Please help on New stamping procedure and Ammendment

[mr.csk]

Hi

Got some questions around the new stamping process (Drop box), h1b amendment and parents visa. Iam planning to go India in December.Please help

1) Company A
a) I had my initial h1b valid till Dec 2012 with company A.
b) Got visa stamped in Feb 2012 and Landed in US in Apr 2012
c) Filed extension in Aug 2012 and got it approved till Apr 2015.
d) Got the extension stamped on passport in May 2013 {went to Chennai for Biometrics and interview}
e) Returned to India in Nov 2013
f) Came back to US in May 2014 to different location

2) Company B
a) filed my transfer and got it approved Mar 2015 - May 2018
b) Moved to Company B in 2nd Apr 2015
c) New LCA filed in May 2015 since client changed and resulted in h1b amendment filing in June 2015
d) Amendment still pending approval

Please help on below doubts

3) In the appointment scheduling portal found this question - "Was your most recent H-1B visa (temporary occupation, temporary worker or trainee) issued in India after January 1, 2008? "..Does this mean my initial visa or the extension? Am not sure if to answer Yes or No for this one, since the recent stamping was an extension

4) Can i go for visa stamping with the transfer petition, if the amendment is still not approved by December? Same hold for my parents as well, for whom am planning for November.

5) Suppose if the amendment gets approved by time of interview date, can i update the interview schedule with new DS 160?


Thanx
Alex

[shervin143]

3) In the appointment scheduling portal found this question - "Was your most recent H-1B visa (temporary occupation, temporary worker or trainee) issued in India after January 1, 2008? "..Does this mean my initial visa or the extension? Am not sure if to answer Yes or No for this one, since the recent stamping was an extension
>>> Petition are visa are two different things. What you get extended in U.S in the petition and not the visa. The question clearly asks about the visa in the passport. Take your passport and look at the details there.

4) Can i go for visa stamping with the transfer petition, if the amendment is still not approved by December? Same hold for my parents as well, for whom am planning for November.
>>> Advisable to go for stamping with the amended petition. There is a premium processing that will get you the result within 15 days.

5) Suppose if the amendment gets approved by time of interview date, can i update the interview schedule with new DS 160?
>>> Nope. You need to redo the DS160 and schedule the interview again.

[mr.csk]

3) In the appointment scheduling portal found this question - "Was your most recent H-1B visa (temporary occupation, temporary worker or trainee) issued in India after January 1, 2008? "..Does this mean my initial visa or the extension? Am not sure if to answer Yes or No for this one, since the recent stamping was an extension
>>> Petition are visa are two different things. What you get extended in U.S in the petition and not the visa. The question clearly asks about the visa in the passport. Take your passport and look at the details there.

4) Can i go for visa stamping with the transfer petition, if the amendment is still not approved by December? Same hold for my parents as well, for whom am planning for November.
>>> Advisable to go for stamping with the amended petition. There is a premium processing that will get you the result within 15 days.


5) Suppose if the amendment gets approved by time of interview date, can i update the interview schedule with new DS 160?
>>> Nope. You need to redo the DS160 and schedule the interview again.

>>>>>Thanks for the quick reply. Yes both my visas on passport are issued in India and after 2008

>>>>>Sure. Does the amendment premium costs the same as extension premium or transfer premium ($1225)?


6) The drop box may be still applicable if new passport is issued .Right?

[shervin143]

Does the amendment premium costs the same as extension premium or transfer premium ($1225)?
>>> Yes.

6) The drop box may be still applicable if new passport is issued .Right?
>>> Yes.