H1B, H4 Visa

HI all...

Thanks for the immihelp for the live experiences...it helped me alot...

Got H1b stamped on Dec 29th 2011(Chennai). Mine is direct offer from US.(E->C model)

My VO is Young & Good looking Lady.

Once done with the formalities questions asked were

VO : Good morning How are you doing ?..
ME: thanks, good mornig, how are you ?..

VO: Is this the first time for US ?...
Me: xyz...

VO: Do you have client ?...
Me: xxx...

VO: what does the client do ?... (Business)
Me: blah..blah..blah..

VO: Do you have any layer b/w client & employer ?...
Me: xxx...

VO: Pass me the petition Documents...
Me: given... (Verified the salary and all)

VO: Whats U.S Salary ?...
Me: xxx...

VO: Currently you are working with xxx company right ?
Me: yyy....

VO: How many employes in your US company ? (new)
Me: xxx....

VO: Do you have project document letter ?...
Me: ccc...

VO: Which location you are going to ?...
Me: city, State..

Tadanngg....

here comes the Golden words....

VO: Sir , your visa is Approved, have a nice fligh to US, happy journey...
Me : thanks , have a nice day...

Guys be confident... VO officers are friendly , give them answers confidenlty..
and be ready with the documents as well...
then Visa is urs....

All the best for the guys...

The Interview was pretty straight forward.

The following questions were asked :

1) Have you been to US before ?
2) What is your highest degree ?
3) How long have you been working with your employer?
4) Who is the client?
5) How many employees from your employer are working with this client ?
6) What is your role ?
7) Which City are you travelling to ?
8) Have you read the white pamplet ?, any questions on it ?

Thats it, It hardly took 2 to 3 mins to finish the above list of question and answer session, and my VISA was approved :).

Went for 2nd time stamping at Mumbai Consulate.

Reached there 20 mins late, stood in line for 3 mins, and went inside.
After all formalities completed, waiting for almost 45 mins. There were certain windows where all H1 candidates were being called, so went and sat on the first row, right in front of one of the windows, and kept reading the white pamphlet and staring at the consular who was a girl around 35 years old.

Finally after a long wait a list of numbers were called on a window, my number was last but since i was sitting in front of the very same window where my number was called, i ended up 1st in line.

This is how the interview went

VO - finally after this long wait, you were getting me worried for you.
Me: I was wondering if you forgot about my case.

VO - first time H1?
ME: nope, renewal

VO (looking at passport and I-797)
Its been 2 years since your visa renewal is approved, why didnt you come earlier for the stamp.
Me: I didnt need to visit, my family visited me in the US and i was busy on the project. Plus if I had come sooner, the wait would have still been the same.

VO : *Smiling* ~ so who do you work for ?
ME: YYYY company. (leading clothing retailer)

VO: YYYY The clothing store?
Me: Thats right.

VO: My mother spends all her money at your store! she shops there 2-3 times a week
ME: I guess thats who really pays my salary then *Smile*

VO : *Burst out laughing* and even the lady behind her heard that and cracked up laughing!!!!
Me: If i knew, I would have got some discount coupons for you. But then that would be considered a bribe.

VO: thats very kind of you. How long have you been with them.
Me: 2 years 7 months so far.

VO: alright, its approved, if you do come back next time, remember my discount coupons.
Me: Certainly will. Have a good one! Later.

Thats it. Left from there and came home.
I felt like i was talking to a friend more than a consular.

3 days later, visa stamped, came in thru Chicago Port of Entry, and the officer there was a young guy . He had an aunt who lived in the city i worked, we even exchanged numbers and planned to meet next time he came around. I've promised to take him out.

Now - a tip to the people going for the interview, atleast at mumbai.

Just please for god sake dont suit up. A simple shirt and pant (Khakhi and a checked shirt is good enough). Dont over do the makeup or perfume. Women can dress western business formal. Look neat and clean and presentable.

Don't panic, remember at the end of the day, they need you here, and not the other way around. Be casual. Dont over do the sir and madam stuff.
"Thanks for your time", "I'd like to think so", "I appreciate it" are basic american terms you can use and build an instant rapport with the consular. Dont come of as arrogant or over confident. Smile and make eye contact with the consular. Dont worry about messing anything up, the more u think and the more u memorize stuff, the harder the interview will be. Know the basic stuff u need to know, and thats it.

My first interview i had in mumbai for my h1, other than the companies name i didnt know anything else. I still passed the interview and came here with an h1.

So dont panic, be truthful and dont lie of fake anything. Trust me, being honest pays off.

Wish you guys the best.

My wife went for H4 visa interview on Jan 3, 2011 and a pink slip was issued. Here is how it went

VO: Where are you going?
Wife: City, State
VO: Do you have your son's (US Citizen) passport?
Wife: Here it is?
VO: How long is your husband with the company?
Wife: xxxx Years
VO: When did he go to the US
Wife: Year
VO: How long have you been married?
Wife: x years
VO: Is the company a govt institution or government organization?
Wife: It's a xxx company doing xxxxxx
VO: Do you have the recent payslip?
Wife: Here it is
VO: Everthing is fine and the visa is approvable
VO: Typing again in the system
VO: Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Your visa requires further administrative processing and issued a pink slip.

After that my wife was called to another counter where she gave the passport and was asked abour her brother's and sister's details (name, age, where they live) and the lady wrote the case number in the pink slip and then asked to check in 2-4 weeks.

Last time when the VO said two weeks it took us six months to get the Visa and I am not sure how long it's going to take this time.

Just thought to share the experience so that others can benefit the way I did.

The work location address differs in lca and d160 . Where the building number is different but both the building are nearby in same street both building are my client building.will it be a problem i have my pa in this week.

First thanks to all those who post their experiences, it helped me a great deal to prepare for my interview.

I work in EC model. My employer is a small IT consulting company. Couple of other folks from my employer got 221g recently, asking for company related documentation. Both cases were not cleared until my interview. I got my visa approved on 19th December 2011 at Mumbai consulate.

My interview was very straight forward, not many questions asked. VO did not ask any document and no questions related to client and or employee or employer relationship. Lot of folks were getting visas approved that day though I did see few being handed over 221gs.

Here's the list of questions:
- Were you on H1B visa before?
- Which company did you work for then?
- Why did you change the job?
- How many employees are there in with your employer?
- How many of them are in US?
- What do you do for them?
- Did you get the white pamphlet? (That's a booklet which contains
your summary of your rights, everyone gets it.)

i had h1 interview at hyd last week. mine went fine- for about 4 mins..
questions asked:
 - highest degree
 - job desc, company desc
 - whether i was going to work for company directly

my US higher education degree, engineering discipline (same field in BTECH, MS and job) and direct employment for the company made the VO job simpler and quicker...

However, there was a girl before me - she got nailed. She went to US to study in one college and then immediately switched to some arbit (non recognized university). The VO was grinding her in and out. She was obviously lying and hiding facts. So, you can expect what followed next.

Not really happy with the 4 day prior submission of documents at Hyd. I am not from Hyd. So, what about people like me. I had limited vacation. All wasted in doing this.

My H1B visa was approved at the Mumbai consulate on December 8th, 2011. I gave the Visa Officer my passport, I-797, visa appointment letter. The following were the questions asked.

- What company do you work for?
- Job Title
- Salary
- How long have you worked at the present
   company?
- Is this your first H1B with this company?
   (Mine was not, so i explained that this was the
    second one and the first H1B was with XYZ
   Company).
- Are you married or single?
- Did you study in the US?
- Which university?
- What degree?

Thats it, then he gave me the thumbs up. Put my passport the approval bin behind him, gave me back my other documents and i was on my way.

They have opened most of the counters at the BKC consulate now so it was very fast. My appointment was at 10 am. I got there at 9:10 am, stood in line outside the consulate, but they were taking people in and i was probably inside by 9:25, finished my finger printing in the next 5-8 minutes, and sat next to the counter waiting for my number to be called. I was done with the interview and was out by 9:50 am, 10 minutes before my scheduled appointment. So I advise you to get there early and get done, doesn't matter what time the appointment is, they take you in anyway. Plus they have dedicated counters for different visa types.

I am a science major, working at a major pharmaceutical company. I had heard that for people with science background they definitely keep your passport for additional verification. They also state that on their website, but my experience was very different I even got my passport back in the mail the very next day.
So, don't believe what you hear.
Good luck!! and remember that there is nothing to worry about. Just make sure to keep your calm and take all documents with you.

HI All

 My H1B VISA was approved at the Chennai US Consulate on Dec 27th. Below were the questions asked.
me: Good Morning
VO: Good Morning. ( I passed on my docs)

VO: Where do you work ?
me : answered.

VO: whats your Designation?
me answered ( Just the designation and nothing else)

Vo: whats ur highest qualification ?
me: answered

VO : what 's ur Bachelor Degree in ? (since I am a PG)
me: answered.

VO then took a min to verify my documents along with my LCA , educational photocopies etc. and typed something on his system.

waited patiently for the next question

VO: who is ur client ?
me : answered.

VO: whats ur onsite salary ?
me: answered (at this point he cross checked with my LCA and forwarded me all my docs except my passport )

VO: whats your experience with your current employer:
me : answered

VO: total experience?
me : answered.

VO: where r u going to ?
me : answered

VO: did u see / read this pamplhet ?
me : Yes , I have read this.

Finally, he typed again something on his system. Took my passport and wrapped it into a paper.

Then came the goldern words .

"Sir, I am approving ur VISA and you should receive it within 3 -4 working days"

My interview lasted for about 2-3 mins.

PS: Be confident on whatever you answer. VOs will ask you questions looking at your eye. Make sure you too answer them in the same way.

Thanks a lot Immihelp for helping me prepare well for the interview !

All the Best to the future immigrants!!!!

Me: Good Morning
VO: Good Morning

VO: Which company you work for?
Me: XYZ

VO: Who is your client?
Me: ABC

VO: What business they do?
Me: Sth Sth..

VO: Interrupted: Sth
Me: Yes, sth sth

VO: Which location are you going?
Me: City, State

VO: What will be your salary?
Me: _____$

VO: What kind of project will you be working/
Me: Sth Sth

VO: What is your highest qualification?
Me: answered

VO: Bachelor?
Me: Yes

VO: Tell me your client name again? (this is bcoz of my answer for What business they do)
Me: XYZ

VO: I am approving your Visa, you need to provide some aditional doc @ counter#. Gave me a PINK Slip 221(g)
Me: Thank you :). Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (left the counter)

VO: You forgot your VFS confirmation lettter
Me: Thank you


I waited for 15min for the next counter#

Counter#
Me: Good Mornng maam
lady: good Morning. Give me your resume

Me: I have taken out the resume from my BEP folder and gave it.
Lady: Dont you have your personal resume? This is your XYZ Comp resume.

Me: I dont have my personal resume now. My personal resume is also lyk this resume. What info do you need?
Lady: From your resume, your previous experience is not clear.

Me: In my resume, in professional exp section my prev exp is mentioned. Shall i produce my previous exp ltr?
Lady: No need.

Me: What doc exactly you need?
Lady: From which university u did your btech is not mentioned.
Me: Told the university name. Do i need to provide the certificates?
lady: No. Just refer this CASE Number, you will come to know what doc is required.
Me: Maam, the interviewer said he has approved my visa, then? Is it approved or pending?
Lady: It is pending. You refer this case number



Friends can yoou please tell me what all these means?
What kind of state is it?