Here is my security clearance/visa experience for all those in similar boat (frustrating, painful n much more adj. to describe!, on the contrary, to native of this land who looks at it as foreigners what else do you expect!!)... Well, I visited Nogales consulate for h1b revalidation on 19th June and VO/counselor said she needs to get a security clearance on me. After that I kept calling every week to check on progress. Atleast the counselor was very friendly and used to return calls saying there is no progress and advised me to wait. Basically you can’t show your frustration on them nor can you let it get on your nerves but just to remain calm! (..Very hard thing to do..). In the mean time, found about Visa office in State dept (202-324-1492, option 1, & 0) through web posting (thanks guys!) and kept calling them. They are friendly and provide you with the status, rules not more, afternoon seem to be easier to reach. Any way after 4 weeks visa office told the case got cleared. But it took another week to get it confirmed by the consulate.. Then they asked me to return any time, I picked Jul27th., this time at the gate told them the reason for my visit to consulate, the door checker went inside to check with counselor and the response was a suprising special treatment…. They let me bypass all the biometrix/doc check line as i had it before (saved 2-3hrs of wait time!!) and asked me to sit nex to counselore window. After 10min counselor opened her window, waved at me.. She wished and went to grabe my file..after reviewing & did some more checks on the computer.. my heart was pounding gosh don’t tell me more checks. As she was doing it, asked about weather!! & drive (very impr!!, did not feel like answering.. but had to). Then she looked at me and ok go pay the visa fees. And comeback at 3m to pick up the passport.!.Thats a heavy sign of relief… entire process took about 30min!!…. I guess that was record time to get out of the consulate interview. Well i guess you need some luck in addition to all your documentation/etc... thanks for all your posting and good luck to rest of the folks in similar boat...
On the side note: It was even more painful as i was in visa/gc transition and if had not got stamping i would be in unknow status.. These lawyers scare you to the core... i wonder may be they are making them self indispensable.. Apparently reality seem to be different (of couse baring some outliers)...I took Mexican visa spent ~140$ (seem like a waste…but a safety net... look at my next posting on this..)
On the side note: It was even more painful as i was in visa/gc transition and if had not got stamping i would be in unknow status.. These lawyers scare you to the core... i wonder may be they are making them self indispensable.. Apparently reality seem to be different (of couse baring some outliers)...I took Mexican visa spent ~140$ (seem like a waste…but a safety net... look at my next posting on this..)