H1 Refused- Urgent help needed

[vijrmc]

My H1 (along with my wife's H4) was refused. I have been living in US legally since 2008 and never had any issues with my immigration status. I am a physician and my visa status changed from J1 to H1 in 2019. I never had H1 stamping because I did not visit India since 2014. I was thinking about an interview but I did not have an option other than drop-box. I went to Chennai visa application center and submitted all the documents required. Now the status is updated as "refused". I am trying to contact them but other than an email, I did not find a way to communicate anyone on phone. How should I proceed from here? I did not receive any email communication so far from the Embassy about the details of visa refusal. Help me with this. My return ticket is on 19th January. There is no way I may be able to return on that date, considering the current situation but this will cause a lot of issues with my patient scheduling (I am booked out until the end of April) and all these patients in January will be kicked out to May. Extremely messed up.

You may see similar post from different user. Please ignore that because that's me trying to post immediately, while sorting out my ID password for this account.

 

[reader]

For me in 2023 Feb status changed to refused and then in few hours it got changed to approved. 

[vijrmc]

I got the same reply by someone on facebook too. I am really hoping for that. But I don't understand why would they keep it as refused before making it as accepted. This creates a lot of unnecessary tension. 

[suribabulavangams]

36 minutes ago, vijrmc said:

My H1 (along with my wife's H4) was refused. I have been living in US legally since 2008 and never had any issues with my immigration status. I am a physician and my visa status changed from J1 to H1 in 2019. I never had H1 stamping because I did not visit India since 2014. I was thinking about an interview but I did not have an option other than drop-box. I went to Chennai visa application center and submitted all the documents required. Now the status is updated as "refused". I am trying to contact them but other than an email, I did not find a way to communicate anyone on phone. How should I proceed from here? I did not receive any email communication so far from the Embassy about the details of visa refusal. Help me with this. My return ticket is on 19th January. There is no way I may be able to return on that date, considering the current situation but this will cause a lot of issues with my patient scheduling (I am booked out until the end of April) and all these patients in January will be kicked out to May. Extremely messed up.

You may see similar post from different user. Please ignore that because that's me trying to post immediately, while sorting out my ID password for this account.

 

May be a clerical error wait for few days and check back again, or they will have a reason as to why it was refused

[jalsa01]

1 hour ago, vijrmc said:

My H1 (along with my wife's H4) was refused. I have been living in US legally since 2008 and never had any issues with my immigration status. I am a physician and my visa status changed from J1 to H1 in 2019. I never had H1 stamping because I did not visit India since 2014. I was thinking about an interview but I did not have an option other than drop-box. I went to Chennai visa application center and submitted all the documents required. Now the status is updated as "refused". I am trying to contact them but other than an email, I did not find a way to communicate anyone on phone. How should I proceed from here? I did not receive any email communication so far from the Embassy about the details of visa refusal. Help me with this. My return ticket is on 19th January. There is no way I may be able to return on that date, considering the current situation but this will cause a lot of issues with my patient scheduling (I am booked out until the end of April) and all these patients in January will be kicked out to May. Extremely messed up.

You may see similar post from different user. Please ignore that because that's me trying to post immediately, while sorting out my ID password for this account.

 

thy initially change status to refused and then update later as approved. intervw lo emannadu?

[Discotek]

It must be for fingerprints

since its been a while when you had your last stamping , they may have lost your data

keep checking status and email

communication in this regard happens in two forms

1) they will return your passport along with  221g slip that contains details about interview

2) or they may keep your passport.. send an email with details for interview

one of these happens at random and nobody can surely say what can happen

in my case , it was step-2. I got an email to attend to an interview with date and time

going by your case , its 90% fingerprints  or your being a physician may fall in TAL ( technology alert list ) - google it and you will know more

[vijrmc]

8 minutes ago, Discotek said:

It must be for fingerprints

since its been a while when you had your last stamping , they may have lost your data

keep checking status and email

communication in this regard happens in two forms

1) they will return your passport along with  221g slip that contains details about interview

2) or they may keep your passport.. send an email with details for interview

one of these happens at random and nobody can surely say what can happen

in my case , it was step-2. I got an email to attend to an interview with date and time

going by your case , its 90% fingerprints  or your being a physician may fall in TAL ( technology alert list ) - google it and you will know more

Thank you. I did the finger printing in USA in Houston before changing my status from J 1 to H1. I was asked to go to local police station and give the finger prints. Either way, I will just wait and see what they come up with and proceed from there. Lot of forums are saying that the status will update in 1-3 days to approved for a lot of people. Still don't understand the logic behind that but I am praying for the best.

 

Here is what I am seeing on CEAC website-

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 U.S. Consulate General Chennai.

[vijrmc]

17 minutes ago, jalsa01 said:

thy initially change status to refused and then update later as approved. intervw lo emannadu?

Naadi drop box. The guy who checked my documents at Chennai Visa Application Center did not say anything except, "you will receive your passport after stamping to the address provided". He said all my documentations are good and nothing else needed. In fact, I took a bunch of extra documents, whatever I was told and he did n't even ask for anything except my passport. DS160, Appointment confirmation copy, I-797, Photos. I asked him what I brought (the whole list) and he said they are not needed. 

[siva604]

As you might have seen in J1 waiver forum on Facebook, they look for I-612 along with I-129. Several people complained about folks at drop box reluctant to take I-612 but embassy officials were looking for one.

[jalsa01]

1 hour ago, vijrmc said:

Naadi drop box. The guy who checked my documents at Chennai Visa Application Center did not say anything except, "you will receive your passport after stamping to the address provided". He said all my documentations are good and nothing else needed. In fact, I took a bunch of extra documents, whatever I was told and he did n't even ask for anything except my passport. DS160, Appointment confirmation copy, I-797, Photos. I asked him what I brought (the whole list) and he said they are not needed. 

 

Ma cousin in person vellaka same statement pp will be couriered ani but eve chuste refused ani undhi after few days approved ki marcharu.. I think backend lo administrative process lo unnappudu refused ane pedutunnaru..

 

Mostly status change avutundi in few days to approved.. No need to worry.  Change iyyaka e thread lo update cheyyi vere vallaki help avutundi.. 

[vijrmc]

Here is the update: I got my passport back with 221 (g) letter, asking me to appear for interview. Extremely frustrating because they did not give me an option of interview when I applied, other than drop box. Now they are asking me to come for interview. They gave me Jan 25th appointment. This will effect 3 weeks of my clinic, which is around 200 patients. They all will be kicked out to May because of my current schedule. This is insane. I know i should feel happy that I got a date and many people have been waiting more, but it's frustrating and very inconvenience to several people. I planned this trip 8 months ago but still messed up. Thank you all for sharing information and your experiences. I will update one more time, after my interview.

[allbakara]

9 minutes ago, vijrmc said:

Here is the update: I got my passport back with 221 (g) letter, asking me to appear for interview. Extremely frustrating because they did not give me an option of interview when I applied, other than drop box. Now they are asking me to come for interview. They gave me Jan 25th appointment. This will effect 3 weeks of my clinic, which is around 200 patients. They all will be kicked out to May because of my current schedule. This is insane. I know i should feel happy that I got a date and many people have been waiting more, but it's frustrating and very inconvenience to several people. I planned this trip 8 months ago but still messed up. Thank you all for sharing information and your experiences. I will update one more time, after my interview.

Ok good luck, don’t show the frustration at the interview 

[Discotek]

10 minutes ago, vijrmc said:

Here is the update: I got my passport back with 221 (g) letter, asking me to appear for interview. Extremely frustrating because they did not give me an option of interview when I applied, other than drop box. Now they are asking me to come for interview. They gave me Jan 25th appointment. This will effect 3 weeks of my clinic, which is around 200 patients. They all will be kicked out to May because of my current schedule. This is insane. I know i should feel happy that I got a date and many people have been waiting more, but it's frustrating and very inconvenience to several people. I planned this trip 8 months ago but still messed up. Thank you all for sharing information and your experiences. I will update one more time, after my interview.

I understand how frustrating it will be as I myself have experienced it.

Again , hopefully it will just be fingerprints

thanks for keeping us updated as it provides much necessary info to others

[ZoomNaidu]

13 minutes ago, vijrmc said:

Here is the update: I got my passport back with 221 (g) letter, asking me to appear for interview. Extremely frustrating because they did not give me an option of interview when I applied, other than drop box. Now they are asking me to come for interview. They gave me Jan 25th appointment. This will effect 3 weeks of my clinic, which is around 200 patients. They all will be kicked out to May because of my current schedule. This is insane. I know i should feel happy that I got a date and many people have been waiting more, but it's frustrating and very inconvenience to several people. I planned this trip 8 months ago but still messed up. Thank you all for sharing information and your experiences. I will update one more time, after my interview.

Good luck bro - don’t worry, everything for a reason !!! 

[Salaar]

Dont panic brother, it is common and happens to most of the people that didn't traveled to India for longer period of time. Sometimes they just take some time without asking for any documents to verify few things and approve it and sometimes they ask you to come for the interview. you will get a easy extension with interview. I know you are more concerned about your patients. but incase if you are if you have any worry about getting extension, there is absolutely no need for it.