L1, L2 Visa

Hi All,

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences, it helped me a lot to prepare, now its my turn to share my experience.

OFC - Entire process happened within 20 min.
Key point - Ensure your DS160 is correct, and it matches with your passport.
If not, make your corrections, and carry the latest DS160 confirmation letter (they didnt bother the old ones).
You can make changes at the OFC center.

Consulate
It took more time (2 hrs for me), if you have kids, you get go faster.

We (L1 Blanket cases) need to arrange our documents in a certain order, I129 (3), I797 (3), DS160, DD, Passport. But we will get some decent time to put it together. Better be prepared to avoid panic.

Better take the DD for the Fraud prevention fee OR Cash or Credit card. Debit card not accepted.

After biometric verification, you get on to the Visa interview queue.

All the rooms/walls are sound-proof, no echo, so you don't need to panic about not hearing the VO clearly.

The Interview

VO: Hi,
Me: Hi, Good morning, how are you doing? (puts VO at comfort)
VO: I'm doing good, thanks,

VO: (browses I129S)
VO: What is your designation
Me: Sr. manager

VO: which company you are?
me: ABC

VO - How many years you are working with this company
Me: xx years

VO: Who is your client?
Me: XYZ

VO: Who you will report into?
Me: Account director

VO: what is your salary?
Me: xxx $

VO: How many reportees you have?
Me: xx reportees

VO: How many will be direct?
Me: y project managers and zz indirect, mix of people

VO: Congrats, your visa is approved.

Key pointers

1. Understand that, VO is only trying to understand you and your role, and see if you are fit for the visa category and not trying to put you down.

2. When you prepare, prepare a story, strong enough to cover all the possible questions, but when you respond to the "what you will do" question, give only the strong point. Don't give anything additional. If they want clarity, they will ask more.

Ensure that you are covering your strongest point in your first response. Rest of the Q&A (if at all comes up) should be only to substantiate your first point.

(Luckily I didnt get to that level, but preparing that way made me feel confident)

3. Getting verbose, shows that we are very desperate and we have "prepared", it also unnecessarily draws lot of questions. Answering to the point, shows we are confident.

4. Keep smiling, don't show your tension, talk confidently.

5. Resist yourselves from observing how others are responding. It will not help.

6. If you are in Blanket, and failed to get visa, you can still go for Individual, which is lengthy but high probability to get the visa. So don't stress yourself to get it.

All the best,