221g white paper

[iamhere]

Got the visa today ( 3 weeks )

Hi guys,

My fiance went for her H1B on 16th May 2013 (OFC on 15th May 2013). Gave her the 221 g white slip with the first box checked. She received her questionnaire on the next day. Sent back the reply on 19th May (sunday).
Got the "updated date" as 24th May, 29th May, 03rd June, 06th June, 10th June and got it ISSUED today (11th June).

Both of us came to India for our wedding trip. Got married 2 weeks ago and I had come back to the US. Was waiting for her to get her visa. Read this thread all through and was heartened with 221gproblem's analysis.

My wife is in the pharmaceutical sector and had been working in the US for the past 3 years. She got her first H1B visa in feb 2011 and had a 221 g at that time too. Her current H1B visa is with her current employer with whom she had been working for the past 2 years.

Thankfully she got her visa today.

A quick question, I have been reading the thread and found out that people were saying that in 2 days, the passport will be available for pickup isn't? And if we dont' pickup then it would be sent to the address mentioned in DS-160?

Good Luck to others who are waiting for their visas too. I know it is extremely frustrating but praying that you get yours too soon.

Thanks
Venu

- - - Updated - - -

Hi guys,

My fiance went for her H1B on 16th May 2013 (OFC on 15th May 2013). Gave her the 221 g white slip with the first box checked. She received her questionnaire on the next day. Sent back the reply on 19th May (sunday).
Got the "updated date" as 24th May, 29th May, 03rd June, 06th June, 10th June and got it ISSUED today (11th June).

Both of us came to India for our wedding trip. Got married 2 weeks ago and I had come back to the US. Was waiting for her to get her visa. Read this thread all through and was heartened with 221gproblem's analysis.

My wife is in the pharmaceutical sector and had been working in the US for the past 3 years. She got her first H1B visa in feb 2011 and had a 221 g at that time too. Her current H1B visa is with her current employer with whom she had been working for the past 2 years.

Thankfully she got her visa today.

A quick question, I have been reading the thread and found out that people were saying that in 2 days, the passport will be available for pickup isn't? And if we dont' pickup then it would be sent to the address mentioned in DS-160?

Good Luck to others who are waiting for their visas too. I know it is extremely frustrating but praying that you get yours too soon.

Thanks
Venu

[munna221g]

Good! Your case is moving!

Date changed to 11 JUNE with same message, any one has any update ?

Asak, Brother Inshallah you will get it soon as your case is having more than two updates... Mine is still showing as status update as Mar 18th... please pray for every one.

Munawar

[tahersub4t]

221(g) White - Hyderabad

Asak, Brother Inshallah you will get it soon as your case is having more than two updates... Mine is still showing as status update as Mar 18th... please pray for every one.

Munawar

Wa Alaikum As Salaam Wr Wb,

Insha Allah, Jazakallah Khair.

Yes, I had more than 2 updates,
May 2 - Case Create Date
May 17
May 29
June 3
June 6
June 11

May God make it easy on all who are going through this pain, I hope a decision is made soon in your case in your favor.

[Wife_H4_221g]

status changed to issued today

my wife's status update changed today to "issued".
On june 5, she got an email to submit passport, submitted it on june 6
the status changed on june 10 with the old admin processing message and today noon changed to "Issued"
Insha allah she should get her pp back with visa stamped in couple of days.
praying for all

[h.fareeha]

How long Administrative processing take ??

[[email protected]]

status date updated but with the same msg

My case dates were updated same as yours with the exception of case creation date = April 22 2012.
Thanks

Wa Alaikum As Salaam Wr Wb,

Insha Allah, Jazakallah Khair.

Yes, I had more than 2 updates,
May 2 - Case Create Date
May 17
May 29
June 3
June 6
June 11

May God make it easy on all who are going through this pain, I hope a decision is made soon in your case in your favor.

[mask728]

@munna221g, @221problem, @tahersub4t and everyone else....

Based on all the research you have done, can you predict when my case will be issued?? :-)

Case creation Date : Aug 24th 2012
Case Update Date :
1. Nov 5th 2012 (it might have changed before this but at that time i used the status check on US consulate site where this info didnt exist)
2. May 30th 2013
3. June 6th 2013


still pending!!! its been like 280+ days.....Even though DOS said they are working on these and have even communicated to the Consulate in Hyd I almost cant take it anymore!!!

[221g052013]

Guys, finally I got my passport today with visa stamped. It took me just over 4 weeks to get the visa stamped. Below are the details -

OFC interview - April 30
Consulate interview - May 01
221g issued - May 02 (got email, asked for additional documents)
Documents submitted - May 09
1st time status updated on Jun 06
2nd time status updated on Jun 07
3rd time status updated to Issued Jun 10
Passport collected Jun 11

[tahersub4t]

Almost There

@munna221g, @221problem, @tahersub4t and everyone else....

Based on all the research you have done, can you predict when my case will be issued?? :-)

Case creation Date : Aug 24th 2012
Case Update Date :
1. Nov 5th 2012 (it might have changed before this but at that time i used the status check on US consulate site where this info didnt exist)
2. May 30th 2013
3. June 6th 2013


still pending!!! its been like 280+ days.....Even though DOS said they are working on these and have even communicated to the Consulate in Hyd I almost cant take it anymore!!!

Two updates in less than 7 days is definitely a GOOD sign. As per my research they only update date when your file is forwarded from one dept to another dept (or from one desk to another desk in office) .

Looking at the current fashion how visas are issued, you might be max 3 weeks away.

Don't loose hope. You have waited for almost an year, 3 more weeks to go. I would suggest you start shopping for US .

[Baba]

Issued 12th June

Hello Friends,

I just want to post my experience here

OFC 29th April
Visa Interview 30th April
Email responded 1st May
Case status changed 30th May
Case status changed to Ready 4th June
Case status changed to Ready 6th June
Case status changed to Ready 11th June at 2pm
Case status changed to AP 11th June at 3pm
Issued 12 th June

Hope everyone's will be approved soon and my case status progress gives some hope to who all are waiting.
I am sure everyone will get their visa's soon..

[221gproblem]

dont worry

people whose update dates are changing, dont worry.. it only means you are almost there.

i dont know if it is good to share the status case numbers but to give you more hope and confidence, see this case number
see its update date and issued date in hyderabad consulate using CEAC website: 2013108 233 0001. It got cleared in 7 weeks.
May be the person took a week or two to submit required stuff so i am assuming it is average 5 weeks. Or may be it was a name
check without need of any documents and got cleared in 7 weeks.

There are many cases getting cleared in every couple of days... especially those whose status dates are updated frequently.
As somebody pointed out, when status dates are updated, it either means you are almost there or it may mean you crossed
one hurdle and unluckily put into other hurdle which may take some more time say 3 weeks.

If your case is genuine and clear and presented the documentations and answered everything properly then unless you are extremely unlucky
you should clear in 5 weeks. The word 'presentation' is important. as i mentioned one example of my friend who did not respond to the
questionnaire properly, he was held for more than 6 months though his case was straight forward.

Everything i mention here is based on the cases I have seen, based on my own experience and analysis and experiences of my friends in my network.
People who are stuck for more than 6 months have something special in their cases which makes it atough ride.. Either their name has
too many common hits or your case is not well presented.

I believe the way administrative processing works is simple.. To give you an example, assume that each case is moving in a conveyer belt like
the luggages on the airport... somewhere somebody is checking one case at a time when the cases passes through his window through the conveyer
belt.. when he picks up the case, he quickly want to see few things... for example if the case needed a documents he will see if you have submitted required stuff
in proper way. if he thinks you have missed something or not submitted properly, he dont want to waste further time on it because there are lot of
other cases he need to work on.. so he will simple put the case back in some other conveyer belt where it has to flow and reach someone else after few days or weeks.
that belt moves much slower... thats when the case status update date of that case wont change for long time. after long time either you follow up or somebody will pick up
and see what is missing.. either they communicate back or follow up with DOS or USICS or whatever and it may come back to original conveyer belt. again it may take
few days to reach it to the processing officer... that way it takes long time, hoping from one queue to other queue.

So what I mean is the key factor is, while your case is new and while it is moving in original conveyer belt, if you have provided or presented everything properly
then the first officer would immediately take decision and move it forward.. he will move it to the other processing conveyer belt where other officer will update it
to approved and issued and it will move to next conveyer belt where it will be picked and visa will be printed and then put it on conveyer belt which takes the passport to
VFS for deliver... this fast process can complete in 2 to 5 weeks.

If your case is stuck for 6 months that does not mean it was never looked at... it had its day, there was an opportunity to get it cleared but there was something
missing somewhere thats why it was put back to other slower belt where it took its own sweet time before coming back to normal belt.

sometimes 221g is simply given as an extended interview.. for example if you are given a 221g with questionnaire and few documents to be submitted over email
what that generally means is that your case was straight forward but VO did not had enough time to ask you enough questions during interview.. so what he does is
he extends your interview over email.. whatever he wanted to ask you during interview, he will ask you over email.. it is good for you because over email you can answer it cooly by
thinking and taking help from lawyer, HR or friends. when you submit required answers then the case goes back to officer in few days and it gets cleared in 10 days
assuming no holidays in between. Again if you are unlucky it may be taken to another 221g processing (like name check) from there but dont worry about that.

[rmkhan]

Please help me to understand my case

Thank you very much for wonderful analysis & example....Please help me to understand my case.

What do you mean by too many hits for a common name..My name is Shaheed Ahmad & i am waiting since 06th 2013. The VO does not ask too many questions.But i think, I was not so much confident when asnwering his question..is that the reason to hold the case??

Thanks!!

[221gproblem]

Thank you very much for wonderful analysis & example....Please help me to understand my case.

What do you mean by too many hits for a common name..My name is Shaheed Ahmad & i am waiting since 06th 2013. The VO does not ask too many questions.But i think, I was not so much confident when asnwering his question..is that the reason to hold the case??

Thanks!!

Asak Ahmad,
as in your id (rmkhan), do you have 'khan' in your passport also? it could be name check for a common name, if they have not asked you any documents.
when was the last update date of your case.
Actually this information i am not fully sure but somebody told me that for the name check, the process is tedious.. what happens is that your name
is run in to a list of database of wanted people through a computer.. whenever there is a 'matching' hit, the automatic process of computer stops there
and somebody has to manually verify the 'hit' and clear it to run the process further.. so its like a speed breaker whenever there is a hit.. more common the name,
there will be more hits and more time it takes to clear because when it finds a hit and stops a person has to take his time, come and move it forward. anything manual process
slows it down.. for example, if computer stopped at say 10000012th entry claiming a match today, a person may come and look at after few days and move it forward, then if it finds some other wrong match, it will stop there few more days till he comes and moves it again.
I dont know if that is TRUE, but thats what i heard.. "more common name, more hits, more manual work, more time"..

[221gproblem]

continued...

Asak Ahmad,
as in your id (rmkhan), do you have 'khan' in your passport also? it could be name check for a common name, if they have not asked you any documents.
when was the last update date of your case.
Actually this information i am not fully sure but somebody told me that for the name check, the process is tedious.. what happens is that your name
is run in to a list of database of wanted people through a computer.. whenever there is a 'matching' hit, the automatic process of computer stops there
and somebody has to manually verify the 'hit' and clear it to run the process further.. so its like a speed breaker whenever there is a hit.. more common the name,
there will be more hits and more time it takes to clear because when it finds a hit and stops a person has to take his time, come and move it forward. anything manual process
slows it down.. for example, if computer stopped at say 10000012th entry claiming a match today, a person may come and look at after few days and move it forward, then if it finds some other wrong match, it will stop there few more days till he comes and moves it again.
I dont know if that is TRUE, but thats what i heard.. "more common name, more hits, more manual work, more time"..

One more thing, I have a common name too.. i think i have gone through name check in 2010 because then i had 221g with no documents requested. as i mentioned in one
of the earlier posts, it was cleared in around 7 weeks as i remember. may be my combination of common name vs date of birth had none or few hits.
also processing depends on consulate back log of 221g cases plus the holidays.. last time i was stuck during christmas time.. that time processing was much slower than current times.
especially in hyderabad because hyderabad was relatively newly opened consulate and they did not knew how to operate.. most of the cases were sent to 221g and there was huge backlog.. there use to be 30 page pdf file of pending cases and that pdf file at any time had more than 1000 cases pending

[imirza]

may be my combination of common name vs date of birth had none or few hits.

The name check systems do not look up anything related to Date of Birth.... Only names. If they had the ability to do combination searches then the cases would have cleared much much faster.

-Mirza