H1B, H4 Visa

Dear Friends,
First of all i would like to thank all of those who have shared their experiences with this forum. It was very useful.

I had my interview in Chennai on 14th October.I was in the que and entered the consulate...They asked to pay Rs.441 DD for TT services and also provided a receipt, and then i was asked to stand in counter no:1, where your Rs.4400 DD will be collected and you will be given a pink token with a number on it. Then there were around 4 ques where they check the documents you have brought and place it in a folder and give it to you....

Here you have to be really careful in choosing a que, as lot of local fellows work here, where they are very sadistic and try to put you in trouble some how...so when you choose a que here just observe the person whether he seems to be good hearted or not...i stood in a roughian's que, he just noted down that my I-797 contained the information as RECEIPT NOTICE and not as APPROVAL NOTICE...though this is a major concern, normally people dont notice so keenly,,,he then noted this in my DS-156,,,,

then i entered the main Visa building,,,where i waited for quite sometime sitting in a chair, then was asked to stand in a que,,,,the VISA officer was a lady officer, she was very good, and i am sure she was giving approvals to max. visa's....

VO: Good afternoon sir!
Me: Good afternoon mam!

I just gave the folder containing my DS-156, DS-157, passport, I-797, I-129, etc...

She just chequed...

VO: Is this a fresh new job, you are going for??
Me: Yes mam! this is a new job(ie i am going for a direct H1B job, not thru my current company)

Vo:where will you be working?
Me:xxxx

VO:who is your current employer??
Me:xxxx

VO:what is your position with the Current employer??
Me:xxxx

Vo:What will your role with the US company?
Me:xxxx

VO was very convinced, but this my DS-156 has a comment mentioning my RECEIPT NOTICE and not APPROVAL NOTICE... she then told me that she needs APPROVAL NOTICE,,, she also told me that there is no prblem is issuing Visa , and i have to just get that approval notice...so she gave me 221(g)...i was very upset...


but i waas very sure i willl get Visa next time...next then i checked with my employer reg this,,,and they have missed to send this approval notice...,,so aggain i got it and went for Visa after a week,,,

Again the same process,, this time the VO was a tough officer...he rejected almost 4 people in front of me...i was very tensed,,,then by seeing my 221(g) where the documents missing, he asked me about Approval Notice,,., i gave him and told him what happened last time....he then asked me about what my role is goiing to be in US job...i then explained,,,he then checked something in his computer,,,,,he then,,,looked into my Labour condition application and then he just asked me to go and pay me Rs.2200 DD....thats it, i got my VISA...

But friends, be careful even the 2nd time when you go after getting 221(g) during ur first visit...be sure to carry all your documents properly....otherwise again they send you with 221(g),,,,then you will be in unneccesary trouble...

Also they dont just give you VISA the 2nd time,,,there are some VO's who again ask everything about you from scratch....but main concern will be on missing documents as per 221(g)...

But not to worry if every this is proper...be cool and shrwed and you will get it...

Best of luck for all of you!!

May god bless everyone...In my case i got it purely because of Chilkur Balaji( so called VISA Balaji) in Hyderabad...all of you try to visit Chilkur Balaji in Hyderabad..

Do mail me if you have any concerns.....

Regards,
Ganesh....