John Stator

Hi,
I went in to get my H-1B visa at a US embassy in Canada.
Everything was going well till the officer put my info into the
computer and then said "Unfortunately we can't give you a visa right
now since we have to do some mandatory processing on it". Then I was
given a long letter titled "Authorization to Return to the
NonImmigrant Visa Unit", excerpts from which are given below.

Can someone please explain to me what this is? Is this just new
wording for a security clearance/background check? Has anyone
experienced this in the past or have any information on what's going
on or how long it's going to take?

************

"Your visa application has been provisionally approved, but required
additional administrative processing; for that reason, we are unable
to complete your visa application immediately, and must defer issuance
until a future date. Please keep this form, as you will need it to
return to the Embassy once the administrative processing has been
completed. Upon your return to us, please show this form to the
security guard at the entrance and to the cashier in the consular
waiting room.

....
....

"If you are unable to return to the Embassy, you may leave a
self-addressed Express Post envelope (with a tracking number) in which
to return your passport and visa within Canada.
...
...
"We are working to handle your case as expeditiously as possible. We
appreciate your patience in this matter."

*****************
Thanks for any feedback...

Bob

H1B's aren't issued till Oct...so might be that you've been approved and will get in then maybe??

Gross50

approval notices are issued from Oct then you can use it to apply for a visa thereafter.

John, did they let you back into the US or you have to stay in canada till the processing is done?

Ray

Additional administrative processing or review
means... security check....

jjf

Bob wrote:
    > >
    > > I went in to get my H-1B visa at a US embassy in Canada.
    > H1B's aren't issued till Oct...so might be that you've been
    > approved and will get in then maybe??

The question is about a visa, not about petition approval.
Visas can be issued at any time to eligible people.

The issue here is what's commonly known as "the security check"
which can take anything from a week or two to well over a year.

jstat

Thanks Ray...that's the bad news I was hoping it wouldn't be...specially since there isn't a timeline associated with all of it.
As for the other questions, I already have an H-1B permit...this was just my trip to be able to get an H-1B visa, so no links with October issuance, etc. Also, since I don't have a visa, I can't reenter the USA.
...so now I'm stuck till whenever waiting for that coveted phonecall.