PIMS delay in chennai of over 27 days

[gabra]

I had my H1-b interview for the 2nd- 3 year term(i.e renewal) on 13th Jan 2011 at Chennai consulate. My wife also had interview with me for H4 visa. We were told that our visa have been approved and that we will receive our passports in 3-5 days. We did not receive the passports for 7 days so I called the consulate and they told me that my visa needs PIMS verification. I have been calling the consulate since then every day and they are giving me the same answer that it is still held up in PIMS verification. Can anyone suggest if there is something that can be done from our side to speed up the process? It has been 27 days now and we still have not received the passports. The visa officer did not said anything and just said our visa is approved. He did not give us any pink slip or did not mention about the verification, there were no documents missing or required to my knowledge. I am really worried. Please help me. It is really frustrating as each day is passing and my life has become a mess professionally with no horizon in the view. I really need help. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

[shervin143]

Unfortunately there is nothing much you could do. The forum members will be of no help when a case is under admin processing or under PIMS verification. Usually the PIMS verification should be completed with a week or two. Not sure why it is taking such a long times these days. Search an read about the posts related to PIMS in immihelp. Lot of people have gone through this and this is not new. Once your approval notice gets loaded to the PIMS system, the consulate will be approving your petition.

[gabra]

just an update..visa approved finally on 10th feb 2011 after 28 days...received passport on 12th feb 2011...got ticket for 15th feb 2011 and got to US. just to let people in the similar situation know what I did so that people in similar situations can get some help:
1) was calling chennai consulate to get update on the visa status and request them to expedite the process (which apparently did not work)
2) email USCIS every day and request them to update the PIMS database and send it to chennai consulate (which worked to some extent as I was getting reply that they will update the PIMS in 48 hrs, but infact PIMS was updated only after 10 days of this email)
3) sent the written letter to USCIS, department of state and chennai consulate requesting them to expedite the process otherwise I could loose my job and incur heavy financial loss. I also attached a copy of my I797. (I think this might did the trick as PIMS was updated in 48 hrs of them getting my letter, I also received email that my PIMS was updated and called chennai consulate and got the verification)
4) called my attorney and asked him to call USCIS on toll free no. and request to expedite the process( this may or may not have worked as I donot have any confirmation that my lawyer really called USCIS or not, but he did billed me for $100 which I did not appreciate at all as he did not knew what PIMS is)
5) called my employer as requested them to email and send letter to both chennai consulate, USCIS and department of state( employer did sent the emial, this also may or may not have worked as i do not know if and when they sent the email, they did not sent any letter)
6) besides this i also consulated a lawyer specialized in US immigration in India who also charged me Rs.500 and basically told me to just wait only thing helpful he said was to ask my employer to send letter.

you can get the USCIS and department of state physical and email address on their websites, just google it.

thank you for all those who gave me valuable suggestions and best of luck to those in similar situations. my prayers are with you.

[h1geek]

Hi Gabra,

Can you share the email adresses you used to contact USCIS, DOS and consulate ? We are in similar situation and calling DHA revealed that my and my wife's petition still not updated in PIMS. Our interview date was April 28,


Thanks i advance

[gabra]

H1geek

Hi Gabra,

Can you share the email adresses you used to contact USCIS, DOS and consulate ? We are in similar situation and calling DHA revealed that my and my wife's petition still not updated in PIMS. Our interview date was April 28,


Thanks i advance

It has been a long time since this episode. I have tried to dig through old emails I had saved and following emails I could get.

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Besides this I also sent some physical letters too, unfortunately I do not have addresses of those places, but u can find it at USCIS website. Also ask ur employer to contact as well. And send all- email, letters, phone calls whatever u can find from website. U have to go all guns blazing.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck.