For visa applicants whose applications were refused or denied under Section 221(g), the process of scheduling a follow-up appointment has changed at U.S. consulates located in India.

Applications are refused or denied under Section 221(g) if the visa was missing required information or documentation. In this case, the applicant will receive a 221(g) form including the next steps and the documentation and information that is required. Then, the applicant will need to schedule a follow-up appointment with the U.S. consulates.

According to updated policies, U.S. consulates in India are permitting these re-applicants to complete their follow-up appointment in a variety of ways. Previously, the applicant could only schedule this appointment in the CGI Federal portal. Now, the updated policies dictate that the applicant may be notified by the U.S. consulate of the new appointment’s date and time, or, they can be given a range of time by the U.S. consulate during which they can appear for the follow-up appointment.

These changes were made in an attempt to make it easier for these applicants to complete their follow-up appointment in a more timely manner, hopefully working against the increased wait times for visa applicants that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have questions about your 221(g) appointment and are located in India, or have any other immigration-related questions, contact us at ILBSG. We monitor updates that affect individuals located in the U.S. and abroad to ensure our clients get the right advice for their specific situations.

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