221g Pink Slip at New Delhi US embassy H1B renewal

**palrahul** · 01-31-2012, 05:10 AM

Interviewed at New Delhi, got pink slip, additional docs asked, kept passport/I797: Jan5 2012
VFS site said passport being send: Jan24
Passport received with visa stamped: Jan28th

This was for my wife who was already working in US (Postdoc in Biological sciences at a reputed school), had gone to India for stamping for first time.
A lot of her colleagues have gone though this same procedure and most of them got clearance in ~3 weeks. ( I assume thats the best case scenario for this kind of processing)

The embassy site had stopped showing any status on our case since Jan23rd, but VFS site did tell the correct status when passport was being returned. Bad thing was that we did not knew that we got the visa stamped until the day we got the passport.

Lots of suspense around this jittery process, and very hard to keep mind at peace.

My suggestion to all stuck: Keep engaged with your employers, start working remotely if possible, and avoid any keywords leading to Technology Alert List in any docs that the embassy asks for in the 221g form. As this might lead to further delay in the process for getting the clearance

gud luck to all

**rahul_omega** · 01-31-2012, 06:18 AM

@palrahul: Thanks so much for sharing your experience! As you mentioned, it is really hard to keep mind at peace during this 221g waiting period. Moreover, the US Embassy website status update information is not updated.

Did they return your I-797 as well?

Originally Posted by palrahul

Interviewed at New Delhi, got pink slip, additional docs asked, kept passport/I797: Jan5 2012
VFS site said passport being send: Jan24
Passport received with visa stamped: Jan28th

This was for my wife who was already working in US (Postdoc in Biological sciences at a reputed school), had gone to India for stamping for first time.
A lot of her colleagues have gone though this same procedure and most of them got clearance in ~3 weeks. ( I assume thats the best case scenario for this kind of processing)

The embassy site had stopped showing any status on our case since Jan23rd, but VFS site did tell the correct status when passport was being returned. Bad thing was that we did not knew that we got the visa stamped until the day we got the passport.

Lots of suspense around this jittery process, and very hard to keep mind at peace.

My suggestion to all stuck: Keep engaged with your employers, start working remotely if possible, and avoid any keywords leading to Technology Alert List in any docs that the embassy asks for in the 221g form. As this might lead to further delay in the process for getting the clearance

gud luck to all

**palrahul** · 02-04-2012, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by rahul_omega

@palrahul: Thanks so much for sharing your experience! As you mentioned, it is really hard to keep mind at peace during this 221g waiting period. Moreover, the US Embassy website status update information is not updated.

Did they return your I-797 as well?

Yes they did return back the I-797 along with stamped visa on passport

**sajidkhan1001** · 02-06-2012, 11:34 PM

Till day before yesterday, my case number was valid and I was getting a status on US embassy site, but starting yesterday, its saying my code is invalid. Below is the message I am getting:

We were not able to identify Case # XXXXXXX-XXX-X, Please make sure you have entered your case number correctly.
Example 1: If the number on your form is 9101-333-1, type 2009101 333 1
Example 2: If the number on your form is 8255-021-1, type 2008255 021 1

Anyone else facing this problem?

**theconfused** · 02-07-2012, 12:22 AM

It is unique because till yesterday my case status was saying that they are not able to identify the case number. But since yesterday, it is able to read my case status. However, i do not know what does that mean?

Originally Posted by sajidkhan1001

Till day before yesterday, my case number was valid and I was getting a status on US embassy site, but starting yesterday, its saying my code is invalid. Below is the message I am getting:

We were not able to identify Case # XXXXXXX-XXX-X, Please make sure you have entered your case number correctly.
Example 1: If the number on your form is 9101-333-1, type 2009101 333 1
Example 2: If the number on your form is 8255-021-1, type 2008255 021 1

Anyone else facing this problem?

**rahul_omega** · 02-07-2012, 12:50 AM

After reading forums and experience for admin processing form 221g at New Delhi embassy I have come to following conclusion:

The case number status on US embassy website is not updated regularly and sometimes gives results as "Case not identified"

Some applicants have mentioned that even after completion of admin processing and visa stamping, their case status on US embassy website was saying "Case not identified"

For those whose passports were kept by New Delhi embassy can check their case status on "Track your Passport" link on VFS website. People in the past have mentioned that they got accurate information form this tracker.

I wish that we all get our visas stamped at the earliest!

P.S.: for me, the US embassy website was showing "your case is under admin processing" yesterday. Today it is showing some "Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error "

VFS passport tracker is showing " your passport is under process at US embassy/consulate"

**theconfused** · 02-07-2012, 12:59 AM

On top of that, i checked the status of my 221 g from 2010. And the embassy website says - Under process.

Originally Posted by rahul_omega

After reading forums and experience for admin processing form 221g at New Delhi embassy I have come to following conclusion:

The case number status on US embassy website is not updated regularly and sometimes gives results as "Case not identified"

Some applicants have mentioned that even after completion of admin processing and visa stamping, their case status on US embassy website was saying "Case not identified"

For those whose passports were kept by New Delhi embassy can check their case status on "Track your Passport" link on VFS website. People in the past have mentioned that they got accurate information form this tracker.

I wish that we all get our visas stamped at the earliest!

P.S.: for me, the US embassy website was showing "your case is under admin processing" yesterday. Today it is showing some "Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error "

VFS passport tracker is showing " your passport is under process at US embassy/consulate"

**theconfused** · 02-07-2012, 01:00 AM

I also got those Microsoft OLE DB errors.

Originally Posted by rahul_omega

P.S.: for me, the US embassy website was showing "your case is under admin processing" yesterday. Today it is showing some "Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error "

VFS passport tracker is showing " your passport is under process at US embassy/consulate"

**theconfused** · 02-08-2012, 12:01 AM

I checked the status today and i am getting the following message -

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80040e37'

[Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access Driver] The Microsoft Jet database engine cannot find the input table or query 'Master'. Make sure it exists and that its name is spelled correctly.

/Delhi/nd.asp, line 111

**rahul_omega** · 02-08-2012, 06:56 AM

I got a message to collect my passport today.

The passport has visa stamped and they returned my I-797

It took exactly 3 weeks after submission of the documents.

Visa interview date: 17 Jan 2012
Documents emailed: 18 Jan 2012
Passport with visa received: 08 Feb 2012

however, visa has expiration date of Feb 2014 whereas my I-797 is valid till Sep 2014.....??