H1B, H4 Visa

Hi All,

Thank you so much for posting your experiences which makes everyone extra cautious in preparing for the interviews.

I have two questions.

Initially, I was planning to visit India in August and I was eligible for Dropbox and hence paid fees and got Dropbox confirmation.

Due to work schedules, I had to postpone my trip and planning to reschedule for December. And I am not eligible for Dropbox if it's December.

1) Can I use same pay receipt (for Dropbox) and reschedule my visa interview in December ??
2) When I try to book December slot I can see everything from October is unavailable. What does this mean ?? No slots available or they didn't open Window from October to the public to make reservations.

Please let me know.

Hi All,

I have recently booked my US Visa appointment dates from my company in chennai.
My Company's Immigration team updated the incorrect Passport number for my spouse.,

On reaching back to correct them, My Immigration team said "You can get that corrected/updated during your Bio-Metric appointment"

Does anyone gone through such Scenario ? If so what is the experience ?

Is that Bio-Metric team permissible to change the passport number ?

Hi All,

VO asked few questions and gave 221(g) white slip. She asked me to wait as my case need some additional administrative processing. After 3 weeks i got an email to drop my passports in hyderabad location which i did next day. My dependents (H4) passports picked up however my passport status is still showing as 'Delivered to POST' and visa status as 'Administrative processing' , Please find below details.

Interview date: 17/05 --> 221(g) with white slip
Document requested: 23/05 , sent the documents on 24/05
Passports requested: 14/06 , dropped passports on 17/06
Passports issued for H4 on : 19/06
My passport(H1) status is still showing as 'Delivered to Post' and visa status as 'Administrative processing'

Its been almost 10 days after dropping my passport, till now no update. Any one has any idea when can i expect my passport back please?

I already cancelled my trip and rescheduled to next month mid.

Fingers crossed. Please suggest.

thanks all for the experience, i was following this through out. here is my experience

Went to OFC at 6/17 but did not accepted due to photo. Got new photo from India and resubmitted

Mumbai
6/18 - Submitted - No Status
6/19 to 6/23 - Application Received
6/24 - Admin Processing
6/25 - Checked at 11 AM, it shows "Issued"

Yet to collect passport

I had to travel on a family emergency, my wife and baby stayed back. I am eligible for dropbox.

06-13-2019 - I dropped my passport at VAC Hyderabad.
06-18-2019 - Received email asking me to schedule an appointment.
06-25-2019 - Attended for an interview at HYD consulate, I got to answer 4-5 questions. Retained passport and issued 221G white slip requesting no documents.
06-25-2019 - 4 hours after the interview, I received an email asking me to submit the DS 5535 Form.
06-25-2019 - Submitted DS 5535 by end of the day.

I am with same employer since last 2 and half years and I even opted for dropbox last time and my visa was stamped and issued then without any delays. I have a clean record, paying taxes on time, neither visited middle eastern countries. I am not sure why this time I was issued DS 5535.

My wife is taking care of the baby alone, my lease ends in 2 months, I have to take care of the lease renewal/switching to new apartments. So much of inconvenience.

Does anyone have a similar experience? Any Insight on why DS 5535 was issued and why this time, I didn't travel to any other countries nor changed my name.

Hi,

I did my Drop box on June 12th and after a week timing i received a blue slip to report the Consulate for an interview with all my dependent passports.
 
I went to the visa interview on 20th June, I was handed over the 221G blue form with the second option ticked and returned my passport saying need more time to investigate my case under administrative processing.

Note: I have asked generic questions like My Client, Employer, Salary, Location, checked my i797, i129, LCA, Client letter and i have given yellow slip twice and asked me to wait during my interview.

what are the chances of success rate for this kind of cases since i have my school going kids in India for a vacation. Not sure whether should i have to put them in schooling in India or wait for the Visa status since i have got time till August.

Please share your thoughts & experience.

Hello All,

I got an email on June 13th from consulate as requesting passport.
I submitted at the VAC on 14th Jun.
They told by one week, I shall get the passport, but still I have not received any update from them.
I am sending an email regularly for [email protected] with my Passport number, status was Deliver to Post until yesterday.But today when i sent the mail , i received an email with the following message - "
There is no status update available for the passport number submitted.
"

Need help.
How do I follow up on my passport status.

Kindly advice.

Hi all
Here is my H1b renewal experience in Chennai. Hope this helps someone.

April 11th - VISA interview
I was handed the 221g with the second option ticked and my passport was returned. The VO said that they need to do additional administrative processing.

May 8th - Client got verification call and they were asked some questions abt the project via email.

The status date in the CEAC website never changed from April 11th

Finally on the 60th day after the interview, got an email to submit my passport.
The CEAC status date was updated but it showed Administrative processing.

The passport was ready for pickup after 5 days and the status date was updated and changed to Issued.

Hi Everyone, 
I hope this helps to people who are in similar situations. I will keep you posted on further update.

1-Apr-13 ->Applied for H1B in Premium Processing.

13-Apr-13-> Selected in lottery and received receipt number.

17-Apr-13-> H1B was approved till 30 Sep 2016.

10-Dec-13-> Attended interview for H1B stamping in Vancouver, Canada. VO issued 221g white and my case status updated as administrative processing.

26-Dec-13-> Consulate called me for Second round of interview and told me that my documents are being return to USCIS for review.

3-Apr-14->Case status updated but still as administrative processing.

29-Apr-14-> USCIS update my case status as Department of state sent your case for review.We will send you the decision once review is complete.

9-Apr-18-> USCIS updated case status as 'we sent you notice of intent to revoke' and my attorney received the NOIR notice from vermont service center. In the notice uscis asked to submit supporting documents by 9 May 2018 to avoid revocation.

18-Apr-18-> Attorney sent a response to Notice of Intent to revoke to USCIS in Fedex
.
19-Apr-18-> Fedex delivered package to uscis Vermont service center.

24-Apr-18-> USCIS updated case status as 'Response To USCIS Request For Evidence Was Received'.

18-Jun-19-> USCIS Reaffirmed And Mailed Back To Department Of State.

Wanted to share my Dropbox experience at Parinee Crescenzo.

Submitted my documents on 17-June-19. Lady at the counter asked for DS-160 confirmation, Interview Waiver form, latest I-797 and 1-photo. I carried the CVS passport photo and certificate given by CVS that the photo passed all criteria as per Biometric Standard.

By looking at the photo Lady at the counter said that this photo is not good and will not be accepted. I immediately asked her why it is not accepted. To which she replied that the brightness on the image is not good. She said that you can get the new photo from the shop available on the same floor.

I presented the certificate issued by CVS and said that it passed all criteria and how you can say by looking at your naked eye that brightness level is not appropriate. To which she said that she can accept the photo which I brought but if something happens at the latter phase then she is not responsible. I said that will be fine with me. She accepted by photo and gave me the stamp on the Interview Waiver appointment form.

Below are the timelines for other phases:

18-June-2019 - Application Received
19-June-2019 - Administrative Processing
21-June-2019 - Issued.
23-June-2019 - Passport picked up.

I guess these people at the third party VAC center are running some kind of commission based scam where they don't accept the photo and force them to take photo from their shop. The reason why I am saying that because there were two people in-front of me and two people standing on side line were sent back because of not having the appropriate photo. And all the agents gave the exact same reason and ask to get the photo from their described shop.

This is my 3rd Dropbox, previous two times nothing happened like this.

Anyways I got my visa and will be traveling back after two weeks. Hope this experience review will be useful to others.

All the best!