H1B 221(g) Administrative Processing in 2026: How Long It Really Takes, by Consulate
Since the social-media vetting rule took effect on December 15, 2025, nearly every H1B stamping interview at the big India posts ends the same way: a 221(g) slip, a kept passport, and an instruction to email your social-media links. The question everyone asks next — how long? — finally has a data-backed answer.
We tracked 470+ consular 221(g) cases reported publicly between December 2025 and August 2026. Here is what the timelines actually look like:
Median days from interview to approval
| Consulate | Cases | Median | p75 | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad | 104 | 0 days | 5 | Most clear same-day to same-week |
| Chennai | 62 | 0 days | 1 | Fastest when the email format is right |
| New Delhi | 40 | 1 day | 20 | Fast median, long tail |
| Mumbai | 19 | 0 days | 4 | Small sample, quick |
| London | 16 | 0 days | 2 | TCN cases mostly smooth |
The two-week cliff
The distribution is bimodal. Most cases resolve within 0–2 days of a correct submission. But cases that pass roughly two weeks without movement shift into a different regime: of the pending cases we track, over 100 have been waiting 60+ days, many past 120. If you are early, expect speed; if you are past day 14, plan for a longer hold and see our playbook for the day-30 inquiry approach.
Check where your case sits
Use the My Case comparator to see what percentage of cases from your consulate had cleared by your day count, or browse the live consulate league table — it updates as new reports arrive.
Community-reported data, not legal advice. Sample sizes vary by consulate.