H1b 221g blue slip - passport not returned, no additional docs requested

Hi Anil,

I attended h1b visa interview at Chennai consulate last week and visa officer gave me 221g blue slip, kept my passport and said your application has to go through some additional processing & no documents required from your side.

During the interview visa officer asked me if I was “out of status” during my OPT and I said “No”.
Then she asked me when did you graduate I said “May 2012” and started working on OPT in “June 2012” (I had job offer but there was delay in approval/delivery of OPT, so I had to wait till I get OPT).
Then visa officer said, “oh few weeks”.

No documents were asked during the interview. Only purpose of visit, state, company name, work for client or FTE, salary, masters in US, school name, “out of status” during my OPT and then blue 221g.

I feel I did a poor job giving answer to “out of status” question and think that caused 221g blue slip?

I have been working as FTE for product based companies all the time and did my masters in reputed public school, had no issues with my previous F1 and H1B stampings.

Could you please provide your thoughts and any inputs on processing times?

Thank You.

Hi @AGuru

I also think that visa officer just wants to verify if you were ‘out of status’ at any time during your stay or not.

There is no need to worry. You can expect your passport within 3-4 weeks.

@Anil.Gupta Thank You.

Today my case last updated changed but still status shows “Administrative Processing”, does this mean anything (little curious/worried).
Case Created: 24-Jan-2020
Case Last Updated: 31-Jan-2020

(Also this post is somehow tagged with “Australia” could you please change it to “USA” ?)

Last updated date change means that there was some action taken by visa officer in your case. It could be an intermediate action.

This is good news that your application is moving ahead.

@Anil.Gupta Thank you.

Final update:
Case Created: 24-Jan-2020 - (FingerPrint Date at Hyderabad/India)
Case Last Updated: 27-Jan-2020 - “Administrative Processing” (Interview Date at Chennai/India)
Case Last Updated: 31-Jan-2020 - “Administrative Processing” (update changed)
Case Last Updated: 04-Feb-2020 - “Issued”
05-Feb-2020 - Passport ready/picked up at Hyderabad/India

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