H1B, H4 Visa

I won't go into details of the interview itself. As everyone's millage will vary. Prepare well :)
Rather, I will try to make your process easier with these tips.

VAC - Aug 11th
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- Only reach there 15 mins early. They won't allow you in.
- There is no shed nor place to sit.
- Make sure to bring your umbrella.
- You can park your car nearby (may need to walk 5-10 mins) and sit and wait there.
- The street is very chaotic with at least 20-40 cars parked in front on the building. With several vehicles passing every minute.
- Bring your corrected DS-160 and inform at the first counter you reach. They will print two bar-code stickers. One large one with your details + old application bar-code. The second is a small sticker that will overlap the old appl. bar-code.
- Do NOT remove the bar code sticker(s) from your passport.
- Don't worry, they are all Indians working there :)
- You will be out in 15 mins

Consulate - Aug 12th
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- Reach there 30 mins early. The guards will leave in a batch of 30 mins.
- Payed Parking is available on the adjacent left side of the consulate. Rs. 60 Flat
- Do NOT park on the street. You'll get screwed by our traffic police (more on that below)
- Do NOT carry fit bit and phones (more on that below)

Personal Incidents:

At VAC:

We reached there 1:30 hrs early and our driver left with the car. It started raining in 15 mins and we had nowhere to go. Luckily for us I spotted our driver and car going in opposite direction. It appeared that it took him quite a while to make a U-turn from nearest junction. We hopped in and drove a little further and parked near open space.

At the Consulate:

We reached there 1:30 Hrs early. We noticed several cars parked in front of the consulate. So we decided to wait there. 20 minutes passed when a Mumbai Police officer on a bike, knocked on our window and asked us to step out. He took away our driver's license. And handed him a Ticket (chalaan). There were others who got a similar ticket. One of the other applicant tried to bribe him. He said everyone has to respect the rules and pointed out that there are CCTV recording going on. He also pointed to the street signs for no-parking. Which we did not find or were obscured by trees. We never bothered to look for them after what happened :) We asked the officer for his phone number, he gave his batch number lol I didn't write down his batch number. He said he would return the licences "away" from the consulate area after we exit the aforementioned parking. We did not understand why was that. This created unnecessary distraction for us.

We parked our car in the parking. 20 mins before our appointment time we stepped out of the car and asked our driver to bring our parents to the consulate. So we could all leave together, without going back to the hotel. As we stepped in for security check, I was told that I have to leave my cell phone outside. I din't know what to do, so I went outside and called my driver to come back. Luckily, thanks to our parking ticket, he was still waiting near the end of the street (300 meters away). I ran to him and handed my cell phone. When back in the consulate, they again told me I cannot bring my fit-bit in :(
So I ran back again and gave the driver my watch. If, I would have ran in Olympics, I would have easily scored a medal :) lol

We were granted our visa and we came out. By then he had picked up my parents and parked in the adjacent parking. I asked him what happened to the ticket. He said, The officer explained that the parking violation will be Rs. 1300, but he "offered" Rs. 800 to reduce the ticket to Rs. 60. Our poor driver, just paid Rs. 860 and rescued his license. The officer kept the ticket, so we may never be able to file a complaint against him.

Lessons learned:

1. Never trust our police officers :) Probably most corrupt in entire world.
2. Make sure to take a picture of the ticket you receive.
3. There is cheap parking available near us consulate.

At last, we still were happy to receive our visas. Hope my experience helps others.

I went to New Delhi US Embassy today for the interview.
Background: I changed my employer while I was in US, and my Visa was transferred. I had to appear for the stamping as my previous employer Visa already expired more than an year ago.

Interview time was 11:00 AM, I had my wife (Indian Citizen) with me along with my Son (Indian citizen) and my daughter (US Citizen). My daughter is a US Citizen and is 5 months old. They Allowed my daughter in and did not had any problems. Earlier I read many posts where people had this question. So 'YES' in Delhi you can take your US citizen infants along with you.

OK, coming to the interview:

ME: Hi, how are you?
VO: Good, how are you?
ME: I'm good, thanks.
VO: Please give me your passports.
ME: Gave the passports. All 3.
VO: Are you renewing for your H1 Visa?
ME: Yes
VO: Is it with the same employer?
ME: No, this is with a different employer, I mentioned Employer name.
VO: Can I see your old passport? which has your previous Visa was stamped.
ME: Gave my old passport, that was having all my previous Visas.
VO: How many years of experience do you have?
ME: Mentioned my experience.
VO: What is your designation?
ME: Mentioned my designation.
VO: What are your Job duties?
ME: Being a Manager, I manage <My employer name>'s developers and testers, Also being the technical lead I design and develop the modules for the existing application.. and so on.
VO: What is your highest qualification?
ME: Bachelor of Technology in Computer Engineering.
VO: From which School?
ME: I mentioned my University name.
VO: Where do you stay?
ME: I mentioned US City name, where I was staying before coming to India for personal visit.
VO: You like that city ?
ME: I was in Chicago earlier, but I moved to this city because of extreme Chicago weather. VO smiled, and said yes its pretty cold over there in Chicago.
VO: Your Visa is approved.

Summary: Always be confident, keep a smile on your face and answer the questions in one line, do not keep on talking unnecessarily. I saw various people getting rejected who were speaking too much.
Also, keep your folders neat, and documents handy.

I hope my experience helps the other candidates.

All the best.

I had h1 validity till 2018 and had stamping till 2018. Now moved to a new project and my amendment was approved. The new validity was revised to 2017. I am getting married next month.

1. should i go for stamping again after amendment although i have valid stamping till 2018 with old petition
2. we had already scheduled h4 interview with my old petition number. can we update the new petition details and go for interview on the scheduled day?

Background:
I transferred my Visa to new employer when was on my 6th Year with H1B and the expiration date was May 6th 2016.

03 Feb 2016: Applied PERM
05-May-2016: Left USA (I booked ticket with British Airways. Since I didn't have the valid stamping ,they told me to get UK Visitor visa. So I had to choose airline which do not go through Europe .I traveled from Philly to JFK and booked ticket in Emirates on the Way to airport)
27 May 2016: My PERM Approved.
09 Jun 2016: Applied I-140 with PP
24 Jun 2016: I-140 Approved
07 Jul 2016: Applied for H1B extension based on I-140 with PP
14 Jul 2016: Received H1B Approval

When I was waiting for documents from USCIS, I created DS160 but I didn't submit I used my receipt number, petition start date and end date from my attorney for the H1B extension. I created my appointment and Scheduled interview on Sep 5th. After 1 week I received email from consulate saying the schedule is cancelled due to Labor Day on Sep 5th.then scheduled on Aug 29th assuming I will receive my documents by that time. I received my consulate package from my HR on July 30th. Luckily I got slot on Aug 9th in Chennai. So I booked OFC Schedule on Aug 8th and Visa Interview on Aug 9th.
After Booking the schedule I reviewed my DS 160 properly (Make sure to review multiple times before submit you can avoid trouble at OFC office. Surname or last name, First Name, middle name DOB that should match the Passport There should not be any typo.).
After booking the appointment I submitted my DS160. (I did that because if I wanted to change the interview location, I don't have to create another DS160. When you review DS160 there is an option to change interview location)

I booked The Hotel Spring which is in the middle of the New OFC Center and Consulate. Just 5 mins walk.
OFC Schedule on 08 Aug 2016 2:15 PM:
Document required: DS160, Passport and Appointment Confirmation page.
No other document required. I saw some people carrying switch off cellphones and they allowed it.
 I left the Hotel 1 hour before the schedule. Since the location is new many people may not aware of the location. There is a SAMSUNG service center on the kodambakkam high road. OFC Center is located in the same building. The entrance for OFC is behind the Samsung Service Center.
In the OFC Center GATE they displayed the schedule and they allow people based on that time Slot.
They called 2:15 PM batch by 1:45 PM (OFC Center is really fast)
I just followed the Directions posted on the wall. They verified DS160 form and compared with passport. If there is any mismatch they will send them back for correction. (If there is any typo you will be sent to do the correction at the ground floor).
Then there was a security scan. In another room they verified my schedule and picked up the barcode sticker and stick it on my Passport. Finally i reached the Finger print scanning Room. The called based on the number in the sticker.
They asked for the full name and date of birth for verification. They asked for language preference and told me to read the instructions. They took my Photo, and finger print of left 4 fingers, right 4 fingers and 2 thumb fingers. They instructed me to go for interview 30 minutes before. I left the building with in 15 mins.

Visa Interview Schedule on 9th Aug 2016 10:30 AM.
I carried the following documents.
1. DS160
2. Passport ( Current & Old)
3. 129 Petition
4. Employer letter about company. I work for Product Company so they clearly mentioned there is no vendor letter and client letter. Also they mentioned about company worth, number of employees and my roles and responsibility and number of clients etc.
5. Employer letter about my roles and responsibility with HR contact.
6. Pay stub for the year and previous year.
7. W2 statement for all years.
8. 1040 for all years.
9. Approved 1-140 Copy.
10. Previous petitions
11. Previous Experience Letter
12. SSN Copy
13. Driver’s License Copy
14. College Degree and mark sheet.
15. Current rental agreement.(Someone mentioned to take it)
16. Bank Account statement for 1 year. Just the credits page with account summary. The salary credit transaction should be there.
I checked out the hotel by 9:30 AM and walked to the consulate and reached within 5 mins.
The cop said there is no timing here you can go inside. I went inside they did the security scanning.
Checked all the documents and applied seal on the open envelopes.
Document verification counter they asked for the petition and passport and sent me to another counter and took finger print and told me to proceed to visa interview.
There was VO she looked like an Indian.
ME: Good Morning. How are you doing?
VO: I am doing well. Thank You.
VO: Passport Please.
ME: I gave it to her.
VO: She checked something in the system. Which company are you working for?
ME: I work for XYZ Company.
VO: Are you direct employee of the company?
ME: Yes
VO: What is your designation?
ME: I told my Designation.
VO: Who is your CEO?
ME: told my CEO Name.
VO: What is your Highest Degree?
ME: I told my degree
VO: What is your salary?
ME: told my annual salary.
VO: She took the Brochure and gave it to me and said your visa is approved.
(She didn't ask for Single document other than Passport)
I checked the clock and the time was 10:15 AM.

OFC:
Please take only the required documents try to avoid electronics and big bags. Verify the DS160.The details should match on your passport. You can keep things in a small room but there is no safety box.DS160 correction center in a small room but too much crowd. Try to avoid last minute tension.
VISA Interview:
 Prepare very well for the interview, Know about company, Client, Role, salary etc. Take all the documents and make sure that should be easily accessible. Do not carry any electronic. There is a small safety box for electronics but the queue is very long. Dress very well (Formal) Be Confident and keep smile on face.
I have explained more details because so many questions were asked in multiple forums. So I have done 3 months research and consolidated everything. Thanks for reading.

I have gone to Matamoros Mexico in 1st week of August 2016 for H1B stamping. Went for stamping for me, my spouse, a child with another US born child.

timeline:
1st Aug 9:00am - finger print & photo @ ASC
2nd Aug 8:00am - visa interview & approved, asked to collect passport at 3pm @ consulate
2nd Aug 3:00pm - received passport for me and child @ consulate
3rd Aug 3:00pm - received passport for my spouse @ consulate.

visa interview questions to me:
* 4 of you are here, but submitted 3 passports only. so is another child born in USA?
* are you working for same employer?
* give me your I-129
* give me your last year W2
* give me your i-140 approval evidence
* how much salary you are getting?
* howlong you are working for your employer?
* where is your employer?
* whom do you report to?
* what is your job & duties?
* who is your client?
* then officer was noting some details from i-129 into his computer.

visa interview questions to my spouse:
* are you also working?

visa was approved for everyone who had attended interview on that day and on that week whoever was in hotel. if travelling with families or couple, please expect one delay for passport delivery for either of your family member.

Accommodation:
I have stayed at Salvador's Best western hotel plaza Matamoros (https://mexicovisaservice.appspot.com&#x29;. It is the best place for families i would suggest. I was well taken care. we have made the chef to cook our south Indian style home food. chef was making all custom to food to suit kids and our style. please prepare additional day accommodation if you are traveling with family or for couple as it is usually delayed by another day for delivery of spouse passport. I have reached out to Salvador for any questions and any help which i wanted.
Though the below incident was not related to visa stamping, i give information here to show the level of service/care we can expect from Salvador. he was helping me getting mexico immigration done, providing ways to save money while there and more. everything was taken care as mentioned in above website.

On 3rd day, i had plan to travel within Mexico and flight was at 6pm. but i have received the passport at 3:30pm only and i didn't have flight reservation as i was not sure about passport delivery. Salvador, his hotel staffs and his assistant GAUDENCIO helped to make it possible. I couldn't book flight ticket online as it was less than 6hrs to book though seats were available. While his hotel reception staffs calling airline and assure seats available, his assistant was helping me to get to airport ontime.

port of entry @ PHL airport:
* why did you go mexico?
* why did you choose mexico for stamping than your home country?
* how many days you were there in mexico?
* where do you live in usa?
* give h4 visa supporting documents?
* show visa approval copy?
* last visa expired in 2014. where is the extension approval since then?

I feel the wait time for H1 interview is too long this time.Did any of u feel like that.
My employer could book a date only in November though I got the approval in July ;(
Any of you feel so ?

Hi

My name is Ruchika and I had applied for h4 visa from Kolkata. I was handed a 221 g white form stating that your application has denied refused. No visa shall be issued unless an application is completed. I was issued this due to a confusion. My husband's passport got expired and he had applied for a new passport and at that time we were not married and hence his marital status was not changed . He got his passport on 30 th Dec and we got married on 4th Jan after our marriage my husband had to join his ofc again asap. He filed his ds160 as single and hence in his h1b it's mentioned as single . As for new passport we had to get our marriage registered and it required a months time to get the appointment for marriage registration.

So when I went in for the interview I was given a white form of 221 g as mentioned earlier. My husband had also received an email Kolkata fpu for our relation verification and my husband has already mentioned that we our married and also he had stated the reason for confusion as he had to get back to his work hence did not change his marital status.

There is a tick mark on a check box mentioning your application requires additional administrative processing before final decision can be made ease send the information to requested below to the email id CV petition copy contract etc etc ..... I am still not clear whether I'll get the visa or not and what documents are required to be sent. Can any one please guide how to proceed further....

Can someone please answer these :
Is it possible that consulate revoke the H1B visa validity after a DUI arrest?
If the H1B visa validity is revoked, can H4 person enter US after that.

First of all , I would like to thank all members of this forum who have provided their experiences that are helpful to prospects like me :)

My Visa experience

OFC

Date and time : 3rd aug/ 8 am
It was quiet normal as explained in many other posts here . They allow in only 15mins before and collect your fingerprints and photograph. A simple 15mins procedure . please do carry your passport DS-160 and Appointment letter

My Visa experience

Date and time : 4th aug / 11am

This time they allowed in one hour before my scheduled time slot . They even did not check my DS / Appointment letter. Just took my passport to verify details and allowed me in . Security was done after which a seperate counter was maintained to verify biometrics. Next waited in lobby for 15 mins before a personnel called us in to stand in queue for VO . Atlast after 15mins , here is my interview

VO : GA
Me : GA and how are you ?

VO : Fine . Please handover your PP
Me. Sure thing .(Handed over passport through counter slot)

VO: So, who is your employer
Me : xxx

VO : you work for him directly ??
Me : No , I work at client location

VO : who is your client
Me : ABC

VO : how long you have been woking for him
Me : 16 months

VO : do you have the pamphlet ?
Me : yes , I do .

VO : what did you understand from it
Me : How to screw my employer

VO laughed and said golden words " your VISA is approved "

My advise : Do not listen to one's Advise along with mine :)

Hi Guys,

Please help me on this matter.

I'm trying to get H4 visa to my spouse. Can we go to Bangalore US office to get h4 stamped as she is eligible for drop box.

Also while filling ds160 i'm not seeing Bangalore as option for location. Please let me know if you used drop box facility in Bangalore.