Visa Waiver Program

Does anyone know how long it takes to process Dropbox visa in Chennai consulate. It has been 2 weeks and the status still says as application received.

I am wondering who is in the same situation as me. I am in Canada applying for a F-1 renewal visa. I was required for a follow-up interview after sending documents, but there are no available interview in the system. It simply reads, "there are no available appointment at this time. Please try again later." I tried 5 times a day for a month, but nothing happened.

 I have emailed visa services, they just said they had no control over how the appointments become available, so I contacted consulate and embassy. No one replied me. How can you ask for interview but don't let people make an appointment? That is so frustrating. I am just wondering who have this same situation with me?

I recently submitted my application for a J1 extension via dropbox. I was issued a 221g slip to attend an in-person interview. The consulate officer approved my visa after the interview. Also, he informed me that it would be ready within five business days. My CEAC status changed from refused -> administrative processing -> application received. Its been seven days and, I have still not received my passport. I called the helpline and, they are telling me that it is under 221g administrative processing and can take up to 180 days. I was not informed about this at the end of the interview or after. Can someone please shed some light on this issue and recommend what my next steps should be?

Does anyone have experience with getting this waive? If so, please share your experience (timeline, reason). Do you apply for the waiver after you've received your visa?

I would like to share my Dropbox visa experience. It was quite smooth and simple.

Visa renewal for me and my spouse ( H1B & H4 ).

4-Oct-2018 : My employer submitted necessary documents at Mumbai consulate.
5-Oct-2018 : Status : Application Received ( Morning )
5-Oct-2018 : Status : Administrative processing ( Noon )
6 & 7-Oct-2018 - Weekend off
8-Oct-2018 - No Action ( Status : Administrative processing )
9-Oct -2018 - Issued for both.
10-Oct-2018 - Passport ready for pick up.

30th Jan - Dropped documents
13th Feb - Received notification to pick passport
15th Feb - Picked passport. Visa not stamped. 221g white slip attached to passport with fingerprints option.
16th Feb - Provided fingerprints. In ceac.state.gov case updated date updated to 16th Feb with Administrative Processing
24th Feb - Case updated date updated to 24th Feb. Still administrative Processing.

Can anyone suggest in a similar situation.

Hi Guy, Though to share you the H4 VISA which I did for my infant daughter last month.
So, I was in US and my wife gave a birth to a child in India and my wife had a valid H4 VISA, i needed to go and pick them up but getting passport and H4 VISA seemed to night mare for me as I had very limited to go and bring them back to US.

day 1 - Created profile and deposited fee online though IMPS.
day - 2 submitted document in vfs bangalore, I took almost everything document copy to drop but they took only her PP, my VISA page and her pic, make sure ears are visible.
day - 3 and 4 - waiting to see something on stats page nothing came up
day - 5 - Application received
day - 6 - Administrative processing
Day - 7 - Issued
Day - 10 - PP is ready for pick up, I picked up passport from vfs delhi.

Just lost few days since there was holidays in between. But over all it happened with no issues.

Sharing as I was searching so many inputs online and found very less, hope this helps for everyone.

We had a terrible experience recently, thanks to Indian Consulate in SF.
I had visited India in Feb. an returned on the 29th of Feb. I had to go back to India in April. The new rule is that you cannot enter India within 60 days of last visit. I was short of 5 days before I had to enter India. I went personally to SF consulate to get the waiver for the tourist visa so that I could visit India without hassle. The person in charge at the consulate went through my travel plan which was via Dubai stay there for few days and then proceed to Mumbai. He told me I do not need the waiver as I am visiting multiple countries and did not give me and my wife the waiver. Then they gave me the confirmation of the same by email. In good faith I printed the email and thought my problem was solved. We travelled on the date to Dubai and while leaving for India after couple of days I was refused by the airline authorities to check in and was turned back. I had to go immediately to Indian Embassy in Dubai and spent the whole day getting the waiver. Not only that I had to spend $200. per ticket to get a new ticket and waste one whole day. Out of 10 days one day was gone here. After getting the waiver I was told to go and register myself and my family at the police station. When I landed at the Mumbai airport I was taken to a room by the immiration officer with family and had to fill in several papers before going out. The next day we had to go the police station, spend the whole day there going thro. several procedures, like photo copies and pics and files and booklet. Spent nearly 1000 rupies in all these and a whole day. Out of those 10days another day was gone.
We had to go thro' all these just because of the wrong information by the SF consulate and I believe the are not very helpful or they are under informed. If they had given us the waiver we would not have gone thro' all these in the heat of India. It put us off totally. It looks like not of he Indain Embassy office can give us the right info. All have different thing to say about the problem. I wish they get better informed so that the visitors do have to go thro' all these.
While leaving India, the immigration officer was forcing us to surrender the registration booklet when the officer at the police station had told us very clearly not to surrender at any cost as this was our permenant document. Again situation of misinformed department. Wish Indian Government can do something about this so that visitors like us would not face this problem.