H1B, H4 Visa

Resp sir i visited us consulate mumbai on 31-05-05
officer there asked me question regarding my us company like who onw the co. ? where is ur co. in us ? how many people work for ur co. ? what does
it does ? I replied all quest nicely then he asked me to show my graduation certiface he took
inside & came after 10 min & said pl wait for some time anohther officer will call you by ur name

I waited for 4 hrs untill one officer cal me
& said that we inquired at your college they say
that there in no person by this name studied in this college i was totally amazed by this answer i said that i can prove it that there is nothing fake in this doc all are genuim.
my lot of request he said ok your bring dd of Rs200 in favor of your college name & we will send in writing to him & on there reply we will contact you

Sir can you pl guide me in above matter now what should i do ?
i am going after 2 dyas with dd to mumbai consulate

Thanking you
samir

I would appreciate inputs from anyone regarding their experience with 7th or 8th year visa stamping experience. Do they ask any special questions for 7th or 8th year visa stamping? is it tricky to get it done in India?

I would appreciate any comments

I have received a lot of information from this forum and now I would like to contribute something and share my own experience. I got my H1b visa stamped successfully from Ottawa on the 31st of May. I drove down from Detroit with three more of my friends who were going for the same purpose. All of us got stamped successfully. We left on the 28th and visited Toronto, Niagara Falls and its surrounding areas. Canada is very beautiful and the people are very polite and helpful. The quality of roads is also better as compared to US.
All of us already had our Canadian Visa stamped in Detroit. The Canadian immigration officer at the port of entry just asked us for the purpose of our visit and checked our passports. After having fun for three days we finally left for Ottawa on the 30th of May. We reached at around 6 pm and checked into Prestige inn motel. Prestige inn can be a good choice if you don’t want to spend too much.
Here’s the details:-
Prestige Inn Hotel
Rent is $39 + Tax = $ 45 CAD
Distance from Embassy = 2.5 miles
Phone – (613) 747-1011
Car Parking is free unlike other hotels.
In the evening we went out to downtown Ottawa and visited the embassy form the outside so that we remember the route and don’t lose time searching for it the next morning. Our appointment was at 9:30 am but we reached there at 8:30 am. We thought it was a good idea to enter early since there was a long line of people waiting to get in but the guard at the entrance told us to come 15 min before the actual appointment. So we went to nearby café and had breakfast. There are a lot of paid parking meter spots available near the embassy. Its always a good idea to reach a little early so that you have sufficient time to look around for a good parking spot. Also carry enough Canadian dollar/quarter coins. The max parking time is 2 hrs and the parking meter gets incremented for 6 min for every quarter.
We reached the entrance at 9:10 and this time guard let us in. He looked at our appointment letter and checked it against his own list. He then asked us if we were carrying all the necessary docs and if we had any electronic items with us. Make sure to leave your cell phone and any other electronic items in the car/hotel. If your car keys have remote, you may deposit them with the security guard and collect them later when you leave. The security guard let three/four people in at a time to the main door. There was a line of people at the main door and another security guard was letting in two people at a time to go through the metal detectors. After the security check, you will be let in from the left door which has a long aisle and a room. There are eight counters/windows in total for various purposes and interviews.
Interview Counter 1 – Male
Interview Counter 2 – Male
Interview Counter 3 – Female
Counter 4 – You can see a lady busily working with computer and paper work.
She will be inputting your DS-156 and DS-157 papers into her computer and performing name check and other procedures.
Counter 5 – This is for Diplomatic Visas
Counter 6 – Closed
Counter 7 – Cashier window
Counter 8 – Closed
As you enter, the room has 25 seats (5x5) in total. There are a total of four computers and a printer to print forms incase you haven’t done them yet.
I joined the long line of people proceeding to counter #7. At counter #7 you are supposed to submit DS-156, DS-157, US $100 cash, passport and Form 797. He will return the DS 156 and 157 forms but will keep the other stuff. After this you are supposed to wait until you name is called from one of the three interview counters. The approximate waiting time is 20 min to 1 hr. After waiting for almost 50 min my name was called at counter #2.

Here is how the interview went:-

Me: Good Morning officer.
VO: Morning, Can I have you finger prints please. (You are supposed to place both you index fingers one at a time– left followed by right onto the scanning machine)
VO: Thank you. Can I have your Application forms.
Me: I gave him the DS-156 and 157 forms.
VO: When did you come to US?
Me: I came to US in Spring 2002 on F1 visa and joined Univ of YYYY so its been close to 3 ½ yrs now.
VO: When did you graduate?
Me: Told him the graduation date.
VO: Oh ok. So what did you do after graduation?
Me: Well, After graduation I joined YYYY company on OPT and worked for 4 months after which my H1b got approved on XX date and thereafter I’ve been working on H1b at the same company.
VO: Ok tell me your whole history in US right from the start.
Me: Told him my story starting from F1 till date including the important dates of graduation, OPT etc. He seemed to be convinced.
VO: I need some kind of proof from your employer that shows your current employment, salary etc.
Me: I gave him the letter addressed to the consular officer/embassy and offer letter from my company. He seemed to be convinced.

He then pulled out a pink form, circled India and wrote down $50 and told me to pay the amount at counter# 7 as reprocity fee that India charges. He also told me to return him the receipt before leaving the embassy. When I gave him the receipt, he gave me another slip and told me to collect the passport at 3 pm. That is it. I put all my documents back in my folder, waited for my other friends to finish their interviews and left immediately.
At this point the time was 11 am. We went to a nearby Indian restaurant called Mukut (located on rideau street) and had lunch. After this we visited the Canadian parliament and took some snaps. I suggest you visit the peace tower in the parliament since the view from its top is breathtaking and you can see almost the whole of Ottawa and some part of Quebec.
We went back to the embassy at 2:45 and joined the long line to people waiting to get their passports. I don’t think anybody got rejected that day. The security guard at the entrance starting distributing passports at 2:50. I gave him the slip given to me by the visa officer and he browsed through all the passports and gave me back my passport. I checked the visa to make sure all the details were correct. I noticed a big black stamp “Cancelled Without Prejudice” on my old F1 visa. Also they had kept my old I-94.
After this we started heading back to US immediately as it was a good 10 hr drive to Detroit. At the US port of entry we were asked to step out of our car and were asked the following questions:-
o What was your purpose of visit to Canada?
o Where is you old I-94?
o Where exactly are you going in US?
o What do you do there?
o Whose car is this?
o Did you bring back anything?
o How do you guys know each other?
We were then taken inside the immigration section. Here we were asked some of the above mentioned questions again. The immigration officer then tore out the I-94 attached to the I-797 approval form and stapled it to our passports. We were now allowed to enter US after paying the toll.

I carried the following documents, although most of them were not used.

o Recent Paystubs
o Recent Bank Statements
o Completed DS 156 with your signature
o Completed DS 157
o All I-20’s
o OPT card
o Masters Degree Certificate
o Bachelors Degree Certificate(s)
o 10th and 12th Degree + Marksheets
o Recommendation Letters
o MS and BS Degree Transcripts
o Passport
o Old I-94
o Passport sized Photos
o File folder for easy access.
o USD $150 Cash
o Tax Returns, Income tax statements and W2’s of the company
o University Student ID
o Social Security Card
o Latest Resume
o All personal W2’s for past 3 yrs
o Utility Bill (eg. Phone bill)
o State and Federal Tax Returns and Personal Tax Summary for past three years
o Appointment Confirmation Letter form Consulate
o Forms I-797A(original), I-129(copy), Copy of LCA
o Employment Letter, Offer Letter
o Names and Contact info for co-workers/managers from past job(s).
o Print-outs of Company website.

Here are some useful tips for the interview

 Maintain eye contact
 Give sharp and crisp answers
 Do not change your words
 Show confidence in answers and body language.
 Never use words like “research….” etc. in the interview.

Here’s a list of some of the questions that I had prepared for the interview. You might want to come up with your own answers for them.

1. When did you enter Canada?
2. Why did you come to Canada?
3. What is your status in Canada?
4. Why do you need H1b visa?
5. Why didn’t you go to your Home Country to get the Visa Stamped?
6. How long have you been in US?
7. How long have you been working in US?/ How long have you been with this company?/ When did you start working for this company?
8. How long have you been working on H1b?/When did your H1b start?
9. Tell me something about your Company/ What does your employer do?
10. Do you have a letter from them?
11. How did you find out about this company?/How did you get this job?
12. Where is this company located in US?
13. Where r u going stay/ currently staying in US?
14. So is this a Software Consulting firm?
15. Who will be supporting you financially? What happens if you don’t get a client?
16. Who are the clients for this company?
17. How big is your Company? (He wants to know the number of employees)
18. How many employees work in your office?
19. When was your company established?
20. How long are you planning to work there?
21. What is the website of your company?
22. What is your designation?
23. What do you do there?/What do you work on?/ What is your role in the company?
24. What are your 3 main responsibilities?
25. What is your current salary?
26. Have you ever been in a "no-job no-salary" kind of situation?
27. I need some supporting documents/proof about your company.
28. Are u planning to settle in U.S? If not, then why are you going to US?
29. Has your company filed your Green Card?
30. Which client are you working for?
31. How long have you been working with this client?
32. What makes you the best fit for this position at this US company?
33. Tell me something about your client company.
34. What project are you currently working on and where?
35. What is the duration of your Project?
36. What computer languages are you currently using for your company?
37. When did you get back from your previous visit to US?
38. You were on F1 right……which school did you go to?
39. When did you graduate?
40. Do you have a degree in Computer Science / What is your educational qualification / So, did you do your Masters in Computer Science?
41. Can you prove to me that you were on a good status as a student?
42. How long are you planning to stay in US?
43. What will you do after that?
44. When are you planning to leave for US?

Lodging (Options)

o Go to hotwire.com and select downtown Ottawa. You should be able to get a motel between $50 - $60 a night. Any motel shouldn’t be more than a 10 min walk from the consulate.
o Courtyard Ottawa Downtown (Marriot) – Two streets away from the embassy.
Address:-
350 Dalhousie Street
Ottawa, Ontario Canada
o www.qualityinn.com (Canadian Website)
o Quality Hotel at the intersection of King Edward Ave and Rideau Street.
o www.Hotels.com
o Prestige Inn Hotel
o Rent is $39 + Tax = $ 45 CAD
o Distance from Embassy = 2.5 miles
o Phone – (613) 747-1011
o Car Parking is free unlike other hotels.

Parking at consulate (Parking is big problem in Downtown Ottawa)
Options:
 Cheap Municipal Parking opposite the consulate
 The Mall – Ridaeu
 Pay park located one block from the consulate.

Other info about Ottawa downtown and its surroundings

• Check out OC transpo at www.octranspo.com for local info about traveling etc.
• US currency is accepted/exchanged everywhere (restaurants, gas stations etc.)
• Mall at the intersection of Sussex Drive and Rideau Street.
• Speed limit in Canada is 100 Km/hr i.e. about 65mph

Food
Rideau Street is one of the main streets that runs through the downtown. It changes its name to Montreal Rd after crossing downtown. It has the following three Indian restaurants:-
o Nagina
o Mukut
o Sitar

Long term stay
If in an unlikely situation you are forced to stay for a long time check out the ads posted at the University of Ottawa. You can get a good deal there (rooms for $350 CAD for 1 month without any lease hassles)

This is for those who have a myth that visa stamping requires people to travel to home country. You can very well get the stamping in Canada and Mexico. Try out Ottawa, Canada..Its quite professional and I got my visa on the same day and I travelled back to US. Remember, this was my first H1B Stamping.

My wifes and kids h4 visa interview was cool at chennai consulate..they had got a 221(g) the first time they went..and the second time they went it was really cool...they got the visa without much hassels..so guys be really cool...and do send the doc as asked..and there should be no delay in the issue of visa

My wifes and kids h4 visa interview was cool at chennai consulate..they had got a 221(g) the first time they went..and the second time they went it was really cool...they got the tickets without much hassels..so guys be really cool...and do send the doc as asked..and there should be no delay in the issue of visa

Hi
This is regarding my experience at chennai consulate,the first time when i attended the interview on 25 april 2005, The officer had given me a 221 g form and asked to furnish the documents.
 On 25 may when i had attended again i had to wait a long hours till 2.00 pm when i approached the window the officer had asked me to provide the documents and checked them.
he asked me few question
1) where would you stay
2) How did u know about this company.

and he said me to pay the fees.

Friends i suggest you to be very frank and positive and look straight into the eyes of the officer.Be clam and be very positive motivated.

Best of luck to everyone
cheers,

Could anyone help me, where to get notarization of my tax return documents. I need to send them to H4 visa stamping for my wife.

Guys:

I recently went to Calcutta to get my H1B stamped, and it was a breeze. I had stayed in the US for 13 yrs prior to this jazz and I was on a gazillion different visas including F1, H1, J1 and O1 categories. I am a doc by trade and my papers for my H1B stamping arrived from my hospital. I had no H1B cap restrictions.

The consulate staff examined very little of my extensive documentation. It was over in less than 30 seconds. Bottom line, stay calm, keep answers simple, straight and brief. Look at the officer in the eye, do not look evasive. Remember - not every case is the same ! Look positive and just because the guy prior to your interview got shot, it means nothing !

AJR

Hi ,

I attended the interview for H4 Visa on 26 th April 2005, at the U.S consulate,Chennai.I was pretty comfortable with the questions they asked and they did not screw me too much.They had a thorough look at all my documents and also my wedding photoes.They jus asked me a couple of questions such as
1)Where did u get married?
2)Do u have any intention to work in the U.S?
3)What's the name of the concern your hubby is working for..
Thats it and everything went on fine.

Just make sure you carry the required documents and stay cool...All the best!!!

Regards,
Nithya.