L1, L2 Visa

Hi,
L1B blanket candidate here. On CEAC website, status is changed from Administrative Processing to Application Received. Any idea what this mean?
Timeline:
2nd Dec: Interview <-- Visa Approved no slip given
2nd-11 Dec: Administrative Processing
11 Dec: Status changed to Application Received
13 Dec: On Application home page (Passport with US Consulate/Embassy changed to Document Delivery Information:)/

I got a blue slip 221g asking to appear for in-person interview without any documents. L1 extension dropbox.
Here is the timeline
Nov 29 -Dropped documents at Bangalore
Dec 3 - Application received / Passport still with consulate
Dec 10 - Admin processing / Passport still with consulate
Dec 11 - Admin processing / Passport has been received from the consular section, and is currently being processed for delivery
Dec 12 - Admin processing / Passport has been received from the consular section, and is currently being processed for delivery.
Dec 13- Passport available for pickup.
When i picked up the passports today, they were not stamped and got a 221g blue slip which asked only for an in person interview with no other documents asked. This is strange. 221g blue slip i have read online is for client letter. However, i work for company direct and there are no clients. Appreciate any inputs on similar cases.

How long does it normally take to get your passport back from the UK embassy? And would they deliver on a Saturday also?

Thank you

I had the interview on 9th dec and below are the questions asked:

VO: which visa category are you applying for?
VO: for how long you have been working with the current employer?
VO: who is your client?
VO: whats your highest level of education?
VO to my wife: how long have you been married?
VO: your salary in US?
VO: how many reportees in US?
VO: designation?
VO: what will you be doing in US?
After this question she was bit confused and asked us that there is nothing wrong with our profile and we should be applying under L1B category. I explained it to her that I dont work on the tool directly. I just manage and interact with the client and few more things that explained her the current Managerial role.
Then she went inside and discussed it with her colleague and came back and asked
If you have hire/fire authority.
Then she started typing on her computer for few minutes and then finally stamped the forms and told us that she is approving our VISA and handed over the other two copied.

My two cents here would be prepare well but dont over do with it. Be relaxed before the interview and in case your VO thinks you visa category is not right then try to explain bit more about your role. Donot panic.

First of all I like to thank you all who has contributed in this blog. Which helped me a lot.
As many of them have shared the process of interview. I will directly jump into Interview questions.
VO : Gud mrg I need your passport and petition as well.
Me : gud mrg ….and handed over the passport n petition.
VO: She saw the company name on my petition and asked what kind of company is this?
Me: xxxxx is a telecommunication company which manufactures networking devices like residential gateways, wireless extenders blah blah…and VO stopped me and went for next question.
VO: How long have u been working for this company
Me: 4.9 years.
VO: what ur job role and specialization?
Me: My job is to qualify broadband Residential gateways which are nothing but a device blah blah…I have gained expertise in verifying protocol conformance and network security using industry specialized tools xxxxxx & xxxxxxx. VO stopped and asked follow up question.
VO: R dis tools developed by u?
Me: No... I will customize them (I kept it short)
VO: R there any similar kind of tools in the market
Me: Yes, and I have been involved in evaluating them as well. But current tools provides more options to test our product.
VO: How much experience do you have in qualifying the products?
Me: 8 yrs (my total experience)
VO: what is your designation?
Me: sorry r u asking about current one or the ….she immediately replied in USA and I said Staff QA ENG.
(My suggestion never imagine the question if u r not clear please ask to repeat the question)
VO: what will be your package?
Me: 110K upward per annum.
VO: Location
Me: Santa Clara, California.
VO: Have u been to US before
Me: Yes
VO: There was a silence for couple of seconds and she was checking monitor and finally I heard the golden words. Your visa is approved and stamped my 3 set of petition and gave me 2 sets.
Finally what I learnt from this blog and my visa experiences is:
• Keep your Answers short and informative. Don’t go too technical until they ask for.
• As we all know the basic questions so prepare well for them.
• Do not bluff or try to impress them.
• Fill your DS160 form correctly.
• Maintain eye contact(most of time they will be busy in checking there monitor :-P )
• Try to avoid watching/ listening to others interviews when you are standing in queue.
• And finally most import thing go to interview center just before 20-30 min. You can directly go and join the line based on your slot. No need of standing in the long queue.
• NOTE: It’s just my opinion as we all have diffrnt way of approach, body language and communication skills. So please collect the required information and prepare accordingly. All the very best and be confident.

If you guys need any more info please let me know will share my Email ID.
I have B1 visa experience (1st time rejected and 2nd time approved) in 2017.Please let me know if you guys need any help.

  

Hi All - This forum has helped me immensely, doing my bit now.

Working for one of the big fours (tech - GAFA) and applied for L1A blanket initially, with visa appointment in early August, 2019. Questions asked were as below:

1) You will work with xx company?
2) Applying for L1A?
3) What will be your designation?
4) Your salary in US?
5) How many direct reports will you have?
A: 4 direct reports.
7) Their designations and will you have indirect reports?
A: YY Managers and they will be functional managers, influencing stakeholders such as ZZ. Hence, they can be considered as in-direct reports and will be around 60 members.
8) Your manager’s designation and his manager’s designation?
A: Sr. Manager for xx. His manager is Director for yy.
9) What will be your day to day work activities?

At the end of the interview VO mentioned that “There is no issue with your profile or work you do with xx company, however given the narrow scope of L1A, your visa is not clearly approvable. Pls contact your HR for other visa options”.

Post this, my attorney suggested to go for Individual filing under premium processing.

Timeline -
August 31: Shared all inputs from my end to my attorney, includes detailed info about role and related evidences/examples.
September 27: Petition filed and sent to USCIS
October 8: Got approval notification
October 9: Booked my Visa appointment with latest available date for my preferred location within India.
December 2: Bio-metrics completed
December 3: Visa appointment, questions asked as below:
 
1) Which company?
2) Company in India?
3) Role details in US?
4) Location in US?
5) Salary in US?
6) Will you have hire/fire authority?

VO asked if I know my rights as a worker - had a sigh of relief after hearing this. But he again goes on :)
6) To my wife - what will you be doing in US?

VO says, give me couple of minutes and goes inside for 5 minutes.

7) Comes back and asks how many years have you been with the company?

VO sees a different colleague of his coming (looked superior) and again goes inside to have a chat with him. This is where I got nervous and started thinking about what's going on.

Comes back and takes 2 mins, while he was typing and reading into his monitor. And finally says, your visa is approved.
Not sure if there was any doubt or confusion at the end which got his decision delayed, but had a happy outcome.

Thanks again to all the forum members for your contributions which is helping lot of folks through the process.

Hi,

i came to usa in Feb 2014 on L1A Individual visa. I had to travel back in Sep 2016 due to some family emergencies. And came back again in Mar 2018. Still I am in USA.

I am little bit confused with my overall stay. my stay will be counting from Feb 2014 or it will be counting from Mar 2018 as there was a gap of 16 months (which is more than a year).

Could someone please help me to identify this.

1) My L1B extension was received by Texas service center on May 9th 2019. I am still waiting to hear. I heard my friends friend got L1A which was filed on June 24th got approved on 2nd of Dec.
Did anybody receive approval for applications applied in May.

My 240 days limit is around on Feb 4th. What is the best option for me. can any one suggest.

Just want to give back to the forum. My L1A got approved today.

I work for a global tech firm. Been 20+ years in the company. CTO and Vice President.
My company has a blanket in place.

I brought to the interview: DS160 confirmation, appointment confirmation, passport photos, 3 copies of the I129, 3 copies of the I797, a lengthy support letter detailing my current and new role. I brought payslips, work experience document signed by employer, contract, education certifications, and resume.

The interview:

Q: What will you work with?
Q: How long have you worked for the company?
Q: How many will report to you?
Q: How long is the assignment?
... "Your visa is approved!"

The officer never looked at any documentation. I am happy I brought it, but it was not asked about.
Twenty seconds max.

I was surprised that the interview as held at a counter, in the actual waiting room. No privacy. I heard many interviews while waiting for my turn.

hi,

Is a separate DS-160 form required for Spouse (dependent)?