221(g) Administrative Processing and the Actual Visa Stamping

By: Khondoker Hafizur Rahman on 11:00 PM

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.