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.
Hi Saurabh,
I attended H1B visa interview on 25th June and got 221(g) slip. Submitted all the document on 23rd of July.
I checked the case status on https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx
It shows as below,
U.S. Department of State : NONIMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION
Refused
Case Creation Date: 22-Jun-2012
Response Date: 20-Jul-2012
Your application was refused. Please see the letter or other instructions you received at the interview. For more information, please visit U.S. Consulate General Mumbai.
What is this mean? Did they start working on my case? What timeline I can expect to complete the case?
Thanks in advance,
Sagar
Hi Saurabh,
Awaiting for your reply.
Thanks in advance,
Sagar
Hi Sagar,
I appeared for H1 in Belfast, UK and I too had the same status until recently. . . . .
I received my passport 2 days back with Visa stamped onto it . Don’t worry its not a rejection and they are taking time to process it.
All the best,
Cheers,
Sagar,
221g is visa refusal and hence the message. You have already submitted the documents, and there is not much you can do now except to wait.
Finally i got my passport stamped on 9/12/2012.
Thanks,
Sagar
Hi Saurabh,
when I checked my B1 status in the below website it shows the following
https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx
Case creation Date: 25-July-2012
Response date: 31-July-2012
Status: Your visa is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing.
Does the above mean a decision has been taken on my visa as it says the response date as 31-July-2012 and will I get to know the decision soon on my Visa? How much more time should I need to wait .
Please let me know.
Note: My visa interview is on 26-July-2012.
Please do explain us what does Response Date signifies in this case.
Thanks
N Kumar,
I don’t know what Response Date signifies here. However, from status message “Your visa is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing.” it looks like it is still under processing.
Successful H4 restamping with 221g blue
Date of interview : 14-Jun-2012
docs submitted to VFS: 3-Jul-2012
email received asking to submit passport: 13-Jul-2012
passport submitted to VFS: 16-Jul-2012
passport received with visa stamp: 26-Jul-2012
Thanks this forum for the help and support
Hi,
Can you please let me know if you reapplied for H4 again when you had a 221g on your H4 visa? Please reply as this will help my wife’s case. Thank you.
Thanks
Raja
Hi Saurabh,
I went to USA on F1 visa in 2008 and then completed MBA in 2010 and on opt till 2011 and got my h1b approval in 2011. I have started working with my employer since october 2011. In march 2013, i have come to Dhaka, Bangladesh for stamping and had my interview on 15th april.
The VO assured me that your visa is approved after couple questions but we need some time for additional process.
Its been more than 3.5 months, I am still waiting……..
Waiting for you reply…………….
Ray,
There is not much you can do, except to wait for them to complete the processing. There is no set processing time.
Saurabh,
While my h1b is in the process, I would like to apply for business visit visa to Canada.
In this case, I am taking a job in my local multinational company in Bangladesh. I will apply through this company.
Is there any effect on my visa or employment of h1b employer?
Thanks in advance.
Ray,
Your visit to CA will not impact the outcome of H-1 processing.
Embassy has instructed to send my passport to the embassy. Lets see………. i am crossing
my finger.
Hi
I applied for a K1- Fiance Visa and had my interview at the London Embassy on 16th April 2012. I was told no further documentation was required and that my case required additional processing. I was given a blue 221(g) slip, with the additional processing box ticked. It’s now July 27th, 15 weeks since my interview and I am still in additional processing. I have a muslim surname but I was born and raised in the UK. My fiancee’s congressman has contacted the embassy and Department of State and were not given any further information, other than we are in additional processing and when it’s done, they will email us.
Anyone else going through London experiencing a similar timeframe?
Guyz,
Can anyone share what the RESPONSE DATE was prior to 20-July on the CEAC website
https://ceac(dot)state(dot)gov/CEAC/
Any idea on what it signifies. Please share the info which you got from calling to the DoS.
Hi Saurabh,
Thanks for ypur useful article on 221g. I attended my H1b interview on 2nd july , 2012 at delhi and was issued a pink slip. The VO said that she’s approving my visa but need to go through mandatory Administrative processing. They took my passport and i-797 copy and asked for general documents like resume , research etc, which have been already submitted with the petition. I’m a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering and have been working in IT for 7 years with a IT giant and have been in US for more than 2 years now.
Since last friday I’ve not been able to check my status online in new delhi embassy website. The website says that the case can’t be identified. But the vfs passport tracking site still shows the status as under process at embassy.
Do you know why i’m not able to track the status online. And how long it takes generally to complete the administrative processing.
Also, I’m working from india for the time being and my employer has converted me into india payroll. Do you think that will impact the administrative processing in any way?
You should first find some momentum at the DoS website only then at the Consulate and at the VFS portals.
Check at the below.
https: //ceac(dot)state(dot)gov/CEAC/
As stated by others in their comments, my application status also stated the response date as July 20 2012. The application is still under process status.. Any ideas what does it mean?
DOS website shows the same thng for me. Response date as 20 july but still under admin processing. I called DOS to ask what it meant and the lady said she doesnt knw wht response date meant but that my case is still under admin prcessing. I have been waiting for more than 6 months now
6 months.. OMG.. Thats scary…you went to which consulate and which slip were you issued?
I heard pink slips generally takes 3-4 weeks to clear.
My response date changed as july 27th now without any change in status.
@PM
It is a good sign to see the change in Response Date. From other similar cases, Iam hopeful your case would be processed to APPROVED in a week’s time.
I’m unable to check my status in both new delhi embassy site and ceac website. Anyone facing the same issue?
Hi Ismail
I chked the link you have mentioned and it says the status as issued and the date is 26th July. Although its been 2 days since I submitted my passport and I haven’t received it yet. Can anyone tell if it’s approved?
@VJ
Congrats … Keep checking your mail. You will get to hear within 10days or even lesser to collect your Visa Stamped Passport 🙂
Hi Ismail,
Yesterday my visa status changed to issued in ceac website. But new delhi embassy website and vfs website still shows as old status.
My passport is already with the consulate. They kept it during the interview. Do you have any ideas when i’ll recieve my passport, as I need to plan my travel.
Hi Ismail,
My case is same as PM. my passport is with embassy which i submitted with 221g docs. on friday i checked my status on US DOS link and it says ISSUED, but still the VFS website says case is pending while tracking the passport. Any idea how long should i wait ?
Case Creation Date: 30-Apr-2012
Response Date: 20-Jul-2012
Your visa is in final processing. If you have not received it in more than 10 working days, please see the webpage for contact information of the embassy or consulate where you submitted your application.
Hi Guys, today status updated on CAEC Link
It still ISSUED but now the response date is 31st july from 20th july.
Not sure whts going on.
PM,
At times the case status are not immediately available in online tracker. I know cases where the number never appeared and the visa got approved. Pink slips usually get approved within 3-8 weeks.
HI,
I appeared in Belfast, UK for my H1b on 13th april 2012 and was just asked to submit 2 documents from my employer and were submitted on the very same day in consulate.
And they also kept my passport and UK visa & gave no tracking number or case number.
Its almost 4 months / more than 90 days bench mark, I tried calling up after 90 days and the reply I get is “its under process”. They asked me to drop an email, which I did bt got no response so far (10 working days). I asked for how long it MAY take . . . and response was we dont know.
As I am an Indian national, I cannot come back to India, go to US to join my job or work in London ( as my documents and work permit are with consulate).
I am confused about whom to contact to track the status, check on my application, time line or even to get my passport. My career is dangling with no future even after 11 months of my actual application and 4 months of stamping interview.I feel like I’m detained in UK for making an application here.
Any idea r clue ?? (apart from contacting congressman or something like that )
Jeans,
It is painful to wait but that is the truth here. If you are considering travel, then you can request the VFS to return your passport and mention that you would submit it for stamping after the Visa Decision is taken. There would be no negative impact by withdrawing your passport. A Visa Consul himself posted on the “Hyderabad US COnsulate” FB page.
Tried doing that and the reply i got was that if u withdraw ur passport your application may take even longer time than its taking now.
I just posted my situation today. Contacting the Congressman does not help in the slightest from our experience. They were just told the same as we were, when it’s done, they will email us.
It’s interesting that you are going through a UK embassy and are experiencing a long delay, as I am too. I’ve been in AP for 15 weeks now.
I applied for a J1 visa since now I am an exchange student under YES program sponsors in Bangladesh and I’ve been kept waiting for a month after the interview with the admin processing. They took my passport after 2 weeks of waiting but now its again pending for a week. They made a system error which showed send passport . I went to the embassy in Dhaka for this reason and it was wasteful. And now I’m still waiting for collecting my passport. I have no clue whether I’m getting a visa b4 the start of my program date.
Hi Saurabh,
I got 221g (white) sleep from bombay consulate on 22th JAN 2012. they were interesting in contract Paper, Client letter, weekly status report which i used to submit to my employee etc.
I submitted all the document to the VFS on 9th FEB and after that i got letter from Bombay consulate regarding to sent all document to USCIS on 19th MAR. USCIS confirmed that they got all my document on 6th APR, but still we (my employer or me) have not get any email or reply from USCIS. Please assist me in my case.
Thanks,
sky
Sky,
Your employer can call USCIS to follow-up, but such things take time. In some scenarios it can take several months. There is not much you or employer can do at this point.
Hi Saurabh/Ismail,
i have got the 221(g) for B1/b2 Visa for the interview attended on july 11 2012.The case status for updated only today to “Your case is currently undergoing processing. Please continue to check this website for updates on the status of your case. Any new information received will be posted to the website.” when do you think i will get my VISA from Hyderabad.
interview date : 11/7/12
quetionare sent : 12/7/12
case number updated : 24/7/12
response date updated on VFS website :20/7/12
When will i get me B1/B2 visa.
I am on the same boat…..given interview along with my family for b2 visa on
11th july’12 at new delhi consulate……handed Pink slip with no documents ask……
No update on consulate web page , whenever I Enter my case number it says
Case number is not recognized however if I enter my passport number on vfs site
It says ” your passport is under process”…….do u guys have any idea how much
it will take for a decision to make by us consulate…..suggestions will be highly
Appreciated
Hi AMK/Sandeep,
You should first find some momentum at the DoS website only then at the Consulate and at the VFS portals.
Check at the below.
https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC/
Hi AMK/Sandeep,
You should first find some momentum at the DoS website only then at the Consulate and then at the VFS portals.
Check at the below.
https://ceac(dot)state(dot)gov/CEAC/
Hi ismail,
Thanx a lot brother for the link you provided.I checked my application
Status there and it says “your visa is in final processing and if you not recieve
it in 10 working days,than you should contact your embassy/consulate
where you applied”.Now does it means they have granted the visa or it is
still under processing.Thanx once again mate
Oh I forgot to say the response date is 25th july
Update
Guys I collected my n my family’s passport yesterday from vfs along
with 10 yrs multiple visa except my mom’s.I dont know what might be the reason be.Thanx everyone specially ismail.
Interview given on : 11 july 2012 handed pink slip
Response date : 25 july
Passport collected : 26 july
Thanks for the response Ismail.when i check the link it says.’Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing’ and response time is 20/july/2012.Can u let me know still how much time will it take to complete.
Good Luck Sandeep – I hope your wait pays off soon !
@amk – Dude, lot of people have got their Response Date as 20-July-2012. Even DoS helpdesk is not able to clarify what this Date means.
Just wait and nothing else now !
Finally i have gor the VISA
interview date : 11/7/12
quetionare sent : 12/7/12
case number updated : 24/7/12
response date updated on VFS website :20/7/12
VISA issue date : 2/10/2010
Hi Saurabh,
I had an interview on 6th July and got a 221g form. I submitted all my documents on 17th july and now its a wait and watch game for me.
In my case, I am working for an end-client on a contract basis thru my employer. I have been working with the same end-client since 5 years now. Since i have a very good rapport with the end-cilent, they have offered a direct employment possiblity with them and are willing to file for my H1. Do you think that while I am waiting for 221g response with my employer, my end-client can file for another petition in order to directly hire me? Please advise.
VG,
Yes, the client can file a cap-exempt petition for you while you wait for your 221g to get resolved.
Hi Saurabh,
I got an email from the consulate stating that they are ready for the final processing and have asked me to submit my passport. I submitted my passport yesterday itself. The only issue is that instead of asking for original I797 they just took a photo copy of it. Can you please let me what this might mean?
is it Hyderabad consulate?
Mumbai consulate
Vg,
I don’t think it makes a difference that they asked for photocopy and not original 797. Asking for passport is a positive sign, and you just need to submit it and wait now.
What may happen if another employer filed cap-exempt application, but the consulate decide to send the pending case back to USCIS for reconsideration? Will that cause any problem with the new H-1B application (with another employer)?
Corn,
No it won’t have a problem. I have seen several cases (online) which have done this.
Hi everyone,
I applied for a B1 Visa t attend a conference to be held between 13th and 16th August in Minnesota in the Chennai Consular Office. My interview was on 13th July (I couldn’t get it earlier as I attended another conference in Canada on the last week of June. I am a PhD student of Aerospace Engineering and the conference I wish to attend is also related to Aerospace. The gentleman at the first counter said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get your visa, it’s a routine check…’ I was then directed to another counter where an Indian lady asked for my resume and invitation letter from the conference organisers. Then she said it’ll take 6-8 weeks. I told her that my conference was in four weeks. She said that if it’s mentioned in the invitation letter, it’d be kept in mind. However, I’m in a fix now because even if I get the visa in 3 weeeks, I might not have air tickets available at that time. I believe the travel operators want to seek the visa to confirm the tickets. Please suggest what I should do…
By the way, they have my passport too, so I cannot even book the tickets provisionally.
Dwaipayan,
I don’t think any agent asks for Visa for booking the tickets. A traveler books ticket on his/her own discretion and failing to produce visa at the airport will result in cancellation of the travel.
BTW, it is always better to have visa before booking the tickets.
Hi Saurabh,
I attended the interview for H1-B and I was not given any slip. They retained my passport and asked me to answer the questionnaire sent(via email) as they need to do some adminstrative process. The VO officer said the interview was fine but my case needs to be done some adminstrative process. I filled the qustionnarie and sent it to the consulate via email. Can you let me know what could be the the reason Also, is it a 221g case as I was not given any slip by the VO? Not sure if this is due to common name issue
RKhan,
It may be due to common muslim name. There is not much you can do but reply them the documents and then wait for the processing to complete. It usually gets done in 3-8 weeks, but can take longer as well.
Hi Saurabh,
when I checked my visa status in the below website it shows the following
https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx
Case creation Date: 05-July-2012
Response date: 20-July-2012
Status: Your visa is currently undergoing necessary adminstrative processing.
Does the above mean a decision has been taken on my visa as it says the response date as 20-July-2012 and will I get to know the decision soon on my Visa?
Please let me know.
Note: My visa interview is on 09-July-2012.
Thanks
RKhan,
No, it means its still undergoing processing. They will update the status once the processing is complete (I am not sure what that status message would be).
Hi Saurabh,
I got my H1-B visa today. However, my wife visa(H4) still says admin process. We both attended the Visa Interview on the same day(09-Jul-2012) and both were put on admin processing. Only I got my visa today. can I assume my wife visa will come soon as it is H4 and mine visa was already approved? Both our passport were kept by the consulate. My employer is asking me to travel but I am waiting for my wife visa(H4)
Thanks
RKhan,
Yes, it should soon follow yours. Has it arrived or still pending?
I’m from hyderabad. I went to Hyd consulate for H1B stamping. The Interview went fine and VO took my passport and said nothing. I received my passport after 3 days and I found that there is no visa stamped and there was a refusal letter attached which is not with my name.
When I contacted CONSULATE with via email, i got a response that my case is under admin processing and ignore the wrong refusal letter.
From then after 15 days, USCIS inquired my details at my client location. My client responded positively.
Its been 6 weeks from the date of stamping, I dont know my case number and I’m not sure how long my case will take to get out of the admin processing. Please suggest.
I got a pink slip from chennai consulate and there is an e-mail address chennaiSAO@state.gov on the pink slip with the case number. You can try e-mailing them with your passport number and explain your case and request a case number. They say you can contact them with questions on administrative processing. May be there is something similar for hyderabad, you can check on hyderabad consulate’s website or some one who got a pink slip (and who actually have it) can help out!!
Goodluck!!
Hello
It’s Mahmoud Arabi here
My email
[email removed SPAM Alert ]
I’m fascinated with what you mentioned on the online forums
http://redbus2us.com/the-beast-called-221g-process-faqs/
I have applied for the J1 Visa after I received a DS2019 certificate of eligibility from the US.
In regards to a internship.
I recurred a green slip under (221 g)
Administrative processing .
They told me to wait 4-6 weeks
It was on the 19 July.
They asked for my RMIT university transcript and a bank statement.
However I’m unemployed not working.
Do you have any clue on the realistic timeframe that my visa will be completed after administrative processing?
Why didn’t they specifically request more documents on the green slip, 221 g?
Please keep in touch with me.
I’m extremely stressed out.
Look forward from you.
Mahmoud Arabi
Sent from my iPhone
VK08,
There is not much you can do except to wait.
Hi All!
I had my visa interview on June 28th H1-B, first timer from F-1. The VO asked for the basic documents like I-797, passport and H1-B petition and thats it. He asked me what I do at my job, I am a researcher in a University, I gave him my job description. Then he asked my pay and if I had a PhD. I told him that I have a Master’s. He as what discipline? I told him that I majored in Chemical Engineering. Then he said that my case needed additional information and I have to wait and an officer will assist me. Then I was called to a different counter and an Indian lady asked my CV and appointment letter and took my passport and gave me a pink slip (221G) and asked me to check the status after two weeks. I asked her how long it would take? She said 3-6 weeks. Have been waiting…my status shows still pending..
after reading all these blogs..realized it can take anything from weeks to 6-8 months…dont know if my employer would wait that long…
AB,
What are the documents request from there end?
Hi Saurabh,
I had my interview in London, I am a female british citizen with a common muslim name.
I applied for the J1 visa but i was given the 221g slip. Mine was white, they kept all my documents apart from my passport.
The consular told me everything looked fine but they needed to do additional processing. I am extremely worried about this, as my internship starts on the 5th of september.
Do you think it seems possible to be there for that date, or do the chances look slim?
Em,
It could be a name check. If so, it can take few weeks to get resolved.
Hi Saurabh,
I got green slip (221 g) during my visa interview and VO asked me to submit few company related documents. I have submitted all the documents to embassy through VFS.
I got back all the doc’s after 7 weeks from embassy and VO asked to submit only passport.
I have sent my passport on 28-Jun-12 but still I didn’t got any response from embassy.
How much time will it take?
Is their any chances of rejection?
Please reply back, waiting for your response.
Its +ve sign that they asked for ur passport, generally they ask for the same when they want to issue visa. Best of Luck.
Hi Saurabh,
I attended the interview for H1-B and I was not given any slip. They retained my passport and asked me to answer the questionnaire sent(via email) as they need to do some adminstrative process. The VO officer said the interview was fine but my case needs to be done some adminstrative process. I filled the qustionnarie and sent it to the consulate via email. Can you let me know what could be the the reason Also, is it a 221g case as I was not given any slip by the VO? Not sure if this is due to common name issue.
Thanks
what is the content of the questionnaire? what all documents they have asked?
general details like name, date of birth, father name, mother name etc which i had already filled in DS160. My resume and then invite letter from organization
Rkhan,
Based on your screen name, I guess its a name check. These usually get resolved within 8 weeks but can take longer as well.
Hi Saurabh,
But I had been to US earlier in 2004, 2007 and 2008. But this name check was not done. Not sure, why it is getting done now. Is it something recently started? Also, I hope since they have taken my passport, I should be given the visa. Please let me know if my understanding is correct.
Thanks
Rkhan,
They have become stricter recently. I know of clear cases which have gone into TAL check. In most cases, this results in approval (especially if one has nothing to hide). It’s just an added nuisance and causes delay in one’s return plan.
This is shocking, my wife got visa refusal yellow slip for 221g admin processing.my wife and son got her passport without stamping. even though I am FTE witha fortune 500 non IT company.
My wife and son had interview for H4 stamping at Mumbai consulate on July 6th and they didnt tell her stamping status and kept the passport.
The questions they asked were,
1) what visa you have applied: H4
2) show latest payslip and original I-797
3) is that your son joining with you for same visa
I am surprised that in the yellow slip they have asked for copy of I-797 even though we had submitted it four days before interview and VO saw the original I-797 during the interview too.
Here is what they have asked to submit in 221g yellow slip,
1) 221g refusal notice(yellow slip)
2) passports
3) CEAC barcode
4) copy of I-797
also they have returned my sons visa appointment letter with PIMS written on it and on the 221g refusal notice(yellow slip) they have mentioned ‘Admin Processing’ under ‘Other’.my child is not US citizen.
please share of someone has any comments/feedback or similar experiences to handle this.
MJ,
Do you know if your petition is updated in PIMS? Usually attorneys file the H-1 petition in duplicate asking one of them to be sent to PIMS. Based on your son’s 221g this is what I suspect as the reason. When was this petition approved?
I am from Dhaka, Bangladesh. We gave our interview on 20th june, 2012. We went under F4 visa. My father father is the applicant. All the documents are fine. But the main problem came from my fathers background. He overstayed for 5 years in US. After the interview, we where asked to come on 5th july.
My father went to the embassy on 5th july. He was called and asked further question. He had to live there as we were not well off and my grandpa became really sick. He became half paralyzed. The officer listened and after it was over she gave my father a 211[g] blue[ green ] slip. She told him it will be under process and although she doesn’t see much problem she still cant issue visa. He will be informed further later via phone.
Can you tell me what to expect and what may happen? what does blue slip mean? when will we get any reply? Our passport was returned except my fathers old passport. what does it mean?
Priyanka,
As he overstayed for 5 years it means a 10 year ban. I will be highly surprised if the visa gets issued.
how will i check the visa status? there seems to be only non-immigrant visa status on the dhaka US embassy website.
Priyanka,
Go to Dhaka US embassy website and see for contact information. Ask them how to track the status.
Hi Saurabh
I had my F1 visa interview on 24th may at new delhi consulate and received a pink form. It has 6 weeks and its still under administrative processing. Do they take care of the deadline by which we need to be in US while processing the visa? Which in my case is 20th Aug. Can it take even longer than 8 weeks?
Robin,
Most of them get resolved within 8 weeks, but it can take longer as well.
Hi,
US Consulate office : Mumbai.
H1 Visa Interview Date : 20 Oct 2011.
Status on 20 Oct 2011 : Received blue 221(g)
Required Documents submitted on : 2 December 2011.
I had discussion with customer care and got to know that still it is under processing.
Still waiting for result from US Consulate. (now its approx 9-10 months)
What should I do ?
Thanks,
Sunil
any comments guys ? ? ?
Saurabh, can you please update on such scenario ?
Thanks,
Sunil
Sunil,
Your attorney can contact DOS, and write to the local senator. But it may not help much.
My name is Sham and I have applied for J1 visa in Chennai US Consulate. I had my interview on 31st May 2012. The interview went very well. Asked few very straight forward questions like which place/university you going to work and who is paying you etc.
BTW, before telling more, I have to say a bit about my background. I have been studying and working in UK since 2004. I was told that since I hold an Indian passport it is better to apply for US visa from India than London/Belfast.
After the interview the VO told me and my wife that it all looks fine, however we would like to do some administrative check! I was not very surprised because I expected it. I have a PhD in Virology and currently work in Virology and the job I was getting in US is also based on Virology!!
VO gave me a pink slip (221g) and asked me to go to another counter. When we moved to the other counter an Indian man was there with our passports. He asked me whether I have my CV with me. I handed over the CV. Then he asked me do you have the US offer letter with you. I had that too, I handed over that too. That’s it, he told me to look at the website for the status of my application. He had our passports, so I asked him can I have my passport back as I have to fly back to UK. He gave it back to me and told me to check the website regularly and when it says SEND PPT. Send the passport to them.
So now waiting time. I reached back to UK and started working here… Check my status everyday nothing changed till one nice morning (20-June-2012) I got an email from Chennai consulate asking me to submit the PPT with the hardcopy of the email they sent. Since we are in UK, we had to courier our passports (I did it via UPS courier). Apparently we cannot courier directly to VFS, so I sent the PPT to my uncle in Chennai. With my courier I sent 1. Passports (old and new), 2. My HDFC original and photocopy, 3. Authorization letter stating that my uncle is allowed to submit my passport. 4. Pink slip (original and photocopy) 5. Hardcopy of the email they sent.
When my uncle went there to submit our PPT on 26/06/2012 they didn’t ask anything other than the PPT and hardcopy of the email. But I would strongly suggest everyone to take as much docs as you can in case if they ask anything more. Also it took one day to change the status to send PPT in Chennai consulate website.
VFS people have asked my uncle to come day after which is the 27th June. He went on 27th and they said it is not yet ready and asked to come next day again. He went there again- not ready again!!! And then I think he was bit mad at the VFS and asked the counter and showed my pink slip. The gentleman told him: such cases will take from 6 WEKK TO 6 MONTHS!!! My uncle panicked so did I!!
So I emailed the Chennai consulate when will be my passport ready they replied next day: The administrative processing of your case is complete as of today. The passports will be dispatched to you in a couple of days.
And finally on July 3rd I got an email from VFS saying that my passport is ready to collect. My uncle was out of town that day so they have couriered on the same day through blue dart and delivered to my Uncles address on next day (July 4th – 1.00 pm). The visa is stamped!!!
To summarize:
Visa applied: J1 in Chennai Consulate
Interview date: 31st May 2012, received pink slip with doc submitted on same day itself.
Mail received to submit PPT: 20th June 2012
Mail received from VFS: 03rd July 2012
I hope this help some people who are applying for J1 visa especially the one who are living outside India. Feel free to email (shamknly@gmail.com) me anytime, I would be glad to do any sort of help. Good luck everyone!!!
Hi,
My name is Suresh. I got I-20 from one university in the US for MS in civil engineering. I am planning to visa interview date at end of this month. My GRE score is 1010 (270 in verbal + 740 in quant). My B. Tech % is 73. My toefl score is 92. I am really worried about my GRE score. Will they reject my F1 visa based on this low score?
They have no rights to reject the visa on basis of GRE score as it is the university to decide on whether to accept that score….But it might give a negative impression on VO and VO may scrutinize you a bit more…..and overall it is 50% luck
hii
i have given 221g white slip for f1 visa.VO didnt asked me anydng abt financials nor transcripts.
Vo took my passport i20 sevis receipt ds-160.
ITS almost two weeks but no update on the site.
I have replied to the mail sent by vfs
im really worried whether il get visa.
Sushma,
There is no set processing time and at times it can take several months.
Hii Sushma,
I had attended the F1 VISA interview on the very same date. I was given a 221G pink slip. Have you been issued VISA or still waiting ?
I applied for a visitor visa and my interview was on march 26, 2012. the consular officer told me that my application is approved and I paid the visa issuance fee the same time.the consular office took my passport and told me that i will be called within days to get passport and visa. on April i sent them an email and they replied that my case is still pending for administrative processing. now It has been more than three months since my successful interview and i have not got my passport back yet. any information pleas.
thank u
algubani,
Your best bet is to contact the consulate and get updates from them.
It has been more than five months but I have not got my passport back yet. I contacted them one more time and the told me that my case is still under administrative processing. is it possible that administrative processing takes this long time for b1/b2 visa. any more advice you can give me.
by the way the consular office did not tell on the interview time that my case will be going under administrative processing.
thank u
Algubani,
Yes, it can go into a long delay and I have seen cases that were pending for more than a year. There is not much you can do except to wait.
Dear Saurabh
I have been waiting for six months for my passport. I received a call from the embassy today and the caller told me that I have an interview appointment with the consul. why do u think that I have to be interviewed again. i was already interviewed and the consul approved my application and he told to pay the visa issuance fee and only to wait for my passport and visa.
Hey Saurabh,
I got an email regarding my pending 221g from the consulate saying that most processing was done for my h1b visa and that i have to submit my passport and pending letter to vfs for further processing. Does this mean that I will be granted a visa? The email also mentioned “the email communication does not mean that a visa is issued to me at this time”. Please help..
Hi Yes that is a positive sign. I was handed a blue colored 221g back in april this year. I was mailed the same on tuesday last week. I submitted the passport on Thrusday, got the passport back on Saturday with a visa stamp on it. I applied for H4. I think You will get it.
Kaushal,
Agree w/ Mumbai_04may’s comment.
Hi
Does it matter if you send documents in word format because they ask for only .txt format. does it delay the process under 221g
Prashant
Prashant,
I would prefer doc format as it can be formatted in this. Text files are not formatted and so not as readable as a word document.
Hello Saurabh,
My friend is living in Germany. His employer has filed H1B visa application for him last month and has got a receipt notice as well. Now the problem is in his visa application he has mentioned that he will go to US Consulate in Munich for stamping. But, due to personal reasons he is planning to go back to India. Is it possible to change his US consulate for stamping from Munich to any center in India? Please advice.
Thanks,
Rao
Rao,
It would be ok to attend the visa stamping in India.
Hi,
I applied for H4 visa in april 2012, and I was scheduled for an interview on 4th of April at Mumbai Consulate, after which the visa officer asked me to submit additional documents from my husband and his employer, she handed me 221g blue letter. I submitted the documents exactly after one month on 4th of May at the VFS center, except my passport. Its been around 50 to 52 days since I submitted the Documents. I have been to US once on the same category, when I came our visa was already renewed till 2014 which was expired in sept-2011, all I had to do was to do the stamping at the consulate in Mumbai. But they have put me up on hold. in the last month end I had emailed my inquiry to the mumbai consulate via their VFS support and they said its still under pending category.
Please tell me If i should contact them again or should I just wait. It has been 8 weeks now.
Many Thanks.
Mumbai_04may,
There is not much you can do except to wait. Visa stamping is never a surety even after spending so much time in US on the same visa. Your attorney can contact DOS to see if it helps in speeding the process. You can also try contacting your local senator in US. In the end it is up to DOS whether to speed up the process or take their own sweet time.
Hi Saurabh,
I went for interview(H3) in delhi – US Embassy on 3 rd of June, at that time they had issued me pink slip u/s 221 and she told me to check the status online on the website of embassy. On friday i got the message from VFS that your application has been processed and sent via courier to you..Is it means i will receive my passport and Visa within few days or it means that they will ask me for further enquiries ..
Baldev,
As lot of days has passed since you posted this question, I assume you have already received the stamped passport. Good luck!
Hi Sourabh,
My B1 visa was cancelled during H1B Intv and I was issued 214B.
I chased VFS and asked for my B1 Reinstate.The response, I received are pasted below. As per below response, H1B candidates are exempted from the stated clause. Please suggest.
——————————-
Response via VFS, New Delhi
Dear Sir/Ma’am,
As per the US Embassy their records indicate that you applied for a nonimmigrant
visa on 15 May 2012 and his B1/B2 visa was cancelled at that time. Based on the
information he provided at that time, he was determined to be ineligible for a visa under
Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 214(b) of the INA
requires all applicants to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent by establishing
that they have sufficient economic and social ties to assure their departure after a
limited stay in the United States.
——————————-
Waiting on your response.
Thanks
Delhi_24_April,
B-1 is a pure non-immigrant visa and when you appeared for H-1 visa interview you showed immigrant intent as this is a dual intent visa (i.e. green card can be filed in future). So the officer canceled B-1 w/o prejudice (not unusual). I don’t think they will reinstate the B-1.
After several Months, I got the response from USCIS as below. Can you please assist, what this imply and what steps I need to follow to move forward? What are my chances to get Visa this Time???
“we mailed a notice to you reaffirming the approval of this case and
returned the case to the Department of State for visa processing. For more information,
please contact them directly.”
My husband went for his interview the other day in Dubai and the VO said his visa was approved. 3 days later he received his passport back via the courier as the consulate had said. When he opened the package he found that they had actually put the visa in his passport (valid for 5years) and then put a black stamp over the visa which says cancelled without prejudice. Along with the passport was a pink slip of paper which says his case is undergoing additional administrative processing. What confuses us is that we have never heard of anyone getting the visa in their passport and then getting a pink slip? Has anyone experienced this before? Any advice on what we should expect would be greatly appreciated. We are due to travel in 1 month
Tara,
This means they approved the visa and then realized something in your file and flagged it for additional processing. As they didn’t want to hold on to your passport, they returned it w/ stamped visa and pink slip. Usually pink slips get resolved within 2-8 weeks but it can take longer depending upon the consulate and type of background processing.
Dear Saurav,
HI!
My EAD is expiring on 1st July and I have applied for H1.
I have been requested by my company to fill the form I-9 again as I will be in my CAP-GAP.I am MS form US , so I have asked my college to send me my I-20. Would you guide me if any other document is required for filling I-9? IS I-20 enough?
Thanks Again.
Ishita
Ishita,
I-20 should be enough. The HR may also ask for copy of pending H-1 to show that you indeed are in the cap-gap.
Hi
I am Dr. Md.Rezwanul Islam. I faced visa interview yesterday on Dhaka Embassy. My wife applied for me on 31st december 2009 via greencard. My interview was as follows:
Step-1: A female officer (Bangladeshi) receive my documents (passport, sponsor’s tax file reports, photocopies of birth & marriage certificate and photographs(she returned it saying already had). She returned my original birth certificate and marriage certificate and photo in a box written original document on it. She asked me my name, about my marriage and my wife.She asked me how would I write MD. I answered Mohammed. Then she told to go and wait for fingerprints to be taken and to face an interview.
Step-2: My finger print was taken by a US female Officer.
Step-3: An US CO took my interview. She asked me about my profession and my marriage , my wife, how we met and how many peoples on wedding, about our plans and professions. What will I do in US? What is my present profession? He took my oath and told to sign on a DS-230 part II, She saw my marriage photographs. She told me that my interview is finished and give me a Blue sheet(green) put X mark on 221g written as they will contact as soon as additional processing if finished. My passport was taken with all other above it. Now how long it will take? Am i getting the visa? Anybody plz reply
Dr. Rezwan,
As they kept your passport it is a positive sign. However, no one can guess the final outcome or the time it would take for them to process.
Hey Saurabh,
I gave my visa interview for an F1 visa on the 19th and the visa itself proceeded smoothly. However at the end of the interview, the VO said that my visa is approved but they will have to do a few additional checks before stamping the visa and handed me a pink slip telling me to go to another counter for some additional questions. At the next counter, I was asked details about my previous employment to which I said that I wasn’t employed. I was then further asked if I had travelled to any other countries or if I had any other passports to which I replied in the negative. I was then asked about the family details and my height was measured and she kept my passport and DS-160 confirmation and said that my passport will be dispatched in the next 4-8 weeks and that I don’t have to submit any additional documents. Generally, how long does this take from similar cases that you might have observed ?
If the processing takes longer and then I’m granted a visa but the University classes have already started, would I have to appear for the visa again if I were to defer my admission from Fall to Spring ?
Syed Huq,
You seem to have a Muslim name, and from the questions it looks like background check. Usually they are resolved in 3-8 weeks, but can take longer as well. In case you miss out the semester start date, get in touch w/ DSO to know how to proceed from there.
hi
i hv given my visa interview on may 18th 2012 .I was given 221g white slip in hyd consulate for f1 visa.and v.o has retained my passport,i20,sevis receipt, degree transcripts and my bank pass buk.It has been 4.5 weeks but i didnt received any questionnare or any mail plz help me out. How much time it takes 2 complete.Will i get visa?
Sree,
There is no set processing time and it can take few weeks to several months.
Hi,
I interviewed at Mumbai consulate on June 12, 2012 for H1B visa to work as a resident doctor in NY. I was given a blue sheet under 221g stating that they need a letter from the hospital in NY where I was a volunteer from Sep 2011 to FEb 2012. I submitted that letter on June 18, 2012 but my passport is still with me. I need to reach US before July 1 in order to continue my residency or else I lose my job. Can you tell me if it is possible and the usual time taken in these cases? Is there anything I can do to help my case get solved faster?
Kaushal Parikh,
They will take their own time and there is nothing you can do to expedite the process.
Hey Saurabh,
Thank you for your reply. I got an email from the consulate saying that most processing was done for my h1b visa and that i have to submit my passport and pending letter to vfs for further processing. Does this mean that I will be granted a visa? The email also mentioned “the email communication does not mean that a visa is issued to me at this time”. Please help..
Hi i went to visa stamping on june 4th 2012 for H1b this is my first stamping after getting my H1b once entering their vo asked my visa type i replied my visa from L1 to H1b after hearing this she asked me which company your working for all those stuff and they collected my passport and asked to meet the other counter where is got 221G pink slip. i just wanted to know how many weeks will it take to do the process since i left my family in US.
Harish,
Most of the pink slips get resolved b/w 2-8 weeks. In some case, it can take longer.
Hello,
I got 221g and it’s 3 months I haven’t received my VISA and its still under processing. I am on CPT and came for vacation and lost my passport. Can I withdraw my application and go for visa interview again with new I-20 mentioning my CPT cancellation!
hi,
I have been given 221(g) in dec 2011 for my h1b and still waiting for the decision from consulate. recently 2 weeks ago i heard from my employer that DHS visited my work location and verified my details onsite like paystubs etc. as its been already 6months, iam lil worried about processing time. As you might have seen many cases like this…..can u guess any approximate processing time after the enquiry by DHS
w84luck,
There is no set processing time. At times it can take several months (more than 6).
my wife attended visa interview for H1B at hyderabad in april, they gave her 221g white slip..and still under admin processing, hence requested vfs to withdraw. But now consulate asked her to come to consulate to withdraw, when she checked to clarify they mentioned she need to sign some withdrawl documents. Did anyone face this scenario in hyderabad and what can be those documents for..
ABCD,
Hyderabad consulate has been the most enthusiastic consulate amongst all consulates in India. They ask interviewees to sign documents at the time of interview covering what was asked and answered during interview. So I am not surprised if they are calling the applicant to visit personally and withdraw the case. At this point, she will have to oblige. What options are you looking at after withdrawing the case? They would most likely send the petition back to USCIS for reconsideration.
she might go for H4 stamping, will there be any issue ?
ABCD,
It would be ok to go for H-4 interview after withdrawing the case.
Hi Saurabh,
I applied for C1/D visa on 10th april under IWP. 17th april, i went to delhi embassy and submitted my finger prints. During this CO told me that you have been granted visa and will receive your passport in 4 days time. He even put stamp’ISSUE’ on my appointment letter.
But after repeated calls and e-mails , i got message from VFS that as per us embassy your case has been put under 221(g), administrative process ( but i never gor any 221g paper from embassy).My employer told me to withdraw my passport as i have to join vessel and after my request embassy returned my passport without visa on 5th june.(after 46days)
Can you please advise me if embassy will continue with ‘administrative process’ or it will be halted till the time i submit my passport again.
(i have previously been granted visa 04 times starting from 1996)
Thanks
Gurdip,
Most likely it will halted. You will have to submit the passport again for the processing to resume. You can email VFS and check w/ them about it.
today i had my interview in delhi embassy.
University of Iowa
Course-MCS(Masters of computer science)
vo gave me pink slip 221g and said need adminstration processing in your case, said no other things to submit..she said it will take 3-4 weeks.. Last year one guy gets same slip and was went to iowa in same course MCS.. Any ideas about my case saurabh?? and what kundof processings they genrally do??
Harpreet,
Pink slips usually get resolved in 2-8 weeks. I read a recent case where it was resolved in 2 weeks. It is usually for background/security check.
Thanks saurabh for reply,
what kindoff security and background check they do?? and do they reject visa in these type of cases??
regards
Harpreet,
They don’t disclose what kind of checks they do (as that would defeat the purpose of checks), but general assumption is they look into past visits, research work, work/study course in US etc. Not everything may be applicable to everyone.
Why would disclosing the ‘type’ of check defeat the purpose of the check? Check would happen regardless (if the application is not withdrawn) before a Visa is issued. Firstly, I dont really see a reason why ‘type’ of the check is classified information, it suggests how paranoid they actually are. It is what it is, isn’t? If they explicitly mention the ‘type’ of check which is under way is because of TAL, perhaps they are scared the applicant will “sue” (perhaps not, but just dont understand what they are scared about) them if it is irrelevant. Just because they can say this is “matter of national security”, gives them enough reason to keep it a secret.
hi,
i got my visa today, thank u very much, this forum is really helpful, it took me 3 weeks to get my visa after recieving pink slip in chennai consulate for f2 visa 🙂
Congrats Siri!
Dear Saurabh ,
The pink slip which my wife got –was finally resolved in 14 days ( 2Weeks) & Visa Issued.
Thanks to all
Congrats Sumeet!
Hi Saurabh,
I went to h1b visa interview on at hyd. my visa officer handed me 221g and asked for details of my previous trip. he retained my I 797. I submitted details with passport at VFS next day. 2 weeks later my passport is returned along with 221g form saying my case is still in administrative process. Does it mean my petition is returned to USCIS and refused. How can I find out my petition is returned? Also can I apply for j1 during this process(for medical residency) Thanks…
Rahul,
Not yet. They have returned the passport as they believe it can take longer and don’t want to hold on to the passport. When the petition is returned to USCIS, they usually send out a letter stating the same. You can also call/email VFS and check about the status.
Usually a person can go for another visa interview while the first one is pending. Two things are possible here – consulate may approve J-1 w/o any issues or consulate may issue another 221g putting J-1 on hold until H-1 221g gets resolved. To workaround the latter, you will have to withdraw H-1 petition and then proceed for J-1 stamping.
Thanks a lot Saurabh..
Hi Saurabh,
I received a email from hyd consulate today asking to submit passport. the mail says that I have to submit my passport for further processing of my case. It doesn’t mention anything like ‘your visa processing is complete/approved’. the case number tracking in consulate website shows that its still in process. What should I infer from this? Is my visa approved and are they asking to submit passport for stamping? Thanks..
Rahul,
In most of the cases, asking for passport is a positive sign. They usually ask for passport when they have done the processing from their end and see the chance of visa approval. They do not mention about the visa approval when asking for passport. Once you submit the passport, it can still take few weeks to months for them to complete the process.
Hi,
Its been 8 weeks that I submitted my passport for stamping in belfast, UK.
I was given a white 221g that day , for some docs frm my company. All the things were provided the same day by company and also company got in touch with embassy, last month, for any status update. The only things in last 8 weeks that I was confirmed is, ‘ your application is under review ‘ & ‘no you cannot track it online’. All my friends from my class, for same company got pasport in 8 days and I’m still stuck with no defined time limit. My Visa validity is from OCT11 and its already June 12.
Any idea about how long it takes normally for such things.
Cheers
Dave,
221g doesn’t have any set processing time, and can take anywhere from few weeks to several months. As it has been more than 8 weeks, maybe your attorney can contact DOS and follow-up (although chances are they will not provide any meaningful information).
hi saurabh,
i got a mail saying, i can collect my passport but it does not say if i have got my visa or not, what does it mean, does anyone have any idea, please help if u have experience, i had got a 221g pink slip 3 weeks back.
Hi Katti,
You will know the answer to your question only after you receive your passport which usually takes a day. You could either get your visa or your passport along with another 221g.
Wish you all the best!
Asha
Dear S
Please advise:
My sister and brother in law applied for a visitors visa to the US hoping to hve the 3 kids vacation with me in the summer. They hve been to the US 3 times in the past, travelled back in 3-4 weeks max. However they were given the yellow221(g) at the Mumbai consulate. Wht do u think about 221 gs for visitor visas? will it be same as the immigrant visas, Should they hire an attorney? Only thing I can think of is he has a muslim name,
Let me know, thanks
NM,
Common Muslim name can be a reason. There could be other reasons as well (checking past visit details etc). Hiring an attorney will not help in speeding up the process or in resolving the pending 221g.
Dear Saurabh
Thanks for your response, They havent stayed for more than 3-4 wks on the 3 trips theyve been here.
have you heard of them give out 221gs for tourist visas and is that a shorter wait becoz was hoping they cus come in June itself.
NM,
As they stayed for just 3-4 weeks in each visit, I don’t think the tenure is the issue. I think it is most likely common muslim name. Pink slips usually get resolved within 8 weeks, but I saw a recent case where pink slip has been pending for several months (common muslim name).