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H1B Renewal in Covid Times November and December 2020 - Dropbox, 221g, Interview, DS-5535
Why this post - When I received a DS-5535 for my H1B renewal, I read a lot of experiences/posts about it. Almost all (99%) of these experiences where so negative that they turned my thinking to be all-out negative. I imagined being stuck in admin processing for months without any updates, having to file writ of mandamus case, potentially losing my job etc etc. In my view, the strong bias towards negative experiences may have been because people who have positive/easier experiences with DS-5535 and/or other immigration issues are too relieved to post/share their experiences. I hope my experience can give someone else in a similar situation some hope or positivity or at-least prevent them from thinking all-out negative.
~ Long Post ~
My Case -
Visa Category - H1B. Primary and only applicant. No H4 / dependents
H1B History - 4th H1B Stamping. Working in the US since 2012 as FTE for top American companies.
Stamping History - All H1Bs stamped at the New Delhi consulate. Last 2 stampings through dropbox had no hiccups and were stamped during the Trump administration. This post is for my 3rd time (4the stamping) dropbox experience.
Change of employer - Changed employer from fortune 10 Tech company to a tech startup in May 2020. Both FTE positions.
President Proclamation - Exempted as I was in the US from Jan 2020 - November 2020.
Other relevant details -
-- Came to India on 11/04 to visit family.
-- Clean record with no criminal history anywhere.
-- Common Hindu male name.
-- Travelled extensively for work and tourism (40+ countries) but never to any country restricted by the US
My timeline -
Date - 11/25/2020
Milestone - 9:30 AM Dropbox appointment. Submitted - Passport, I797 copy, Photo, Employment verification letter
CEAC Status - N/A
USTravelDocs Status - Changed to "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 11/27/2020
CEAC Status - Changed to "Application Received". Case created date = 11/27/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 11/28/2020 to 11/30/2020
CEAC Status - "Application Received". Case updated date = 11/27/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 12/1/2020
CEAC Status - Changed to "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 12/2/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been received from consulate and is being prepped for delivery"
Date - 12/3/2020
Milestone - Received unstamped passport and 221g via courier.White 221g asking to walk-in for an in-person interview on any business day before 10AM. No additional documents asked for. Please note that my 221g did NOT ask me to wait for the interview until after the consulate has resumed regular operations. Still, I emailed the consulate to confirm if I could just walk-in on any business day, and I received an immediate confirmation from them.
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been received from consulate and is being prepped for delivery"
Date - 12/4/2020
Milestone - Walk-in interview at the consulate and DS-5535
Went to the New Delhi consulate at 830 AM. Showed the 221g slip and a print of the consulate's reply to my email from 12/3 at the applicant desk outside the consulate. The lady at the desk called inside the consulate, confirmed some details and let me in. Carried ALL possible documentation for the interview even though I was not explicitly asked to bring any documentation.
The Interview was short and odd.
VO - Handover Passport and I797
VO - Do you have an emergency appointment letter?
Me - No. I am appearing for this interview per the 221g instructions. Handed over 221gV
O - Ok but explain why is your case so critical that you must go back to the US immediately?
Me - I am an mid-senior level FTE in a start-up and I work on mission critical projects such as xyz for my employer....blah blah.
VO - [expressionless] - But the president proclamation (PP) is in effect.
Me - I am exempt from PP since I was in the US between 01/2020 and 11/2020.
VO - Typed something on the computer. Took my documents and left the window (possibly to consult with another person). Returned 4-5 mins later. Handed my passport and docs back, and asked me to go to window#1 for further instructions.
Me - Is my visa approved?
VO - I cannot approve the visa at this time. We need some more information from you. Do not worry. Go to window#1 for further instructions.
Me - I took my passport and docs to window #1
Window#1 - Handed me a white form asking me to submit a DS-5535 form. Told me that I will receive an email from the consulate with the form that I need to fill. I will need to send the filled form back via email.
Me - At the time I had NO clue what a DS-5535 is and how long it could take so I pleaded with the officer at window#1 to keep my passport at the consulate to avoid the hassle of coming back to the embassy again on short notice.
Window#1 - Consulted with some colleagues and agreed to keep my passport and docs at the consulate.
Me - Left the consulate. After I got home, I researched DS-5535. I freaked out reading the information I found online about how complex DS-5535 and how the administrative processing could take forever. Received the form via email (word doc attachment) from the consulate in the afternoon
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/4/2020
Milestone - Filling the DS-5535. Filling this form can be very draining in itself. Among other things, the DS-5535 asks for -
- 15 year travel history with dates of travel, purpose of funding for travel etc - I have travelled extensively for work and tourism (40+ countries) but never to any country restricted by the US - 15 address history
- All email addresses and phone numbers used in the last 5 years
- All social media handles
Took me 6+ hours to fill this monster. I provided the info as accurately and honestly as I could but I think I still missed a couple of things here and there (like phone#, email and social media handles)
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/5/2020
Milestone - Submitted the filled DS - 5535 via email. Received an email from the consulate confirming the receipt - looked like an auto-generated email.
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/6/2020 to 12/10/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/5/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/11/2020
Milestone - Case updated date changed from 12/5/2020 to 12/11/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/11/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/14/2020
Milestone - Case status changed from "Refused" to "Administrative Processing". Case updated date changed to 12/14/2020
CEAC Status - "Administrative Processing". Case updated date = 12/14/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/15/2020
Milestone - Case updated date changed to 12/15/2020
CEAC Status - "Administrative Processing". Case updated date = 12/15/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/16/2020
Milestone - Case status changed from "Administrative Processing" to Issued. Case updated date changed to 12/16/2020
CEAC Status - "Issued". Case updated date = 12/16/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/21/2020
Milestone - Received the stamped passport back via courier. The stamp has two annotations - "Security clearance received 12/9/2020" and "Exempted from PP"
CEAC Status - "Issued". Case updated date = 12/16/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
~ Long Post ~
My Case -
Visa Category - H1B. Primary and only applicant. No H4 / dependents
H1B History - 4th H1B Stamping. Working in the US since 2012 as FTE for top American companies.
Stamping History - All H1Bs stamped at the New Delhi consulate. Last 2 stampings through dropbox had no hiccups and were stamped during the Trump administration. This post is for my 3rd time (4the stamping) dropbox experience.
Change of employer - Changed employer from fortune 10 Tech company to a tech startup in May 2020. Both FTE positions.
President Proclamation - Exempted as I was in the US from Jan 2020 - November 2020.
Other relevant details -
-- Came to India on 11/04 to visit family.
-- Clean record with no criminal history anywhere.
-- Common Hindu male name.
-- Travelled extensively for work and tourism (40+ countries) but never to any country restricted by the US
My timeline -
Date - 11/25/2020
Milestone - 9:30 AM Dropbox appointment. Submitted - Passport, I797 copy, Photo, Employment verification letter
CEAC Status - N/A
USTravelDocs Status - Changed to "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 11/27/2020
CEAC Status - Changed to "Application Received". Case created date = 11/27/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 11/28/2020 to 11/30/2020
CEAC Status - "Application Received". Case updated date = 11/27/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 12/1/2020
CEAC Status - Changed to "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport is with the consulate"
Date - 12/2/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been received from consulate and is being prepped for delivery"
Date - 12/3/2020
Milestone - Received unstamped passport and 221g via courier.White 221g asking to walk-in for an in-person interview on any business day before 10AM. No additional documents asked for. Please note that my 221g did NOT ask me to wait for the interview until after the consulate has resumed regular operations. Still, I emailed the consulate to confirm if I could just walk-in on any business day, and I received an immediate confirmation from them.
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/1/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been received from consulate and is being prepped for delivery"
Date - 12/4/2020
Milestone - Walk-in interview at the consulate and DS-5535
Went to the New Delhi consulate at 830 AM. Showed the 221g slip and a print of the consulate's reply to my email from 12/3 at the applicant desk outside the consulate. The lady at the desk called inside the consulate, confirmed some details and let me in. Carried ALL possible documentation for the interview even though I was not explicitly asked to bring any documentation.
The Interview was short and odd.
VO - Handover Passport and I797
VO - Do you have an emergency appointment letter?
Me - No. I am appearing for this interview per the 221g instructions. Handed over 221gV
O - Ok but explain why is your case so critical that you must go back to the US immediately?
Me - I am an mid-senior level FTE in a start-up and I work on mission critical projects such as xyz for my employer....blah blah.
VO - [expressionless] - But the president proclamation (PP) is in effect.
Me - I am exempt from PP since I was in the US between 01/2020 and 11/2020.
VO - Typed something on the computer. Took my documents and left the window (possibly to consult with another person). Returned 4-5 mins later. Handed my passport and docs back, and asked me to go to window#1 for further instructions.
Me - Is my visa approved?
VO - I cannot approve the visa at this time. We need some more information from you. Do not worry. Go to window#1 for further instructions.
Me - I took my passport and docs to window #1
Window#1 - Handed me a white form asking me to submit a DS-5535 form. Told me that I will receive an email from the consulate with the form that I need to fill. I will need to send the filled form back via email.
Me - At the time I had NO clue what a DS-5535 is and how long it could take so I pleaded with the officer at window#1 to keep my passport at the consulate to avoid the hassle of coming back to the embassy again on short notice.
Window#1 - Consulted with some colleagues and agreed to keep my passport and docs at the consulate.
Me - Left the consulate. After I got home, I researched DS-5535. I freaked out reading the information I found online about how complex DS-5535 and how the administrative processing could take forever. Received the form via email (word doc attachment) from the consulate in the afternoon
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/4/2020
Milestone - Filling the DS-5535. Filling this form can be very draining in itself. Among other things, the DS-5535 asks for -
- 15 year travel history with dates of travel, purpose of funding for travel etc - I have travelled extensively for work and tourism (40+ countries) but never to any country restricted by the US - 15 address history
- All email addresses and phone numbers used in the last 5 years
- All social media handles
Took me 6+ hours to fill this monster. I provided the info as accurately and honestly as I could but I think I still missed a couple of things here and there (like phone#, email and social media handles)
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/5/2020
Milestone - Submitted the filled DS - 5535 via email. Received an email from the consulate confirming the receipt - looked like an auto-generated email.
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/4/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/6/2020 to 12/10/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/5/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/11/2020
Milestone - Case updated date changed from 12/5/2020 to 12/11/2020
CEAC Status - "Refused". Case updated date = 12/11/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/14/2020
Milestone - Case status changed from "Refused" to "Administrative Processing". Case updated date changed to 12/14/2020
CEAC Status - "Administrative Processing". Case updated date = 12/14/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/15/2020
Milestone - Case updated date changed to 12/15/2020
CEAC Status - "Administrative Processing". Case updated date = 12/15/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/16/2020
Milestone - Case status changed from "Administrative Processing" to Issued. Case updated date changed to 12/16/2020
CEAC Status - "Issued". Case updated date = 12/16/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
Date - 12/21/2020
Milestone - Received the stamped passport back via courier. The stamp has two annotations - "Security clearance received 12/9/2020" and "Exempted from PP"
CEAC Status - "Issued". Case updated date = 12/16/2020
USTravelDocs Status - "Passport has been picked up"
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