H1B Stamping - 221g @ Matamoros, Mexico


Chris2013

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

 

I came to US in 2008. After that, I got extension for my h1b multiple times. I never went out of US after 2008 as my parents or in-laws were always visiting us.

 

Finally, the time to go to India has come for my father's surgery. As I live in Houston, thought of getting stamping from Matamoros (5 hrs drive from my home).

 

Yesterday, I had finger prints and went fine.

 

Today morning at 10:30 AM, I had visa appointment.

 

I reached consulate on time and sequence of events happened in the following order:

 

Security checking of our belongings -> Personnel arranges our DS 160 conf. page, I-797 in order and provided a token. -> Waited for my turn and I went a VO (may be mexican) - he just validated my passport, I-797 and few questions and then asked me sit in the hall with others and check for my token number for another interview.

 

My main Visa Interview:

 

I went to VO counter after my token number is displayed. The VO was young and talked very casually.

 

Here are the questions from Officer 1:

1. Asked for Passport(s), I-797 documents

2. Where do you work?

3. Who is your employer?

4. Are you married? Any kids? Why didn't you bring them for stamping?

5. How did you get H1B extension as you have completed 6 years of stay? Do you have I-140 approval copy? -   My employer never gave I-140 copy even though I request him many time. Few months back, I submitted FOIA to USCIS to get I-140 copy. When I requested for I-140 copy, USCIS sent the application which was submitted by my employer. This application had Approved stamp also. That worked for me.

6. Few more general questions - how is the weather in Houston and so on..

 

Officer 1 told me that he will be back in few minutes. He came back in 5 minutes.

 

Again, started asking few questions in general..such as w2 and so on.

 

Suddenly, another personnel came and standing next to Visa Officer 1 and directly told me - "Hi.. I am from Anti-fraudulent department. I need to ensure the company is good and not performing any frauds. I need to validate complete information. So, I am sorry. I cannot issue Visa at this moment."

 

I am SHOCKED.

 

At that moment, I got lot of things in my mind. This is the first time, I got 221g on any US visa. So many ... "What if" questions.. I have my family, belongings, loans and so many other things in US, what next?.... 

 

The Officer 2 asked me to walk with this to another counter to further discuss on this. I was little happy that I was given a chance to talk to him and explain what he is looking for.

 

We both walked to counter 10 (seems to a small room with open door).

 

Officer 2 was very nice and polite in asking all the questions.

 

He asked me many questions as below:

a. Where do you work?

b. What do you do - role and responsibilities?

c. Who is your employer?

d. Where is your employer located?

e. How do you report to your employer?

f. How often you report to your employer?

g. How often you go to your employer's office?

h. How many employees working for your employer?

i. When you go to your employers officer, how many people you see?

j. Do you know, where are other employees of your employer working?

h. Who is your client?

i. Where is your client located? - Showed the client letter

j. Where do you stay? - Showed him my US driving license

k. Do you have any documents to share? - Provided I-129, Vendor letter, Old h1b documents, W2 document, Showed Company Tag and so on.

l. Do you want to share any other information? - Mentioned that I had USCIS site verification when I got my previous H1B Extension. Explained the details of verification done by USCIS personnel.

 

I provided complete and TRUTHFUL information to the visa officer.

 

Visa Officer 2 mentioned that "I know that Mexico is NOT your home country. Do you have any place to stay?". I told him that I am currently staying in a hotel but I don't have any other place to stay in Mexico.

 

Then, VO 2 told - "I am sorry but the process will take several days. If you want you can go back to India and come back to Mexico once we finalize on your case."

 

I saw the VO 2 was having my passports (old and new). I asked him, May I have the passports?

 

He immediately gave the passports.

 

I asked him, I have copy of the passports. Do you have to have them? He said, no. Thats fine. We have your information.

 

VO 2 gave me 221g (Spanish document) and explained in detail.

 

Not sure how long this process may take. I am still in Matamoros.

 

Note: Whoever going for stamping, please ensure you have all the documents and also prepare for the kind of situations I am going through.

 

Any suggestions are helpful to me at this time.

 

Thanks,

Krishna

Link to comment

Based on my travel plan, visa appointment dates were not available in India.

Also, I talked to many friends and forums regarding Stamping at Matamoros, I haven't saw any information of rejections in Matamoros, Mexico.

 

I was able to get the appointments within short span of time.

 

Good thing what I observed in Matamoros consulate is officer spent really good amount of time with me to collect all the details and document. Otherwise, the process can also get delayed due to lack of proper information.

 

I hope the process will move fast as VO got complete information. 

 

Appreciate for taking time to reply back to my post.

 

Your suggestions will help me at this point of time.

Link to comment

Hi Kris - 

 

I hope this gets sorted out and you get your visa soon. Good luck !

 

I'm based out of Houston too and am/was planning for stamping in mid-August in Matamoros. I work fulltime for a fortune 500 company and I've my previous h1b stamp from the same company. I'm going for Extension this time.

Are there lot of people for h1b stamping in Matamoros ?

do you work for consulting company ?

 

please do keep us posted on your status. 

 

-reds

Link to comment

Krishna,

 

Sorry to hear this. It is better to go to India.. Eventually it will be cleared but it takes sometime. 

 

Same thing happened to my friend in Canada. It took 2 months for him to get it cleared.

For another friend it took a week in Canada. Case to case it is different. 

 

Also, don't post these many details about the questions in forums. VO's occasionally citing forums too...  

 

I wish your father's surgery go well and recover soon.

Link to comment

This morning, I checked for the status online and found the following:

 

Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing. This processing can take several months. Please follow any instructions provided by the Consular Officer at the time of your interview. If further information is needed, you will be contacted. If your visa application is approved, it will be processed and mailed/available within one to three weeks.

 

Note sure, how long this process may take.

 

Thank you all for viewing my post and providing your comments. 

Link to comment

First week over... hmmmm...heard that Visa Systems 

 

I took some opinions from ****.com site:

http://www.*********.com/*************

 

I am in touch with my attorney from my employer and will see how it goes?

 

sreereddy99:

I posted question "H1 & H4 Visa Stamping Mandatory together?" in www.****.com site to get inputs from various attorneys.

 

You can find information at 

http://www.*********.com/*************

 

You can consult your attorney before you plan for your visa stamping.

Link to comment

day after day passing on. nothing much left in mind...just anxiety, hopes.. may be today or tomorrow..

 

not sure how long this process will take.

 

so far, no replies from consulate for any of the 221g status request emails..

 

i am understanding the pain of everyone who gone through this 221g process. How uncertain the life becomes with 221g?

 

just waiting ...

Link to comment

no update from the consulate. Whenever I request for the status, I am coming to know that case is pending.

 

Yesterday, I came to know that consulate reached my client for verification for my job. 

 

I hope I will hear something soon.

 

Also, other friend who got 221g (white slip) on the same day of my interview, got visa couple of days back and he left to US. 

 

I see some progress and hopefully, all the issues will be resolved and will get my visa soon.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.