Please!Please Help!!-New visa process: How soon should I start looking for dates?

[ssd8278]

Hello!
My husband is on H1B visa and I am on H4 visa. We will be visiting India in November and plan to give the OFC biometrics on 23rd November and the main interview on 26th Nov. We had a few questions regarding the dates availability since the process has changed.

1. To get an interview date of say 23rd Nov..what would be the best time to start checking for that date? Can I book an appointment for 23rd Nov today? or is there a limited number of dates that are released within a specific time.

2. According to the new process, there is not a way to check the interview dates availability. I would have to schedule an appointment and then see if the desired date is available or not. Is this is the only way to check dates availability? If yes, then since I cannot check dates without entering my visa fee and DS 160 details, how many times can I check dates with the same visa fee info? The website says there is a limit to the # of times I can change/cancel my appointment.. So,how many times can I cancel/change my appointment?

Anyone who has appeared for the interview on the new process,Please advise.
Thanks!

[jminu]

I'm looking for an answer to this question too..Hope someone responds

[sg050287]

The only way to check dates is by scheduling the appointment. I could see dates up to 2 weeks.

[jminu]

Please!Please Help!!-New visa process: How soon should I start looking for dates?

Thanks for sharing your experience..

[pixie4321]

Hello!
My husband is on H1B visa and I am on H4 visa. We will be visiting India in November and plan to give the OFC biometrics on 23rd November and the main interview on 26th Nov. We had a few questions regarding the dates availability since the process has changed.

1. To get an interview date of say 23rd Nov..what would be the best time to start checking for that date? Can I book an appointment for 23rd Nov today? or is there a limited number of dates that are released within a specific time.

2. According to the new process, there is not a way to check the interview dates availability. I would have to schedule an appointment and then see if the desired date is available or not. Is this is the only way to check dates availability? If yes, then since I cannot check dates without entering my visa fee and DS 160 details, how many times can I check dates with the same visa fee info? The website says there is a limit to the # of times I can change/cancel my appointment.. So,how many times can I cancel/change my appointment?

Anyone who has appeared for the interview on the new process,Please advise.
Thanks!

Hi,
I am one of the unfortunate ones who was the among the first ones to go through the interview under the new procedure. I am so frustrated with the new system, that I really wanted to share all my experiences here. Hope this helps - here are some of my inputs:
1. Yes, you need to have a valid DS160 and visa fee receipt to look at the available dates. You cannot just look for available dates without having these 2 things.
2. You can just look at the available dates, just don't schedule the appointment if you are not sure. The new system asks for DS160, passport, and other details; it first shows the date for interview with the embassy, and next shows the appointment for biometrics. Have a look at this, and hit "Schedule Appointment" only after you are ok with the date. Otherwise, you can hit the back button and not schedule anything. I am not sure how many times you can reschedule your appointment.
3. I was able to get a date for interview within a span of just 3 days. If you call the help center number, and hit the option for average wait times for scheduling an interview, you will get to know this information.

The new process is not as convenient as the previous system. I say this because of the following reasons:
- There is no option to collect the passport at the counter on the next day. It has to come through courier, and needs to be picked up at a pick up location. Otherwise, pay Rs.300 more and get it couriered to your home. Both options take the same amount of time for passport delivery. So if you are in a hurry, there is just no option other than wait for 5-7 working days to get back your passport.
- The passport tracking is not helpful. It kept showing "Origination Scan" for 6 days after my interview. Then immediately it showed that passport is ready for pickup. So, just wait till you get an email saying passport is ready for pickup. When I asked the customer service about the status still being "Origination Scan", they were clueless about it. They did not even give me an idea how long to wait. One person even said it might take couple of weeks or couple of months also - it is embassy's discretion (he was totally clueless what he was saying).
- Customer support cannot really do anything - they just keep saying what you see on the website yourself. If you ask further questions, they still don't assist you with that, and there is no way to reach a supervisor.
- As the system is new, lot of things don't work properly on the web url. For eg, I was not able to track my passport status online, had to keep sending email.

Biometrics appointment:
The whole thing took like 15 minutes. You can take your cellphones inside, but need to switch it off. There are men and women in lavender shirts and purple ties who will assist you. They just stuck a barcode on the back of my passport (this means that biometrics is complete), took a photo and fingerprints. You can go 15-30 minutes before your appointment time.

Embassy interview:
Most of the things are similar, except that now they give a token number. You will have to keep watching monitors to see which counter will serve your number, and waiting in line is reduced.
After the interview, you will have the option to pay for the courier service for the passport to be delivered to your desired address. If you don't wish for this, then the passport will arrive at the chosen pickup location.

[jminu]

Please!Please Help!!-New visa process: How soon should I start looking for dates?

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience in such detail

[jminu]

Please!Please Help!!-New visa process: How soon should I start looking for dates?

Sorry couple of quick question.. Do I need to go for the interview first followed by biometric or order does not matter. Also how far ahead could you see the dates available.. Meaning if I submit DS160 and have receipt num today, can I see dates in Dec

[ssd8278]

Hi,
I am one of the unfortunate ones who was the among the first ones to go through the interview under the new procedure. I am so frustrated with the new system, that I really wanted to share all my experiences here. Hope this helps - here are some of my inputs:
1. Yes, you need to have a valid DS160 and visa fee receipt to look at the available dates. You cannot just look for available dates without having these 2 things.
2. You can just look at the available dates, just don't schedule the appointment if you are not sure. The new system asks for DS160, passport, and other details; it first shows the date for interview with the embassy, and next shows the appointment for biometrics. Have a look at this, and hit "Schedule Appointment" only after you are ok with the date. Otherwise, you can hit the back button and not schedule anything. I am not sure how many times you can reschedule your appointment.
3. I was able to get a date for interview within a span of just 3 days. If you call the help center number, and hit the option for average wait times for scheduling an interview, you will get to know this information.

The new process is not as convenient as the previous system. I say this because of the following reasons:
- There is no option to collect the passport at the counter on the next day. It has to come through courier, and needs to be picked up at a pick up location. Otherwise, pay Rs.300 more and get it couriered to your home. Both options take the same amount of time for passport delivery. So if you are in a hurry, there is just no option other than wait for 5-7 working days to get back your passport.
- The passport tracking is not helpful. It kept showing "Origination Scan" for 6 days after my interview. Then immediately it showed that passport is ready for pickup. So, just wait till you get an email saying passport is ready for pickup. When I asked the customer service about the status still being "Origination Scan", they were clueless about it. They did not even give me an idea how long to wait. One person even said it might take couple of weeks or couple of months also - it is embassy's discretion (he was totally clueless what he was saying).
- Customer support cannot really do anything - they just keep saying what you see on the website yourself. If you ask further questions, they still don't assist you with that, and there is no way to reach a supervisor.
- As the system is new, lot of things don't work properly on the web url. For eg, I was not able to track my passport status online, had to keep sending email.

Biometrics appointment:
The whole thing took like 15 minutes. You can take your cellphones inside, but need to switch it off. There are men and women in lavender shirts and purple ties who will assist you. They just stuck a barcode on the back of my passport (this means that biometrics is complete), took a photo and fingerprints. You can go 15-30 minutes before your appointment time.

Embassy interview:
Most of the things are similar, except that now they give a token number. You will have to keep watching monitors to see which counter will serve your number, and waiting in line is reduced.
After the interview, you will have the option to pay for the courier service for the passport to be delivered to your desired address. If you don't wish for this, then the passport will arrive at the chosen pickup location.

Thanks so much for replying in so much detail!! This really helps.. )

[pt2012]

Still looking for H1 B dates

Hi,

I am trying to look for a date for my h1b stamping in November. When I checked yesterday only October dates were open. When I checked dates today the entire December dates opened up but no November dates which is wierd.

It would be great if someone can post their experience with their scheduling experience here.

[propoo]

Hi,

I am trying to look for a date for my h1b stamping in November. When I checked yesterday only October dates were open. When I checked dates today the entire December dates opened up but no November dates which is wierd.

It would be great if someone can post their experience with their scheduling experience here.

I am frustrated while scheduling my interview. wanted to take Nov first week appt., dates were open until yesterday for physical interview but biometric was available only until oct 25. when next week of nov. opened there is no biometric available close to those dates. problem is they are opening both dates out of synch

[pt2012]

Keep track of dates

I am frustrated while scheduling my interview. wanted to take Nov first week appt., dates were open until yesterday for physical interview but biometric was available only until oct 25. when next week of nov. opened there is no biometric available close to those dates. problem is they are opening both dates out of synch

Ya I had seen that as well. I am trying for second week of November.. I will keep posting here if any dates opens up.