H1-B 221 (g) Pending: Pressing Questions? Needs Urgent Advice/ Help!

[Siddhivin]

Did anybody got response..... what is approximate response time.... I also got 229(g) yellow form.........

[Siddhivin]

Visa interview data: 10th June 2010 (I got 221(g) yellow slip and asked to submit technical questionnaire, cv and job offer letter)
documents submitted : 11th June 2010

does anybody know how long it will take to get response from consulate??

[Atul008]

@Siddhivin: the earliest date here is June 6 and he hasn't heard from the consulate. So it is at least 5 weeks. I don't believe the bull that it varies from case to case.. I don't think it does.

In the other forums like edulix etc., the feb guys got it in 3 weeks and the march/april guys got it in 1 to 1.5 months. Seems the time is increasing.

[vivek_mutalik]

H-1B and Yellow form 221(g)

Hey Siddivin,

Unfortunately, there is no one who can answer your question....This is like a black box !

Their reply depends on case-by case....In my case, its been more than 5 weeks. I am not sure what makes some cases to get the clearance quickly over others.

While you wait for the email from consulate, and to make yourself at ease, you can do this :

1. After 4 weeks, go and check with the US consulate's information window just outside the consulate office (timing 9 to 11.30 am M-F).

2. Call up Dept of State helpline (US time), check up their website.

In both of these cases, I have'nt heard anything other than a typical answer that is, "your case is still pending". For me this gave some hope....that my paperwork has not been misplaced..

Another suggestion I would give is,

Thick twice before you book your (return) flight tickets till you know you have got the visa. In my case, I have a return flight booked and I have been postponing my flight tickets..... and each time, they are charging fees.

Even if you want to book/postpone, you can do it for flights after 6 weeks.

Hope this helps,

Vivek

Visa interview data: 10th June 2010 (I got 221(g) yellow slip and asked to submit technical questionnaire, cv and job offer letter)
documents submitted : 11th June 2010

does anybody know how long it will take to get response from consulate??

[Siddhivin]

Thanks for your replies. It is very useful. I already booked round trip tickets from US itself. This is my short trip to India but now it sounds very long . Please update timeframe on forum if anybody got their visas.

[Atul008]

status update

Another update.

Interview date: May 24; 221g yellow form; H-1B mumbai consulate.
Docs sent May 25.

No fuggin' news. none. wtf.

[hareshngurjar]

In 221g cases nobody can guess how much time it may take. time really varies from case to case.
interview date : 24th nov 2009, got 221g white slip additional documents required.
11th feb went with all documents, got 221g yellow slip.
more than 4 month no reply.
keep updating about ur case

[vivek_mutalik]

H-1B and Yellow form 221(g): administrative clearance done

Update:

Interview date: 6th May 2010: received yellow form 221(g) : US Consulate, Mumbai

Documents submitted: 6th May 2010: received automatic email from the US consulate

Email from the consulate received: June 17th 2010 : clearance done.

Passport submitted personally to VFS on June 17th 2010

Tentative passport stamp: June 18th 2010 (evening) Will update if I get this.

Total working days from submission of documents to clearance email:
30 days

Total weeks: 6 week

Vivek

[Atul008]

@Vivek: Congratulations for getting it approved; you must be relieved. Thanks also for posting this as it gives us some idea of the current time-line.

I have one question: I submitted all documents (CV, questionnaire and Offer letter) as PDF documents. I had asked the CO if PDF (scan) of the offer letter is fine but had neglected to ask the format for submitting the questionnaire. Do you know if there are any restrictions as to the format? I read the 221g's of other consulates and they clearly stipulate the document format, but the yellow 221g says nothing about the format.

[vivek_mutalik]

Re: Document format

Hi Atul,

Thanks.

Re: document format: there is no fixed requirement... so no need to worry.

I had submitted my CV and questionnaire in pdf format, whereas offer letter (actually an employment authorization letter) as scanned .jpg format.

Some source told me that, they receive all administrative pending files in DC
from all over the world...and then check it accordingly. They have very limited staff and that's why the delay. Not sure if this true, but makes sense.
I read some old article in NewYorkTimes about this delay in getting H-1B's for advanced degree holders (mainly Scientists/related).

Hope this helps.
Wishing you Good luck and fast processing of your file.
Try to keep your cool (I know that's tough...still, that's what is in our capacity)

Vivek

@Vivek: Congratulations for getting it approved; you must be relieved. Thanks also for posting this as it gives us some idea of the current time-line.

I have one question: I submitted all documents (CV, questionnaire and Offer letter) as PDF documents. I had asked the CO if PDF (scan) of the offer letter is fine but had neglected to ask the format for submitting the questionnaire. Do you know if there are any restrictions as to the format? I read the 221g's of other consulates and they clearly stipulate the document format, but the yellow 221g says nothing about the format.

[forevevrudis]

Best luck to all!!

My hunsband and I have been working here in states for 4.5 years after finishing our masters (in mech) from a US university on F-1 visa.

My husband needed 2nd H-1B stamping when we visited India this time.
We had a return flight of 31st since we never thought we would get stuck with 221(g) since it was the 3rd time he was being interviewed with all paystubs and W-2s since he graduated without any gaps.

Below are the details for his interview.

Visa interview date: May 06,2010 at Mumbai consulate
Recieved form 221(g) yellow
Documents submitted: May 06,2010

Recieved emaling for submitting our passport : May 17, 2010
Passport submitted: May 18, 2010
Passport recieved with Visa: May 22, 2010.

We were fortunate to have his case cleared up so fast considering the time it's taking for you all but my suggestion is to get return tickets booked only after Visa is granted since seems like they have been issuing 221(g) pretty much everyone. They may be hoping for some of us to loose jobs (employers will ternimate the employement after waiting for few weeks as they cant afford to wait forever) so that citizens / permanant residents can get those jobs .

[dravi99]

Congrats!

Hey Vivek,

Congratulations!!!

Thanks for updating your status. All of us waiting here know that something is happening.

I had submitted my docs on 19th May, hope that i get a mail by end of june.

All the best to you!

[godinman]

221g yellow form

my interview date 19/05/10
visa category - dependent
after interview - returned all the docs incl passport and vo gave me the yellow slip saying my case needed further admin processing and embassy will contact in a week time.
i am still waiting for their reply hence its the 5th in progress....
any one in the same boat?
thanx.

[vivek_mutalik]

Pains of 221(g)yellowform and visa stamping

Hi all,

I am still stuck here waiting for the US consulate to return my passport after visa stamping, after I got the clearance on 221(g) processing. VFS officer told me that, this happens to many 221(g) cases, where the stamping takes lot of time than regular 1 day turn around for most visas.

US Con Mumbai Interview: 6th May 2010, yellow form
Documents submitted and autoreply recd: 6th May 2010
Miserable waiting period: 6th May to 17th June 2010
Clearance email:17th JUne 2010; morning
Passport submitted@ VFS, personally: 17th June 2010 (Thursday): Afternoon
VFS visits :

Friday ((5 to 5.30 pm): reply: PP not yet recd from the Consulate
Sat (4 to 4.30 pm, working sat): Same reply
Monday (5 to 5.30 pm): Same reply

While I was waiting for my PPt, I came across everyone who got PPt stamped, had waited for just one day.

If you have 221(g) pending case and are planning your trip, take care of this issue of stamping. I had to postpone my trip today .....again !

Vivek

[Atul008]

Vivek: Most of my friends who have been in situations almost identical to this (from Dec through April, 2010) have told me that nearly a week elapsed from the time they turned in their passports to the local VFS to the time they received their passport by courier.

One of them was able to ask the VFS to hold the passport instead of sending it home, and that took 5 days. Note that this is the VFS at Mumbai as well as at Pune; so the delay is from the embassy and not from VFS or from transit time.