H1b - 221G Blue slip issued Chennai Consulate


reachash69

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I attended visa interview yesterday at  India, Chennai at 9.30 am and I was given 221G blue slip.

My case: I have graduated in US and been working for past 5 years. This is my first time H1b stamping but I was on h1B for the past 3 years (without stamping). I went to stamping after 6 years. I'm working on EVC model. My employer is reputed. 

VO: Requested Passport and I-797. Answer: Provided

VO: Who do you work for and how long you have been working for this company. Answer:XXX

VO: From where did you graduate and what was your degree? Answer:XXX

VO: What is your position and job duties. Answer: XXX

VO: Do you work for employer or do you have client? Answer: Yes, I have client and given the name

VO: Do you have CV with you? Answer: Yes, given the CV

VO: Can I take a copy of your CV? Answer: Yes, absolutely

VO: We cannot process your visa today as we need to do administrative processing and issued 221g Blue slip. He just checked Administrative box in the 221G and took my passport and CV. He said that it will take several weeks to process and given me the case number to follow

Questions:

1. I don't know what triggered VO to issue me 221g.

2. What are my next steps? just wait?

3. Did anyone faced similar issue where VO has taken your Passport and CV?

4. Do I need to do anything now? I mean except for looking at visa check status?

5. How long it will take get a response from consulate in this scenario?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Attended interview on 28th Nov 2016 for H1B stamping 

I did my masters in biomedical engineering. VO thought I work with vaccinations and pathogens. I clarified that I didn't. I work for software validation of medical device and non medical device software. The VO issued me a blue slip form 221g with administrative processing required field checked. 

 My passport was retained. 

Hopefully we hear back soon. Let's keep each other posted on the updates since the timeline for processing these type of cases are very arbitrary. 

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This is what happened to me:

 

Monday November 7: DropBox Chennai VFS

Dropped off Passport with copies of 797 approval notices

 

Wednesday November 16: Case Updated on Passportdocs

Visa Status still processing but passport updated to Delivered to Post (not ready for pickup)

Went to Sholinganalur Blue-dart pickup location and collected passport at 12:20 PM

Passport was NOT stamped with visa and there was a 221g blue slip

The slip was checked for several documents (PFA copy) and asked me to come in for a formal personal interview (not just email the requested documents)

Went to Chennai US Consulate at 2:00 PM with all documents for interview

Was asked to come back the next day @ 8 AM for walk-in interview

Printed out several Client project documents and emails.

 

Thursday November 17: US Consulate, Chennai

Printed out i140 Approval Notice at 7:30 AM (Paid INR 300 for this!! :))

Went to Embassy @ 8:30 AM

Security check (was asked to not wear the Fitbit so walked back out and handed it over to mom- glad she was right outside)

Document verification of Passport/ DS160/ 221g blue slip done here

Was asked to not cover my FedEx box (with a ton of documents)

Waited in the line for around 20 minutes (over 200 people in front of me)

Line progressed to a building and waited around 30 minutes in the building where a new line was formed (families, elders and disabled people were given a straight entry and didn’t have to wait)

Asked to go into counter #16 where I was finger printed after DS160 was verified with passport

Asked to enter a general queue (this serviced H1, F1 and B1 visas). Waited here for around 20 minutes.

When my turn came, was asked to go to counter #26

Reached the counter and there was an Indian family (parents and 2 kids) giving their interview to a Caucasian VO.

They got the visa approved and she seemed in a good mood.

My turn came and I stepped close to the glass doors

KK: Good Moring

VO: Good Morning sir, can I see your passport

KK: Gave her the 2 passports

VO: Can I see your i129?

KK: Handed over i129 Approval Notice

VO: Who do you work for?

KK: Employer is XXX

VO: Typing on her computer as she speaks... Where is this employer?

KK: Based in Atlanta GA and provide services all across the USA

VO: Typing on her computer as she speaks...Do you work for a client?

KK: Yes, XXX

VO: Is there a vendor, if so who?

KK: XXX is the direct vendor.

VO: Typing on her computer as she speaks...What does the client do?

KK: They are the world’s largest car re-marketing company and are a fully owned subsidiary of XXX

VO: What do you do for them?

KK: In my current role, I am the QA lead for a new Oracle ERP Implementation project. 

VO: Typing on her computer as she speaks...How lone have you worked at this client?

KK: The last 5.5 years.

VO: How long have you worked for your employer?

KK: Around the same time, 5.5 years.

VO: Typing on her computer as she speaks...Do you have a client letter?

KK: Handed over Client and direct vendor letters.

VO: Do you have any project details?

KK: Handed over a printed out email from the Project Release Manger (client) with project status on what has been deployed and what work is pending to be completed in 2017. Also handed over a couple of project technical documents. Also handed out a client project organizational chart (with my name highlighted on it). Also handed out a news article by Autonews.com with a report on G2G and its impact on Auction industry.

VO: Thank you, I see you come prepared and smiled. She reviewed this for good minute or 2.

Told her, I have more documents related to project timelines and technical details if she was interested to review them as well.

VO: No, thank you and said I will be right back. She closed the glass door with blinds and stepped out from her desk. She was away for a good minute or 2 and then got back. Gave me a yellow slip that read " Please be waited....." and asked me to sit down for some time while the documents are being reviewed. I was escorted to a separate waiting area and waited there for around 5 minutes.

 

 

Security officer came and asked for Kaushik Kumar to appear at counter #22. No officer present and after I got there, within a minute or 2 an Indian officer (female) showed up.

VO2: Good Morning, can I see your LCA?

KK: Gave the i 797 approval notice.

VO2: LCA is the document that the employer filed before the H1B

KK: Apologized and gave her the LCA from the big document file provided to me by my employer.

VO2: No problem let me check this and get back to you.

I went back to the same waiting area and waited there for around 5 minutes.

 

Security officer came and asked for Kaushik Kumar to appear at counter #22. No officer present and after I got there, within a minute or 2 an Indian officer (male) showed up.

VO3: Hello, Can I see your paystubs?

KK: Gave last 6 months paystubs

VO3: Can I see your end client contract document?

KK: Sir, I can give you the contract between my employer and direct vendor.

VO3: That should be alright

KK: Gave the contract with a few recent POs.

VO3: Thank you sir, you may sit down and we will call you when we have finished reviewing this.

I went back to the same waiting area and waited there for around 5 minutes.

 

Security officer came and asked for Kaushik Kumar to appear at counter #26 ( same as the first one). The 1st VO was sitting there and again greeted me with a smile. She said after reviewing your documents, we are unable to make a decision and so your application with be in Administrative Processing and handed me a new 221g blue slip along with my earlier blue slip ( I got 2 now!)

KK: Maam, is there anything you need from me? I have several more documents that I haven't provided to you yet.

VO: No sir, I see that. But this will be handled internally by our administrative team and they will get to you after they have made a decision. Here you go and handed me all the documents I gave earlier- I noticed the staples had been taken out when they reviewed. She mentioned that they have scanned all the documents that they need.

KK: My wife is in Atlanta. Is there a tentative timeline that I can give her and to my employer on when they can expect me to be back home? Would I be able to get back home for Christmas?

VO: I am afraid I can’t give you that. It can take a few weeks to several months. She gave me back the 2 passports and the blue slips. 

KK: Can I also have my approval notice please?

VO: They are in that lot (the set of documents she just returned). 

KK: After review I said yes thank you.

VO: Hope you have a good day.

KK: I don’t know about that but thank you and same to you. Happy thanksgiving to you.

Walked to exit and all the way out of the consulate. Parents were waiting anxiously outside at the same spot where there were like 3 hours back. The disappointment on my face gave the story.....

 

Thanks,

Kaushik Kuberanathan

Kaushik.kuberanathan@gmail.com

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 11/28/2016 at 9:23 PM, Naveen B said:

 My passport was retained. 

 

Any update of your case? 

I had my interview on Dec 20, '16 at Chennai. VO took my passport, didn't look at any documents. I'm curious to know how long the admin processing will take in such cases (although there's no one size fits all!).

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