H1B, H4 Visa

This forum is more useful when u go for 1st time any visa so I am also adding my experience,

Visa: H1B

July 18: Attended Visa interview

My case i-797 going to expire on 19 Sep 2019, So I have to reach the US within two months then only I can able to process my extension.

Due to client project delay, I am going to travel now.

Conversation :

VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning, how are you?
VO: Great, how are you?
Me: Great, Thanks
VO: First H1B?
Me: Yes
VO: How long you have been working in this company?
Me: New Employment
VO: Oh New Employment, Okay
Me: Yes
VO: Salary?
Me: Answered
VO: Work Location?
Me: Answered
VO: Travelling with the wife?
Me: No, I am travelling alone
VO: Asked for LCA, i-129
Me: Given
VO: Why would you travel now since your i-797 forum shows 19 Sep is your expiration date.
Me: Client project got delayed that's why I am travelling now.
VO: The whole 2 years got delay?
Me: Yes
VO: Ask me, Client letter
Me: Given
(Went inside with all the documents and came after 10 mins)
VO: Returning all the documents and passport. given a 221g blue sheet - admin process.

Anyone had the experience like this, how long will take to complete the process,

Just in case after sep if I get approved can still eligible to fly?

Please advise me if anyone knows the situation.

 

This forum has been really useful, so adding my two cents worth:

Timeline of our experience (My H1B and wife's H4):
July 5: Submitted documents in Kochi VFS.
July 6-8: Weekend + no status in CEAC website.
July 9: CEAC status: Case created + Application received
July 11 (evening): CEAC status: Administrative Processing
July 12-15: No change + weekend + anxious moments
July 15 (afternoon): CEAC status: Issued (phew + yayyy!)
July 16 (afternoon): Received email from US Travel docs. It said: "Your document(s) have been collected from the US Embassy/Consulate. The passport number being returned is xxxxxxx". Checked ustraveldocs website tracker at the same time which said "Ready for pickup".
July 18: Collected passports and everything looks good (Relieved).

Some info about me:
I'm a FTE (lead engineer) at a company that builds software products for a niche market and has multi-billion dollar revenue. I-140 is already approved and this is my 3rd H1B stamping with the previous one also being drop box. Last stamping was done in Dec 2016 when I was with my previous employer (one of the top 5 Indian IT firms) and I switched jobs in 2017.

Few other tidbits:
- My latest I-797 is the 2nd one from my current company. The I-797s that they require are the latest one and the one that was used to stamp last visa which was of my previous company.
- I submitted DS-160 before they modified it to add the social media questions. They never asked me for that info, therefore you should be fine if you are in the same boat.

Hopefully, this is useful for someone. Will be happy to answer any questions. Good luck!

Hi All,

I am going to H1 visa interview in next few weeks. I am working as FTE in a reputed company. My salary includes basic, bonus and other components. If VO asks my salary i need to tell whole salary which includes basic, bonus and others. I mean i need to tell annual salary (basic+ bonus+others) to VO officer.

Let me know

I hope my experience helps some of you stay back and relax while you wait on 221G mandatory admin processing.
Interview date; May 26
Consulate:Chennai
VO asked basic questions about who my petitioner was and pay details and questions about my masters degree. He took my LCA and client letter stepped away for a minute came back and haded over my LCA and passport retained client letter grabbed a blue slip. Said they need to do additional processing and when they are ready consulate will ask me to submit my passport.
I was worried as I never expected this but don’t panic 221G is not a denial it might just delay your travel plans. So consider this a long vacation try and spend some time with family as I did.
My client nor my employer was never contacted for verification.
July 3rd received an email to submit passport which I did on same day.
July 9 status got updated for the first time in CEAC to July 9 but status shows admin processing.
July 17 case last updated date changed for the second time after submitting passport and status is still admin processing
July 18 status changed to issued
July 19 picked up passport

I know this could be a long wait with lots of uncertainty but hang in there.
Cheers and good luck everyone.

Interview date - July 10th 2019
Consulate - Chennai

VAC - July 09th 2019 at 08:30
Arrived at the VAC center by 08:00 AM. We had a backpack and there is a place to store that for a cost. Mobile phones are allowed inside with switch off mode. But we placed mobile phones in the backpack. I went with family and two kids (8 & 2). My elder son (8 years) old went by himself for bio metrics. They took him a photo (we did carry passport photos, but they didn't take those)

As we had 2 years old baby, we were allowed to the counter right away and came out quickly in 30ms by 08:45 AM.

Consulate - July 10th 2019 09:45
We reached consulate by 09:10 and there were two lines for 09:15 and 09:30. We jumped into 09:15 line as my son had to go for washroom. Security initially didn't allow, but later allowed with a request as it's hard to locate wash room there outside.

This time, we didn't carry backpack, but my wife carried hand bag with water and some biscuits for the kid. We deposited mobile phones and smart watches (fitbit & apple watch) at the security counter after the que.

We went inside the and immediately sent to interview counter as we had 2 years old baby.

VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning Officer ( I was trying to hand over passport and 797, but asked only the passports)
VO: are you on H visas?
Me: Yes sir
VO: Is this 2nd H1?
Me: No, this is the 1st H1, but extension
VO: I mean is this new petitioner?
Me: Yes, I have changed the company and this is my 2nd petitioner.
VO: Who is your client?
Me: ZZZ
VO: Are you direct employee to the client?
Me: Yes
VO: Where is your office?
Me: State and has given office location.
VO: What is your salary?
Me: YYYY per Annam
VO: Pointing to my 2 years old kid, Is he US citizen?
Me: Yes he is
VO: Question to my wife - how long have you been married?
My wife couldn't hear the question while handling the kid, I just restated about the question to her.
My wife : XX years
VO: after few minutes - your VISAs are approved and handed over the pamphlet.

It was quick and we came out by 09:50 AM.

July 10th (Status checked late night) - Administrative processing
July 11th - Issued
July 11th - Email received that passports have been picked up from the embassy
July 12th - Ready for Pickup
July 15th - Passports picked up from Bangalore VISA center

Interview Date: June 3rd 2019.
VISA Class: H1 B and H4 during the same appointment slot (11:30 am)
Job: Full time employment as an electrical engineer at a top US company. Have been working for the same company right after graduation.
Interviewer: Lady (AA). Aged between 28-35. Average friendly but she looked professional.

Interview scheduled: My past F1 VISA was stamped in 2011, I never returned INDIA after F1 expired. So I scheduled for a consular interview after 8 years. In the Meanwhile, my first H1B, H1B extension, and I140 were approved through the sample employer.

VO: Asked basic questions related to their stay in USA.
 For H1 applicant :
Q1) Were you on F1 VISA and then changed the status to H1B ? Replied yes
Q2)Asked a copy of original current I797? Provided.
Q3) Asked about Job responsibilities and nature of Job? Replied: all questions were answered appropriately and she determined that my profession matches with one of the listed technologies from TECHNOLOGY ALERT LIST(TAL).
q4) Do you know H1B rights? replied , yes.

For H4:
Q1) were you on F1 and then changed to H1, and later again changed to H4? Replied: Yes and explained.
Q2)Asked a copy of original I797? Provided.
Q3) what kind of a job you are doing right now and who is your current and past employers? Replied: working as a FT associate scientist in a reputed pharma company. Last company was another top pharma company, with the same kind of Job .
q4) Do you know your rights in USA? replied , yes.

VO: At the end she grabbed a paper from the side racks, and mentioned that she needs to have some administrative processing done to find out addition information?
I Replied: Is there a way I can give you more information that you might be looking for? or do you need any additional supporting documents?

VO: You are fine. We'll email you for the list of the required documents and she handed a white 221g with first box checked, returned passports. Interview was done.

I received an email right after the interview to fill a questionnaire, attach resume, employer letters. I completed the questionnaire, consulted with our immigration specialist, then made sure all questions were answered correctly. A copy of updated employment support was provided by our immigration specialist in addition to employment verification. I responded back to the 221G information request on june 4th 2019. Checked status on CAEC website, status was 'admin processing'.
Note: My immigration team recommended not to send any additional documents apart from what they asked for, else processing could get delayed.

on July 1st, I received an email to submit both passports, which I did the same day to VAC begumpet.
H4 case status changed to 'issued' from 'admin processing' on July 12th. Received email to collect passport on July 15th, collected passport on the same day and verified VISA stamp with no errors found.
H1B case status changed to 'application received' on july 12th from 'admin processing'. Again on July 17th case status changed to 'admin processing', on july 18th it status changed to 'Issued.

Waiting for passport collection email.................

Hope my experience helps someone who is in the same boat. I appreciate everyone who posted their experiences in this site as it greatly helps in estimating the next steps and average 221g processing time for FTE and contractors.

Hi,

Adding visa stamping experience for reference.

I have attended my visa on 15/07/2019 and it was approved on the same day.

Questions asked by VO:

VO: Who's your employer?
Answered with my Company Name.

VO: What was the process ? --> This question was to understand the interview process for me.
Answered it appropriately.

VO asked me to present my old passport to verify my B1 visa details while asking questions.

VO: Asked me whether i'm going to work at client site ?
Answered it as it's In-house project.

VO: Asked me about my project details.
Answered about my project details.

VO: Asked me about my current role and total experience.
Answered it with my current role and experience.

VO checked my project documents and company details in the meantime and asked me last question about my salary. Once that's done said, "Your visa is approved"

VO took my passport and handed over other documents. It was really great experience for me.

Suggestions:

Be prepare with your US employer details, role and responsibilities, project documents. Also, make sure you carry all the documents which are necessary to prove your employment.

H1 Drop box - issued
07-17-2019, 05:13 AM
drop box - H1B visa hyderabad- change of employer from one US based big company to other .
Friday- 7/12 drop box, submitted copy of I797, 2 new photos passport
Monday 7/15- Status changed to Application Received in the AM , Administrative processing in the PM
Tuesday 7/16, Status remained Administrative Processing
Wed 7/17- afternoon Status changed to issued.

So Administrative processing is not a bad thing. for genuine cases , visa will be issued in 2 days.

Hello,

I had my H1B visa interview on July 10th. Interview went well at the end VO asked me if i was out of status anytime. I said No and i was given a small white slip which say administrative processing. VO told it should take 3-5 business days but its taking longer. This is my first H1b visa stamping from F1. I have also observed there was a change made to my sevis end date on July 12th. My case was updated on 11th and 16th but it still shows Administrative processing. Anyone in same boat? How long will it take ?

Hi

I am currently in USA and planning to go Mexico for the visa interview. I am working as FTE for a financial banking company and have approved petition till 01/2021. Earlier visa stamping i had with some other company and it got expired and have the approved petition with a new financial banking company. What are the options i have if i get 221g after the interview. Whether i have to go back to India. Please let me know