H1 blue slip from Mumbai with comments

[bluehat]

@h1bgotscrewed - i can identify with your situation. With our aprtments,cars, etc lying there in the US it gets really frustating.

Any idea how many working days it took for you to get the first email(that asks to submit passport)?

My model is EVC. I did have client letter and every other freaking document that they could ask for. Submitted around 400 pages documents in response to 221(g) blue slip on 17 October. Don't know what they would look for. After 6 weeks asked for passport. Submitted the passport on 2nd Dec. No updates yet. It's been 3-weeks now.

BTW, does anyone know how long can the US consulate keep our passports with them LEGALLY? Is there any time frame within which they had to return the passport?? I wish there is...

[nosiaj]

Thank You Bindu. No updates from my side. I will wait till year end, and then decide next step.

@ Noisiaj,@Anumehta,@Divp..

any updates from ur side?? Has ur Case been progressed in any way??
Keep posting!!

I am flying back on 26 th..Dec..But will be active in this thread...keep updateding ur status..

Good luck ..Hope u get ur visa soon!!

[blueguy19]

@bluehat - I'm in the same boat.. Paying for apt rental, parking, car insurance.. Day before year put my cable, cell phone on freeze/hold.

[h1bgotscrewed]

@h1bgotscrewed - i can identify with your situation. With our aprtments,cars, etc lying there in the US it gets really frustating.

Any idea how many working days it took for you to get the first email(that asks to submit passport)?

@bluehat
It took about 7 weeks(~ 35 working days) to get the first email to submit the passport...

[h1bgotscrewed]

Yeah that sounds about right. I submitted approx 300 to 350 pages, clearly marked them with sticky notes stating way they are for.

Not sure how long they can keep the passport legally. I suggest you call the DoS and ask the status.

I called them couple of times, they say it's under review. Another time they said it's under administrative processing. Third time I called I asked the difference between the two, they said it's one and the same thing.

This wait is making it hard to concentrate or do any other thing while in Mumbai. What a waste of time and money.

Another thing I heard from my friends, that all big financial firms are restricting the contractor tenure to a year starting 2012. Earlier this period was 3 years. Offshore services contractors are excluded from this restriction.

I believe all this is happening due to the fact that somehow USCIS, DOS and consulates want to discourage people from working in EVC model and In case of full time employment discourage small businesses from hiring H1B.

Don't want to generalize it but high level this could be the motive.

Thanks @blueguy19. I did called DOS and asked for status. Same as VFS. No other updates and they mentioned that there is no definite time frame on how long they take to finish the Admin Processing.

The motive could be as you mentioned. It absolutely makes sense... One thing I am not able to comprehend is that they are the ones who issue the H1B in the first place when applied, give RFE's as well and when somebody goes to their home country, they make it so hard to come back. I guess they are all after the money (fees, etc) to fund for all the tom, dick and harry projects like building a fense on the Mexico border, etc by increasing the H1B processing fee making it difficult for small firms to even apply for H1B. If you follow the news, they are still uncovering so many tunnels that transport all kinds of illegal stuff and here we are getting screwed who are working legally, paying our taxes, medicare and social security. God knows if we ever are going to see a penny of the the medicare and social security benefits if things go like this...

don't want to be emotional but the frustration goes to a different level when ever I think of the whole sh***y process...

[bluehat]

Yeah i am planning to put my phone on hold too.

I have started working from offshore office though. The worst case would be to sell off things there. Have anyone ever been denied a VISA in cases like ours??

@bluehat - I'm in the same boat.. Paying for apt rental, parking, car insurance.. Day before year put my cable, cell phone on freeze/hold.

[bluehat]

That is really frustating......wait for the mail for passport submission and then wait for the passport too......did they give u the yellow admin processing slip or its just on hold?

@bluehat
It took about 7 weeks(~ 35 working days) to get the first email to submit the passport...

[nosiaj]

Guys, update from my side.. today got a mail asking to submit the passport. I am on vacation now. So will be submitting it on Friday.

[blueguy19]

Congrats!!!

@nosiaj Congrats!!! Finally the wait is over.

[blueguy19]

@bluehat - I can't even work from offshore. I can't work remotely.

[nosiaj]

@nosiaj Congrats!!! Finally the wait is over.

thanks man. one step wait is over. not sure if I get it stamped or not. many are getting second slip or admin processing. anyway i am ready for the worst

[bindu155]

Congrats Noisiaj!!...keep hope u will get ur passport soon

[blueguy19]

@nosiaj - did your CEAC bar code number appeared on the Mumbai Consulate web site?

What time the email came? I have seen others getting it between 11 am and noon.

[bluehat]

@bluehat - I can't even work from offshore. I can't work remotely.

Ohh tht is bad........but as H1BgotScrewed mentioned it took him 7 weeks to get the email, I guess u shud get it in the coming 2 weeks atleast......considering its been 4 weeks since u submitted the documents..............

are u on the E-V-C model? what all documents did they ask from you?

Are u in touch with ur employer/vendor/client regularly? I keep in touch with them regularly. Working in the US hrs is irritating.......and tht too i have to stay out of a hotel with no friends in this city........

I have my roommate taking care of things for me back there in the US , so that is keeping off some stress about things in the US........

The stress for people like us who have their apt/cars etc over their can be maddening.

I would say that just stay calm. Dont get flustered and prepare yourself for the worst.

However bad the consulate may be.......one thing is for sure........we will get a reply sooner or later........how much later is the question tht stresses us out........most of the cases it looks like a 6 - 8 weeks of time.........so just enjoy ur India time ..... whatever is gonna happen will happen......no use screwing up our heads in thinking abt the email.......

[blueguy19]

@bluehat - yeah I agree. Yes I'm on EVC model. Have submitted all my and company documents as marked on the blue form. Almost everything was marked except research paper/study question on the blue form.

Yes I talk to my company and vendor every week. With my client manager I've been exchanging emails once a week.

I want to fly back for a family function latest by Dec 30th. Hence can't really relax.. Keeping my fingers crossed and prayers on.