L1, L2 Visa

Hi Guys.
Time for me to share few things with the forum.
My L1 B Blanket Visa got approved from Chennai US Consulate on May 01, 2017

About me:
- I have almost 12 years of experience in YYYY domain.
- Company filed my L1 B under the Blanket petition and I have just completed 2 years with the firm

OFC Process: In Mumbai VFS, time slot 9 AM, 28th April.
Went pretty smooth, took 30 mins and the complete process got over as directed by the VFS people.

Interview Process: Chennai, timeslot 10 AM, 1 May
• Landed Chennai on 30th April and reached hotel.
• Reached US consulate at 9:15 am from hotel 01 May 1, 2017. No need to go early, you will be waiting in the sun. Instead be at your hotel/ home and use the time to prepare.
• Fairly decent movement through queues, hot and humid day. If you have a family you are lucky to skip queues.
• Initial security checking, nothing allowed except documents and some money, I kept everything else at the hotel to avoid any tension.
• One guy asked to arrange the documents, I129S, DD, first page of I197, DS160 Confirmation and passport. Had to wait since there was only one attendant and he was directing other applicants as well with B1 (lots of applications that day) H1 and L1 Individuals.
• Multiple ticks on the passport (on the sticker pasted on during OFC) all through the queue movements don’t know why.
• Then came the DD’s turn to be deposited at one counter and gave me two receipts.
• Directed to another window where they checked the passport (again!) and directed for fingerprint (again!!)
• Asked to stand in the final queue and waiting for a VO. I intentionally did not notice how others are answering, what is happening to their Visa process or anything kept focusing on my preparing and praying to almighty god.
• Questions asked:
1. Why are you going to the US?
2. What is your name?
3. While looking at the petition, you work for?
4. What is your specialization?
5. Will you be working for Client?
6. What is the duration of your stay?

• Visa got approved, handed me over two copies of I129S, kept one and the Passport.
• I happily left consulate and departed for Mumbai

My Takeaways and recommendation:
1. Prepare well for your interview. Browse through initial pages of this forum and you will get a sense of what can be asked and how to prepare. I prepared very thoroughly since its one big lifetime opportunity and I did not want to miss it anyhow.
2. Go through all the L1B Q&A and skip L1A, as the questions differ by a large margin. I thank the forum for providing this immense knowledge
3. No need to worry about your tenure in the company filed your Visa, you should have an expertise in their proprietary tools and you should have a niche skill. Focus on the latter. I prepared my skill set, multiple iterations and refining it in each during prepartion
4. No interview goes without them asking about your specialization, make sure you prepare that very very properly and makes you stand out from the crowd. Should be a mixed bag of technical and non-technical so that Visa Officer can understand.
5. Be confident, try not to fumble, make an eye contact and keep smiling – these are all the keys
6. Try to avoid putting client’s name while you are framing your answers, this is for intracompany transfer strictly. Working from Client location can land you up in a different visa category (H1B) and chances are you application getting rejected. For L1 B there is no LCA required and is abused where the client dictates the roles while on L1.

People say its luck that you get a US visa, but I would say for luck to be in your favor you need to work towards it and this Visa requires preparation and that’s what I did.

Best of Luck guys and in case you need help please reply to this thread, I will be glad to answer

-