221g administrative processing wait time

[cbell2 8]

Hi all,

 

My husband had his London interview on the morning of 2nd December.  All went well until the officer asked for our joint sponsor's W2 form.  We didn't have it, as we didn't see it listed as one of the documents to bring.  The officer filed a 221g but told my husband he just needs to upload a couple pieces of supplemental documentation to the portal and his visa will be issued.  He kept my husband's passport.

 

The next day we submitted everything through CEAC, then emailed the embassy to say it was now available.  A few days later (Friday 5th) I also sent paper copies of the requested forms to the embassy via DX.  The paper copies arrived on Tuesday 10th.

 

It has now been ten days since the interview.  The CEAC status page still has our case listed as "Refused" pending administrative processing.  What worries me is that the case was last updated today, the 12th.

 

I know it's hard to determine how long this sort of processing will take.  On the one hand, keeping my husband's passport seems like a positive sign that it will be sorted soon.  However seeing that the case has been updated today yet is still "refused," I'm so worried something else has gone awry.

 

For the record, my husband has lived in the UK his whole life and has no criminal history or other complicated factors.

 

Any anecdotes / information / tips on staying sane through this daunting process welcome!

[Mrjamesjr 0]

I’m with you, had an interview there on 6th and got 221g for proof of relationship and needed to explain an arrest on the subject access, although my ACRO is no trace. 
 

Both explained and evidenced on the 8th and my case has updated every day this week, but still says just “refused”. 
 

Did your form get marked with AP? 

[appleblossom 2,803]

4 hours ago, cbell2 said:

Hi all,

 

My husband had his London interview on the morning of 2nd December.  All went well until the officer asked for our joint sponsor's W2 form.  We didn't have it, as we didn't see it listed as one of the documents to bring.  The officer filed a 221g but told my husband he just needs to upload a couple pieces of supplemental documentation to the portal and his visa will be issued.  He kept my husband's passport.

 

The next day we submitted everything through CEAC, then emailed the embassy to say it was now available.  A few days later (Friday 5th) I also sent paper copies of the requested forms to the embassy via DX.  The paper copies arrived on Tuesday 10th.

 

It has now been ten days since the interview.  The CEAC status page still has our case listed as "Refused" pending administrative processing.  What worries me is that the case was last updated today, the 12th.

 

I know it's hard to determine how long this sort of processing will take.  On the one hand, keeping my husband's passport seems like a positive sign that it will be sorted soon.  However seeing that the case has been updated today yet is still "refused," I'm so worried something else has gone awry.

 

For the record, my husband has lived in the UK his whole life and has no criminal history or other complicated factors.

 

Any anecdotes / information / tips on staying sane through this daunting process welcome!

 

Perfectly normal if they've only had the docs for a week or two. It can take a while as there will be others ahead of his waiting to be looked at, but it sounds like it should change to AP/issued shortly. 

 

Good luck. 

[cbell2 8]

2 hours ago, Mrjamesjr said:

I’m with you, had an interview there on 6th and got 221g for proof of relationship and needed to explain an arrest on the subject access, although my ACRO is no trace. 
 

Both explained and evidenced on the 8th and my case has updated every day this week, but still says just “refused”. 
 

Did your form get marked with AP? 

 

I'm not great with the lingo on this forum, but I think so yes.  This is what's written underneath the "refused" status on CEAC:

 

A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. You will receive another adjudication once such processing is complete. Please be advised that the processing time varies and that you will be contacted if additional information is needed. For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or the website for the Embassy or Consulate at which you made your visa application.

For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV.

[Mrjamesjr 0]

On 12/12/2024 at 10:07 PM, cbell2 said:

 

I'm not great with the lingo on this forum, but I think so yes.  This is what's written underneath the "refused" status on CEAC:

 

A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. You will receive another adjudication once such processing is complete. Please be advised that the processing time varies and that you will be contacted if additional information is needed. For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or the website for the Embassy or Consulate at which you made your visa application.

For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV.

Mine changed from Refused to AP on Friday. Not sure really what that means. They would have received the email with documents on Monday and it updated every day but changed on Friday.

[cbell2 8]

On 12/14/2024 at 9:01 PM, Mrjamesjr said:

Mine changed from Refused to AP on Friday. Not sure really what that means. They would have received the email with documents on Monday and it updated every day but changed on Friday.

 

 Let's stay in touch.  Let me know when you see any changes and I'll do the same!  Fingers crossed!

[cbell2 8]

On 12/14/2024 at 9:01 PM, Mrjamesjr said:

Mine changed from Refused to AP on Friday. Not sure really what that means. They would have received the email with documents on Monday and it updated every day but changed on Friday.

 

Eeek! Just checked again and the status has changed to Issued! 🥳. Exactly two weeks after the interview.  Hope it's the same for you!

Edited December 16 by cbell2

[Sah006 0]

On 12/12/2024 at 6:07 PM, cbell2 said:

 

I'm not great with the lingo on this forum, but I think so yes.  This is what's written underneath the "refused" status on CEAC:

 

A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. You will receive another adjudication once such processing is complete. Please be advised that the processing time varies and that you will be contacted if additional information is needed. For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV or the website for the Embassy or Consulate at which you made your visa application.

For more information, please visit TRAVEL.STATE.GOV.

Omg yes ! 
 

[Sah006 0]

3 hours ago, cbell2 said:

 

Eeek! Just checked again and the status has changed to Issued! 🥳. Exactly two weeks after the interview.  Hope it's the same for you!

My interview was on dec 5 got a 221g paper asking me to submit some documents my  sister’s birth certificate and my parents divorce certificate submitted them the 11 and they updated my case on Dec 12 saying refused 

Edited December 16 by Sah006

[cbell2 8]

11 minutes ago, Sah006 said:

My interview was on dec 5 got a 221g paper asking me to submit some documents my  sister’s birth certificate and my parents divorce certificate submitted them the 11 and they updated my case on Dec 12 saying refused 

 

It looks like current wait time is 2-3 weeks.  As long as you've handed the missing docs in, try not to stress too much!  It's a grueling wait but shouldn't be too much of a delay!

[Sah006 0]

2 minutes ago, cbell2 said:

 

It looks like current wait time is 2-3 weeks.  As long as you've handed the missing docs in, try not to stress too much!  It's a grueling wait but shouldn't be too much of a delay!

Guess you might be right. I appreciate you !

[Mrjamesjr 0]

15 hours ago, cbell2 said:

 

Eeek! Just checked again and the status has changed to Issued! 🥳. Exactly two weeks after the interview.  Hope it's the same for you!

Same! Issued!! 

[jumbomumbo 0]

Hey folks, I know we’re all applying for different visas but what email did you send your documents to? Thanks

[appleblossom 2,803]

On 12/16/2024 at 2:27 PM, cbell2 said:

 

It looks like current wait time is 2-3 weeks.  As long as you've handed the missing docs in, try not to stress too much!  It's a grueling wait but shouldn't be too much of a delay!

 

Just to set expectations for @Sah006, it's usually a short processing time if it's just a missing original doc that they've already seen via CEAC or something like that.

 

But if it's  'proper' admin processing with more detailed background checks it can take a lot longer, even a year or more. It's not clear which visa route @Sah006 is going down (please do fill in your timelines people!), so not sure if the documents relating to his/her family members are for extra background checks though, or just documents that should have been provided and were missing. 

Edited Thursday at 03:44 PM by appleblossom

[Sah006 0]

12 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Just to set expectations for @Sah006, it's usually a short processing time if it's just a missing original doc that they've already seen via CEAC or something like that.

 

But if it's  'proper' admin processing with more detailed background checks it can take a lot longer, even a year or more. It's not clear which visa route @Sah006 is going down (please do fill in your timelines people!), so not sure if the documents relating to his/her family members are for extra background checks though, or just documents that should have been provided and were missing. 

They asked me if my stepmother and father had a child together I said yes They asked me if I had their birth certificate with me I said no they also asked me if my biological parents were divorced I said yes and they proceeded to ask me for their divorce certificate which I didn’t bring. After that, they gave me that 221g asking me to submit those documents online or at an authorized courier service. I did both. Btw I didn’t bring those documents with me because they weren’t mentioned nowhere 

Edited Thursday at 03:53 PM by Sah006