221g Administrative processing tracker

221g Help

Hi,

I went chennai consulate on March 2005 for H1B visa stamping. After my interview consulate officer gave me 221g form stating they need administrative processing on my documents and consulate will contact me once AP is over. It is allready 4 months but no reply yet from consulate.

Does any body have any email address or phone numbers so that i can check my visa status.

HELP PLEASE!!!

Thanks,
Pinku
 
Dos

Calling anywhere else but DOS is futile. 1-202-663-1225. Options 1-0-0. You can try every other place, sure it will keep you busy...
 
Please help me .....221g chennai

Hi folks,

It is a wonderful website !!!

I along with my husband applied for H4 and H1 B in kolkata as we did not get slots in chennai. the VO has redirected us to chennai and issued a 221g document. Also i would like to mention that my F1 was rejected in 2003. So is it safer for both of to go together or only my husband attend the interview first? guys plz help as we r planning to go chennai in the next week.
:confused: undefined
A quick response is appreiated.

Lucky
 
221g bitten

I had my h1b interview at london us consulate on 28th sept 2004 but was given 221g, saying they need to do additional administrative process on my application.... i dont need to contact consulate they will get back to me when AP is over.


Now its been 11 mnths, i emailed them several time only one got reply sayin its still pending. I called Deptt of state (DOS) they too say its pending with london us consulate.......

Am thinking of reapplying from India (new delhi), as one of 221g victim applied from chennai after getting 221g from london and he got visa from chennai despite his case was pending in london us consulate......

please give any suggestion or share same kind of experience.....

Anil
 
sreenath78 said:
I finally got it after 9 months. This is what I have done in the past 2 months which showed results (I think)


Firstly send out faxes 3 times in a week atleast to the consulate. and call on the other 2 working days.

Sending out mails through your fathers or mothers e-mail ID would do good. (so i heard.)

Mainly keep regular tabs on developments at the DOS end. Do everything and anything to find the information on your file. I actually got information from them that the consulate was ready to call me again. I called consulate after that and it took them more a couple of weeks to actually call me in. and even after they did, when i went there the visa officer asked me why was I there without being called. It took a lot of explaining and proving to convince them that they had actually called me.

Also there is this other service which is sending out regular list of candidates stuck with this new procedure of visa processing to the DOS and finding the status of our files. Attached is a mail I get from them every month.

**********************************************************
Since you are still waiting for your visa, we reported your case to the Department of State again on May 20, 2005. We will contact you only if we receive any information about the status of your application. Your case will remain open in our database until you receive your visa.


INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMAILS TO: visas@nas.edu

Send email only to this address: visas@nas.edu. All emails should include the name of the visa applicant in the subject line.


VISA GRANTED (you have received your visa)

If your visa has been granted since you last contacted us, send an email to visas@nas.edu. In the subject line only, include the full name of the visa applicant, date of birth, the words "Visa Granted" and the date that it was granted. Our database will be updated and your name will be removed from our list of pending cases.

Example: John Smith, DOB 05/05/1965, Visa Granted 01/23/2004


VISA PENDING (you are still waiting for your visa)

If you are still waiting for your visa, send an email to visas@nas.edu. In the subject line only, include the full name of the visa applicant, date of birth, and the words "Visa Pending". If your case is still pending, we will report your case to the Department of State. Please do not include anything in the body of the message unless you have something significant to report. We have many cases still pending in our database. The more time spent reading email messages, the longer it will take to inquire about your case.



Example: John Smith, DOB 05/05/1965, Visa Pending

OTHER: Please explain in detail in your email message.
Thank you.



International Visitors Office
The National Academies
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 USA
Fax: 1-202-334-2231
Email: visas@nas.edu
http://national-academies.org/visas
**********************************************************
Hi

This is my first posting regarding 221g and have read your details with interest

On 14th Aug 2003 L 1 was approved. The interview at consulate did not go well and given 221g.

The letter said " You do not appear to qualifiy for the visa for which you have applied. Your petition will be returned to the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) office where the petition was filed for revocation. You will receive further correspondence on your case from the INS"

So I am confused, is 221g a Refusal due to insufficient imformation??? As at the top of letter that is what is says.

Or , Is this a definate denial letter as embassy says they are returning petition for revocation??


As we have not got anywhere, we gave up trying to get answers but as the original L1 approval notice says vailid till Aug 2006 do you think we can request that this matter is still pending as no correspondence has been received on this case by either petitioner or L1 applicant??


Thanks Sue
 
well for me it took nearly 5 months ; they will verify your degree certificat, you could check with your university. Once that is done, and if they are not waiting for anything else, they will mail you a monday letter for interview. Without any much questions they will issue you visa. Hope it works out good for you soon.

velu
 
221(g) and L2

This is really a test of patience.

We never came to know what, how and where did they send queries. We kept on following up with them and we almost gave up. And then they called us after around 6 month for personal interview. This time everything fell in place.

One thing is sure: if your documetns are correct and you have not given incorrect information, you will get it but only after they complete their internal check. Waiting for it is the worst thing I have experienced till now. Take heart from the fact that other people have been in this kind of boat and they could come out of it.

Call State Dept Number : 1-202-663-1225 . Press 1, 0 , 0 to speak to a specialist. They generally give more information than the cosulate staff.

Best of luck!
 
fingreprints for L1B

Hi,
I had come for vacation from US to India. I was on L1B in US which got expired when i came to India, though my i-94 was valis , so i was staying in US.
Again i went for L1B stamping in Mumbai consulate. On the day of interview consular di dnot ask much and said everything is OK and you will get visa. but after 2 days i got call from consulate that i have to appear in consulate for all 10 fingerprints.
I donot know what has happened. I did not make any offence in US.
One more thing i had applied for H1 through some consultant in US which got approved when i was in India. So my question is:
Is there any role of H1 approval in 10 fingerprints process for L1B stamping.
I was planning to goto US on L1B and then after 3-4 month i would have shifted to consultant on H1.

Please let me know your opinion on this.

Its 17 days i have appeared for fingerprints.

Thanks
 
Hi pinkunpinku ,
Any updates with your case. could you please update to us?.
thanks,
chinna

pinkunpinku said:
Hi,

I went chennai consulate on March 2005 for H1B visa stamping. After my interview consulate officer gave me 221g form stating they need administrative processing on my documents and consulate will contact me once AP is over. It is allready 4 months but no reply yet from consulate.

Does any body have any email address or phone numbers so that i can check my visa status.

HELP PLEASE!!!

Thanks,
Pinku
 
Chennai consulate mail id?

Hi All,
I find this site very helpful. My husband's visa has also gone into 221g admin processing. Now its almost 2 months. When we contacted DOS they are saying that the file is still with Chennai consulate. I guess that they are doing his company's background check.

We sent mails to chennai consulate to the id channainiv@state.gov. But the reply is from some customer care ppl there. I've read that some of you got replies from VO. Can you please tell me if there is any id other than the above mentioned one, to reach VO directly.
 
This is what happed in my case:
Query on PEO-Relationship of HR company ( I answer with a letter from both companies but they are not satisfied and issued 221(g) letter).
 Attended consulate on June 30, 2005 and July 05, 2005
 I contact Senator on August 05, 2005 with an explanation letter of my case.
 Senator Office has requested Chennai consulate to look into my case. (3rd week of August).
 Chennai Consulate sent a letter to Senator Office that they are waiting for some other document from applicant.
 On August 24, 2005 Chennai consulate did a congressional enquiry on HIb holder and waiting for review from Depart of Labor.
 With help of Attorney we had send an additional document at the end of October.
 On November 16, 2005 consulate received a review from DOL.
 My wife received a letter from consulate on November 21, 2005 to attend for a personal interview on any Monday before 9 am.
 Visa Officer just asked only Current Year pay stubs and issued visa.

** You all need to contact Department of state about your case status and register with International Visitors Office.
 
Visa Issuance DD retained and employment Verified.

Hi

My wife's H4 Visa has been placed under Administrative Processing on Dec 14, 2005. My company has been called on Dec 16 for employment verification. The Passport and Visa Issuance DD have been retained along with the 2 letters we provided for explanation for their queries.

Actually, this is 4th time my wife is attending the Interview. When my wife asked them why she was being given 221(g) inspite of providing explanations to the queries, the Visa Officer (same lady for the second time) assured her that it is just a formality and she will make sure my wife gets the Visa in 2 weeks.

It is just about two weeks.

Do you think we got the Visa as they took the Visa issuance DD upfront.

Your advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

srb5588
 
Stuck in Calgary!

Hi all, Thanks for keeping this forum alive. I had my first-time H1B visa interview today (dec 28, 2005) in calgary, on Window 4 with the younger guy, and was told I will have to come back in 3 weeks due to administrative processing.
Mine was a F1-OPT-H1 case and the worst part is that I did not get a letter or form that lists a case # or stating what kind of processing is needed.
The VO kept all the application forms and the bottom portion of the H1 approval (i.e. the I-94 and the personal record slip) and returned the top portion of the I797 approval, my passport with a stamp that says "Application received on Dec 27, 2005" and all the supporting documents. When I said I will be happy to present any supporting documents if he wanted, and he rudely said "this interview is over, I will recommend an approval for your visa, but it will require administrative processing and give me a phone number and email address that we can contact you on". I asked if I should plan on staying in calgary for this period, and he said "You can do whatever you want, but this visa is not being issued today".
All in all , a horrible expeirence.
My questions:

1. Should I go back and try to ask for a case # or a letter that states what kind of processing is needed? or they wont even let me in to the consulate now?

2. Is there anyone else who had the bottom portion of thei I797 approval kept by the VO?

3. If anyone knows the right phone number to call at the Calgary Consulate to get more information, Please post it.

4. Since he said 3 weeks, is it ok if I went home for that duration and came back within 3 weeks, or will staying here help the process in any way?

Any help/info will be highly appreciated.
-M
 
srb5588 said:
Hi

My wife's H4 Visa has been placed under Administrative Processing on Dec 14, 2005. My company has been called on Dec 16 for employment verification. The Passport and Visa Issuance DD have been retained along with the 2 letters we provided for explanation for their queries.

Actually, this is 4th time my wife is attending the Interview. When my wife asked them why she was being given 221(g) inspite of providing explanations to the queries, the Visa Officer (same lady for the second time) assured her that it is just a formality and she will make sure my wife gets the Visa in 2 weeks.

It is just about two weeks.

Do you think we got the Visa as they took the Visa issuance DD upfront.

Your advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

srb5588


My wife did not get the Visa yet. I dont know as to what to do in this situation. I called DOS to find out that the file is still with the Consulate where my wife attended the Visa. I emailed to the NIV section of Visas a couple of times and I got the response " Please wait until we complete the Admin Porcessing and then we will get bcak to you"
 
Actually Few months back I posted a mesage on this thread .....
I understand that it is very very frustuating ......... but from couple of threads I really belive that sending faxes to DOL will really help not email but fax and same thingto consulate also ..... few months back my spouse h1b was denied and was asked to go to mumbai consulate .......... we were worried but we did that on the first day they send her back saying that she got a 221g second time saying that they need company w2 forms etc and exp letter ...... second time she went she got tha visa ....... ....

This was my experience just wanted to share with you'll
 
jaisingh said:
Actually Few months back I posted a mesage on this thread .....
I understand that it is very very frustuating ......... but from couple of threads I really belive that sending faxes to DOL will really help not email but fax and same thingto consulate also ..... few months back my spouse h1b was denied and was asked to go to mumbai consulate .......... we were worried but we did that on the first day they send her back saying that she got a 221g second time saying that they need company w2 forms etc and exp letter ...... second time she went she got tha visa ....... ....

This was my experience just wanted to share with you'll

Jai,

I am sorry but I did not get you.
When your spouse was asked to go to Mumbai consulate, did you fax a letter
to them.

But I got what you are saying. (that FAX is effective and I am going to do that)

srb5588
 
I got 221g on Jan 12 for admin proccessing for my masters in IT from london

Hi all,

I received 221g on Jan 12 and VO told that they want to verify my masters in IT from london. Its been one week and i called to my college in london. They did not receive any query from Chennai consulate.

I know u guys talking about the contacting Department of state and also i saw some people talking about contacting DOL.

Is this works same for me also if i contact anyone of the office department or How is this works in my case? If i am first time applying H1-B from company and company sent me all the paper work and submitted to chennai consulate, but still VO wanted to verify my Masters in IT from LONDON.

Please let me know, how i can speed up my Admin Process verification for my masters not taking tooo long time.

I greatly appreciated any help

Rajsa
 
I called DOS at 1-202-663-1225 (I found this number on this forum, Thanks!) and was told that the Calgary consulate had requested a "Security Clearance" on dec 29th, 2005. (I was interviewed/Fingerprinted on Dec 28th) and the status is still pending. I asked when I can expect it to complete as it has already been more than 3 weeks, the lady said, these clearances usually take 2-6 weeks.
Just an update...
 
We went to mexican consulate .... and was asked to go to mumbai consulate ....Nope I did not fax any letters to any one .... since they di dnot do any administrative processing on my case


srb5588 said:
Jai,

I am sorry but I did not get you.
When your spouse was asked to go to Mumbai consulate, did you fax a letter
to them.

But I got what you are saying. (that FAX is effective and I am going to do that)

srb5588
 
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