H1B, H4 Visa

Hi, I am travelling to india this week and scheduled for visa stamping for 18th and biometrics on 17th Apr @ Hyd. My case, i am a Full time employee to American client, and change of state from F1 - H1. This is my first h1B stamping. I am seeing people getting 221g and admin processing, i am scared now. Is it good time to go for stamping for my case, if not i would like to cancel the trip and wait for sometime. Please advise. pls pls

Hi,

1. Submitted DS-160 for me and my wife (H1B and H4).

2. Updated the account profile with the DS-160 confirmation numbers.

3. Paid visa fees and printed out Dropbox confirmation letter.

Now I see a correction in my wife's DS-160(H4). So created a new application from the previous one, modified and submitted. On the new dropbox confirmation letter, I did not see any changes. Do we need to carry both DS160 confirmations of my wife while submitting documents in dropbox location?

OFC/Biometrics - Apr 5th
Interview - Apr 6th

VO mentioned I'm good to go and kept my passport. no slips were given and nothing about any delay.
Transitioning from F1 to H1B

Last update on CEAC website was on Apr 5th: "Ready"

Since then not a single update.
Not sure what's the hold up. I've my return tickets booked for next week.
Anyone faced a similar issue?

Biometrics on April 3rd in the Chennai Consulate. Had a 10 AM appointment. Reached the place by 9:45 and was out by 10:10. Pretty straightforward. Asked for passport, visa appointment letter and DS 160.

Interview at 8 AM on April 4th. Reached the Consulate by 7:20 AM and was in the VO queue by 7:45 waiting for windows to open. If going to the Chennai Consulate please remember to remove watches, phones etc since they give you a lot of unnecessary trouble for it. I was told to throw off my fitbit (which I didn't). Better to just not bring watches etc than to argue with the security guards outside.

VO: Good morning. How are you?
Me: Good. How are you?

VO: Good. Can I have your passport?
Me: *handed passport*

VO: So you work for X (company name)
Me: Yes

VO: Did you study in the US?
Me: Yes I did my MS in the US

VO: Who's your client in the US?
Me: I don't have a particular client. They keep changing every 5-6 months. I work out of my company office and told location.

VO: Thanks. What's your annual salary?
Me: *Answered that*

VO: Have you ever been out of status in your student visa?
Me: *sensing trouble* Nope.

VO: *types for a few seconds* Your visa appears to be fine, I just need a couple of days to check something about your student visa but apart from that you're good to go.
Me (since I had all the documents to support my case): Is there anything I can show you from my end to sort things out.

VO: Na, you're good. Like I said, just need a couple of days to check what I am looking for. Nothing required from your end.
Me: Thanks. Have a good one.

*No 221g slip given*

Visa status: Administrative Processing
 Case created: 3rd April
Case updated 4th April
Case updated: 11th April (Still Admin Processing)

Has anyone gone through similar experience of having Admin Processing status online without getting a 221g slip? Do you guys think I can contact the customer service to follow up since the VO said it should be done in a couple of days and it's been 6 working days already with no status change. Any advice would be appreciated :(

Hi Guys,

does anyone know how long the passport kept with VFS after it's ready to pick. I heard it's kep 14 days and then sent back to US consulate. Can you confirm this?

Hello all,

Thanks to this community for all the help from people sharing experiences and supporting each other when illiterate on visa/immigration related details.

I attended my visa interview at the Frankfurt US consulate, Germany very recently (March 27th) and was successful in getting the H1b visa stamped. There were not many experiences available to refer to in the recent and particularly about taking an interview from another country than the home country.

A quick background of me is that I am currently working in the US on the H1b on my 8th year with an approved I-140 (from my previous company) and was travelling to Germany for work with a recently expired Visa and an approved I-797 though.

I had my visa appointment booked for 7.30am and after my experience, would highly recommend that timing if available. The main reason being the parking availability as you are asked to park on the streets close to the consulate entrance and that place seems to be a tough one to find a parking. The early morning appointment was perfect to find a few spots close enough to the entrance.

I was the first applicant for the non-immigrant visa line (they have 2 lines – non-immigrant visa and immigrant visa). When the boots opened, I was the first to be called and then proceeded to the entrance where they had the security screening and was directed to a second building. Entering the second building, was asked to go over to a counter to get my finger prints and verifying the DS-160. With that out of the way, was asked to go ahead and stand to be called by the counters where the Visa Officers (VO) were just getting settled down.

Being the first, was quickly called over by the first VO.

ME: Good morning!
VO: Hello, May I see the passport and application.
ME: Absolutely! Here is my passport and the DS form.

VO: (after a min) so, you are applying for the H1b Visa, right? Renewal?
ME: Yes ma’am. My Visa just expired last month and would like to renew the same.

VO: (Typing something) so, you studied in the US. Where did you go to school?
ME: Yes ma’am. I did my masters in the US. I went to xxx.

VO: What did you study?
ME: I did my masters in xxx.

VO: Good. Alright, your visa is approved and you should get it in mail, in a weeks’ time.
ME: Thank you very much. May I ask for a request?

VO: Sure, Go ahead.
ME: Being on a business trip to Germany, I am currently residing in a hotel close the Frankfurt airport. I would like to see if there would be an option to pick up the passport instead of having it mailed.

VO: When are you flying back?
ME: I don’t leave until the end of the week, Saturday.

VO: Then, you should be fine.
ME: MY problem is definitely not the timing ma’am. The place and hotel that I am currently put up in, is located in a region of several hotels and checking with the hotel staff, there was a little hesitation presented by those folks mentioning about past experiences of missed and mixed deliveries among these hotels and being a passport, I would prefer not taking that risk.

VO: Alight, give me your phone number and I will have you called once the passport is ready. You may come here and pick it up at the entrance counter.
ME: Thanks much. That would help a lot. xxx-xxx-xxxx is my phone number.

I was surprised by how pleasant the VO was and walked out of the building out back to the entrance. Received a call from the consulate in a days’ time to pick-up my passport the following day in the morning.

Good luck to all readers here!

Hi All,

My fiancée is filling out her H4 form and we have a question - what should we mention for the question
 
"Has anyone ever filed an immigrant petition on your behalf with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services?"

I have a approved I140 with petition #. Should we answer "yes" and explain that the Principal Applicant has approved 140 or should the answer be No? We are getting married later this summer and she is going for the interview with-in a week after our weeding.

Many thanks for your inputs!

Hi,

Can someone articulate each digit when the VO asked about annual salary?
Ex: if the salary is 67,890 - should we say this completely as "Sixty Seven Thousand eight hundred and ninty"?

Thank you so much team. I am following this site for last 1 month as I had my visa interview last week.
This website really helped me how to prepare for my meeting.
Below is my experience.
31-Mar-2017: Fingerprints
My Schedule @1PM.
I went around 12.30PM.
They allowed me around 12:45PM. It is Straight forward process. Please take Passport, Interview Confirmation, DS160 Confirmation. I was in the queue for 5-10 mins. I went to one of the window. asked me to read one of the statement next to window. Given Left hand, RIght hand and Both thumb fingerprints. He took picture which will be used in our Visa.
03-Apr-2017: Visa Interview
My Schedule@11AM
This is my 4th H1B Extension and this is the first time i went to Hyd Consulate. I was nervous as we are hearing different news about Govt and their policies on H1B Visa.
To be frank, Visa Process is straight forward and simple. Visa Officer is looking cool and she asked me basic questions.
Me: I said Good Morning and she responded me with nice smile.
VO: asked about my Petitioner.
Me: Responed.
VO: Are you direct employee to your petitioner.
Me: Responded
VO: Highest Degree
Me: Responded
VO: Annual Salary
Me: YYYY USD
VO: Which State you live in
Me: Responded
VO:She asked whether i receive Pamphlet and I said Yes.
VO: She looked in her system around 15-20 seconds and she said your visa is issued.

To be frank: I was nervous until my interview is done. But Overall experience is very good and I didnt see any negative atmosphere at consulate. Please be confident and go with positive attitude.

Once again thank you so much.

I have plans to get my H1b stamped in Mumbai. I have a degree in Biotechnology and work for a Cancer hospital. What is the general scenario for lifescience related H1B stamping? Any experiences, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.