Calling all Toronto 221Gs


kalyan_chakri31

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HI DKHS,

 

  Honestly I even wonder if they bother to go over the resume at all..or they go ahead and just do some sort of a "back ground  check". In my humble opinion..no matter what kind of "resume" they expect you to submit...they are going to take their own sweet time in processing the application. This whole resume business i think is more of an eyewash than anything.

 

  Total Humbug, trying to discourage people from going through the horrendous process of visa stamping...

 

  I understand your anxiety..as was the case with all of us..all the docs you submitted seem sufficient. Just be patient.

 

S

Thanks soma,

 

I got passport with visa today. Total wait period: exact 3 weeks. Here is the timeline:

 

Interview date: 02/05/14.

Asked general question, what I do? Where ? Salary? Married? how long? Told me that he is recommending for visa but there is necessary administrative processing which would take about 3 to 4 weeks. Asked me to submit resume and also description about the conference or business.

I did n't find any changes on CEAC website, went to ask for a status on 02/25/14 at consulate window. She asked me to submit a passport

 

Status update; 02/25/14

Issued: 02/27/14.,,, picked up the passport

 

MY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE CONSULATE CLEARNACE EMAIL, JUST GO AND ASK FOR YOUR STATUS AT THE CONSULATE WINDOW. In my case, I didn't receive any clearance email. 

 

I hope to all of them, who are waiting for their clearance, would get soon.

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Hello SaiBB, Parker and others:

I got an update on my case. I was asked to submit the passport. I submitted the passport on Feb 27th Thursday.

The case status still shows as "Administrative processing" but the date was updated to Feb 28th.

 

Is it something I need to worry about? Since the status shows as "Admin processing" and not "Issued".

Today is the 3rd day. They say we need to wait 3-5 days.

 

Any suggestions? and what needs to be done if we dont hear from them in 5 days?

 

Thanks,

T

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My case stuck for 26 days as of now.

Feb 6th  Thu : Interview  - (gave back the passport and said it may take more than three weeks to process, Did not give any slip. VO was young American in 30's.He only had my I-797)

Feb 11th Tue : Got a mail from FPU requesting to submit H1 petition related documents

Feb 12th Wed: Replied to the above mail with all the documents attached in zip folder.

Feb 17th Mon: sent a mail to FPU asking for acknowledgment that they had received the documents.

Feb 18th Tue: sent a mail again for acknowledgment 

Feb  20th Thu: Got a mail that they dint receive the documents so I submitted the documents again but this time in person

( I think when sending the documents through email, we should not zip them. Maybe zipped folders are not received due to security reasons.)

Feb 26th Wed: Got a mail asking for job letter from end client.

Feb 27th Thu: Submitted the docs through email and also in person.

Feb 28th Fri:  Client was contacted.

No update since then.

CEAC status/date has never changed since the interview.

 

I have also updated my case in http://www.********.info.

 

Is there anyone having similar scenario like mine ( Asked for h1petition docs and then for client letter)?

Please let me know.

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Hi @Toronto2014

 

My case is similar to yours, I got the 221g for same reason. Please see below for my Interview

 

Feb 26th Toronto 221 g yellow

 

I went for stamping today to toronto and got 221g yellow slip, Below is my Interview

 

VO: Why do you want to go to US

Me: I have been working in US and came for Stamping

VO: How long you have been in US

Me: for 4 years

VO: did your employer file Greencard

Me: No

VO: do you know you can only work for 6 years on H1 (Although I started my H1 4 months back)

Me: Yes

VO: have you been working with the same employer for 4 years

Me: Yes, I did my masters and then worked on OPT for some time and now on H1

VO: Can I have your I 797

Me: I handed it over to him (I worst mistake I did is giving only the 1st page of I797 thinking that second page is not needed as it has void at the bottom and some info at the top)

VO: Your skills

Me: Blah Blah Blah

VO: Can I have your wages

Me: Handed them over to him

VO: How much are you getting paid

Me: X$ per annum

VO: Are you getting paid on time and what have been promised for

Me: yes

VO: Have you been on bench for some time

Me: No

VO: Are you sure (I do not know why he stressed on it although I was never on Bench)

Me: Yes

VO: He took out yellow slip and wrote the following details

My Name, Batch :273 ,Date: 02/26/2014

VO: I am sorry to inform you but “you may not be able to work in US further” .

You may have to wait for more time in here. I see that your employer has a lot of immigration issues in the past.

Me: Ok and he took my 1 page I 797 and returned me pp and Yellow slip.

 

Almost 40 – 50 employees from my company went for stamping in the past one year and everyone got visa without any 221 g.

Today one of the employees got visa from my company who went to Vancouver at 11:30 after mine which was at 9.

 

I was contacted on feb 28th to submit H1b petition as filed to USCIS with supporting documents.

 

I emailed, Mailed and submitted in person and got email ack that they successfully received after enquiring whether they received my docuemnts.

 

As I am going through your case I dont think it gets cleared atleat in 3 to 4 weeks. There was a user named hitsandeep on page 18 who posted similar query and got it resolved after 3 weeks.

 

The good news is after your client is contacted it should be max a week to get approval email. Are you in toronto?

 

Do you have  acell number so that I can contact you. Mine is ****************, I can call you on viber or any Internet phone.

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Hi All,

 

Were anyone of you asked for client letter? If yes, wats the waiting timeline from then on?

@Ven13,

@amrinder86

and 

@jdjoe did you get your visa issued??

 

Toronto2014 - I am waiting from Oct 17th and there is NO response till date.I have left all hopes.

It is very unlikely to happen like this - Normally i have seen folks getting updates within 60 days

 

Good luck.

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Hi @harish41567, @ Toronto2014

My case is very similar to yours. Details below - 

 

March 10, Mon:Interview  -

The VO gave back the passport and said it may take up to a month to process my case as he wanted to do some more checks on my employer. Did not give any slip. VO was young American in 30's.He only had my I-797.

 

Please let me know if you guys have any new update.

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Toronto2014 - I am waiting from Oct 17th and there is NO response till date.I have left all hopes.

It is very unlikely to happen like this - Normally i have seen folks getting updates within 60 days

 

Good luck.

 

Hello There Ven13,

 

   Have you visited the consulate to ask what is the status? If not, please go to the consulate personally and inquire.

 

   Do not lose hope.

 

S

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Hello Everyone,

I wanted to give you detailed information about our experience regarding Visa stamping at Toronto.

Timeline:

Jan 27th 2014 - Monday:Interview Date

        Result: Visa approved for me as I was FTE. For my wife working on EVC model - 221g Green slip. Kept I797, returned passport.   VO told it would take around 2 weeks to make a decision

Jan 31st 2014 - Friday: Email from Embassy to submit h1b docs

     Submitted all the docs online same day

Feb 4th 2014 - Tuesday 1 PM - Went to Embassy to submit the same in person

Feb 10th 2014 - Monday - Exactly 2 weeks as the VO said - Email from Embassy saying - "They are still processing the case"

Feb 18th 2014 - Tuesday - Clearance Email from embassy. Told to submit passport either tuesday or thursday.

Note: Feb 17th- Monday was holiday.

So, they took exactly 3 weeks to make the decision (another week to collect passport)

Feb 27th 2014 - Thursday Submitted passport

No option to collect passport directly from embassy. They said it would take 3-5 business days

Mar 3rd 2014 - 1PM - Online CEAC status changed to Issued. It was Administrative processing b4 that.

Mar 5rh 2014 - 9 AM - Call from Loomis to pick up passport

 

No Q's were asked while entering USA. They just take you to the building and issue new I-94 and charge 6$ for it,

 

Analysis: No matter what you do, Toronto embassy will do the processing as they mention. If they say 2 weeks, they will reply in 2 weeks. 3-5 days means, its always 5th day. Its good to be hopeful, but you all need to be patient. It's not worth thinking about it every minute.

 

My advice: Go to home country. It's not worth staying in a 3rd country. You may contact Congressman as well.

I got the same updates from the congressman as the embassy sent me. So congressman do hear from embassy as well.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

Below is the interview experience - Jan 27th 2014.

Hello,

My wife and I had our US renewel interviews at US Embassy in Toronto, Canada on Jan 27th 2014 (today).

We both have H1B visa. I am a regular FTE and my wife works on EVC model.

I could get an appointment for both of us at the same counter at the same time (we were interviewed together)

 

I got my Visa approved, and the officer said I could collect it within 3-4 days. Unfortunately, the same visa officer gave a 221g- Green slip for my wife. The "Other" section was selected in the Green slip, and nothing was written below it. He did not require any information from our end, and he said he needs to do some processing from his end, and will get back to us (call or email us) within 2 weeks.

Further more, he kept her Original I-797, and gave back the passport.

 

Main Documents we took: All previous I797's, new H1b from November 2014.

She had all the client, vendor, employer letters, 2 paychecks from current employer. All tax docs, MS degree, etc...

 

Our experience:

We entered the consulate at 9 AM. At initial counter, submitted our ds 160 forms, I797 and passports. She wrote "PIMS ok" on my application, on my wife's application she wrote PIMS - SMIE or SMEI (PIMS followed by those letters). Not sure what that means?

 

After finger printing, we were called according to our token number for Visa interview.

VO: Are you both on H1's?

Us: Yes

VO: Let me start with you first Sir? What company you work for, what do you work as, what is your annual salary, do you work for any specific client?, where do you live?

Me: Answered all the questions, I am a FTE. We have many clients we work for...told other info....

VO: Did you do your MS...what was your thesis about..etc?

Me: Yes, ...and explained details

 

VO:Next to you Mam:

Wife: Sure

VO: Same questions again: What company you work for, what do you work as, what is your annual salary, do you work for any specific client?, where do you live?

Wife: She is a contractor working at client's place. She provided all details

VO: Took some time, and then mentioned that your company XXX address looks like residential address.

Wife: No sir, it is not. I have pictures of my Company. And showed the pics. He was pleased.

VO: Did you ever visit your company?

Wife: Yes, once.

VO: Do you get paid in time? In past we have heard that your company does NOT pay in time.

Wife: Yes, I got paid in time. I received 2 paychecks from them. Both were paid on time.

VO: Took a while again, and he finally said...Sir, I am approving your Visa, but Mam we need more time to process your case.

Us: We were left in a confused state. We asked him if he needs client letters or any other doc.

VO: No, I do not require anything from you right now. Additional checks needs to be done from my side.

He kept the I797 and returned the passport of my wife.  No slip was given at this point.

Us: This is what worried us. If he had kept the passport, we would be confident that he is doing some checks. Anyways, he kept the I797, so that was good sign.

 

We came out of embassy and identified that we were not given any slip. We went back and the security officer did not let us in. He took my wife's passport and went inside, and brought a Green slip along with it. There was no docs required on the 221g - Green slip. (Only "Others" was checked, and nothing written below it).

-------We did this step, if the VO could give in writing why there was a query placed. however, no luck, he wrote nothing on the 221g except my name and batch number.--------

 

We are guessing the intial check of PIMS might have failed. Again, why the passport was returned and I797 kept is questionable.

We are stuck now, and have to wait for embassy to contact us.There is no bar code or case number or any ID on 221g form as well.

 

Miscellaneous: Dont carry bagpacks or cell phones/any electronics, even keys. You have to walk across the street and deposit it in a convenience store for $5. The same store takes pictures too ($12 for 2 pics). The photo machine in embassy was broken, so everyone was running out in snow to the store to take pics. So please carry everything.

 

Thanks and Let us know.

--T

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@2014_march_toronto

 

Even the same guy Interviewed me and gave yellow form and said he needs to do some additional background check on my employer. As mentioned they asked me to submit H1b petition and after submission they contacted my client last week and after that no updates and my online case shows no update since the date case has been opened.

 

 

@Toronto2014

 

Any updates after your client has been contacted.

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Hello folks.

 

I went to Toronto,CA today for the H1b extension along with my wife for H4, i got first stamping done in Chennai.

 
Below were the questions.
 
1.HOW are you related (to my wife)?
Ans: Spouse
2.What are you?
Ans: Programmer Analayst at *********
3. What is you education?
Ans: Bachelors in engineering also have masteris in Business administration
4.How long are you married(to my wife)?
Ans: 4 Yrs
5,Any kids?
And: No not yet
6 Level of education( to my wife)?
Ans: Bachelors in engineering
 
Looked into his machine for a long time and the he said we need to further review your application, we will contact you by email and hanged me 22g yellow.
 
I asked below.
 
what type of processing?
Cant tell you now.
 
How long will it take?
Not sure.
 
 
I am currently blank now and out of ideas on what should be my next steps to approach this situation. I will really appreciate your inputs here.
 
VO did not take any documents other than my 797 and my wife's.
 
 
Thanks!

 

Golden Rule - When you go with your wife and if you have do not have kids and the VO asks's you the same Q

You have to let your wife answer that she is expecting.

Even if the VO gives a query, he would atleast process the case ASAP. Just my 2 cents, but the fact is we never know what he is thinking.

 

Thanks,

T

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Hi All,

 

ATLAST - I got the Clearance Email Today after 140 days - Nearly 5 Months

 

Interview Date - 17th Oct

Sent Celint Letter - 27th Oct by Email

First Case Update - 18th Dec

Clearance Email - 12th March

 

Will keep you folks updated.

 

I just Kept waiting - Thats it.

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Hi All,

 

ATLAST - I got the Clearance Email Today after 140 days - Nearly 5 Months

 

Interview Date - 17th Oct

Sent Celint Letter - 27th Oct by Email

First Case Update - 18th Dec

Clearance Email - 12th March

 

Will keep you folks updated.

 

I just Kept waiting - Thats it.

congrats!

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Hi Everyone 

 

I am stuck in Toronto while my visa application is undergoing AP and it may take up to a month or more. I had a single entry Canadian Tourist visa. 

Now I am planning to go to India while the AP is going on in Toronto and come back to Canada when the H1B visa is issued/stamped. So I will have to get a new Canadian Tourist visa from India to come back once I get the confirmation email. 

 

- 1) How difficult is it to get a Canadian Tourist visa from India? (provided I have the visa issued confirmation email). It takes around 2 weeks to get the Canadian Tourist visa from India.

 

- 2) Within how many days of the confirmation email do I have to submit my passport at the US Consulate Toronto? (2weeks/30days/60days/90days). 

 

-3) What happens if I am not able to submit my passport in the requested time frame (2weeks/30days etc.)? Does my status change to AP again? Do I have to apply all over again?

 

Any thoughts/opinions/suggestions are welcomed.

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My H1B interview (along with wife & daughter - H4) was on 17th Jan'14. Interview went very easy but VO handed a green slip and mentioned need 2 weeks time. handed the PP's back but took the original I797. This is my 3rd H1B extn (I140 approved).

 

  • On 1/23 received email asking for description of my project which I have submitted on 1/28 personally. Somehow they allowed me inside the consulate. VO asked for more details about my job description, clients etc. I have the emailed the details on 2/10.
  • On 2/14 asked for clients contracts with works orders for my services. Provided on 2/21.
  • On 2/28 asked for another client contact information. Provided on 2/28

I came to know from my petitioner that 2 clients received calls and they gave +ve reply. In last 2 weeks I sent 3 emails asking for status update but no reply. its 60 days and waiting. People are waiting 100+ days, I am so scared. Not sure what to do, return to India or wait and take the pain.

 

Any suggestions on how to get a status update apart from the CEAC site?

Yesterday I asked my attorney to send an email asking for status update.

 

Kiran

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Hi Everyone 

 

I am stuck in Toronto while my visa application is undergoing AP and it may take up to a month or more. I had a single entry Canadian Tourist visa. 

Now I am planning to go to India while the AP is going on in Toronto and come back to Canada when the H1B visa is issued/stamped. So I will have to get a new Canadian Tourist visa from India to come back once I get the confirmation email. 

 

- 1) How difficult is it to get a Canadian Tourist visa from India? (provided I have the visa issued confirmation email). It takes around 2 weeks to get the Canadian Tourist visa from India.

 

- 2) Within how many days of the confirmation email do I have to submit my passport at the US Consulate Toronto? (2weeks/30days/60days/90days). 

 

-3) What happens if I am not able to submit my passport in the requested time frame (2weeks/30days etc.)? Does my status change to AP again? Do I have to apply all over again?

 

Any thoughts/opinions/suggestions are welcomed.

If you are single, you can look for a paying guest option somewhere near to Toronto. I would think that would be cheaper than your airline tickets. There is a risk if your Canada visa is delayed in India. average AP process in 45 days.

Your application is valid for 1 year. You can submit your passports with in one year from your visa interview date.

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@Toronto2014, @2014_March_Toronto

 

Have you got any reply from consulate about your case, mine is similar to your cases. They asked me to submit H1b documents sent to USCIS along with supporting documents. My client was contacted 2 weeks back to verify my contract and they said positively that it is valid till end of 2014.

 

Haven't heard anything from them even after sending 3 emails asking for status updates. I read so many blogs that sometimes your petition might be sent to USCIS for review and possible revocation.

 

Please update your case status.

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kmunnanoory

 

Thanks for you suggestions. Since it has been 60 days for you I suggest you contact your senator ...it may help

I called consulate on 416.595.1700 and explained that it has been 60 days. Next day I received clearance email to submit the passports. Submitted the passports on 3/20, waiting for Loomis email. In fact requested for personal pick from consulate but they said they do not know when the passports will be ready for pick up.

How can I find out when the passports are ready? Called on 6479553736 but does not tell the actual status. Please suggest.

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