H1B, H4 Visa

My Sincere thanks to immihelp and all its members for sharing their experiences which immensely helped in preparation. It will be unfair if i dint pay back to immihelp :

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Day 1 [Nov 5]-

Followed the directions on the appointment confirmation which lead us to the location without many hassles. reached there about 20 minutes before the scheduled time and it was sufficient. Directions were given at every place and it was a cake walk. they took the bio-metrics and the officer advised to be there at Consulate 15 minutes before the appointment @11:00 AM.

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Day 2 Consulate Interview[Scheduled @ 11:00 AM]

Reached at the consulate at 9:15 AM itself and stood in the que. There was a long que and the first check was passport , DS-160 and Appointment Confirmation page. After checking I was directed to another line where the waiting time was about 25 minutes before getting into the consulate annex building where the documents pouch is scanned and a security check happened [Please do not carry any electronic items (Avoid Digital watches) or Car keys.] Then I was directed to another building where the bio metrics are verified in two separate counters after which the que for the main interview stands. I was directed to counter no 23. American guy who didnt look more than 35 years in age, rejects 2 tourist Visas and 2 B1 visas ahead of me.

ME: Good morning Sir. Hope your day is going well.
VO: (after a long pause moves close to the glass) Good

VO: Could you pass me your passport
ME: Did

VO:Employer
ME: replied

VO: Client
ME: Told

VO: How many years of IT experience
ME: 3 years

VO: How many years with the current employer
ME:2 Years

VO: what will be your onsite pay
Me: Told

VO: Are you going to be supervising anyone at the onsite?
Me: No Sir.

VO: Can you give me a moment
Me: (like i could say No) Certainly Sir

He goes inside a disappears for about 3 minutes before he comes back. I observed he was wearing a lungi.........

VO: (looks into the system and types something) Have you ever applied to US universities
Me:(I have like 4 i20s from different universities for FALL-15 & 16) Yes Sir. I got into some good schools but at the moment i choose to pursue work over education.

VO: Okay. (types something into the system and suddenly moves close to glass) Why are you not pursuing studies as i see you got into some good schools.
Me: Sir i am doing well at work and i see brighter prospects of relevant exposure at work at this moment sir.

VO: fair enough
Me: (smiles)

VO: Are you sure you will not be supervising anyone at onsite
me: No Sir. I wont be supervising. I will be executing test strategies on game frameworks.

VO: Test strategies? Any supervising you would be doing at the offshore team?
Me: No sir.

VO: what is your Onsite Pay.
Me: told

VO: Can i see your i-797
Me: Passed it

VO: Here is your rights sir in the pamphlet and i am approving your Visa
Me: Thank You Sir. You look very good in this ethnic attire(Lungi)

VO: (Did I say he looked around 35 years old? cause the way he gloated with glee he looked like a 2 yr old) I am glad this Fascinated you, we have an ethnic day today
Me: That's great sir. Happy Diwali to you in advance.

ran out of there!!

Here's my two cents:

Maintain eye contact.
Be cool. Spell out every word clearly
the consulate looks very awesome inside so get comfortable and always remember this:

THEY WANT TO APPROVE EVERY VISA UNLESS YOU GIVE THEM A REASON OTHERWISE.

Best of luck!!

However my status as on 11th Nov says "Administrative processing" and i am assuming it is the festival week which is causing the delay

Hey guys,
Thanks for sharing your experiences here.
I have a problem that a lot of people have mentioned here but there have been very vague answers.
Background: I am on my H1-B right now and my visa stamp expired earlier this year, my current employer has me eligible until 2017
I misplaced my original I-797A that has the I-94 and haven't been able to find it.
I have the form I-797C (Petitioner's copy of Notice of Action) from the employer, a copy of I-797C and a receipt for premium processing and the petition itself.
My lawyer and employer are working on getting the duplicate thru form I-824 but that will take a few weeks. My lawyer is already ready to attest to the copy of I-797A that I have.
I have all other documents that are needed. I have my visa appointment on December 9 and 10 in Bombay. Currently I am still in the States, do you think I cancel my trip to India and wait until my duplicate arrives? I am really confused.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Pankaj

Hi All,

First, I would like to thank immihelp.com and people who posted there experiences.

I have attended my visa interview in US Consulate Frankfurt, Germany on 09th Nov. I had open questions even after I booked my appointment whether I would be allowed to take an interview from other than home country for the first time stamping of H1B.

As I am in Germany on work permit I guess they allowed me to take it. In Germany for H1B stamping is little bit different we don't need to schedule an appointment for Biometric, every thing happens on same day.

I had my appointment at 10.15, I reached consulate at 9.45 and to my surprise there was no huge crowd outside the embassy as in consulates in India.

as usual security scrrening and then directed to a different building where first I had my finger prints and lady has collected all our passports (including my wife and my kid), I-797 and was asked to wait for my token number to flash for interview.

I saw that H1B interviews happening only in one counter and other counters were busy with other applicants.

After waiting for more than half an hour I see my number flashing..

Me : Good Morning Officer
VO : Hello

VO : From how long are you in Germany
answered
VO : Which company are you working for here
answered ZZZ
VO : For which company are you going to work in US
answered ZZZ
VO : Where would you be going to work in US
answered YYYY, address
VO : What is your role over there
answered but fumbled as I was looking for my daughter who started playing around and going here and there at the place of interview
VO : Who is your client
answered
VO : whom do you report to is it some one at Client Side
I report to YYYY and YYYY hold complete authirity
VO : How long are you going to stay in US
answered
VO : What is your salary
answered
VO : Again what is your role here in Germany and in US
answered

While VO was checking something in her system
I had asked her if I can have original I-797 and I could give xerox copy of it as by mistake I had given the original for lady at Biometrics counter.

VO replied she would need the original and I couldn't make out at that time that she wanted that as she decided to approve my visa. I was waiting for questions to be asked for my wife.

VO was looking for my wife but as she has to step away as my 2 yrs naughty was playing around and she went to bring her back. no questions to dependents and

VO : thats it thank you and I am approving your visa and would receive passports in a weeks time.
 
Best of Luck to all immihelp.com readers and H1B visa aspirants.

Hi All,

My sincere thanks to all the people that are linked here with this forum and thought necessary to share their stamping experience.

I am sharing my experience as well:

Biometric: All fine (simple process)

Consulate Interview:
----------------------------
Interview was scheduled at 12:00 reached at 11:30 and started the queue. As i was accompanied by my wife and 3.5 years son i was asked to skip the queue and enter directly. First window for scanning the passport sticker pasted by biometric and our finger prints and was asked to join counter no 18. At Counter no 18, She took the passports, pasted a baby sticker on my son's passport and verified something (not sure) and asked to join the main queue (Interview).

At the main queue they did see one of my family passport has a baby sticker he did not ask me to join the queue but directed me to one of the immediate available counters for interview.

Me: Good Morning Officer

VO: Very Good Morning!
VO: Who is filing H1B. Is it you or your wife?

ME: Myself officer

VO: Okie, So you are travelling from ZZZ(current employer) to US

ME: No officer, YYYY is my current employer and this is a new Employment opportunity for me. I will be traveling from YYY employer and will be working for X client from YYY's office located at city, state.

VO: That's perfect
VO: So you are planning to quit your current employer before travel

ME: Yes Officer

VO: Have you done Bachelor's
ME: Yes, I have done Bachelor's and then Master's in Computer Applications

VO: Good, I am giving individual copies to you and your wife please read this before travel

ME: Sure officer

VO: (To my son) pointing to me, who is this man standing with you
MY SON: Papa
VO: Great! pointing to my wife, who is this woman standing with you
MY SON: Mom
VO: Wow, Great to hear that! What is you name
MY SOM: YYYY YYYY X
VO: Cool! I am approving your visa and holding you passports you will get them in 2-3 working days, you are good to leave. Congratulations!

ME: Thanks a lot Officer

None of the documents were asked the only copy i shared with the officer is my family passports. I logged in today (10 Nov) to check the status, it says "Administrative Processing"

Please share if anyone is aware why my status is "Administrative Processing"

Thanks a lot!

Hi
I have submitted my DS-160 and booked the slot also,but i need small info regarding this.

As per my passport 'place of birth' is "<City>, <State>"
In DS-160 confirmation page 'place of birth' is showing as "<City>'.

Here '<State>' got missed in DS-160.
Do I face any problem in 'OFC' in consulate?Pls suggest.

Hi All,

I just want to share my experience with you all about our H1, H4 Interview experience @ HYD

Day-1(Oct-30)
============
Scheduled Time: 8.30 AM for H1 and H4 for spouse and kid.

We reached to VAC by 8.15 AM. As you all know they are not going to allow
15-30 minutes prior to appointment time. So you don't need to rush out.

They verify your DS-160 and appointment letter and placed stickers on all our
passports. Later we were directed to the counters for photos and fingerprints.
They just asked my purpose of travel and employer name. They took my kids photo,
scanned it and returned back.
Day 1 process completed in 15 minutes.

Day-2 (Nov-2)
=============
Appointment time: 10AM.

We reached around 9.30. The parking provision is very less at HYD consulate. So, better
to hire a driver to drive your car for those 2 days. Better not to take risks.

At the consulate:

VO: Good morning
Me: Good morning.

VO: Who is employer Sir?
Me: XX

VO: Can you please spell it Sir?
Me: Answered

VO: Can you give me your I-797?
Me: Given

VO: What is your Salary Sir?
Me: Answered.

VO: Who is your End Client Sir?
Me: There is no End client Mam. I will be working at the employer location.

VO: What is your project all about?
Me: Explained in detail about the project in 2 mins

VO: What is your designation Sir?
Me: Answered

VO: Turned to my wife and asked how many years back you got married Mam?
Wife: XX Years (I got an indication that VO is finalizing our Visas as my turn is over)

VO: You are surviving with only 1 child?
Wife: Yes

VO: Smiled and said OK Sir your Visas are approved.
We Both: Thank you Mam and returned with a smile.

Our visas are "Ready for Pickup" by 4th and we collected on same day.

Note of Caution
============
If you are working on a internal project for a consultancy company then
make sure that you have project documentation (BRD, SRS and Market Analysis).
You should be pretty confident and be prepared to explain your internal project in detail.
You should also be prepared to face the questions like, how this project is related to your
company, how this project will be useful? What are your marketing strategies.

I was prepared for all these questions. Luckily she didn't ask further questions or documents once
I was able to explain the project confidently.

I hope this helps

Cheers
GV

Hello Forum

I need help regarding whether it is safe or allowed for my wife to attend a H4 visa interview.

I was working on H1-B visa for my employer and I got laid off by my employer today.
They said, I need to keep coming to work from Monday, but they will be running my payroll till end of this month.

My wife had left to India for vacation, with an approved I-797, for H4 visa.
Her current visa is expired and she needs to get visa stamping before she can return back to USA.
She had completed and submitted a DS-160 form 2 weeks ago, but did not pay the visa fee and so could not schedule an appointment yet.
Just before we were about to pay the fee and schedule an appointment for H4 visa interview, I came to know today that I am laid off.

Also, while we were filling out her DS-140 applciation, my I-140 application has not yet been submitted to USCIS.
So, we had answered NO, for the question, "has anyone filed Immigrant petition on behalf of you ?" on her DS-160 form.
Later on my I-140 was submitted and got approved. Now, today I am laid off.

I am confused now here, because my employer said, they will run my payroll till end of this month, am I technically laid off now, yet ?
Therefore, can my wife still use the submitted DS-140 to schedule and attend the interview ? Is it really risky or at least not advisable for my wife to go ahead
and attend the interview ?
Or is it recommended for her to stay away back in India, until I am able to find another job and have her apply for H4, under my new employer ? I am concerned about what if that might take too long ?

I want to know any suggestions as soon as possible, so I can make a decision.

Thank you all.

VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning

VO: Which company filed your petition
Me: xxxxxx

VO: Did you got the pamplet
Me: Yes

VO: Visa approved will get in 3 days.
Me: Have a nice day.

Hi Friends,

I have few queries on the documents I have to carry during interview.

1.My employer has mailed only H1B approval notice(original) and informed that they would be sending all the other documents through email. My question is, Is that Ok if we carry the photo copies of the documents? Will there be any problem if don't carry originals? For example, LCA,MSA,SOW,Client letter,offer letter etc.

2.My employer says that LCA and I-129 are same and they woulb be sending LCA. As per my knowledge, I don't think they both are the same.

3.I work for client and I have only client letter. In client letter, they mentioned about the project I will be working on I don't have complete project documentation. Will there be any issue if I don't have project documentation.

Kindly suggest.

Regards,
Sarayu

11/05/2015 12:00 P.M

Bunch of thanks to this forum which helped me in doing my interview.

Someone said not to go the counter 20, but i happen to go to the same counter and the person

VO: How are you
ME: I am good and how about you?

VO: I am good too, Passport please
ME: Gave

VO: Which company you will be working?
ME: xxxx company

VO: Which company you are currently working?
ME: yyy company

VO: What is your project name:
ME: zzz project

VO: Can i see your LCA papers?
ME: Gave

VO: Whcih city are you going to stay?
ME: answered

VO: How many years of total IT experience?
ME: answered

VO: (after entering the details on his machine) I am approving your visa. Please go through the pamplets. Happy stay in US
ME: Thank You!