H1B approved in interview but put in Administrative processing

[sean1234]

Hi all,

I attended the H1b interview in India on january 8th 2013. The VO said my visa has been approved and I will recieve an email and text once my passport is ready to pick up from the OFC. it has been 5 working days and I still did not recieve any email or text. i checked the status on https://ceac.state.gov it says under Administrative Processing. Does anyone has an idea why it went under ADMIN Processing when it was already approved. The VO only took the front copy of I797 and no client letter. They haven't contacted my employer so far. Please suggest

[sean1234]

The Consulate again updated my case on January 17th but its still under administrative processing. Is it normal to have multiple updates under same status?

[Foreigner2012]

Hi Sean1234,

I am not trying to scare you but I too had my intvw in India on Aug 24th 2012. The VO told me that my visa was approved. Only difference is she told me herself that my application still needs to go through administrative processing. On CEAC site it shows "Case Update Date" as Nov 25th.

I am still waiting for the administrative processing to complete. On Jan 24th it would have been 5 months.

Pls keep me/us posted with updates on your case......gook luck!

FYI...I am a full time employee with a fortune 500 company and I have a common muslim name.

[INDvsUS]

Hello,

Even VO said my H4 visa got approved but online its still showing 'Admin processing'. I have attended the interview on jan 17, 2013 in chennai. Right after the interview i've checked my status online .. It got updated as 'Admin processing'. Its been 3 days, still it shows the same status. :(

Can you please update your case once you receives your passport or any other information from the consulate.

Thanks

[221g HYD]

Hi Sean1234,

I am not trying to scare you but I too had my intvw in India on Aug 24th 2012. The VO told me that my visa was approved. Only difference is she told me herself that my application still needs to go through administrative processing. On CEAC site it shows "Case Update Date" as Nov 25th.

I am still waiting for the administrative processing to complete. On Jan 24th it would have been 5 months.

Pls keep me/us posted with updates on your case......gook luck!

FYI...I am a full time employee with a fortune 500 company and I have a common muslim name.

@Sean1234

I had my interview on Novemeber 14th at Hyderabad consulate. I am a full time employee and have a common muslim name

too. Its been more than 2 months and the wait continues. Where did you have your interview? at Hyd or Chennai Consulate.

[syed2411]

The consulate has very little to do with this as the administrative processing is handled by the Dept. of State.

The delay at the consulate is likely due to their internal backlogs. For example, in my case (same issue common Muslim name)- the consulate received the approval 2 weeks before the case was updated. You can basically see it on your visa - the date the clearence was received.

From the various reads, I understand that name checks take 6-8 weeks to clear. If you have legal representation, they can generally contact the DOS after 60 days to see if the DOS has cleared the file and it is just with the consulate.

Article of interest

http://www.****************.php

[INDvsUS]

@221gHYD

Hi,

In your case, did the visa officer give you any green, pink, white, yellow form with case number?

Did the VO say your case is approved?

Thanks

[221g HYD]

Hi Sean1234,

I am not trying to scare you but I too had my intvw in India on Aug 24th 2012. The VO told me that my visa was approved. Only difference is she told me herself that my application still needs to go through administrative processing. On CEAC site it shows "Case Update Date" as Nov 25th.

I am still waiting for the administrative processing to complete. On Jan 24th it would have been 5 months.

Pls keep me/us posted with updates on your case......gook luck!

FYI...I am a full time employee with a fortune 500 company and I have a common muslim name.

@Foreigner2012

I had my interview on Novemeber 14th at Hyderabad consulate. I am a full time employee and have a common muslim name

too. Its been more than 2 months and the wait continues. Where did you have your interview? at Hyd or Chennai Consulate.

[Foreigner2012]

@221G HYD

My interview as at Hyderabad. I got a white slip with nothing checked except "requires administrative processing". My company's law firm contacted the DOS in the first week of Jan and got a written response stating that they are working on it. Its on a case by Case basis and they are doing their best to come to a conclusion soon. But I think thats what they say to anyone.

I will be calling them today for sure ONLY t o find out what the "Case Update State" (nov 5) means? I hope they answer cuz usually ALL they say is "Case still pending, pls contact us later"

[221g HYD]

@221G HYD

My interview as at Hyderabad. I got a white slip with nothing checked except "requires administrative processing". My company's law firm contacted the DOS in the first week of Jan and got a written response stating that they are working on it. Its on a case by Case basis and they are doing their best to come to a conclusion soon. But I think thats what they say to anyone.

I will be calling them today for sure ONLY t o find out what the "Case Update State" (nov 5) means? I hope they answer cuz usually ALL they say is "Case still pending, pls contact us later"

@Foreigner2012.

If you don't mind can you share your case update on my e-mail mik3772@gmail.com.

[sean1234]

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for not posting for so long. I have been busy getting back to work and getting used to all other stuff but I thought it is my moral obligation to update the thread I started and let you know how everything went..

So after couple of days the status of my passport were set to ISSUED. i guess they were doing some background check for a week or so. My appointment printout which was attached to the passport also had the Alphabets "P.I.M.S" written on it if it makes any sense to you. I would say it was a formality which they needed to complete may be in my case because I am on an EVVC model.

Trust me guys once my case was put under ADMIN Processing I researched so many forums. And you will find cases which have been stuck in such process for long long time. looking at these forums didn't give me anything but anxiety and tension. Moreover most of the people do not update their forums once they get the visa.

Anyways guys goodluck. Hope you get out of this problem pretty soon. I am not sure if you can email me directly via this forum. if you can I would love to answer any queries you have.

Thanks

[221g HYD]

@seam1234,

I couldn't find a link to e-mail through this forum. Can you please send me an e-mail on mik3772@gmail.com. I have been on 221g sicne past 3 months. NO update since then.

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for not posting for so long. I have been busy getting back to work and getting used to all other stuff but I thought it is my moral obligation to update the thread I started and let you know how everything went..

So after couple of days the status of my passport were set to ISSUED. i guess they were doing some background check for a week or so. My appointment printout which was attached to the passport also had the Alphabets "P.I.M.S" written on it if it makes any sense to you. I would say it was a formality which they needed to complete may be in my case because I am on an EVVC model.

Trust me guys once my case was put under ADMIN Processing I researched so many forums. And you will find cases which have been stuck in such process for long long time. looking at these forums didn't give me anything but anxiety and tension. Moreover most of the people do not update their forums once they get the visa.

Anyways guys goodluck. Hope you get out of this problem pretty soon. I am not sure if you can email me directly via this forum. if you can I would love to answer any queries you have.

Thanks

[dhoola]

@sean1234: Looks like your PIMS is not updated.

I attended my visa interview on February 15th at Chennai. Now online status says "Administrative Processing". It is updated on today(21st). I guess mine could be PIMS delay as well?

[sattvic2780]

Hello,

Even VO said my H4 visa got approved but online its still showing 'Admin processing'. I have attended the interview on jan 17, 2013 in chennai. Right after the interview i've checked my status online .. It got updated as 'Admin processing'. Its been 3 days, still it shows the same status. :(

Can you please update your case once you receives your passport or any other information from the consulate.

Thanks

Hi @IndVsUS, did you receive your H4? My wife had been to H4 interview yesterday. Visa officer said the H4 has been approved. But when we checked the status the same day, it says admin processing. She has a pending H1B 221(g) for the past 5 weeks. We are not sure if this has anything to do with that. We are worried.

Thank you.

[dhoola]

@Guru4vis: It happened the same way to me as well. My previous petition was on 221(g) during the interview. So after the interview on Feb 15th, and VO told approved, my status was in Admin processing for over a week. I got PP with no stamp and 221(g) white slip on Feb 25th which asked me to withdraw my previous petition. I did that and submitted to OFC again on Feb 28th. On Mar 5th my status shows 'ISSUED'.

[George]

hI

I attended my interview on 8th Feb.

On CEAC site shows case updated date 8th Feb 2013.

They gave some questions to my employer. and employer replied on 21 feb 2013.

How long will it take for the visa.

How can we know the status.

Any customer care no or any point of contact.

[h1vacation221g]

Hello all,

I work full time for a top rated product company in the US on an approved H1B. I started in this company on OCT 2012 prior to which i was working for a service based company in the US on L1(Blanket) visa. I had travelled to India on vacation and had to take the visa interview at Chennai consulate on APR-26-2013.

The Visa officer asked about my job and duties in the US. While i was explaining, she interrupted and asked me "what exactly i will do in the US". I gave all my duties to the fullest. She then asked me if my job is to deal with security and i had clarified stating that it has nothing to do with security but handling big data (as i am an ETL professional).

She then asked my salary and marital status and said that VISA is approved but had to be put on admin processing. I have gone through an ADMIN processing previously for my L1 blanket visa and got my passport after 3 months. Fearing this delay (i have an apartment and car in the US just left locked), i pleaded her stating that i am already working in the US and on vacation to India for just a short period of 4 weeks, but the VO politely said there is no way she can waive it for me and asked me to go to window 31.

At the window 31, an Indian person gently asked about my visits to other countries (other than US) and i had truthfully told about my visits to Singapore and Mauritius. My height was then measured and i was also asked questions about any siblings. upon answering the same, the person confirmed that my visa is approved and my passport will take 3 to 4 weeks. I have no team in india to work together and i am afraid that this delay will cause lot of pain given all my stuff has just been left lying in US.

Can someone with similar experience let me know what is the wait time for such case, given i have already undergone admin processing for 3 months? Feeling very depressed about it. Any relevant information is sincerely appreciated.

[jairichi]

@h1vacation221g

Hi,

I am working as a postdoc in an US university. I applied for H1B visa at US consulate, Chennai on 23rd April 2013. I was given a pink slip (221G) for administrative processing. The lady in counter 31 asked me for my resume which I submitted immediately. I am still waiting for my passport. I believe it takes 3 to 4 weeks in normal course but it might take longer as it varies from case to case. Do not worry you will get it in time.

[sumgee]

Hi All,

Attended VISA Interview today @ Chennai Consulate & was issued a Pink Sllip 221g.

Interview with VO went well but as i work for a Network Security company. VO asked me if i work on encryption/decryption ? The answer was yes.

VO said "everything looks OK" but please go to counter 31 issuing a pink slip 221g.

Person at Counter 31 asked for my Resume copy & said we will process in 4-6 weeks.

Please comment on my status? What is this situation like? What do they check with 221g Pink Slip?

sam

[krl0415]

My visa is in Administrative Processing since 18th March 2013 and there is no update till date. Mine is a H1-B Extension and my employer is a top Indian MNC and this is my 1st extension.

I have been following the status update and the pdf file shared by chennai consulate since April and notice that during the month of May there has been almost no change in the status of cases which are more than 1 month old. Just new cases are being added on daily basis and some cases which are less than 1 month old from current date are resolved.

Don't know if consulate will catch some speed in processing the cases in June/July or its going to take much more time. It now seems 90 days is the minimum period to wait for Administrative processing.

Good luck to all who are currently at the mercy of US consulate.

[sumgee]

I got my visa approved on June 6th 2013. Well below 4 weeks of time.

 

Thanks to all..

[sundy2013]

Hi, 

I work for a tech giant in Silicon Valley. I am a full time employee and joined the company in May 2013. I frequently travel to China as I am involved in business here. I was a full time employee in my previous company as well. I attended the visa interview at the Shanghai Consulate; after I asking the Shanghai Consulate if an Indian citizen can apply for NIV here. I talked to my attorney too before I travelled and she said it's fine. 

I have previous got my visa stamped in Mexico (3 times to be exact) and never had any issues. 

Shanghai Consulate: 
Visa interview : Sept 12th 
Docs requested: Sept 16th 
Docs submitted Sept 17th 

My case still shows administrative processing (as on Oct 9th). Luckily, I can work from here until it's resolved, however it's getting close to 4 weeks since my interview and I am not sure what's the hold up. 

I never had this issue before and I work in the Mechanical Design and Manufacturing fields. I called the Dept of State and they said 'the embassy has all the information'. So, wanted to check and see if I can get any helpful tips on how to proceed.

[jairichi]

My visa got approved on May 24th 2013 at US consulate, Chennai. Exactly 1 month (April 23rd 2013 - visa interview) after administrative processing (pink slip)

[sundy2013]

My visa got approved on May 24th 2013 at US consulate, Chennai. Exactly 1 month (April 23rd 2013 - visa interview) after administrative processing (pink slip)

 

Thank you, it gives me a ray of hope that my 1 month is approaching soon..if you have any tips on who you might have contacted might help.

[jairichi]

Thank you, it gives me a ray of hope that my 1 month is approaching soon..if you have any tips on who you might have contacted might help.

I did not contact anyone as I knew the reason for my administrative processing which is my research wok on human embryonic stem cells. I was confident I would get clearance by 1 month. Just relax, engage yourself with some activities to kill time and spend time with loved ones. Check regularly approval of applications before you. Once you find that applications closer to your visa date are getting approved then you know that you are also close.