is same ‘refused ‘ after one year ! My question – I have to reapply or still wait for response any advise ?
Still wait until they told you approve it denied
Hello Kumar,
I submitted the documents in dropbox at the delhi consulate on 25th november. I got a yellow 221g slip on 28th asking for photographs, even though I had submitted them earlier. I submitted the photographs on 30th november. I am waiting since then. Any suggestion on what I can do now?
Any update on your case? I’m in the same boat.
Hello kumar, I was given a 221g white slip asking me to submit a new passport , as I have already submitted the expired one for b1/b2 drop box and it was returned with a 221g white slip asking for a new passport, I’m worried is it a big issue?😩😩
Josii,
It should not be a big issue, if it is just passport expiry. Submit new passport, stay positive, it will be fine.
Hello Kumar,
I have attended for H4 Visa on 11th of June, 2021 at Delhi US Embassy. My application was refused under section 221(g) (yellow slip). They have taken my original Passport and xerox copies of my Marriage Invitation and Marriage Certificate. there is no update from their side and I am waiting since then, any suggestion on my status ?
Hi Kumar,
I got email from us travel docs on 28 Dec 22 that i need to appear for Re-Interview at any working day. I already attended interview on 13 Dec 22 with depended and got visa stamped on 19 Dec 22 and received passports. I am not sure why they asking for re-interview. Please suggest.
RaviJ,
Well, we dont know. If they asked for it, then you must honor and go there. Do not worry, just follow the instructions.
Thanks Kumar..
Last year I went for stamping for is based employer and issued 221g to submit additional documents from employer. It was already shared. This year my Indian employer filled petition and I went for stamping which got approved as mentioned in query. As you suggested in one of my previous queries, I have provided 221g details in ds160 but did not withdraw application. Do you think it could be related to that? Do I need to prepare for previous application for re-interview?
Hi any update on ur case..how u proceeded lated pls guide
I am currently in Singapore with Employment Pass valid for 2 years.
my H1 Lottery got selected last year and i am ready to file DS160 form.
Is it possible to attend Visa interview in singapore / do i need to be in India and get stamped.
this is First time i am applying for H1b.
Please help me with this information
Ravi,
You should be able to get stamping done in Singapore as that is your residence.
Hi Ravi,
Did you get your visa stamped?
Hello Kumar, I was issued a 221g for a 10 year old arrest record. This is my first 221g in last 7 years. On 221g, I dont see anything that mentions that I need to submit my passport as well. Should I submit it ?
Hello,
I got 221g white notice (October 22)for my dependents dropbox visa stamping while traveling to India and they asked for Primary applicant visa copy (as Primary applicant is in India)to share with passport return. Primary application even though traveled to India but was having AP I131 document and not the visa stamped. Now I have returned back to US with my AP and passport is stamped as parolee. My question is – now primary applicant is in US now, can I share the Parolee stamp copy for the dependent 221g additional documents?And will the dependents get visa stamped?
I went for US visa interview and I was give a white documented paper which stated that it is undetermined clear and I have to wait for US ambassy to cross over check, what does that mean.i submitted all the documents and a becoming bit worried.
Hi kumar
I was given with 221g and asked to attend in person with my passport. Iam in h1b what should I expect? Should i carry all other documentation?
Hi,
I am asking this question for my father’s B1/B2 visa. He interviewed on 15th Nov 2022 in Delhi for visitor visa. Officer kept his passport stating his case will be processed, it might take few weeks. He got his passport back on 23rd Nov with yellow slip. The slip doesn’t list any documents that needs to be submitted. It just says ‘Administrative processing’ written with blue pen under the space provided after current passport in the yellow slip( bottom of the page). His status online is showing Refused. I am confused if his case is still being processed or not. Why did they return the passport and if they have sent 221g, why they haven’t listed any documents that they might need from him. Any thoughts? What should be our next steps? For some more context- My father is retired now but he was previously employed as scientist in Govt. run organization. In his previous visitor visa interviews he was given 221 g but with list of additional documents needed. His visa has never been denied before. Thank you in advance for help.
I attender the H1B visa interview on 21st November 2022@India embassy, Officer asked me the evidences which I didn’t had(LCA, Client letter), I had appointment letter and I-797 forms which I gave them, Officer took some time and reviewed all the provided documents and finally issues 221(g)white slip with the point ticked. “additional administrative processing before a final decision can be made” and returned my passport. Could you please explain the reason and timeframe to these cases.
Hi All, I received 221G with white slip, requested for additional documents, all documents are provided. Later consular informed with this status “We are coordinating this investigation with other Posts due to multiple identical petitions” and asked me to wait. what does it mean?
Hi,
My L1A was rejected clearly, and my passport was handed back to me immediately with a form 221(g) handed to me without asking for any additional documents. The interviewer told your visa is clearly denied. But my passport status in the cgi portal says it is with the consulate. I am now applying for L1B but since my passport status is incorrect, I am not able to book for appointments. How can I get this corrected? Or is there a administrative process still pending because I was given form 221(g) even with a clear rejection?
Hi, I had my H1B visa interview in Chennai last week and got 221g saying “additional Admin processing” and didn’t ask for any other docs. And they returned my passport. I have dropped an email to support-india and got the standard reply. Could you please answer below questions.
1. Can I change my employer while 221g under processing. If Yes, How long this process takes?
2.Do I need to get current petitioner’s approval for that?
Siva,
It depends on your situation, if it first time stamping or not. If not first time stamping, you may try for transfer using approval notice.
Hi Kumar,
Yes it is first time.
Siva,
If you never had H1B stamping or worked on H1B, the transfer is not possible as you are technically not counted towards cap. This is also slightly grey area, some in the past had some success, speak to an attorney.
Thank you verymuch Kumar for your response 🙂
Hi All,
For L1B my interview went fine but at the end the VO said that your passport is damaged and handed me a white Slip 221g with mentioned require AP and one more tick as submit new passport. i have submitted the same has anyone been on the same situation.
Suraj,
I have seen few had this, nothing to worry, you will get it on new passport. Just give it some time.
Hi,
I had an H1B interview at Delhi recently. I have answered all the questions and then VO asked me to show LCA and Client Letter. I have shown the LCA and Client Letter and then she started typing some thing by looking at my LCA and Client Letter. After 5 min i was given 221G yellow Slip without asking any documents to be submitted and Pass port is not returned and VO kept with her.
Any advice on my case.
Thanks,
VB
Hi venkat,
Even I too have same issue..
Can you please tell ur case approved?
Is it approved ?
Kiran , as you mentioned above we don’t need to withdraw pending h1 221g at consulate if you are attending to different visa class . Can you share me the reference from where you got the details ?
Hi Kumar, I received 221g in march to submit additional documents for us employer in 2022. Meanwhile got new h1b approved for current employer in 2023 and processing for stamping while previous year is pending for 221g. Do I need to mention it in current stamping? Is there anything I should take care? Plz help.
Ravi,
You should mention in DS-160 that your visa was refused under 221g when you fill in application of new employer. Be transparent and tell the same.
Thanks Kumar, I was having VISA stamped few year back. Am I eligible for Dropbox in this case? As per dropbox steps “Question 4: “Have you ever been refused a U.S. visa before?” answer will be Yes or No. Please help.
Thanks Kumar, I was having visa few year back. Am I eligible for dropbox in this case? As per Question 4: “Have you ever been refused a U.S. visa before?”. do I need to answer Yes? Also should I need to withdraw 221g case due to new stamping? Please help me.
Ravi,
If you were issued 221g, it means it was refused. So, you should answer it as refused.
Thanks Kumar. One last question, do I need to withdraw my previous visa application (221g issued one)? Please suggest.
Hi Kumar. Do I need to withdraw my previous visa application where 221g issued? Please help. I am so much confuse.
Hello everyone,
I have observed that al AP have been solved in less than 60 days. The ones pending for more than 90 days seems that they have never been solved. Do you know someone or you are this someone whose AP case was solved after more than 90 days of waiting without a lawyer help? I have been waiting for more than 110 days. Thank you!
Lululemon,
Every case is different, there is hardly any pattern. Yes, there are many who got after 6 months or even a year.
Where would they be from Kumar?
Sappy, most of these cases are from India, there are some from other countries too.
You may as well relax Lulu, We have been waiting for 10 months in AP…. same generic updates from DOS at Embassy.
Hi,
For My Spouse H4 Visa they have issued 221(g) white slip in May for missing marriage certificare, our attorney said as passport have spouse name no need to carry exceptionally. VO Officer issued white slip, in next 2 days we have mailed them Marriage Certificate on 26th May 2022 and its been 4 months, when we queried for status all the time they are saying administrative processing in progress. Do for verifying the Marriage Certificate for H4 Visa will take this amount of Time ? Is it something purposefully placing them in Backlog ? Will they ever issue visa in such cases ? and they are saying not to query for status and if query state that this will noted on their case….
Kanth,
Frankly, we dont know. The best thing you can do is continue to follow up with them and keep asking the status every few weeks.
My 221g case status moved to “Issued” from “Refused”. But when I search by Application Id, it still shows “Refused”.
And I didn’t receive passport submission email.
I am confused if my Visa is approved or still in “Refused” state.
Can someone guide me please.
ss535,
The status can be very misleading. If the have your passport, there is hope. If not, wait for them to give some info that they need. Follow up with them as well.
Hi Kumar,
Thanks for responding, Passport is with me only, I did follow up with “support-india@ustraveldocs.com”, but I got standard automated reply.
Waiting for the email from them..
ss535,
Well, stay positive and keep following up.
Im a dv2022 lottery winner.On the day of interview they requested my husband to send ds5535 to us consulate.The problem is that his case cannot be issued after 30 september.Can we send an email to us cosulate to help our case?
adi,
Yes, that’s the only thing you can do I guess for now.
Hello, I got my dvd 2022 interview on April 06, 2022. I submitted all my documents to the consuls. I am still waiting for my visa. What should I do? Seen that they will end the dvd 2022 on September 30. Should I worry about that?
hi
they give me yollow page this page meantion wait for our mail now 5 months around complate still i am waiting
any advice ?
wait some more and more and more
Hello Every one,
This is Raghu, had interview 18th July.
I got 221g white slip for H1B with out asking any documents & with adm processing. Any advise on how much time will it take.Please let me know.
Hi Raghu
Even i got white slip no documents asked. H1B. What did the consular officer told you?
Hello
I had interview 14 August 2022
I got 221g white slip for IR1 and IR2 with out asking any documents & with adm processing. Any advise on how much time will it take.Please let me know.
Hi kumar,
I had interview on 21st April, they gave me blue slip and i submitted a requested documents with in 15 days.
On 29th jun last updated time got updated and case status remains same i. e Refused
I don’t have any mail communication as well.
Do i need to apply again?
Sri,
Wait for some more time or email them asking for status.
Have you got your response Im in the same boat can you please explain whats the status it got updated later?
Hello,
I had interview 29th June and still waiting after sending 2 mails that they asked for some documents and informations. Now this is my question: Do they send mail to me even if they wanna reject as I wanna apply again or not?