If you interviewed for an immigrant visa and the Consular Officer did not approve your visa, it is likely that your application was refused under section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. You should have received a letter before you left the Embassy that explains why you were refused under section 221(g).

What does a 221(g) refusal mean?

Some visa applications require that the applicants submit more information or documents in order for the Consular Officer to finish adjudicating their case.  Other applications require further administrative processing.  While a refusal under 221(g) is a visa refusal, it can be overcome by supplying the required information or documents or when the administrative processing is complete.

What do I do if refused under 221(g)?

Check your 221(g) refusal letter to see why your application was refused and consult the information below.

• Missing documents – If your application is missing required documents, gather the necessary documents and submit them it to the Consular Office as soon as you have them.  We will review the information and tell you the next steps. Documents from the U.S. can be faxed directly to our office at +95 (1) 650-480. If mailing from the U.S., please mail documents to the applicant for submission to our office.

• Administrative processing – If a Consular officer has told that your case requires “administrative processing,” we will inform you as soon as this processing has been completed. Most administrative processing is resolved within 60 days of the visa interview, though the exact timing varies with each case.