A recent account from a Reddit user has shed light on the practical implementation of the United States' enhanced social media screening for certain visa categories. The applicant, seeking an H-1B visa renewal, described being among the first to undergo this new vetting process at the US Consulate in Chennai, which ultimately led to his application being placed under administrative processing.
The New Screening Queue at the Consulate
The individual, who had successfully secured a slot for renewal instead of a deferral, arrived at the consulate at 8:30 am. After passing through standard security and fingerprint verification, he noticed a significant change. Applicants for H-1B and H-4 visas were directed into a separate, dedicated queue. It was while waiting in this line that the realisation dawned on him: he and others were likely the initial batch to experience the freshly introduced screening protocol, a fact he later confirmed.
"After security and identity verification (fingerprints), they separated the H1B/H4 folks into a specific line. While standing there, it hit me ... We are probably the select few (read: guinea pigs) who will pilot the new vetting process. Unfortunately, that theory held up," he wrote on the social media platform.
A Pattern of Questions and the 221(g) Slip
The applicant's narrative included the experience of a woman ahead of him in the line. After answering routine questions about her employment, the consular officer reportedly asked her twice if all her social media accounts were set to 'public'. She was then handed a 221(g) slip, indicating her case needed further review, which came as a surprise to her.
His own interview followed a strikingly similar pattern. Post the standard employment-related queries, the officer inquired about his social media profiles and their privacy settings. He was then asked if he had been following the news. Upon replying yes, he was given a white 221(g) slip and informed his case would undergo "administrative processing". His interview concluded by approximately 9 am.
The Reddit user clarified that the 221(g) slip comes in various colours, each with a specific meaning. A white slip, like the one he received, typically signifies that more time is needed to process the application and is not an outright rejection. Notably, the consular officer retained his passport, and the CEAC website currently showed his application status as "REFUSED" during this administrative phase.
Mixed Outcomes and the Road Ahead
In a later update, the applicant provided an interesting contrast regarding his wife's application, which was filed on the same day but at a different consulate. He stated that his wife's visa status changed from "REFUSED" to "APPROVED" at the Hyderabad Consulate, a transition another Reddit user reportedly verified for the same location.
This firsthand account offers crucial insights for future H-1B and H-4 visa applicants in India. It highlights the consulate's focused approach to social media vetting for these categories and underscores the likelihood of receiving a 221(g) slip for administrative processing as part of this new scrutiny. Applicants should be prepared for questions regarding their online presence and understand that a 'refused' status on the CEAC portal during this period is part of the procedure, not a final denial. The varying outcomes between consulates also suggest that processing experiences may differ.
