H1B, H4 Visa

Wanted to share my Dropbox experience at Parinee Crescenzo.

Submitted my documents on 17-June-19. Lady at the counter asked for DS-160 confirmation, Interview Waiver form, latest I-797 and 1-photo. I carried the CVS passport photo and certificate given by CVS that the photo passed all criteria as per Biometric Standard.

By looking at the photo Lady at the counter said that this photo is not good and will not be accepted. I immediately asked her why it is not accepted. To which she replied that the brightness on the image is not good. She said that you can get the new photo from the shop available on the same floor.

I presented the certificate issued by CVS and said that it passed all criteria and how you can say by looking at your naked eye that brightness level is not appropriate. To which she said that she can accept the photo which I brought but if something happens at the latter phase then she is not responsible. I said that will be fine with me. She accepted by photo and gave me the stamp on the Interview Waiver appointment form.

Below are the timelines for other phases:

18-June-2019 - Application Received
19-June-2019 - Administrative Processing
21-June-2019 - Issued.
23-June-2019 - Passport picked up.

I guess these people at the third party VAC center are running some kind of commission based scam where they don't accept the photo and force them to take photo from their shop. The reason why I am saying that because there were two people in-front of me and two people standing on side line were sent back because of not having the appropriate photo. And all the agents gave the exact same reason and ask to get the photo from their described shop.

This is my 3rd Dropbox, previous two times nothing happened like this.

Anyways I got my visa and will be traveling back after two weeks. Hope this experience review will be useful to others.

All the best!