Varsha- (guest from Pune )    •   01/09/2013 04:05:12 AM

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I would like to say thank u to this forum. This forum helped me a lot for my Visa appointment preparation albeit normally all questions are related to IT employees...

I will avoid OFC appointment details and stright forward come to the actual visa appointment . I reached US counsulate 15mins before my appointment time . After finishing my security check i went inside and got my token no. when my no was flashed on the TV screen i went and stand in the queue. the officer behind the window asked me for my 129 copy ,passport & the DD. i have paid $ 190 by using axis bank then the officer told me that i need to pay $ 500 extra fees towards blsnket L-fraud prev & detect . i got lill tensed and kept arguing with the office saying my HR never told me to pay this . I guess the rules have been chnaged .so my suggesstion to you guys is to keep sufficient cash in hand atleast INR 30,000 or credit card . They dont accept debit cards. finally the officer said to me that he will issue one letter ,using that latter i can come back to US counsulate before 11:15 along with cash. I said ok and came out ,went back to hotel took my debit card ..withdraw cash using ATM and came back ..i took all this trouble coz i tried using my credit card ther but it was not working there
by the time i reached US counsulate it was 10:30 .after completing all security check they again issued fresh token for me. when my tokan no flashed on TV screen i moved towards the respective window . they again checked my passport ,D-190 & appointment letter and asked me to get my fingerprint check at *** counter & told me to pay $ 500 fees at counter no 14.
after finsihing fingerprint check and fees payment i was waiting for my no to come. finally my token no got flsed on TV screen and i rushed to the respective counter.
VO asked me to come forward. he looked at me & smiled and said Good morning
Me: Good Morning ,Sir. How u doing?
VO: I am very well thank u.will you excuse me for a minute
me : sure sir
(he just went inside and he had quick chat with his fellow officer)
VO: sorry to keep u waiting Mam.
me: That's absolutely fine Sir.
VO: which Co do you work for ?
me: *****
VO: how long have you been working with ****
me: I hv been working with **** over 7 yrs
VO: what is ur salary in India ?
me INR **** p.a.
VO: what will be ur salary in USA?
me: USD **** thousand
VO: where you will be working in US
me ***** NY branch
VO: what is ur specialization ?
me : explained the specialization
VO stopped me and said but anybody can get this knowledge
me : i have explaned y this knowledge is important & critical and y am surpasses the other employee in the sme catogory ( This is lill tuff job ...i must say thta)
VO kept looking at the screen for some time and then he started putting stamp on I-129 forms .he kept my passport and one I-129 form withhim and gave back the remaining 2 forms to me saying this 2 forms for your reference......i the golden word came ...ur visa got approved u'll receive ur visa n passport by courier. thank u & hv a good day
I also responded back saying thank u sir, hv a nice day to u too :-)

Guys dont be tensed just go and be honest in front of VO ....the world is urs . all the very best to u all for ur visa...

Daya- (guest from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)    •   01/08/2013 07:24:33 AM

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VO : Hi. How are you ?
Me : Good Morning Sir. I am good. How are you doing?
VO : Doing good. Can I have your documents ?
Me : Sure.
Gave the documents to him
VO : So you work for XXX Company ?
Me : Yes Sir.
VO : And you are going to work on projects X and Y ?
Me : Yes Sir.
He started stamping the documents.
VO : What is your Salary in India ?
Me : ..... rupees per annum
VO : and in the US ?
Me : .... dollars
VO : I am approving your VISA.
Me : Thank you Sir. Have a nice day.

Mohanraj- (guest from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)    •   01/08/2013 07:17:38 AM

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Hi All,

Thank you for sharing your experience and VISA related questions. I am sharing my experience below.

VO : Hi. Can you give your petition and passport ?
Me : Gave them. Hi. Good Morning. How are you doing today ?
VO : Good. Thanks. How are you ?
Me : Good.
VO : So you work for XXX Company ?
Me : I work for YYY Company which is an Affiliate of XXX Company.
VO : Ok. What are the projects you are going to work ?
Me : As i started telling, VO was putting seal on the documents.
and when i was half way through she told
VO : I am approving your VISA Sir.

Thats It. Overall it was only for a Minute.

Dee- (guest from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)    •   01/07/2013 05:28:30 AM

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OFC is a very simple procedure. My appointment was at 9 AM. I reached the office by 8.30 AM. I had stand in the queue.The queue is not ordered based on your appointment timing, so be alert to listen when your batch is called in. I waited in the queue for around 20 mins. 9 AM batch was called inside. Initially, they verify your appointment letter and DS160 confirmation and then you are sent inside. Inside the office, the security checks are first done. Then your DS160 confirmation is verified with the details in their systems. A sticker is issued on your passport. They also give you a premium services - courier delivery form(to be used later during consulate interview) and a token number and counter number. You have to wait for your token number to be flashed on your assigned counter. You have to give your DS160 form and appointment letter with the passport to the person, who will verify your name and date of birth. He will then ask you to look at the camera for taking your photograph. You will be then asked to give your fingerprints - left 4 fingers together first, right 4 fingers together next and then your 2 thumbs together. They put a seal on the DS160 confirmation and give back all your documents. You have to get the DS160 bar code scanned by the person sitting near the exit and the procedure completes.

My visa interview was on 7th January at 8 AM. I reached the consulate by 7.30 AM. Initially a person verifies your appointment and DS160 confirmation and lets you to stand in the queue. I was allowed in at 7.50 AM. Initially, the security checks are done. All your bags and documents including purse is checked. You can then go inside the office where you will be directed to a counter - where your DS160 will be verified and you will be given a token number. You have to monitor the televisions to see when your token number flashes , which will point you to the document verification counter. You have to hand over all the documents requested by them - The person verifies all the data and bundles the documents in the required order. The person will also allocate you another counter number where you have to give your finger prints. Once this is completed, you have to go to the next counter (in the next building) where you have to pay your DD. Then you have to wait for your token number to get the counter where your actual interview will occur. I had to wait for around 45 mins for this. My interview was pretty simple.

VO : Hi, Good Morning
Me: Good Morning Sir. How are you doing ?
VO : Good, Thanks. Okay,so you are working with the X company.
Me: Yes Sir.
VO: How long have you been working with X company.
Me : I am with X for the past .... months.
VO: What are you going to do in the US ?
Me : I am going to work on the project - X.
VO was looking something at the computer and then started putting a seal on the documents.

VO: What is your salary in India.
Me : My salary is ....
VO: In the US ?
Me: ..... dollars
VO: Okay, I have approved your VISA. Have a nice travel to the US.
Me: Thank you Sir
VO: Welcome.

Thats it. The interview was over. Then, you can fill up the Courier delivery form at the reception counter and pay the required amount. You can sign and get the receipt from them. The process completes.

Satyasheel Hosalli- (guest from Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh, India)    •   01/04/2013 13:06:31 PM

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Hi,
Let me thank you all for providing helpful site for sharing visa interview related questions .
I had my L1A individual visa on 4th Jan 2013 in Hyderaabad
My visa interview is scheduled 9 AM but I reached consulate @ 7:30 AM .
My actual interview started at 9:45 AM
Me : Hello Good Morning
VO : Hi , Good Morning
VO : Oh !!! you from xxx Company
Me : Yes
VO : How long you working this company and OVERALL Exp
Me : I am working this company from last 6 year and I have overall 10 year exp in IT
VO : Thanks , I issued your vis
Me : Thanks

Hero Hiralal- (guest from Chennai, Tamilnadu, India)    •   01/02/2013 09:19:30 AM

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Hi Guys,

This forum has helped a lot in preparation and I really like to thanks everyone for posting their experience. I wish everyone good luck. My appointment date was Jan 2nd 2013, 9:00am. I am going to skip usual procedure and jump directly to Q&A. I work for a very reputable company in US and I am not in IT. I was wearing a formal shirt with company logo and trouser (I don't think there is requirement to wear suit and all since you applying for L1A, at least for Chennai weather, big NO. Confidence that matters.

Me: Hi, How you doing?
VO: No Answer
Me: Hi, Good Morning. How are you doing today?
VO: Oh sorry my coffee didn't kick in yet, very good morning, how are you doing today?
Me: Good
VO: What you do at XXX company?
Me: Replied
VO: What you going to be doing in US?
Me: Replied my role in US
VO: How many people will be reporting to you in your role in US?
Me: XXX people.
VO: All in US?
Me: Yes
VO: What's your designation
Me: Replied
VO: What is your salary?
Me: XX lakhs/annum
VO: Whats your US salary?
Me: $$/annum
VO: I approve your visa
Now he turned to my wife

VO: How long you have been married?
Wife: 2 months
VO: (Came very close to the window and asked in a sarcastic note) Who is he?
Wife: He is my husband.
VO: Are you sure?
Wife: (She can't able to control her laugh at this point of time and replied) Sure
VO: How did you two meet?
Wife: Online
VO: How long did you know each other before marriage?
Wife & Me: It's what like 3 months
VO: My computer slowed down, please hang in there.
Me: Sure
VO: Where you heading in US?
Me: Replied
VO: Never been to that city?
Me: The place is pretty neat. I have lived there before (I was in H1-B before and lived in US for 8 years. 2 years as F1 and 6 years as H1-B)
VO: How long have you been with XXX Company?
Me: 8 years
VO: Is it closer to Chicago?
Me: Replied
Now VO scan and hand me over 2 sets of I-129s and explain me what to do?
VO: Oh for to mention BTW, Congratulations on getting married
Me & Wife: Both wished thanks and Happy New year and left.

No documents asked other than regular I-129S (3 sets), I-797 (3 sets), passport, DS-160. Bottomline, maybe cliche to add now - Be confident in what you do, relax, maintain eye contact , keep a smile and positive attitude. My first 5 min was rapidfire Q&A but as soon as he uttered those golden words, the next 10 min was getting to know kind of deal.
Good luck with your visa.... cheers and Happy New Year 2013

aravind- (guest from Bangalore, Karnataka, India)    •   01/01/2013 08:01:52 AM

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NONE

AspireK- (guest)    •   12/30/2012 04:56:23 AM

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First I would like to thank all the users for posting their experiences, reading past experiences does help in prep up.
Bio-metric was on a day earlier @ BKC Mumbai. Note that OFC is at Trade Center ahead of MTNL building in BKC. As had been covered multiple time in previous posts, OFC was straight forward, 15 mins in and out with a bar code sticker on passport and acknowledgement stamp on the DS160 print out.
Visa interview was schedule 9:00 AM the next day, reached at 8:15 AM. Their was not much queue outside the Consulate office, entered the building after flashing appointment letter to security, barcode stuck on passport scanned enterance and in after security screening.
Once inside, realized there was considerable rush that day and lot of people were queued up for morning slots. Good thing was that there was seating area through with the queue moved and you could occupy seats orderly as you waited for the queue to move and. Was glad to not have to stand for the queue.
One of consulate attendants asked every one to just keep passpot and petition original outside and rest of the documents inside folder/bag. At around 9:39 am entered the building, to be in front of the token counter and got a large sized token sticker put on passwort. Then was asked to move finger scanning counter where left hand 4 fingers were scanned again. Then kept monitoring the LCD screens to check which counter my number would come to. After waiting for aroung an hour my number and stood for my turn from of the VO counter.

VO: Good morning, please slide passport.
Me: Hi, Good morning and slid the passport & petition through the window.
VO: Scanned the barcode sticker on passport, read something on monitor. What work you do for XXX company?
Me: I'm xxx consultant, working on xxx solution system. System build using specialized xxx tools which enable to do ... VO interrupts and asks next question.
VO: Who is your client?
Me: XXX
VO: Where will you be travelling in US?
Me: XXX
VO: How long you have been working on this project?
Me: 3 years 2 months now.
VO: What will be your salary?
Me: xx thousand USD.
VO: Have you got know your rights pamplet? Read this later (was given earlier in waiting area for L1/H1 candidates)
Me: Yes ofcourse, I would. Then come the golden words.
VO: Your visa is issued.
Me: Thanks and wish you happy new year ahead.
VO: Wishes back.

My 2 cents, prepare well for questions @ http://www.immihelp.com/l1-visa/l1-visa-stamping-interview-questions.html. I assume, straight forward crisp answers in laymen language delivered with confidence is the crucial. Found couple of candidates before me blabbered a bit, which only invited more scrutiny questions by the VO.

Thanks and wish you all the best.

XYZ- (guest from Kolkata, WB, India)    •   12/29/2012 05:52:47 AM

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Hi,
Let me thank you for providing such helpful site for sharing visa interview related experience.
I had my L1A individual on 28th Dec’12 in Kolkata Consulate.
VO- Good Morning
Me- Good Morning
VO- Which company do you work with?
Me- replied in one word
VO- Whats your designation?
ME- Replied
VO- How long are you working with the company?
Me- I am working with xxxx co. for xxx years
VO- Are you going to stay at client location?
ME- Replied
VO- Which state?
Me- replied
VO- What was the purpose of travel when you last traveled to US?
Me- I traveled for training purpose from my earlier organization (I traveled on B1/B2 visa few years back)
VO- Thank you, your visa is approved.
Me- Thanks you....you have a good day.
And finally I got to hear those Golden Words.....
Best Regards....

PinkStatus_Tracker- (guest from Bangalore, Karnataka, In)    •   12/28/2012 08:17:13 AM

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Interview Date : 30 Nov 2012
Status : Got a Pink Slip (221G). Asked to wait for 4 Weeks
Additional Document Collected : Resume (along with passport and the 129S form)
Passport Issued : 28 Dec 2012

More details on the 4th Page (Hit Next 4 times). Look for another post with the same subject.
Best of Luck to all the pink status holders.