H1B Stamping AP delay at embassy

[msalem]

Hi guys.

I just want to know if anyone has been through this or may have any input on this. I was working in the US on an F1 with a CPT. My employer sponsored me for an H1-B and I successfully changed my status while in the US. I had to go back home (Cairo, Egypt in my case) for a visit last Jan. So, I had to apply for a stamp on my passport for the H1-B to get back to US. I had my interview on the 14th of Feb 2013. The CO had no problem with granting me the visa, but he said it has to go through administrative processing. He just gave me a piece of paper with my case number and the website to check its status. I understood that and the CO also mentioned it would not be much different than the AP I went through before for my F1 visa which took 32 days then. It has been more than six months so far and my visa is still pending administrative processing. I got in contact with the embassy in every possible way and they keep on giving me the same answer that the processing is still pending and it's being done back in Washington D.C so they cannot predict how long it will take.

Today, I decided to call the DOS to check the status myself and I did. They said that this case is not and has not being processing at their end, rather the processing is being done at the US embassy in Cairo and my case is just pending the decision of the US embassy in Cairo. When I told him that the US embassy in Cairo told me that the processing is being done in D.C he said that this is not true.

The question is:
Why do you think I'm getting those conflicting answers from the embassy and the DOS?
I'm trying to get in touch with the embassy here to get this clear to them, but, given the current situation here in Egypt, they seem to be very overloaded with work due to all the closures for several days, they are not answering their phone, or replying the email/social media inquiries. So, until I can hear back from them does anyone have an input on this?

Thanks a lot

[msalem]

Update

Now this is frustrating. I've just checked my status ceac.state.gov for the first time (Just knew of this website, used to check my status on the embassy's website) and it says that my application is refused and the last update on my case was on the data of my interview, while the embassy's website is still saying it's undergoing processing.
Now this is a third conflicting answer and I still can't get hold on any one in the embassy here in Cairo.

[Whatever]

Update?

Now this is frustrating. I've just checked my status ceac.state.gov for the first time (Just knew of this website, used to check my status on the embassy's website) and it says that my application is refused and the last update on my case was on the data of my interview, while the embassy's website is still saying it's undergoing processing.
Now this is a third conflicting answer and I still can't get hold on any one in the embassy here in Cairo.

WoW, this is really horrible!! How did it go after this? Were you able to get hold of them or get your passport back? Did you lose your job because of this? Did you ever get to know the reason for all of this delay given that you lived in the US before?

[msalem]

WoW, this is really horrible!! How did it go after this? Were you able to get hold of them or get your passport back? Did you lose your job because of this? Did you ever get to know the reason for all of this delay given that you lived in the US before?

Actually around the end of September of 2013 (7+ months after the stamping interview), the status on both website's (the embassy's and the state dept's) got miraculously updated to "processing complete" and I sent them my passport (yes, it was with me fortunately) and got it back in the mail after a couple of weeks with the stamp on it. I didn't lose my job, because my employer was understanding nice enough to let me work remotely while I'm waiting for my visa stamp.
I didn't know what caused all of this delays so far. Maybe they just left it there in their office somewhere and when I kept bugging them by phone and email to both the embassy and the state dept and it made them notice that they're lagging behind. As I said I don't really know, I am just guessing here. When I used to hear about all of those ridiculously long waiting times online for this processing I didn't believe it, but when it happened to me I realized that such waiting time is possible and how messed up their system really is.

[Whatever]

Actually around the end of September of 2013 (7+ months after the stamping interview), the status on both website's (the embassy's and the state dept's) got miraculously updated to "processing complete" and I sent them my passport (yes, it was with me fortunately) and got it back in the mail after a couple of weeks with the stamp on it. I didn't lose my job, because my employer was understanding nice enough to let me work remotely while I'm waiting for my visa stamp.
I didn't know what caused all of this delays so far. Maybe they just left it there in their office somewhere and when I kept bugging them by phone and email to both the embassy and the state dept and it made them notice that they're lagging behind. As I said I don't really know, I am just guessing here. When I used to hear about all of those ridiculously long waiting times online for this processing I didn't believe it, but when it happened to me I realized that such waiting time is possible and how messed up their system really is.

This is really stupid! They just don't care. What if you didn't have an understanding employer! AND they didn't even bother telling you why this happened!! Anyway, I am glad you didn't lose your job and you were eventually able to go back. Good luck.