Refusal under Section 221(g) means that essential information is missing from an application or that an application has been placed on administrative hold. The consular officer who interviews you will tell you at the end of your interview if action on your case is being refused under 221(g) pending further information. The officer will either tell you that the case has to undergo administrative processing, or will ask you to submit additional information.
You will be given a written letter and will have 12 months from the date of your application to submit the requested documents without having to pay a new visa application fee. After one year, an application refused under Section 221(g) is terminated per Section 203(e).
If the Embassy or Consulate requested additional information or documentation from you, you must submit those documents at a CGI document collection office. This web page explains how to submit your documents for delivery to the Embassy or Consulate.
Some refused visa applications may require further administrative processing. When administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the end of the interview. The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family), before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later.
Applicants whose cases are pending administrative processing may check the status of their cases by clicking the link below corresponding to the Embassy/Consulate where they were interviewed:
You may check your immigration visa application status online here by entering your interview location and your case number.
