L1, L2 Visa

Before even you appear for the interview, please make yourself aware about the L1B visa category. I'm sure most of the organizations will give a clarity on this to define under which category you'd fit it. L1A or L1B (based on experience level) & Blanket or Individual (based on how an individual presents the thoughts etc) Everything is based on the individual actually, at least to get that clarity of where you stand in this 4 quadrant which is very important. Remember, if you have just 5 years of experience and then planning to compete under L1A blanket, sure shot, it's a rejection!

At least in my org, they put most confident people, who can well articulate the specialization or explain their job role better under the Blanket window. Whereas, people who couldn't explain well, mostly were recommended to go through Individual. No offense to anybody but this is the strategy which has to be played well.

After rounds of internal assessment, I as put under the Blanket window which became very stressful for me to prepare. Note - I had an added stress level because I'm not an Engineering grad nor belong to any IT related educational background but someone who's trying to prove a 'Specialized Knowledge' in front of the VO. I doubted myself a lot but I had that gut feeling that I can knock the VO with my answering or articulating skill. I only BELIEVED myself from day ONE.

So through out, you may question yourself with limiting beliefs that you may carry - it varies case to case. Find some sample thoughts:
- Do not have a specialized degree (I have a Masters in media & arts)
- Less years of experience ( This matters to an extend, for L1A, it matters, but for L1B 4-5 years is good enough)
- I can't speak confident, cannot articulate, explain my job role
- Is my specialization worth enough to convince the VO officer?
- Is my salary mentioned, good enough to prove that I'm specialized?
-What are my chances of rejection? What's the rejection rate? I CANNOT Stand QUESTION.

Through them in a bin. Recycle your brain for APPROVAL.

It is very important to be on the same page as your i129s and other supporting documents that defines your specialization. Work with your employers immigration team or any team that's helping you with this visa process at work. Just memorize the key words, jumble them across and remember so that you won't even skip uttering those keywords during the interview. Very important trick. Remember, it's a mind game. All that the VO is expecting to hear from you is, those SAME words, nothing else.

Work your but*off to come up with questions & answers on how brutally one can assess your skill-sets. This is only possible if you decide to you question your skills at an utterly brutal manner, nobody else can do this to you. I can be so harsh me :) Immihelp has some great questions, pick them up, plot your answers (crisp & less jargon), make multiple answers for a single questions. You never know which one you can remember at that time :)

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare until the DAY arrives. Mirror is your friend. Wake up early if your not an morning person. Break certain patterns in life to prove yourself that how important is this for you and to get through this without a rejection.

Just before the final day, look through only the key questions, ie., specialization, work location, client name, qualification, yrs of experience, salary, duration of stay, etc. By now, you would've gulped, gasped and swallowed all the information that you gathered about your specialization.

Remain positive until you have your visa in hand. This is the most critical thing even if you have the strongest case to prove.

Interview DAY
As the day approached, I went to for the BIOmetrics session, which I'm not going to explain because the experience is pretty much the same for everyone. So skipping that.

Consulate Entrance
My spouse dropped at the entrance, leaving me all alone for a big moment that waits ahead of me :) Very thrilled I was but very anxious at the same time. Went through all the security check-ins, queues, payment counter (for L1b Blanket it's applicable), finally put in a queue that marches slowly towards the VO counters. I was asked to go the counter 27. Just before me a guy US return was taking is sweet time to convince this VO but finally left making me wait for more. I was just waiting to get done with this. Seriously.

I approached the VO as my time came. I prepared myself to be very casual and not display my fear, anxiety, nervousness, doubtfulness. I buried everything under my belly. JUST PRETEND CASUAL that your cool enough to handle this moment. Just remember to carry a good smile on you. Smile comes to be naturally but this is really important to show if your really a happy person :) Just a dress that your most comfortable in, no big show offs in front of the guy who's waiting to redefine you fate :) I wore a white that I always feel more comfortable, confident and lucky :) This wins me most of the time.

Time was so close to 11.50am or 12pm, I wasn't sure of the time. As i greeted him, I built a quick rapport by asking him, 'are we past 12?'. He said, oh yeah it's 12. We're good. The ice broke here. I didn't feel him like a stranger nor he wasfeeling different with me. (Small tricks you know)

He asked for all my docs, you know what it is. He barely made an eye contact with me, but mostly looking into the computer.

So here goes the list of questions that he asked, for anybody who wants to what I was really asked!!!

VO: Which company do you work for?
 
Interviewee: Some Gaint name
 
VO: What's your client name?
 
Interviewee: Some client
 
VO: Which place are you traveling to?
 
Interviewee: Somewhere in the US

VO: What's your specialization?
 
Interviewee: I have a specialization in _____ and ______ that I ______ and ______ which integrates ABC with XYZ. My client has PQR requirement for which I'll be customizing this tool, which provides my client this unique benefit / feature.

(Do you see the drift here, the keywords used to knock that guy in front of you? Have the necessary information in place. No big jargon's used, simplified to it's best.

Stress on your specialization - What can you do - built, develop, customize
What the tool does - integrates, merges, creates a new feature
Client requirement - What the client will achieve

Simple assimilation of the 3 key concepts put as a story. That's it, your done.

VO: What's the name of the custom tool that you developed?
 
Interviewee: Some Name
 
VO: What's your US salary?
 
Interviewee: YYYY USD
 
VO: How long is this project planned for?
 
Interviewee: 2 years
 
Finally VO told me, my visa is approved. He stamped first and then told me it's approved. I was already having a feeling before he stamped that he's going to approve this because he never felt or at least behaved that my case was false. (Learn from body language). I was confidently waiting for him to utter those GOLDEN WORDS :)

That's it everyone. I had a very pleasant visa interview moment, all that helped me is my on effort - this is the journey I drafted, reading up a lot - IMMIHELP, your organization and at the end, your positivity. Never even think of rejection, think only how you can convince the VO at your best possible level. You'll be majorly saved.

All the best to everyone who are preparing to appear.

For all the HATERS, if any who think this is a LONG rant, I really want to help people and make them aware how to prepare for this. By not building a strong case with industrial jargon's, instead play well with the human mind. It's easier to win this way :)

Wishes From
Stranger