Blue 221g Chennai

[diablo1086]

Hello everyone, I guess I can now safely say that I am a victim of the blue 221g. Any information or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Let me start with a little back ground on my education/work history in the US. I traveled to the US in 2007 to obtain a Master’s degree in biotechnology, and upon completion I landed myself a job conducting research in a cancer research institute. I initially worked for them using CPT, OPT for about 1.5 years and then they filed for my H1B in May 2011. I worked with them for another 1 year on my H1B (non-profit). Please note that I did not come down to India for stamping because of time constraints. I then moved to another company, again conducting cancer research (for profit) in May 2012 after they got the receipt number for my H1B petition (the lawyer said that using the portability act I could begin working for them as soon as we received a receipt number since I already was on an H1B at the time from my previous employer). My H1B was approved with a starting validity date of 11/1/12. Now, I worked at the company for two years before I could travel to India about three weeks ago for my stamping. My interview was on the 22nd of April 2014. The VO asked me to show how I worked at the new company from May 2012 to November 2012 and I explained to her that the lawyer had advised the company about the portability act and I also told her that I had all the supporting paperwork that spoke about the act. She claimed she wasn’t interested in looking at the paperwork and just asked me to leave behind my passport, new 797 (the company that I work at right now), new i129 documents, updated resume, and my old 797 approval (for the previous organization I worked at). She then issued me a blue 221g form and didn’t ask for any additional documents and the form just has the “Your application requires additional administrative processing before a final decision can be made” box checked. I’m a little concerned because with some searching on the internet I was able to see that the blue form is usually issued when additional documents are required (although she did say that I had provided all necessary documents). Could you please advise on any additional steps I need to take, or should I just sit tight and wait? I’m extremely worried because I have a car, apartment, credit cards, etc that are back in the US and I’m extremely worried that the VO did not ask me for any of my tax documents or anything. Did my immigration lawyer just screw me over by making me start work using the portability act? I apologize for this long drawn out email. It’s just that I am starting to get really worried and I wanted to provide you as much detail as I possibly could. Any information or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again!

P.S The last time I visited India was in December 2008 – January 2009 while I was still on my F1 visa. Just making sure you have all the information. 

 

 

[jairichi]

Two things.

1. Was your CPT legal?

2. When did your cap subject H1B petition with for profit employer get approved? If it got approved before your start date did you stop working for for profit employer till start date?

 

Mostly in the case of administrative processing you can do nothing other than wait for an update and there is no specific timeline by which you would get a decision.

[diablo1086]

Two things.

1. Was your CPT legal?

2. When did your cap subject H1B petition with for profit employer get approved? If it got approved before your start date did you stop working for for profit employer till start date?

 

Mostly in the case of administrative processing you can do nothing other than wait for an update and there is no specific timeline by which you would get a decision.

Hi Jairichi, 

 

My CPT was sanctioned by my graduate school. They are they ones who signed the necessary paperwork and provided me a support letter to obtain. With regards to my non profit to for profit shift, I started working as soon as I received the receipt for filing (the company lawyer suggested this would be ok). I remember getting and RFE for that H1B and USCIS wanted to know how I maintained status between the jobs and the lawyer sent them this http://www.************.com/******************.pdf

 

My H1B was then approved in November that year and the entire time from May 21st I continued to work at the new place, based on what the lawyer understood from the PDF. 

[h1b20142014]

Hi All,

 

Please help me with your experiences.

 

22-may-2014 -- Biometric (Finger prints in chennai)

23- May-2014 -- Visa interview

 

Initially they have taken my finger prints and DS forms checked something. Told me to go to other counter. There Visa officer asked me to show the  passport. Handed over the passport to the officer. He scanned passport looked in to the computer for some time. Only one and one question asked and no Documents were asked Where are you going to work( Client or Employer location.)

I answered employer location.( I am working in india for MNC. Applied H1B through H1b sponser desi consultant.)

Again he looked into computer for sometime.

 

He gave me a white color booklet here iam shocked that might be some thing like blue, green, pink forms but it is not that form it is a booklet that explains the stay in US after you reach there. In between this confusion he told me something i didnot undersatand and passport was with thim. I left that counter. When i enquired some people around me in the consulate  they told your visa is approved. But iam sure that my visa is not approved he told me something.

 

Same day my passport is returned to VFS office chennai. I Went and collected my passport (Here i have some hope that i got my visa stamped). But When i opened and checked no visa, 221g blue form with only one check “Your application requires additional administrative processing before a final decision can be made”

 

My worry is he didnot ask any documents not even I797, I129, LCA. It was in my folder and didnot take it out.

 

Do i need to wait for email from us consulate. Please help me.

[unlucky_boy]

Hi All,

 

Please help me with your experiences.

 

22-may-2014 -- Biometric (Finger prints in chennai)

23- May-2014 -- Visa interview

 

Initially they have taken my finger prints and DS forms checked something. Told me to go to other counter. There Visa officer asked me to show the  passport. Handed over the passport to the officer. He scanned passport looked in to the computer for some time. Only one and one question asked and no Documents were asked Where are you going to work( Client or Employer location.)

I answered employer location.( I am working in india for MNC. Applied H1B through H1b sponser desi consultant.)

Again he looked into computer for sometime.

 

He gave me a white color booklet here iam shocked that might be some thing like blue, green, pink forms but it is not that form it is a booklet that explains the stay in US after you reach there. In between this confusion he told me something i didnot undersatand and passport was with thim. I left that counter. When i enquired some people around me in the consulate  they told your visa is approved. But iam sure that my visa is not approved he told me something.

 

Same day my passport is returned to VFS office chennai. I Went and collected my passport (Here i have some hope that i got my visa stamped). But When i opened and checked no visa, 221g blue form with only one check “Your application requires additional administrative processing before a final decision can be made”

 

My worry is he didnot ask any documents not even I797, I129, LCA. It was in my folder and didnot take it out.

 

Do i need to wait for email from us consulate. Please help me.

Dude, do they contacted anyone during this AP process? whats your result of your 221g and how many days it took?