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L1A Individual Approved- London
It's my turn to give feedback who can be useful for others.
My case was a different case and i could not find even a single case like mine on this forum. So i feel its more important for me to share my experience.
I applied for L1A Individual in July 2015 from India. Till Feb 2016 nothing happened and then i got a RFE . Basis on my experience and research most of the times RFE in L1A is for Managerial capacities, which means one needs to explain the responsibilities in detailed manner. If anyone tells you to not modify the document too much, he/she doesn't have any idea about L1A. An RFE is issued because your responsibilities are not clearly articulated and USCS is looking for more details. Which means the more clear details you provide the more the chances are of clearing RFE.
Like most of other people i also though my chances are gone. But then i started working on my papers very carefully and i almost changed whole responsibilities section and detailed it out in a very logical and clear language to a very large extend.
I re-submitted my papers in Feb-2016 itself. In between i travelled to UK on work permit and in June-2016 I got the intimation that basis on my response to RFE, the petition is approved. So first major hurdle is cleared. On my original petition letter the consulate was mentioned as New Delhi.
But at this time i was in UK only. I tried to find out if i can appear for PI in UK only or i need to travel to India for the same. Also if i can appear in UK, does it add any risk to my L1 stamping. So i did my research within my organisation and outside also. I got the answer only to first part that I can appear in UK, however for the second question i took a risk. I could not find any feedback for London US embassy in this forum or any other forum. Even for the first question also there are few eligibility criteria i.e. You should have spend at least 3 months in UK on work permit and remaining time period on your WP should be more then 3 months.
I booked the appointment for London Embassy. I could see only two slots while booking i.e. 8:00am and 8:30am for any day. Not sure why coz i have seen people coming for 9:00am sessions also. I booked 8:30am slot and we arrived a day earlier to London since we stays outside London.
Interview Date:14th July
Location: London Embassy
We have reached at the embassy by 7:45am and there were already 2 lines for various US Visas. In this line they will check your Passport and DS-160. Post that you will go inside the embassy. Though we didn't carry mobile phone, but it seems this is the only US embassy in world where mobile phones(no tablet or Laptops) inside the embassy are allowed. I was aware of this basis on my research however i prefer not to take it. By 8:30am we were inside the embassy. On the reception the lady checked our DS-160 and passport again and gave us the token number. Please note that its important to take token from reception else you have to come down again. Post that we reached to the first floor. There is proper seating area, very small snacks counter, photo booth, big screen to show you the number and window details. We have waited for less then half n hour and our number came for first set of windows. At first I could not understand if this is the document and biometric window only or interview window as well. Anyways i understood later that its just for document check, scanning and arrangement, photo scan and biometrics. The lady asked for Passport, Original Petition letter, photographs and UK BRP card which shows the VISA validity of UK. She scanned the docs and prepared one file for Me, my wife and daughter and asks us to move to the other section where interviews were taking place. So we moved to another area and without loosing anytime we were at the next window facing the interviewer. Here is the Q&A Part.
Q.1. How are you doing today?
Ans: I'm doing perfect (Although inside it doesn't seems like perfect at all :) )
Q.2. Which VISA you are applying for?
Ans: L1A
Q.3. Which company you are working for:
Ans: <Replied with company name>
Q.4 How long you are working with this organisation?
Ans: 3 years
Q.5. And you are still working with YYYY Dept.?
Ans: Yes mam.
After this she started working on computer and then confirmed us that our VISA is approved and we will get our passports within a week. She kept our passports and original petition letter. No questions were asked to my wife and daughter. We were out in 40 minutes i.e. by 9:10am.
It doesn't seems like an interview at all. She asked these questions just for the sake of asking. It seems L1A interviews outside india are not that grilled one even the blanket one.
Few Summary points:
1. It doesn't matter incase you applied for L1 in one country and going for Interview in another country if you meet the criteria i.e. your company has registered office in that country, you have stayed at least for 3 months and you have min 3 months left on your VISA.
2. I have carried additional documents for UK like last 3 months UK salary slips, UK bank statements, UK address proof (Utility Bill) & UK Biometric Residence Card. They have not checked anything except BRP card. But its good to carry them.
3. Try and take 8:00 or 8:30 appointment since the crowd is less in these batches. I have seen long queues when we came out and pretty sure for anyone standing in those ques it will not take anything less then 3-4 hours overall.
4. You can carry mobile phone, umbrellas, small hand bags. Check for mobile phones always before your interview coz that can be stopped at any point of time.
5. Attending these interviews with family surely helps, i can't explain how. Specially your kids do something or other which brings smiles to people taking your documents or interview. My daughter kept asking them if she can scan her hand too and ladies at both the counter allowed her to do that just to make her satisfy. So if you have family try and process both L1 and L2 together.
6. I was not asked for any typical questions but still you should be prepared for few important questions like 1. What will be your roles and responsibilities. 2. What is your managers responsibilities. 3. If you are going to work from client location, does this means you will be working as sub contractor? (If by any chance you answer this question as Yes, you are gone) 4. How many people reports to you?
Few of my friends appeared for the L1A in india/Singapore were asked such questions and these questions are the ones which can make your case strong or week.
7. There are no photos clicked inside the embassy unlike india. So either you can upload photo while filling DS-160 or you need to carry a physical photo. You can also take a photo from the photo booths inside, but why to take risk.
Thats it from my side. Hope this will help guys who are looking for a similar case as mine.
Once again thanks to all the people who left their feedback and good luck to all who are going for this.
My case was a different case and i could not find even a single case like mine on this forum. So i feel its more important for me to share my experience.
I applied for L1A Individual in July 2015 from India. Till Feb 2016 nothing happened and then i got a RFE . Basis on my experience and research most of the times RFE in L1A is for Managerial capacities, which means one needs to explain the responsibilities in detailed manner. If anyone tells you to not modify the document too much, he/she doesn't have any idea about L1A. An RFE is issued because your responsibilities are not clearly articulated and USCS is looking for more details. Which means the more clear details you provide the more the chances are of clearing RFE.
Like most of other people i also though my chances are gone. But then i started working on my papers very carefully and i almost changed whole responsibilities section and detailed it out in a very logical and clear language to a very large extend.
I re-submitted my papers in Feb-2016 itself. In between i travelled to UK on work permit and in June-2016 I got the intimation that basis on my response to RFE, the petition is approved. So first major hurdle is cleared. On my original petition letter the consulate was mentioned as New Delhi.
But at this time i was in UK only. I tried to find out if i can appear for PI in UK only or i need to travel to India for the same. Also if i can appear in UK, does it add any risk to my L1 stamping. So i did my research within my organisation and outside also. I got the answer only to first part that I can appear in UK, however for the second question i took a risk. I could not find any feedback for London US embassy in this forum or any other forum. Even for the first question also there are few eligibility criteria i.e. You should have spend at least 3 months in UK on work permit and remaining time period on your WP should be more then 3 months.
I booked the appointment for London Embassy. I could see only two slots while booking i.e. 8:00am and 8:30am for any day. Not sure why coz i have seen people coming for 9:00am sessions also. I booked 8:30am slot and we arrived a day earlier to London since we stays outside London.
Interview Date:14th July
Location: London Embassy
We have reached at the embassy by 7:45am and there were already 2 lines for various US Visas. In this line they will check your Passport and DS-160. Post that you will go inside the embassy. Though we didn't carry mobile phone, but it seems this is the only US embassy in world where mobile phones(no tablet or Laptops) inside the embassy are allowed. I was aware of this basis on my research however i prefer not to take it. By 8:30am we were inside the embassy. On the reception the lady checked our DS-160 and passport again and gave us the token number. Please note that its important to take token from reception else you have to come down again. Post that we reached to the first floor. There is proper seating area, very small snacks counter, photo booth, big screen to show you the number and window details. We have waited for less then half n hour and our number came for first set of windows. At first I could not understand if this is the document and biometric window only or interview window as well. Anyways i understood later that its just for document check, scanning and arrangement, photo scan and biometrics. The lady asked for Passport, Original Petition letter, photographs and UK BRP card which shows the VISA validity of UK. She scanned the docs and prepared one file for Me, my wife and daughter and asks us to move to the other section where interviews were taking place. So we moved to another area and without loosing anytime we were at the next window facing the interviewer. Here is the Q&A Part.
Q.1. How are you doing today?
Ans: I'm doing perfect (Although inside it doesn't seems like perfect at all :) )
Q.2. Which VISA you are applying for?
Ans: L1A
Q.3. Which company you are working for:
Ans: <Replied with company name>
Q.4 How long you are working with this organisation?
Ans: 3 years
Q.5. And you are still working with YYYY Dept.?
Ans: Yes mam.
After this she started working on computer and then confirmed us that our VISA is approved and we will get our passports within a week. She kept our passports and original petition letter. No questions were asked to my wife and daughter. We were out in 40 minutes i.e. by 9:10am.
It doesn't seems like an interview at all. She asked these questions just for the sake of asking. It seems L1A interviews outside india are not that grilled one even the blanket one.
Few Summary points:
1. It doesn't matter incase you applied for L1 in one country and going for Interview in another country if you meet the criteria i.e. your company has registered office in that country, you have stayed at least for 3 months and you have min 3 months left on your VISA.
2. I have carried additional documents for UK like last 3 months UK salary slips, UK bank statements, UK address proof (Utility Bill) & UK Biometric Residence Card. They have not checked anything except BRP card. But its good to carry them.
3. Try and take 8:00 or 8:30 appointment since the crowd is less in these batches. I have seen long queues when we came out and pretty sure for anyone standing in those ques it will not take anything less then 3-4 hours overall.
4. You can carry mobile phone, umbrellas, small hand bags. Check for mobile phones always before your interview coz that can be stopped at any point of time.
5. Attending these interviews with family surely helps, i can't explain how. Specially your kids do something or other which brings smiles to people taking your documents or interview. My daughter kept asking them if she can scan her hand too and ladies at both the counter allowed her to do that just to make her satisfy. So if you have family try and process both L1 and L2 together.
6. I was not asked for any typical questions but still you should be prepared for few important questions like 1. What will be your roles and responsibilities. 2. What is your managers responsibilities. 3. If you are going to work from client location, does this means you will be working as sub contractor? (If by any chance you answer this question as Yes, you are gone) 4. How many people reports to you?
Few of my friends appeared for the L1A in india/Singapore were asked such questions and these questions are the ones which can make your case strong or week.
7. There are no photos clicked inside the embassy unlike india. So either you can upload photo while filling DS-160 or you need to carry a physical photo. You can also take a photo from the photo booths inside, but why to take risk.
Thats it from my side. Hope this will help guys who are looking for a similar case as mine.
Once again thanks to all the people who left their feedback and good luck to all who are going for this.
All Replies (5)
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