221(g) Administrative Processing and the Actual Visa Stamping

 

On the day of your H-1B Visa Interview at US Consulate or Embassy, when Visa Officer finished asking questions, he/she will conclude the interview by letting you know whether you succeed or failed in the interview. If you succeed, there are two cases:

1. The Visa Officer hand over to you a 221(g) Administrative Processing Form and say that Administrative Processing is required in your case.
   
   It is possible that the Visa Officer will ask for some more documents related to you or your Sponsor, which you and/or your Sponsor has not submitted throughout the process. Not that these documents were required initially, but they might need them in your case for further clarification.

   It is also possible that they don’t ask for any further documents and your application still have to go through the Administrative Process.

   The actual amount of wait might also vary from case to case. Generally they give you the time of 6 to eight weeks, but in actual it can be less or more than.

   “After the interview, many visa applications necessitate further routine but required administrative processing, an integral part of the visa adjudication process that can be neither waived nor expedited. Individuals whose applications require this processing will be informed of that fact at the conclusion of their interview. Most administrative processing is completed within 60 to 90 days of the visa interview, but some cases do take longer. We cannot predict how long this processing will take for any particular case.”

   Source - http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/nonimmigrant_visa_faqs.html

    

2. The Visa Office will inform you about an estimated time frame when your H-1B Visa will be stamped on your Passport.

UPDATE – You can now Check your Visa Application Status Online, click to read more

In either cases, once your H-1B Visa is stamped on your Passport and your Passport is ready to be collected from American Express, you will receive a call from American Express representative to come and pick it up.

On the Interview Day - US Embassy/Consulate’s Interview Process for H-1B Visa Applicants

 

This post is a part of series of posts that makes up “The Complete Process Trail for H-1B Work Visa”.

• Try to reach 10 to 15 minutes early on the interview day. Please note that it is not recommended by the Consulate to reach earlier than 10 to 15 minutes.

• Parking – If you are on personal conveyance than you can park your vehicle at the locations highlighted with green lines, in the picture below:

1. Outside the premises of US Consulate Karachi - The security personnel will register your entry by asking your Name, Passport Number and Check In Time
2. Main Gate – Through which you enter into the US Consulate Karachi’s premises.
3. Security Check – You will asked to hand over whatever folder, file you have. Besides that you will be asked to take off your leather belts, wallets, glasses, keys, in fact any thing that is other than your clothes. Once checked and satisfied, they will return your items back to you.
4. Walk way to the main waiting area.
5. Waiting area with a shed and seating arrangements for applicants
6. Waiting area with a shed and seating arrangements for applicants
7. Entrance gate to the building
8. Finger Printing Area – Your finger prints will be taken and your height will be measured. They will also ask in which language you want to give the interview, if you have already not checked it on the sticker that was pasted by American Express on the back or front of your passport.
9. The final waiting area – Contains at least 9 or 10 rows of 4 seats each like:
   [01 [05 [09
   [02 [06 [10
   [03 [07 [11
   [04 [08 [12 …..
10. Interview Counters – Visa Offer’s Interview Counters – Total of 5 or 6.

The total process from your entry into the premises as mentioned in #1 above, up till your interview and exit, it would take around 2 and a half hours or so. The actual interview with the Visa Officer will be just around 15 minutes or so.

Finally, what Visa Officer will ask in the interview? stay tuned for next post on this.

Interview at US Embassy/Consulate

 

This post is a part of series of posts that makes up “The Complete Process Trail for H-1B Work Visa”.

1. All visa applicants, irrespective of age (including infants), are required to appear for an interview at the designated Embassy/ Consulate on the specified date. All applicants below age 14 must appear along with their parents, copies of parents NIC should be provided while submitting the applications.
2. Applicants must carry following documents while appearing for the interview:
   • Valid Original Passport and all previous passports
   • Fee Receipt issued by AEG having the interview date specified on it
   • Original academic degrees/ diplomas/ certificates with a photocopy set of all those documents
   • Any other documents, at their own discretion, to support their visa case (e.g. full travel details, detailed educational information etc.)
   • Original CNIC
3. At the interview, visa officer after review of your application may ask for additional information from you; and will advise the decision on your visa application. Following situations are likely
   • Visa is refused; passport will be returned by the visa officer
   • Visa is approved with some additional administrative process; either a letter would be given to that effect and passport is retained or on your request passport can be returned
   • Visa is approved; passport will be retained and will be returned after a week or so through the visa center where the application was submitted
4. On receipt of the Passport with visa sticker from the Embassy/ Consulate, applicant will be notified on his/ her contact number. You may collect passport personally or through an authorized representative in writing along with copy of his CNIC on surrendering one original Receipt and the letter given by the Visa officer.
5. If you have taken back the passport prior to visa issuance, you would be advised by the Embassy/ Consulate to submit passport once the visa is ready. You are required to submit passport through the Visa Center on payment of applicable service charges. On receipt of passport back from Embassy/ Consulate same process as defined in point 9 will be followed.

Nonimmigrant Visa Unit - Karachi
U.S. Consulate General
Plot No 3-5, New TPX Area
Mai Kolachi Road
Karachi, Pakistan
Phone Inquiries:
(+92-21) 3527-5000
Monday - Friday, 2:00 to 3:00 PM

Fax: (+92-21) 3527-5885
For visa related inquiries: KarachiVisaQuery@State.gov
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Submit H-1B Visa Documents and Fees to American Express and Schedule your Embassy/Consulate Interview

 

This post is a part of series of posts that makes up “The Complete Process Trail for H-1B Work Visa”.

Once you have submitted online your Nonimmigrant Visa Application DS-160, you have to submit following documents and fees to:

American Express
Ground Floor, Shaheen Complex
Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road
PABX 92-21 3263 0260-80
amextravelkarachi@aeg.com.pk
Web: http://www.aegusvisa.com.pk/

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List of Documents to submit:

1. Confirmation page of DS-160
2. Original Passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of submission along with an enlarged (A4 size) copy of the first two pages of current and old passport. Original passport would be returned after due verification
3. Copies of previous passports first 2/4 pages, covering 15 years of travel
4. Travel history form for last 10 years. You will get a paper document from American Express on which you can fill your Travel history.
5. One photograph; having size of 2X2 inches preferably color photograph taken against a white or off-white background, printed without borders on non glossy paper. Computer Scanned photographs are not acceptable and photograph cannot be modified in any way, re-touched, penciled or altered by computer software Photograph should have been taken within last 6 months.
6. I-797, I-29
7. HEC Form – You will get this document from American Express. Fill it, sign it and attach it with the rest of the documents
8. Original SSC (Metric) Certificate
9. Original HSSC (Inter) Certificate
10. Original Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD’s Degree/Certificate
11. Original SSC (Matric) Marks Sheet
12. Original HSSC (Inter) Marks Sheet
13. Original Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD’s Transcript
14. Submit H-1B Visa Fee - US$190
1. Do not forget to get the receipt
15. Once you submit all these to American Express
1. Take receipt against submitted visa application
2. Take an interview appointment date. (Interview date will be noted on the Visa Fee Receipt).

H-1B Work Visa–Complete Process Trail

 

Below, I’ve summarized complete H-1B Work Visa Process Trail. Later on, I’ll pick each one of them and will walk you through every step in detail, to help you understand the process completely:

1. Find an H-1B Sponsor and Pass their selection criteria
2. Receive and Accept the Offer Letter from the Sponsor
3. Send related documents to the Sponsor
4. The Sponsor will file Labor Condition Application (LCA) with Department of Labor (DOL)
5. Once LCA is certified, the Sponsor will file H-1B Petition I-129 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and USCIS will send the I-797 Receipt Notice to the Sponsor.
   • How to check your H-1B Case Status?
   • What is Request for Evidence (RFE)?
   • Responding Request for Evidence (RFE)
   • Why Request for Evidence (RFE)? Recent Trends
   • Request for Evidence (RFE) Processing Time
6. Once approved USCIS will send an Approval Notice I-797B
   • What is H-1B Approval Notice I-797B and How it looks like?
   • H-1B Petition I-129 Processing Time and Trends
7. The Sponsor will send the I-797 along with other documents to you
8. Submit H-1B Visa Application DS-160 online on USCIS website.
9. Submit DS-160, documents and Fee to American Express and get your interview scheduled in the U.S. Embassy or Consulate
10. Appear for the Visa Interview at US Embassy/Consulate 
    1. Possible Interview Questions That May Be Asked By Visa Officer During H-1B Visa Interview @ US Consulate or Embassy
    2. On the Interview Day - US Embassy/Consulate’s Interview Process for H-1B Visa Applicants
    3. 221(g) Administrative Processing and the Actual Visa Stamping
    4. Check your Visa Application Status Online
    5. Check Current Visa Application Processing or Wait Time
    6. Delay in Visa Stamping – Send Inquiry to US Embassy or Consulate
11. Once approved, you are eligible to fly to USA