221(G) letter received on embassy appointment

[carcar 0]

Hello, my brother had an interview on the Colombia embassy yesterday, He had been living in the US for 7 years as an F1 student, recently he found a company that sponsored him to get the H1-b Visa, so he got the approval here in the US. He decided to go to Colombia for Christmas, and so he apply for an appointment in the Colombia embassy to be done with his H1-B Visa. He went yesterday and the consul told him that he had to wait, so he gave him an 221(g) letter, saying that they had to do some things (No idea what kind of things) and that they would call him for a new interview. The letter says that please not to schedule another appointment, not to call USCIS, not too call the embassy... it says he just have to wait until they contact him... any idea what's going on behind this letter??? how long does it take??? an why, after he got the approval of his H1-B visa here into the US, and he was convinced there wasn't going to be any problem with the interview, he received this letter??? any other people with the same case??? I research and there are a lot of cases with "based-on-marriage" visas, but no so many with H1-B visas... please any help would be grateful, my brother is really sad because he is supposed to come back to work on January 5th, and probably this is going to take more than one month... Thanks, and please don't pay attention at my signature or timeline since that is my personal case based on marriage. THANKS!

[emt103c 10]

Happens quite a bit. . .surprising if he has a currently active and valid visa. . . .

Why did he interview in Colombia?

Was he ever out of legal status while in the U.S.?

221(g) can just mean they have to research something or that they are finishing a background check or that they need more information. Get him to list off what is checked on the 221g. . . then we can tell you more.

[carcar 0]

Happens quite a bit. . .surprising if he has a currently active and valid visa. . . .

Why did he interview in Colombia?

Was he ever out of legal status while in the U.S.?

221(g) can just mean they have to research something or that they are finishing a background check or that they need more information. Get him to list off what is checked on the 221g. . . then we can tell you more.

Thanks for your answer. My brother was never out of status. He was an F1 student since 2001. Last year, a company hired and sponsored him. He got his H1-B approval here in the US, so he only had to go for an interview, and supposedly there wasn't going to be any problem. However, as you know, he got the 221(G) letter. The letter DOES NOT REQUEST ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. It only says not to contact them, call them, schedule another appointment or e-mail them. It says he just has to wait until they schedule another interview. Do you know why this happens and approximately how long it's going to take??? Thanks, and any additional info would be appreciated!

THANKS!

[emt103c 10]

I don't like it.

221 (g) is supposed to have something checked off. Telling someone "Don't call us, we'll call you" is pretty low even for the consular system. It makes you think all you can do is what they say. What is the time period they give?

Does your brother have a good enough relationship with the company where he's been hired to get into contact with their immigration attorney? A lot of times they can handle some aspects of this. . .in a case like this.

His situation is more precarious than others because some employers will just give up and abandon the application. In a case that involves family sponsorship it's easy to just say contact a Senator or Congressman, or get an attorney and you have to just wait it out. . .this is more delicate than that because he doesn't really have the fallback of an elected rep. . .only the company who hired him.

AP can be anything from security checks to document verification to job verification, anything. . .this is why there is specifically a form and there is supposed to be information on that form regarding exactly what is going on. . . can you get him to give the exact wording of the 221 (g)? There is also no time limit to processing a 221 (g) they can take all they want. . .

Edited December 17, 2008 by emt103c

[carcar 0]

I don't like it.

221 (g) is supposed to have something checked off. Telling someone "Don't call us, we'll call you" is pretty low even for the consular system. It makes you think all you can do is what they say. What is the time period they give?

Does your brother have a good enough relationship with the company where he's been hired to get into contact with their immigration attorney? A lot of times they can handle some aspects of this. . .in a case like this.

His situation is more precarious than others because some employers will just give up and abandon the application. In a case that involves family sponsorship it's easy to just say contact a Senator or Congressman, or get an attorney and you have to just wait it out. . .this is more delicate than that because he doesn't really have the fallback of an elected rep. . .only the company who hired him.

AP can be anything from security checks to document verification to job verification, anything. . .this is why there is specifically a form and there is supposed to be information on that form regarding exactly what is going on. . . can you get him to give the exact wording of the 221 (g)? There is also no time limit to processing a 221 (g) they can take all they want. . .

Thanks again for your answer. My brother sent me an e-mail off the letter (He scanned it). I will translate it as accurate as I can (Including bold letters, indentation, etc):

_______________________________________________________________

Embassy of United States of America

Consular Section

Bogota, Colombia

Case number: XXXXX Date: 12/15/18

Dear Mr. My brother

The consular section informs you that your visa request is pending under the 221(G) Section of The Immigration and Naturalization Act of The United States of America. This act prohibits the issue of a Visa until an internal administrative process is done.

We cannot estimate accurately how long this process will take. As soon as this process is done we will contact you. Please, do not come to the embassy, neither schedule a new appointment through the Visa Information Center. The embassy will notify you the day of your next interview.

PD: Attached to this letter, there are Visa petition forms. You will have to fill them and take them with you for the next interview.

Regards,

Consul

_______________________________________________________________________

The attached forms were the basic forms to schedule an interview... DS-156 & DS-157.

Thanks again for you help.

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Seems like he is in Administrative Processing...And there is little to do, but you can always call DOS for updates 202-663-1225. You can try to contact your senator and or congressman to see if they can track this for you as well. AP can take anywhere from a couple of weeks, to months or even years... Sorry but since 9/11 some applicants go through this, common names can be a factor too... Good Luck!!

Nita

I don't like it.

221 (g) is supposed to have something checked off. Telling someone "Don't call us, we'll call you" is pretty low even for the consular system. It makes you think all you can do is what they say. What is the time period they give?

Does your brother have a good enough relationship with the company where he's been hired to get into contact with their immigration attorney? A lot of times they can handle some aspects of this. . .in a case like this.

His situation is more precarious than others because some employers will just give up and abandon the application. In a case that involves family sponsorship it's easy to just say contact a Senator or Congressman, or get an attorney and you have to just wait it out. . .this is more delicate than that because he doesn't really have the fallback of an elected rep. . .only the company who hired him.

AP can be anything from security checks to document verification to job verification, anything. . .this is why there is specifically a form and there is supposed to be information on that form regarding exactly what is going on. . . can you get him to give the exact wording of the 221 (g)? There is also no time limit to processing a 221 (g) they can take all they want. . .

Thanks again for your answer. My brother sent me an e-mail off the letter (He scanned it). I will translate it as accurate as I can (Including bold letters, indentation, etc):

_______________________________________________________________

Embassy of United States of America

Consular Section

Bogota, Colombia

Case number: XXXXX Date: 12/15/18

Dear Mr. My brother

The consular section informs you that your visa request is pending under the 221(G) Section of The Immigration and Naturalization Act of The United States of America. This act prohibits the issue of a Visa until an internal administrative process is done.

We cannot estimate accurately how long this process will take. As soon as this process is done we will contact you. Please, do not come to the embassy, neither schedule a new appointment through the Visa Information Center. The embassy will notify you the day of your next interview.

PD: Attached to this letter, there are Visa petition forms. You will have to fill them and take them with you for the next interview.

Regards,

Consul

_______________________________________________________________________

The attached forms were the basic forms to schedule an interview... DS-156 & DS-157.

Thanks again for you help.

[emt103c 10]

Good stuff. . .his is not the kind of AP we generally fear. . . they specifically noted "internal" processing. . .probably has something to do with the forms they gave him to fill out. . .

Edited December 17, 2008 by emt103c

[carcar 0]

Good stuff. . .his is not the kind of AP we generally fear. . . they specifically noted "internal" processing. . .probably has something to do with the forms they gave him to fill out. . .

So, do you know how long approx would he have to wait?...

[emt103c 10]

I can't even estimate because I don't know the type of forms they asked him for. It totally depends on what it was they needed from him and why. If it was simple forms that are required generally they usually give themselves 3 weeks to review. . .if it was security matters there is no telling.

[spr032003 0]

What happened to your brothers visa Carcar?

My mom is having the same issue with her turist visa and the 221 g pending administrative process.

Thanks

[Fred N Emilia 0]

Hello,

Is anyone from Mumbai Consulate got 221(g) Pending Letter and then received K-1 visa ?

If so, I like to hear from you what kind of Pending letter was for and how long it took from receiving pending letter to actually getting the Visa.

MY SITUATION:

My fiancee just received 221(g) letter asking for Additional Proof of Relationship on Jan 21 2009. Consulate didn't specify what specif proof it needed.

Anyways, we sent the all necessary required proof on Jan 27 2009. However, we have not heard back from Consulate.

We sent an email inquiry re: Case Status. And Consulate replied stating...

"Your case is in Administrative Reivew and it unable to tell how long it will take to process the case, it will try it best to process it quickly"

DO I HAVE ANY CHANCE OF GETTING VISA AFTER RECEIVING 221(G) LETTER ??

Please help.........................

Thanks.

This is not a DENIAL, ofcourse you have a chance of getting a VISA.

My case also is on Admin Review and is on its 6th week. Read my signature. It will be delayed but remember this is not a DENIAL, you will get it soon. Just make sure to provide them with what they need and want.

Goodluck! be strong and GOD BLESS!