H1B, H4 Visa

Hello,
I am currently working full time (direct hire) for a biotech company and is scheduled for fresh H1B/H4 visa stamping at New Delhi consulate in second week of Feb. Suppose to travel next week. I have a PhD from US university and has been working after PhD with the same employer for past 4 years. Haven't got the stamping yet and so this will be our first stamping. Any suggestions as to whether we should consider deferring the interview now... Worried about the info that is being circulated about rise in issuance of the 221g...

Any advise/suggestion is sincerely appreciated.

Hello all,

I have been in US for past 5 years on H1b. I have travel plans to India next month. In a dilemma whether to go or not. I know many of us are in the same situation.

Please post port of entry experience (specificaly Dallas)?

Thank you..

Hello All,

My background -

- I have a stamped H1, which will expire in Nov 2019. This is my 5th year with my current employer and its my 7th year of H1. 140 is approved.

- I am not into IT and directly work for my employer (no client), I did MS from the US.

My question(s) -

I am getting married later this year and my wife will join me here on H4. With all the immigration updates we are currently hearing, is there a risk of H4 denial? She has never been to the US or don't have any prior visa denials....and my case is pretty clean too, never had any issues with F1, H1, GC labor or GC 140, all were approved with no issues.

Does she needs to appear for the H4 interview alone or do I need to be with her as I am the principal applicant?

Let me know your thoughts on the new H4s.

Thanks,
P

We are going to India end of Feb and will need to get H1b & H4 stamping done. After answering all the questions on the us travel doc website, it says we qualify for dropbox. Due to all the speculation going around, I want to actually take appointment date. I don't see any way to do that unless I answer one of the question false. Any suggestions?

Also, can you reply if you did droppox recently and if there were any issues?

Background: I140 approved, with the same company from last 6years - 3rd H1b extension, so far no 221G.

Appointment:

Background - Done MS from US, started working on F1-OPT and got H1B approved, H1B started on 1st October, travelled to India for stamping, OFC appointment on - 18th January - 4PM, Consulate meet - 19th January - 9.30AM.

Outfit : Formal plain shirt, decent looking grey sneakers, blue jeans, light perfume (P.S. they love it when you wear a good smile and greet them and definitely when you smell good). Don't think you need to actually wear a full formal style outfit (e.g. suit). But yeah, even if you do wear a full formal suit, they wont mind, they'll still like it. Just wear something that looks decent and not arrogant/careless. Doesn't have to be formal outfit all the time. This is just an interview for VISA and not for a job. But again this is my opinion.

Interview:
VO: (Greets me with a smile) Please pass me your passport and I797

Me: Hi how are you today? (passes passport and i797 through the window)

VO: I'm good. How are you?

Me: (sighed) uh well I'm good too, just exhausted.

VO: So what's this YYYY company? What do you do over there? Tell me what they do and what you do.

Me: So YYYY is a CCC (company type), located in ZZZ, CA. (Explained a bit more about what company does).

Officer was familiar with that place and was happy to know I was from there.

VO: Oh so you live in ZZZ CA?

Me: Oh yes I live really close to my company location in ZZZ CA.

VO: (looked impressed, raises his eyebrows) Wow. That's a very posh area.

Me: Yes that's for sure (with a wide smile on my face). Are you from there?

VO: Nah I went to UUU university. My daughter goes to AAA university over there.

Me: Oh wow. Thats a really good school.

VO: (Groans) Its okay. But she likes it there.

Me: You miss there?

VO: (Groans) sometimes.

Me: I'm sure. (Continues) So as an EEE Engineer, I make sure of blah blah. (Explained my duties)

So while explaining my duties, I was going really into some of the technical details.

VO: (Smiles) You gotta stop there. You know I don't know a single thing about it (We both laughed at this point and VO continued typing on his computer).

Me: Its the programming language we have used for our platform.

VO: I see. You said you work in ZZZ?

Me: Yes. We have another office in YYY CA.

VO: (Pointing to the 'Know your rights' pamphlet glued to the window) Have you got this guy (Meaning pamphlet he was pointing to)?

Me: (Nodding) Yes.

VO: (Holds and shows me a new pamphlet with instructions for passport pick up) Before you live this building, make sure you read this.

Me: Yes sure.

VO: (Handed me back i797 and held back my passport with him) Ok so you're visa has been approved. (Told me instructions to pick up the passport)

Me: thanks so much. I hope to see you there soon! (Walks out of the consulate office)

Things to remember:
I saw a lot of people carrying 3 tons of documents with themselves making them sweaty and tired. Please note, all they need is the proof that you're coming to your country when done with your purpose in US. So just carry the ones that you actually need and not all of the documents from your childhood.
Also I can understand the anxiety, so just break a conversation while you're in the queue with someone to distract yourself from that.
The file that you carry doesn't need to transparent. I carried a file that wasn't transparent, still they allowed in the interview hall. So don't listen to what the people outside the consulate office are saying (Especially the auto drivers. All they want is to make the money for themselves and so they'll tell you all the lies like 'that kind of file is not allowed in', blah blah. Ignore them. Ask a proper person at the gate.)

please answer any one with I140 approed got 221g when went for H1 stamping.

Attended visa interview on Feb 3rd at Chennai.

Officer asked following questions,

VO : Good Morning.
Me : Good Morning.
VO : Are you working for YYYY company ?
Me : Yes I do.
VO : Who is your client ?
Me : I am going to work internal product development.
VO : What does your company do ?
Me : Explained about my company and what they do.
VO : Let me see If you have idea about How many employee working in your company.
Me : Mentioned the head count in US and also mentioned overall count.
VO : Are your working for YYYY company in US ?
Me : No. I am working in YYYY company's chennai office.
VO : What is your salary ?
Me : My salary is YYYY per annum.
VO : (looking at his screen for 4 to 5 mins, probably looking in to my h1b documents. Meanwhile, he was also talking with another officer)

Questions to my Wife :
VO : How long you have been married ?
She : X years.
VO : Do you have kids ?
She : Answered appropriately.
VO : Your visa is approved and take a look in to the white phamplet. Have a safe travel !!!

My suggestion : Take all the documents which are related. Officer might ask for any documents.

Thanks.

Attended visa interview on 31st-Jan @ Hyderabad.

Following are the questions,

Who is your Petitioner?
Since how long you are working in the company?
Do you have end client/ client name?
Salary?
Did you work before in USA?

to my wife

Since how long you are married?

VISA APPROVED!!!

PS: While standing in line, 4 guys had their interview before ours..almost same questions to all..no rejections. Just be confident while answering.

Got email to collect passports on 2-Feb, collected the same.

Thanks.

Hi All,

I have H1 B Stamping interview(First Time) at Hyd Consulate on 21st Feb. I work full time for a reputed American Company with around 90k package. Have a masters in Information Systems from US. My H1B petition is approved in July 2016. Heard about issues at Port Of Entry and 221g slips.
What's your take on it ? Should I reschedule ? Or can I proceed?
Please let me know your suggestions

I heard there is an port of entry issue, ppl telling most of them are getting deported at port of entry even though ppl are having valid visa. Am leaving from USA feb8th returing on March 7th is there will be any port of entry problem. i have valid visa till June 17 . Could you please share if you guys know infomartion. please share if you are 100% sure and don't spread rumour plz.