H1B, H4 Visa

Hello all,

I am here to submit my experience of H1B visa interview. It is not mandatory that whatever experience i have had, you would also undergo the same. But it is a good practise to be prepared before appearing for the interview.

First appointment was with the Visa OFC (Offsite Facilitation Center) where they would ask only for the Passport, DS-160 confirmation copy, Embassy appointment letter. They will check if all of them matches and then send you inside. They will assign a token number to you. Keep checking the monitor for your turn and counter number. On appearing at the counter they will take the above mentioned documents and ask you to read the "Declaration of Truth"(attached to the right of the wall) in your comfortable language. They will also ask the purpose of your visit to US. After that they will take your fingerprints, face picture. They will handover the documents back to you and ask you to appear with all the supporting documents for the main interview at US Consulate. That is all for the first day.

Second appointment was with the Consulate. Do appear a 15-30 mins before the scheduled interview. If you appear before that, you may have to wait for a very long time. There will be a queue. Join it. At the gate entrance, they will validate the barcode(on your appointment copy) to see whether you have paid the appointment fees or not. After that you will be allowed inside. There will be a series of shelters with rows of seats. Basically this means that you will be put in queue a max of 3 times from here.

First they will ask you form a queue and give you a tray. You need to empty your pockets into that tray. Place your documents, passport, keychain, purse, belt, pen etc here. The items in the tray will undergo a x-ray check and you will be thoroughly checked through a scanning door. Once checked, you will be handed over all your items. Get back your belt, keychains, purse, etc and get prepared again. Now carry your documents and join another queue. This queue will be directed to a separate counter one by one to validate the fingerprints you provided at OFC the day before. Once the validation is done, you will be directed to another queue. This queue will be directed to another series of counters, one by one. A maximum of 2 applicants will be allowed to stand in front of the queue one after another. The minimum distance between 2 candidates should be 5 feet. Now this is the counter where the actual interview will take place. So be prepared.

- Dress well with a decent light color shirt and dark trousers(complete business formals). Avoid funky dress up if you are going for a H1B visa.
- Shoes also should be formal.
- Carry all your documents in a neat transparent harmonium folder. Its easy to pull and push the documents whenever needed.
- Following is the link where you can get a series of possible interview questions.
Reference 1 - http://www. **** *.com/h1b-visa-guide/interview-questions
Reference 2 - http://www.immihelp.com/visas/h1b/h1-visa-interview-sample-questions-answers.html

- The interviewer will try to see if you possess the basic requirements for this visa i.e.
a) confidence
b) command over language and fluency
c) minimal educational qualification for the job i.e. Graduation in Specialized Occupation(which is Computers generally) and Post Graduation in the same field will be a big plus.
d) willing to work under mentioned contract without fail
e) willing to return back to India after your work is finished

- Following are the documents required for the verification.
a) Embassy Appointment Letter
b) DS-160 copy
c) Passports
d) I-797 original
e) Client Letter(optional) - If you have the client letter with you, things become much more easy,since it is clearly mentioned in that letter that your services are required at the client workplace. Even if you don't have the client letter, its not a big issue. Client letters are not disclosed to some of the employees. Hence you can mention(if asked) that "my HR and client communicate with one another internally and it is not disclosed to the employees as part of company policy. If need be, i can ask my HR to forward the client letter to US Consulte office."
f) Master service agreement - An agreement copy made between your employer and the client for continuous consultation of services.
g) US Offer letter
h) Indian Company Office Photos
i) Company Letter to Embassy Officer - mentioning about your purpose of visit to US and thereby assistance in approval of the same.
j) Company brochure
k) Resume
l) Payslips of last 6 months
m) Bank statements of last 6 months
n) Form 16 of all financial years
o) Current Company offer letter, official confirmation letter, salary appraisal letters
p) Past company offer and service letters
q) Educational certificates
r) Marriage certificate and marriage photos - in case you are appearing with your family
s) Child's birth certificates original
t) Child's passport sized photographs (dimensions of the photograph should match the specifications mentioned in the US consulate website).

 
Hope all goes well with you too!!
Good luck

Regards,
Kartik

Hi All,

I have got petition yday with date of birth mentioned 08/25/1988 whereas my actual dob on pass port is 08/23/1988.

I have checked it on both i797 and i129 as well. In both forms, date mentioned is wrong one.

My petitioner is MNC in india, they are me to go for interview without changing it.

Please suggest me, should I go for it? is there any chance of rejection due to this?

Hi,

OFC appointment was on 21-dec-15 11:15 AM. Was there around 10:30 and had to stand in queue for 45 mins. Security took our passports and DS-160 confirmation page and verified that everything matches and then they sent us inside where again some staff checked our passport and put a little sticker on the back of passport that has visa type and our interview language and sent us inside with a token number. Went for finger printing when it was my turn, no questions asked.

Visa Interview: 22-Dec-15 10:30 AM
Reached the embassy around 9:30. I knew its better to sit and wait outside rather than going and standing in line for 1 hr. But people around me told me better to go and stand in line. That was a mistake as we had to stand in scorching sun for 1 hr before first security gate let us in. Then there was a waiting area with chairs and had to sit there for 10 mins. Every minute we waited seemed like hours. Then they called us in for security scan. They checked for sealed envelopes specifically. Do not take sealed envelopes. Then there was again a waiting area where we had to sit for 15 mins and it felt like forever. Then they called us for fingerprint check and was asked t stand in queue for visa interview. They handed tokens and had to go to the interview window mentioned on the token. There were couple of guys before me standing. There were so many F1 students. Many rejections.
And then its my turn for the interview. Took a deep breath and

VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning. How are you?
VO: Fine. Who is your employer?
Me: ZZZ
VO: What is your annual salary?
Me: ZZZ$
His colleague interrupted him in the middle and they were chatting and laughing and then he turned back and
VO: What is your role/designation?
Me: ZZZ
VO: Sir, your visa is approved.
Me: Thank you so much.

Did not even ask for a single document not even I-797. Just the passport.

Finally thanks to Immihelp forum for letting us share our experience so that others can benefit from it.
Best of luck to all.

Hi,

My friend working in one of the Top MNC in India. His initial time of petition filing with Client AAA & state ZZZ, later he moved to another Client BBB & State YYY within the same vertical. His case came for RFE and he provided the requested details ( i.e the current client & State ) and RFE also approved. Now when he approached Immigration manager within the MNC company, he is asking him to file amendment since the current project for which he is going is different than one initially provided. But normally it would take 60 - 120 days unless we file it under Premium processing which additionally costs 1250 $. Now he is planning for the following options,

 1. Submitting DS160 with the old information ( i.e Client AAA & state YYYY ) to attend visa interivew
      - Any expected problem in this case ? because his case came for RFE and he also provided new in-formations that he is working with new Client BBB & State YYY - Will this be cross checked during the time of interview
2. Submitting DS160 with current client (BBB) and old state ( ZZZ) instead of current state ( YYY) to avoid amendment before visa interview and he will present himself as work from Home for the client BBB from state ZZZ.
   - - Any expected problem in this case ? Will there be questions like y we work from home ? can this be easily handled by telling like our fiance is available in YYYY like wise ?

 

Hi All,
I have 2014 H1B Approval and wanted to find employer who should transfer my petition. Please let me know any employer is willing to do this?/

Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone..here I share my visa experience

Nov 30 Monday 9.15am : OFC
Checked our passport and DS 160 form and confirmation letter.
Fingerprint done
No question asked.

Dec 1st Monday 8.30am : Visa interview
We reached there by 8.00 am and there was a big line around 40 people in front of us. A security checked our passport and when he asked for our son's passport we told that he is US citizen. Then he told us to follow him and we went directly to the inside. We submitted our documents in one window and a lady asked that is our son US citizen. Then again she took us directly to the visa interview window.

VO: Hello
Me: Good morning how are you?
VO: I am fine. Please give me I 797 and passport
Handed over I 797 and passport
VO: I saw two passport where is another one.
Me: my son is US citizen
VO: Big smile and chit-chat with my son
VO: Where do you live
Me: **** City
After looking my I 797 ( Working in a American Company more than 30000 employee) VO told that he used to work there 30 years ago and asked me how the company doing just chit chat.
Not a single question to my wife.
VO: You are all set. You will get your passport within 2 days.
Me: Thank you very much
VO: to my son.... enjoy your holidays.

Next day got mail that our passport is ready for pick up.

Hi everyone… Big thanks to Immihelp and all the users who shared their experiences in the forum.
So as a thanks giving I am sharing my experience. I gave the interview in Mumbai.

Dec 13 Sunday 3:30 PM : OFC
I reached by 2:45 PM and they allowed me in to the queue same time and I went inside within 5mins.

They checked my passport and DS 160 forms and confirmation letter. As I reached next counter they took my passport and pasted a label behind it. The whole process took 15mins.

Dec 17 Thursday 9:00 AM : Visa Interview

I reached there by 8:40 AM, there was a big line outside around 150 people and many inside too, lot of them were F1 visas and tourist. About 15mins later, I reached inside the gate and another 10 mins later, I reached the open lobby. Around 30mins later we were allowed inside the hall where actual interviews were being done. The line went forward passing each counter and I was observing each officer.

I was told to stand before a counter where one F1 guy was having his interview and he got rejected as he was not able to answer even basic questions. Now it’s my turn…

VO : Hello
Me: Hello officer. How are you?
VO: Oh I am fine. Passport please and I797 too. (He started the interview and was typing something simultaneously. )
Me: I passed the passport and I797. (That’s it. He didn’t ask for any other doc.)
VO : What is your company
Me: ZZZ
VO: Designation?
Me: ABC
VO: Salary?
Me: $YYY.
VO : Are you married?
Me: No.
VO: Are you engaged?
Me: No. Not yet (Smiling).
VO: Did u get the US rights pamphlet?
Me: Yes.
VO: Please read it. It is very important.
Me: Yes, I will. (By that time I felt he is done with the interview)
After that VO stood up and said to wait for a min and came back after 2mins. He took my I797 and got a copy of it (I was tensed during this process and felt if he was going to give me one of the slips like requesting for additional documents as such).
VO : Sorry sir, It is going to take more time than the usual. (He didn’t tell me any golden words like, ”Your visa is approved.”)
Me: Is it approved?
VO: Yes. But it will take more time than the usual as your I797 is not showing online.
Me: (Out of anxiety) So it is done, I don’t have to wait or come back.
VO: Smiles! Yes you don’t need to come back.
Me: Big smile and gave a big thank you.

It took just two minutes to interview and the 2mins for him to get the copy of my I797. He was very cool and I felt that he really wanted to approve my visa right then when he spoke to me for the first time.

I tried to be confident and maintained eye contact and few smiles in between. That is the key and dress formal to give a first impression.

Only thing annoyed me was the time it is going to take to get the passport stamped and to pick up the same (As VO told it is going to take time more than the usual). Surprisingly, I checked the online status next day (18th Dec) and it was as “Issued”.

I also got a mail like

“Your document(s) have been collected from the US Embassy/Consulate
The passport number being returned is YYYY XX.
You have chosen to have your documents delivered to the following location:
Mumbai, Trade Center Gr. Floor G Block, Mumbai, 400051
If you have any issues or concerns, please contact us at www.ustraveldocs.com/in.”

I didn’t really understood the mail and checked the passport tracking online, it showed as ”Ready to pick up”. I picked it today (21st Dec Monday) from blue dart center as sat and Sundays are holidays.

Note: I didn’t receive any mail regarding passport status other than the one above. I checked it online.

Hi all, first of all thanks to IMMI HELP.

Here is my story.

Visa Interview @ 11:30 21st Dec 2015
I Just came from interview.
My questions are
VO: What is ur company?
Me: ZZZ
VO: a new company, I dint even hear about this. Give me your I797B.
Me: Passed it
VO: Opened the website and said, very poor standards, looks like not a good compay.
Me: I was shocked and I am unable to say anything
VO: keep on looking at website.
and asked which project you are working on
Me: ZZZ
VO: tell me about that
Me: Started explaining about that.
VO: Interrupted me and said you memorized something and giving it here... You are speaking with a person, but not with a machine.
Me: I was nervous that time and did say anything
VO: So, what is all this project about.
Me: given the same info in another fashion
VO: Typed for few min, what is your annual pay?
Me:ZZZ
VO: Where are you going?
Me:ZZZ
VO: When are planing to come back to India?
Me: ASAP once assignment is completed.
VO: do you have any client letter?
Me: It is an inhouse project
VO: Obvious with these sort of companies.
Me: I was afraid abouthis statement... I am able to hear my heart beat :(
VO: What is your qulification?
Me: ZZZ
VO: Asked me the certs and edu eval doc
Me: Passed them to him.
VO: Where are you currently working?
Me: Answered
VO: You are currently working for a very good company in India, why did you choose this standard less company for US?
Me: No answer from side... :(
VO: Asked me the tax documents of the company
Me: passed to him
VO: Looked at them for few min, do you have company pics?
Me: Passed to him...
VO: After having a look at those pics, typed for few min
and said You take these docs [given back everything except passport] and saif You can leave for the day.
Another helper standing there requested me to leave that place [I actually want to ask whther it is approved or not?]

I came to know that, today huge number of people are visited US Consulate in Hyderabad. and Most od the VOs are frustrutated.
I came to home just now and checked my VISA application status it is showing it is "Administrative Processing"...

Hoping for the best.

Hi Team,

i have added last 3 employers while filling ds-160 and submitted but we have add last 5 years employment details,if so i have add only 2 employer details..plz let me know it will create any prob or shall fill new ds 160 still not yet scheduled the appointment and not done the payment,,

Hi Friends,

I got offer from 2 companies to file H1B.

1. ABC company - petition is not selected during lottery.
2. XYZ company - petition selected and approved.

I am planning to attend visa interview, during that period.
Q1: will VO knows that 2 petitions filed behalf of me.

Please provide your valuable thoughts.