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I have done my masters in mech engg. from US and had shifted to IT through a desi consultancy. I was a bit worried about my visa stamping as I have a mech engg. background. I was applying for H1B first time as I was on OPT and then H1B had started in Oct. 07 and I hadn't been back to India or Mexico to stamp.
I have been visiting the forums since a long time and have gotten some useful tips from you all… I thought I might as well share my experience while it’s still fresh in my memory.
I reached Chennai from Bangalore the day before the visa interview and stayed in a small hotel. I thought of making use of the VFS’ Star and Stripes Lounge since suitcase and cell phone is not allowed inside the consulate, come what may. What a waste of Rs. 250 (fee for using lounge)… They gave me a miserly made sandwich and a Café Coffee Day’s coffee… not costing them more than Rs. 25.
The VFS bus took me to the consulate which is not more than 5 minutes driving distance. After initial frisking, you are let into the pre-interview check stage where they check your DS-156, DS-157, fingerprinting, etc. Some of these window clerks are extremely rude and keep shouting through the microphone. Your forms, passports, etc are put into a plastic folder and you are guided to another building where the interviews take place.
My interview lasted only 2 minutes although it took more than 2 hours to arrive there.
Visa Officer (American): Hello, How are you?
Me: Good Morning, I’m fine, How about you?
Visa Officer: Fine. You are applying for H1B visa for the first time, what kind of job will you be doing?
Me: blah blah blah… about 2 sentences.
Visa Officer: Where are you going to be working? End Client’s office or your company’s office in US?
Me: Already working at End Client’s site since more than a year.
Visa Officer: You have done your masters, so were you working on OPT?
Me: No, worked at ABC before on OPT now working at XYZ.
Visa Officer: When did your OPT finish?
Me: mm/dd/yyyy date. I have my OPT card if you want to look at it.
Visa Officer: No, that’s not necessary.
Visa Officer put a cancellation stamp on my student visa, and then asked me to show the master’s degree certificate. I held it up against the glass and he looked at it for 10 seconds.
Visa Officer: Do you work for a software consultancy? Please show me your recent pay stubs.
Me: Yes, I work for **** . Sure.
Visa Officer flipped through my paystubs for 15-20 seconds. Then he handed them back to me.
Visa Officer: I’m granting you the visa. It will reach you within a week. (He kept my passport and application forms, returned me the H1B petition and original I-797.)
Me: Thank you. Have a nice day.
Visa Officer: You too man.
Called up my parents to tell them about it, caught a flight in the evening to fly back home. Happy ending.
I have been visiting the forums since a long time and have gotten some useful tips from you all… I thought I might as well share my experience while it’s still fresh in my memory.
I reached Chennai from Bangalore the day before the visa interview and stayed in a small hotel. I thought of making use of the VFS’ Star and Stripes Lounge since suitcase and cell phone is not allowed inside the consulate, come what may. What a waste of Rs. 250 (fee for using lounge)… They gave me a miserly made sandwich and a Café Coffee Day’s coffee… not costing them more than Rs. 25.
The VFS bus took me to the consulate which is not more than 5 minutes driving distance. After initial frisking, you are let into the pre-interview check stage where they check your DS-156, DS-157, fingerprinting, etc. Some of these window clerks are extremely rude and keep shouting through the microphone. Your forms, passports, etc are put into a plastic folder and you are guided to another building where the interviews take place.
My interview lasted only 2 minutes although it took more than 2 hours to arrive there.
Visa Officer (American): Hello, How are you?
Me: Good Morning, I’m fine, How about you?
Visa Officer: Fine. You are applying for H1B visa for the first time, what kind of job will you be doing?
Me: blah blah blah… about 2 sentences.
Visa Officer: Where are you going to be working? End Client’s office or your company’s office in US?
Me: Already working at End Client’s site since more than a year.
Visa Officer: You have done your masters, so were you working on OPT?
Me: No, worked at ABC before on OPT now working at XYZ.
Visa Officer: When did your OPT finish?
Me: mm/dd/yyyy date. I have my OPT card if you want to look at it.
Visa Officer: No, that’s not necessary.
Visa Officer put a cancellation stamp on my student visa, and then asked me to show the master’s degree certificate. I held it up against the glass and he looked at it for 10 seconds.
Visa Officer: Do you work for a software consultancy? Please show me your recent pay stubs.
Me: Yes, I work for **** . Sure.
Visa Officer flipped through my paystubs for 15-20 seconds. Then he handed them back to me.
Visa Officer: I’m granting you the visa. It will reach you within a week. (He kept my passport and application forms, returned me the H1B petition and original I-797.)
Me: Thank you. Have a nice day.
Visa Officer: You too man.
Called up my parents to tell them about it, caught a flight in the evening to fly back home. Happy ending.
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