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Background
I have been in the US on and off for more than 5 years. The first time I went was on a holiday in 2001 for 2 months. Then on an F-1 visa for undergrad from 2004 - 2006 but I had to discontinue due to family problems and I finished my engineering in India. I then went to the US again to do my Master's in 2010. While I went for my 2nd F1 in 2010, I was given a 221(g) as my major was biochemistry and I was given a visa for only 2 years which expired in Aug 2012. I came to India once in 2012 just before my visa expired and before I graduated for a month and went back. I then got a full time job in Oct 2012 for which I applied under OPT. And my company applied for my H-1B in 2013 which started on Oct 1st, 2013. I traveled to India in Dec 2013 and attended my visa interview for H-1B stamping in the 2nd last week of Dec. 2013 at Hyderabad.
H-1B Visa Interview
The VO did not ask for any additional documents and just asked about what my company does (biotech company) and what my undergrad and master's majors (biotech and biochemistry) were and my title at work (scientist). The officer then gave me a 221(g) and said that she has issued my visa but would need to look at my CV and list of publications and answer the questionnaire which I would receive by mail and if everything looks OK they would issue my visa in 3-4 days. I return was scheduled for Jan 9th. 2014.
The Story
I sent all the information they asked for via email they very next day and kept checking my status on the CEAC website. I did not hear anything back from the Consulate until Jan 13, 2014 and so I contacted my company's attorney in the US who applied for my H1. They got back to me and said that they contacted Dept. of State in (DOS) Washington D.C. and they were informed that DOS already sent me a mail on Jan 9th, 2014 asking me to submit my passport at the consulate. I was constantly checking my mail and also my junk mail but I did not receive any such communication from the Consulate. I told the same to my attorney who then contacted DOS to confirm my email address they had on file and DOS did have my correct email.
I then called up the US Travel Docs/VFS/Team Stanley number and they told me the same answer that my visa is under Administrative Processing (AD) and asked me to wait. I then tried explaining the customer service rep. my situation and she asked me to mail them. I mailed them explaining my problem and they again gave me a templated answer that my visa is under AD. I mailed them again a few days later and yet again received the same answer. It looked like they didn't even look at my email. My attorney then asked me to wait until I received the email from the consulate asking me to submit my passport.
I haven't received any email until Jan 23, 2014 and I was growing restless as it has been almost a month since my visa interview. I then found out that we can call DOS and gave them a call to the number listed here: http://travel.state.gov/contenthttps...h/contact.html
I explained them my situation and then they asked me to give my passport number. They checked and asked if I submitted my passport at the consulate and I answered no. So they told me to submit my passport.
I went to the OFC/Passport submission office in Hyd on Jan 24th in the hope that I could submit my passport. They lady there asked for the email confirmation from the consulate asking me to submit my passport. I explained her my situation and that DOS and also DOS thru my attorney has asked me to submit my passport and that I did not receive any email from the Consulate. She then called her colleague who then told me that same thing that I cannot submit my passport and that that my application is under AD. I again had to explain my situation and started talking a little loudly. He then called his boss who came and again started dismissing me saying that it is under AD and wait for 60 days. I got mad and again explained him my situation. He then asked me to send them a mail. I told him that I did that twice and also called them up twice and no one is trying to help me out. He then took my name and passport number and asked me to wait while he checked with the consulate. He came back after 5 minutes and apologized to me and told me that the consulate will get in touch with me very soon and not to worry about it.
By then I was already working from home for more than 2 weeks and I had to return to the US ASAP. I finally received an email from the Consulate the same evening i.e., Jan 24, 2014 at 4pm asking me to submit my passport. I finally submitted my passport today (Mon, Jan 27th, 2014). I hope I get my visa soon.
When I received the email on Jan 24th, I was like how can the US Consulate do this? This can be happening to so many other applicants who have been waiting for 3, 6, or even 12 months. Hence, I wanted to share my story and tell you all to get in touch with ur attorney or call the DOS and find out about ur case status and then have VFS/Team Stanley escalate your case if required. Probably, I could have emailed the consulate directly but I didn't know how long that would take.
All the best...
I have been in the US on and off for more than 5 years. The first time I went was on a holiday in 2001 for 2 months. Then on an F-1 visa for undergrad from 2004 - 2006 but I had to discontinue due to family problems and I finished my engineering in India. I then went to the US again to do my Master's in 2010. While I went for my 2nd F1 in 2010, I was given a 221(g) as my major was biochemistry and I was given a visa for only 2 years which expired in Aug 2012. I came to India once in 2012 just before my visa expired and before I graduated for a month and went back. I then got a full time job in Oct 2012 for which I applied under OPT. And my company applied for my H-1B in 2013 which started on Oct 1st, 2013. I traveled to India in Dec 2013 and attended my visa interview for H-1B stamping in the 2nd last week of Dec. 2013 at Hyderabad.
H-1B Visa Interview
The VO did not ask for any additional documents and just asked about what my company does (biotech company) and what my undergrad and master's majors (biotech and biochemistry) were and my title at work (scientist). The officer then gave me a 221(g) and said that she has issued my visa but would need to look at my CV and list of publications and answer the questionnaire which I would receive by mail and if everything looks OK they would issue my visa in 3-4 days. I return was scheduled for Jan 9th. 2014.
The Story
I sent all the information they asked for via email they very next day and kept checking my status on the CEAC website. I did not hear anything back from the Consulate until Jan 13, 2014 and so I contacted my company's attorney in the US who applied for my H1. They got back to me and said that they contacted Dept. of State in (DOS) Washington D.C. and they were informed that DOS already sent me a mail on Jan 9th, 2014 asking me to submit my passport at the consulate. I was constantly checking my mail and also my junk mail but I did not receive any such communication from the Consulate. I told the same to my attorney who then contacted DOS to confirm my email address they had on file and DOS did have my correct email.
I then called up the US Travel Docs/VFS/Team Stanley number and they told me the same answer that my visa is under Administrative Processing (AD) and asked me to wait. I then tried explaining the customer service rep. my situation and she asked me to mail them. I mailed them explaining my problem and they again gave me a templated answer that my visa is under AD. I mailed them again a few days later and yet again received the same answer. It looked like they didn't even look at my email. My attorney then asked me to wait until I received the email from the consulate asking me to submit my passport.
I haven't received any email until Jan 23, 2014 and I was growing restless as it has been almost a month since my visa interview. I then found out that we can call DOS and gave them a call to the number listed here: http://travel.state.gov/contenthttps...h/contact.html
I explained them my situation and then they asked me to give my passport number. They checked and asked if I submitted my passport at the consulate and I answered no. So they told me to submit my passport.
I went to the OFC/Passport submission office in Hyd on Jan 24th in the hope that I could submit my passport. They lady there asked for the email confirmation from the consulate asking me to submit my passport. I explained her my situation and that DOS and also DOS thru my attorney has asked me to submit my passport and that I did not receive any email from the Consulate. She then called her colleague who then told me that same thing that I cannot submit my passport and that that my application is under AD. I again had to explain my situation and started talking a little loudly. He then called his boss who came and again started dismissing me saying that it is under AD and wait for 60 days. I got mad and again explained him my situation. He then asked me to send them a mail. I told him that I did that twice and also called them up twice and no one is trying to help me out. He then took my name and passport number and asked me to wait while he checked with the consulate. He came back after 5 minutes and apologized to me and told me that the consulate will get in touch with me very soon and not to worry about it.
By then I was already working from home for more than 2 weeks and I had to return to the US ASAP. I finally received an email from the Consulate the same evening i.e., Jan 24, 2014 at 4pm asking me to submit my passport. I finally submitted my passport today (Mon, Jan 27th, 2014). I hope I get my visa soon.
When I received the email on Jan 24th, I was like how can the US Consulate do this? This can be happening to so many other applicants who have been waiting for 3, 6, or even 12 months. Hence, I wanted to share my story and tell you all to get in touch with ur attorney or call the DOS and find out about ur case status and then have VFS/Team Stanley escalate your case if required. Probably, I could have emailed the consulate directly but I didn't know how long that would take.
All the best...
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