221(g) full timeline, J1

[APfor3months 0]

I have been reading posts in this forum since my visa journey started and found it useful when others shared their experiences and timelines, so here is my case (now resolved). Fuller explanation below the basic timeline

 

6 July 2021 Interview. Given 221(g) requesting to send CV. CV sent later same day.

 

7 July 2021. Passports arrive to us by courier with another 221(g) saying no further documents required but our application requires administrative processing. CEAC says refused, last case updated

              to 6 July

 

24 Sep 2021. Receive email from US Visa Info requesting us to submit the passports to the Embassy, via courier.

5 Oct 2021. Passports submitted to DX, arrived at the Embassy 7 October morning

8 Oct 2021 CEAC status still shows as refused but last case updated date changed to 7 Oct 
                   Then later on 8 Oct CEAC status changed to AP with last case update on 8 Oct.
12 Oct CEAC status changes last case update to 12 Oct, still AP. Around noon on 13 Oct updated date again updated, still to AP. Less than an hour later CEAC status updated to Application received.

13 Oct after 6pm CEAC status changes again to AP (Administrative Processing) for 3 of the applicants, one is still on Application received.

15 Oct around 3pm the last applicant changes to AP, date updated to 15 October. Less than an hour later CEAC changes to ISSUED, and courier emails to say our passports will be with us on Oct 18.

18 Oct, mid morning, passports in hand with the visas.

 

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We needed a J1 nonimmigrant visa and three J2s for dependants for an exchange scholar programme due to start on August 1st 2021. Applied in April 2021 but the Embassy was only offering expedite appointments, which we got on July 6th.

On the day of the interview we had a lot of documents with us but the interviewing officer focused on the J1's dual nationality, British/Russian. The officer then asked for a CV, which we had not brought to the interview [it looked like an excuse though, the questioning seemed to focus around nationality].

We got a 221(g), white slip, with a request to send the CV, which we sent on the same day. Less than an hour later the Embassy put all our passports in an envelope, with another 221(g) white slip saying we were going into administrative processing, no further documents required. CEAC status said refused. 

 

This was devastating for the same reasons everyone else finds AP so nerve-wracking. In the weeks that followed we emailed the embassy, tried to get people higher up to help us, and all we got was the same standard reply -no information and that we had to wait. No timeline given, nothing. No status change, no case updated. 

On September 24th we got an email (via US Visa Info) to request that we submit our passports to DX. We submitted our passports to DX 5 October 2021. These arrived the following day to the Embassy. See the timeline above for the 8 days we spent with no notifications from the Embassy but some date and status changes on the CEAC website.

On 15 October 2021 CEAC status updated to ISSUED. 
 

[Cindy and Matt 20]

This is very handy, thanks.

 

I am in a similar situation but not with nationality rather my job.

 

Interview - 16 Sept - Refused for additional processing.  They kept my passport and military records.

Email received 17 Sept asking for CV, 15 years of travel history w/ source of funds dates etc, details on all siblings, addresses (even though I gave this in the IV form), all emails and social media accounts

Details sent - 20 Sept

 

The only updates on the CEAC tracker coincide with my emails to the embassy (including tracking down my passport which they lost and eventually found).  I was originally told these checks would only take 2 weeks so I asked for an update after 2 weeks and 1 day to be told "Dont call us, we'll call you"

 

Still waiting but going off your timeline it could be another month at least before it comes back.