A Reddit user shared his account of a visa interview at the US consulate in Chennai, which took place at a time when authorities began screening H-1B and H-4 visa applicants on social media.
The individual applied for an H-1B visa renewal and stated that they were in a limited group whose applications were processed instead of being delayed for another year. He arrived at the consulate at 8:30 a.m. and said the interview ended around 9:00 a.m.
How was the background check on social networks?
After security checks and fingerprint verification, H-1B and H-4 visa applicants were directed to a separate line. While waiting, the Reddit user said he realized they may be among the first applicants to experience the new screening process.
“After security and identity verification (fingerprints), they separated the H1B/H4 people into a specific line. As I stood there, it hit me… We are probably the chosen few (read: guinea pigs) who will be piloting the new vetting process. Unfortunately, this theory holds up,” he wrote in his Reddit post.
What happened to the applicant before him?
Before describing his own conversation, the Reddit user recounted the experience of a woman standing in front of him in the H-1B/H-4 line. After routine questions about her job, the visa officer allegedly asked her twice if all her social media accounts were set to “public”.
She was then presented with a 221(g) slip, which surprised her. According to the redditor, the officer informed her that additional time would be needed to review her application.
How did his own interview go?
A Reddit user said his conversation went along similar lines. After the standard questions about his employment, the officer asked about his social media profiles and whether they were “public.”
He was then asked if he watched the news. After responding in the affirmative, he said he was handed a 221(g) white slip and told his case would be subject to “administrative processing.”
What does slip 221(g) mean?
The Redditor explained that 221(g) slips come in different colors — white, blue, pink, and yellow — each with a specific meaning. A white slip, he noted, merely indicates that more time is needed to process the application and is not an outright rejection.
According to him, the visa officer kept his passport and the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) website currently reflects the status of his application as “REJECTED”.
What about his wife’s visa status?
The complainant also stated that his wife faced a different situation as she applied for a US visa on the same day.
“My wife’s status changed from DENIED to APPROVED. Consulate Hyderabad. Another Reddit user also verified this in a direct message regarding the Consulate Hyderabad,” he wrote in an update later that day.
The Mint has not independently verified the authenticity of its claim.
