Application Refused under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 221(g)
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Overview
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 your case is being refused under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 221(g).
If you have submitted your application through interview waiver and an officer determines that you need to be interviewed, they will return your passport and application to you through this service, along with a letter asking you to schedule an appointment and appear at the U.S. Consulate General, Hong Kong. You are not required to pay the application fee again.
If you have already interviewed, the officer may ask you to submit additional information, or may inform you that the case has to undergo administrative processing. If further information is required, the officer will give you a written letter explaining what to submit and how to submit it. In many instances, you will be able to submit the required information by an e-mail address provided on the refusal sheet.
In some cases, you may be required to show up for a follow up appointment as well, and this will be indicated in your 221(g) letter.
You will have 12 months from the date of the 221(g) refusal to submit the requested information 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). You will be required to complete a new DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application form, pay a new visa fee, and schedule a new appointment for your visa application. If you submit your passport again, please do not remove the sticker pasted on the back of the passport.
Other Information
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.
You can check the status of your application any time at this website.
Applicants whose cases are Refused under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) 221(g) for more than 180 calendar days, may check the status of their cases by clicking the link here.