H1B, H4 Visa

Hi
My husband's employer forgot to apply for H4 extension. i94expired in August 2018. We got to know about that in may 2019. Me and my kids left the country with the advice of attorney and submitted the documents via drop box in Hyderabad....and they called for the interview...

VO asked some basic questions to me and my kids..
And then she asked me about the overstay...
And I explained ...that was our first time going to US..
Just they forgot to apply for the extension...
I explained the same..

She retained my kids passports...and returned my passport..and gave me 221g white slip with second box marked..
And my kids Visa got issued..and I collected the passports.
My case was still showing Administrative processing.
We attended the interview on June 6th.
Till now no Update.

Anybody has the similar experience....

Hi All,

I am on H1B working as FTE with a major tech company. My wife travelled to India last week and since she is eligible for dropbox, she went for H4 dropbox facility and submitted all the documents. Within 2 days she got passport back with 221g form asking for

from Petitioner:
1. copy of petition with all supporting documents filed with USCIS
2. A letter form the personnel department at the US end client company stating that there is a vacancy for you
3. A detailed description of the project to which you will be assigned.
From you:
1. copy of W2 for last two years

I am confused now, why they are asking all these things for H4 stamping. My wife is not working and never worked in US.

Any recent experience or any information would help.

Below is the detailed communication between me and visa officer.

Visa interviewer :step forward
Me : hi Gm
Vo: give me passport
Me : gave passport
Vo: scanned barcode
And asked i797a copy
Me : gave the i797a copy
Vo: who is your employer
Me : told my employer name
Vo: you have stamping on emporia state university
Me: yes, I have stamping for emporia state university
Vo:- from which school did u graduate
Me :Npu
Vo: when did u transfer to Npu
Me : told her exact dates
Vo: she asked why did u transfer
Me : gave reason
Vo: based on your passport number it says that your are from farmington university
Me: I said yes
Vo: why did u join that uni Dont you know that there were no classes conducted in that university
Me: I said I was not knowing that before
I applied for 3 uni I got 2 admission
One is Farmington and other is cummbersland
But cummberland admission i got so late , so I did not have a chance so I joined this university

Vo: did u attend any classes in farmington
Me: I said no , but I used to visit the university once in a month because it is 2 miles away from my home

She took my passport and i797a copy with her and came back after 7 to 9 mins

Vo:-she asked from which university did u get your opt
Me: Npu

Vo: why did u join farmington
Me: I said during my stem extension my university lost accreditation, I have no other choice
So I applied 3 universities I got farmington and cummberlands admission but cummberland admission was little late , so I joined farmington ,

I forced that person in farmington to provide me classes , he was keep on told to see them the other week

VO: Wait for 10 mins again she way typing what I have told her

I went to USA on emporia university and later he transferred to npu
And I got opt on Npu
And later npu lost its accreditation in dec 2016
And I joined farmington in may2017
And started working at GM after transferred to farmington
AND my Sevis terminated in oct2018
And later I moved to h1b

Again waited for 5 to 10 mins
And said that your i797a copy is not there with us
I am keeping your passport and i797a copy with me
This is your case tracking number , if this case tracking says ready to pick up
Please check and collect your passport and i797a copy

Me:- I asked her how long this process takes
Vo:- she said I don’t know how long it will take.

Could any one suggest if this is a positive sign or a negative sign, are there any similar cases who have faced.

Please let me know if there are any kind of inputs.

Thank you

H1B + H4 stamping through dropbox at Delhi. Background - 14 years on H1B with 10 + years with current employer and last 3 visa stamps through same employer. Previous visa was through drop box as well with no issues.

8 July - dropped documents at Delhi VAC ( nothing special for the process except photographs, more than likely the picture you are carrying will be rejected, i had 2 different from Costco and CVS and both were rejected, my wife had 3 different types and all were rejected. there is a picture shop nearby charges Rs 400 and with the guarantee that if rejected he will retake the pictures for free)

9 July - Case created
10 July - Administrative processing
11 July - AP
12 July - SMS and email - your passport is ready for pickup, but CEAC Status remained AP (" Passport ready for pickup " and CEAC status "AP" means 221g)

14 July- picked passport, 221g white slip - "come for fingerprint and interview any time in next one year, no appointment needed"

15 July - attended interview at embassy and visa approved. 221 g candidates dont need to wait in lines, you can enter anytime between 8 30 AM and 1000 AM and they will let you through and you are told to get your fingerprints done at counter 3, after that you merge with all other candidates in interview queue, which also moves pretty quick. 15 min max for us and we had approx. 25 -30 ppl ahead of us

Questions routine - what you do? how long in US? where you live? how many kids, age? are they US citizen? how many previous visas with current employer, any change in job profile since your previous visa? Wife kept standing beside me and wasn't asked a single question.

16 July - ISSUED

Bottom line - Drop box is still an option but majority will be called for interview, if you don't want unnecessary tension for 2-3 days avoid drop box and schedule regular interview, if possible. That way you know then and there - Approval, 221g or Rejection

Good luck !

Came to India on vacation, went for dropbox as i already have an existing h1b visa and i changed employer recently.

Jul 2nd dropped of documents at chennai ofc center.
Jul 9th got an email that passport is ready to be picked up
Jul 15th picked up passport and when i opened i found that i was issued 221g blue slip with requesting to attend interview. No documents were requested
Jul 16h attended interview

VO: Took my passport and latest i797 copy and blue slip, went throught my passport and found f1 visa
asked the exact timeline i was on f1 and opt
ME: Explained those details

VO: Who was your first petitioner
ME: explained

VO: You don't have a visa stamp for that on your passport
ME: I didn't travel to india during that time, before traveling to india i switched to company B and after that i got my visa stamped now i moved to company C so applied for VISA again

VO: So company B wasn't your initial sponsor A was your initial sponsor
ME: Yes A was my initial sponsor i have i797 of A if you want

VO: No thats alright, took a blue slip and marked visa refused for admin processing, I am going to hold on to your passport for administrative purpose you can check your case status here and handed a blue slip 221g

A little bit of background i went to us in 2013 aug for masters after that i joined company A and was working as contractor for company B. After a year and a half took full time with company B and came to india for stamping and went back with no issues. After a year and half i joined company C full time and went for stamping.

Hi Team

My i797 was valid till 9/30/2019.
I had applied for an extension under premium processing in June 2019.
I received an RFE on June 18th, and the response was filed on July 3rd

My visa interview date was on 7/11, and we had got the stamping(I am yet to get the passports), I am assuming they would have given the date as 9/30/2019.

Now today my extension got approved, again I dont know the exact date.

Given this scenario is it possible to get a re-stamping based on the new petition copy?
The reason I am asking is if there is any emergencies I can do a trip to India and go back without worrying about stamping.

If anyone has done that please let me know
Thanks
 

My h1b got approved last year.. now I was suppose to go for stamping, but there is no on-site opportunity in my current client.. but my employer told me to go for stamping since there is 2 months waiting period,in case I get opportunity in another client they don't wait for so long but my immigration team is saying me you have to wait untill next project comes n go for stamping after amendment and all with new client docs otherwise it's risky, is it true?? ( I have all the required documents of current client, as h1b was applied for this client itself) do they contact the client directly ?? Suppose if my client say I'm still working with him but there is no opportunity from our side, will stamping gets rejected

Hello Group Members,

I am planning for H1B stamping (working in EVC model) , my End client doesn't provide letter as per policy.,

Can someone guide , how to move further in such scenario ? if can share their experience. Will it be a major concern ?

thanks in Advance for sharing your experience and advise.

Interview Date: June 20th 2019, Colombo consulate
Result: 221g (Administrative Processing)

April 2019: Initially went for F2 visa - rejected twice with form 214(b).
June 2019: Husband approved for H1B
June 20 2019: H4 interview
I got same VO who rejected my F2's. He initially did not recognise me and the interview went well but his system showed that he interviewed me before and asked me to be interviewed again by the other VO.
2nd VO: asked for passport, H1B approval, my previous I-20s. Asked details about life in US, marriage, any overstays, kept passport and handed form 221g. Said they will contact me in 3 weeks (no further documentation needed) but still no reply. Ceac website still has not updated and emailing only brings a generic response.

Would like to hear from anyone else going through the same situation?
The waiting is really frustrating. Wonder how much longer it will take?
Moral of the experience for others going for H4 visa: try to interview with husband and do not go out of US to get H4 stamped if possible. It can cause delays.

Thanks for reading and good luck to you all.
  

Hi,

My original approved petition documents were not delivered and returned back to USCIS, My employer try to get the original documents. Can I go visa interview without originals.

Currently I am having only i797 soft copies and affidavit which is issued by immigration attorney. I have a interview by this month end, can I go visa interview without original i797 copy. Please provide me your inputs on this.
Thanks,
Siva