H1B, H4 Visa

Hello all,

Thanks to this community for all the help from people sharing experiences and supporting each other when illiterate on visa/immigration related details.

I attended my visa interview at the Frankfurt US consulate, Germany very recently (March 27th) and was successful in getting the H1b visa stamped. There were not many experiences available to refer to in the recent and particularly about taking an interview from another country than the home country.

A quick background of me is that I am currently working in the US on the H1b on my 8th year with an approved I-140 (from my previous company) and was travelling to Germany for work with a recently expired Visa and an approved I-797 though.

I had my visa appointment booked for 7.30am and after my experience, would highly recommend that timing if available. The main reason being the parking availability as you are asked to park on the streets close to the consulate entrance and that place seems to be a tough one to find a parking. The early morning appointment was perfect to find a few spots close enough to the entrance.

I was the first applicant for the non-immigrant visa line (they have 2 lines – non-immigrant visa and immigrant visa). When the boots opened, I was the first to be called and then proceeded to the entrance where they had the security screening and was directed to a second building. Entering the second building, was asked to go over to a counter to get my finger prints and verifying the DS-160. With that out of the way, was asked to go ahead and stand to be called by the counters where the Visa Officers (VO) were just getting settled down.

Being the first, was quickly called over by the first VO.

ME: Good morning!
VO: Hello, May I see the passport and application.
ME: Absolutely! Here is my passport and the DS form.

VO: (after a min) so, you are applying for the H1b Visa, right? Renewal?
ME: Yes ma’am. My Visa just expired last month and would like to renew the same.

VO: (Typing something) so, you studied in the US. Where did you go to school?
ME: Yes ma’am. I did my masters in the US. I went to xxx.

VO: What did you study?
ME: I did my masters in xxx.

VO: Good. Alright, your visa is approved and you should get it in mail, in a weeks’ time.
ME: Thank you very much. May I ask for a request?

VO: Sure, Go ahead.
ME: Being on a business trip to Germany, I am currently residing in a hotel close the Frankfurt airport. I would like to see if there would be an option to pick up the passport instead of having it mailed.

VO: When are you flying back?
ME: I don’t leave until the end of the week, Saturday.

VO: Then, you should be fine.
ME: MY problem is definitely not the timing ma’am. The place and hotel that I am currently put up in, is located in a region of several hotels and checking with the hotel staff, there was a little hesitation presented by those folks mentioning about past experiences of missed and mixed deliveries among these hotels and being a passport, I would prefer not taking that risk.

VO: Alight, give me your phone number and I will have you called once the passport is ready. You may come here and pick it up at the entrance counter.
ME: Thanks much. That would help a lot. xxx-xxx-xxxx is my phone number.

I was surprised by how pleasant the VO was and walked out of the building out back to the entrance. Received a call from the consulate in a days’ time to pick-up my passport the following day in the morning.

Good luck to all readers here!