221g visa delay

[kanty]

I attended the H1B interview in Sept 08 in Chennai and was subject to 221g (pink). The VO asked me to reply (via email) to a list of questions there were on the pink form. I believe the 221g is due to my field of post-doctoral research (Bioinformatics). It is almost 11 weeks since I responded to the questionaire, and my case status still appears "PENDING PROCESS" when I look up online. Has any recent applicants had similar experiences? Did you ever contact the consulate with reference to your case status while it was pending approval? I tried contacting them through phone and email several times, but have not received any useful information so far. Is there any number in which I can contact the DOS concerning the case status?

For successful applicants - How long did it take for the approval in your case? How did the consulate correspond with you regarding the decision? email/phone or did you just look up online?

Any help/comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Biochemist]

Kanty

I think you should get news soon. 11 weeks a lot of time. What was your Phd research area? Did you get your PhD in India or US? Generally it takes time if your PhD research and Postdoc research dont match. Anyways you can call the DOS number to find out more. 202-663-1225
here is the link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html

Generally, I think the only response you will get from them is status pending/processed.

I hope you get the good news soon.

[kanty]

Many thanks for your response. To clarify, I did my PhD in the US and my major is Bioinformatics. For the PhD, I worked on computational gene finding. For my postdoc, I am currently working on molecular mechanisms of protein-glycan interactions, and development of bioinformatics databases for storing the relevant molecular information. I suspect there isn't much difference in the area of research.

I will call the number and see if I can get any useful information. I hope I get the good news soon.

[srinivasri]

stuck with 221g too (again)

I appeared for the interview on Oct 28. No questions were asked and I was given the pink form. The VO told me that it would not "take as long as it did the last time" (I had been stuck with 221 g just last year and it took them 6 weeks to issue a Visa - which going by what I read here was quite fast). I was thinking (inspite of myself) that I should get it in 2 weeks max in time to return to the US. But no, I am on week 5. I am really worried about the two other posts which stated that it took about 11 weeks for them. I may add that mine is a TAL related case too (Aerospace engg.) and I am in the academia as well working for a reputed US school. The people at the consulate are really of no help - all they do I think is read the status page and parrot it. Not really tried the DOS number - not sure if they will tell me any different going by the other posts in this and another forum.

Anyway, best of luck for those involved in this nightmare. I will update my position on this forum as it changes. If anybody, has any advice or tips, I will be very grateful for it.

[kanty]

Visa approved

at last after 78 days!!

[lifestyleunit]

Administrative processing delay! Please help

My husband attended the H1B interview in Dec 08 in New Delhi and was subject to 221g (pink). The VO asked him to reply (via email) to a list of questions there were on the pink form. I believe the 221g is due to his field as he is an Assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering at one of major University in US . It is 62 days since he responded to the questionaire, and his case status still appears "PENDING PROCESS" when we look up online. Has any recent applicants had similar experiences? Did you ever contact the consulate with reference to your case status while it was pending approval? I tried contacting them through phone and email several times, but have not received any useful information so far.
DOS Folks said that it is still pending and they dont tell how long it will take.
For successful applicants - How long did it take for the approval in your case? How did the consulate correspond with you regarding the decision? email/phone or did you just look up online?

Any help/comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.