H1B, H4 Visa

I went for my first H1 stamping in 2009, I got 221g and when the visa was issued it was annotated as "clearance received". Any idea what does this mean? I would like to go for my 7th year visa stamping again now and getting worried as this may pose any problems. Please help!

A little background about me. I work for same employer since 2007 and same client (Pharma) since 6 years. I have done my masters from US. My employer and client are the same since 2009 when I first went for stamping. Since its the same employer and same pharma client again would I need to go for through the background check again?

Thanks a ton in advance!

Me: Hello Officer! Good morning- how are you ?
VO: I am doing well, can i have your passport please.
Me: I gave my new passport
VO: SO you are working for YYYY X Company, when did you join them?
Me: I joined them in June 16 2015,
VO:who is your Client?
Me: YYYY X
VO: When did you come to US?
Me: 2008 ( he was flipping thru my new passport, looking for my previous info). i asked him, if i can give my old passport, prior company i-797
VO: Yes
Me: gave my document
VO: Your VISA is approved!
Me: Thank You!

tips: Smile & talk, maintain eye contact- prepare well. i took all sorts of documentation, the interview lasted for 3 mins.

Hi All,

Today 08/24 I attended Visa interview at Chennai consulate. Interview was fine.And all questions they asked me are very normal ( your company, client name, U.S. Salary etc )

But finally Vo told like no issues with your documents and Visa . But due to some issue in the system, they are not able to retrieve our petition copy in their system and asked to provide the copy of Pettion for their process.

VO kept my passport and Pettion copy and asked me to wait for further updates. And she gave me blue slip marked as administrative processing and told no action required from your side .

In online also it showing administrative processing. Could you please let me know if any one of you faced the similar issues who went to H1B stamping today ? Because for few people who were in queue before me they told the same reason and collected their passport and Pettion copy . So I m worried what will happen to my case and how long it will take to get my visa (: anyone faced similar issues today? Please post. Thanks

First of all it was a tragic time for me while attending both my biometrics & interview as my father fell ill and was hospitalised. Fortunately my sisters gave me the confidence to attend the same .

Applied H1B Visa for self and dependents.

Biometrics:

On 20th Aug 2015, I went to the Chennai VAC and completed the Biometrics/Fingerprinting. I was asked to wait for around 1 hr than my appointment time. But, the process was farely easy. Few questions asked where,

Questions : Full name, Type of VISA, DOB, and Date of interview
Docs to be taken: Original passport, DS160 print out pages, Appointment letter containing barcodes, Photo of all applicants (especially children not coming with you as per US VISA guidelines)

Note:

Arrange the docs properly and give it to your dependents as they walk in. Any children below 14 yrs not needed to be taken for both Biometrics/interview.

Interview:

It was tense day for me considering my father's illness and my first time nervousness. However, I planned my travel very well and was present at the venue 40 mins before the interview.

After initial checks (around 4) i reached the interview section. There were no crowd and to my surprise i was asked to stand in the queue for interview once i reached the section.
Heartbeat started, i was listening to people before me. There were no H1B members. All were H4 visa members (mostly Father and Mother joining their son/daughter in US).

Finally, my chance came and i was greeted with a smile by the Consulate officer. My tensions relaxed as soon i started speaking with him. They are pleasant in their way of speaking and gesture.

VO: Can i have your passports?
Me: Handed over 3 passports (Self and dependents)
VO: After looking into the passports, asked about my 3rd application (child)
Me: I said she is just 2.5 yr old kid
VO: He understood. Asked about my VISA type and client for which i am going to work for
Me: H1B and told my client
VO: Asked the location of my client
Me: Told the state and city where my client belongs to
VO: Asked about my role and duties that i would be performing
Me: Mentioned appropriately (refer I129)
VO : Asked the I797B docs
Me: Gave current and old I797 B .(Note: It is important that you take both current and old I797B)
VO : Asked me about the duration of stay in US
Me: Answered as mentioned in my current I797B doc
VO : Please give the VISA supporting docs
Me: I thought for a sec and first gave him my I 129 copies and then my LCA
VO: After looking into the documents asked about my salary in US
Me: Answered as mentioned in I797B
VO: Then he started typing something in his system (I was confident however). Then handed over the US rights document
Me: I received it and said Thanks
VO : Ok, All Set !!!!!!!!! and Good Luck!! (Actually i was waiting for words "Your VISA is approved"). Took the passports with him.
Me: I understood and said Thank you

Happy that i finally got the interview done. Not a single questions was asked to my wife. I should say the officer was very kind and pleasant all through the interview

My advise, Be confident (Goose bumps tends to turn up naturally as you travel to interview, but dont loose the confidence), Align all the docs properly before interview, Read thoroughly the I129 ,I797 docs and ask yourself questions before interview.

Good luck for all your interviews.

Thanks and i am open to any clarifications.

HI Friends,

I came US on H4. Tried to change visa to H1 but unfortunately could do it. So converted to F1 and took masters in herguan university in CA. I took CPT and worked. While I am in OPT, this university had some issues and closed.

Later no other option, so has joined another masters and took CPT. Meanwhile I am trying to convert my status to H1. But last two times it did not pick.

This time it picked up. I was on cloud 9 for it. But it didn't last long. I got bunch of RFE. I submitted papers but my H1 was denied :-(. Reason for it is

1) I didn't have client letter. All I have is vendor letters. SO USCIS pointed it out

2) They said that I did not take my cpt with Herguan university(first university) on compliance and regulation. You have not established that the beneficiary is eligible for the classification or change of status. So therefore petition denied. This decision may leave the beneficiary without lawful immigration status. If beneficiary is present in the US in violation of law, he or she required to leave immediately.

I am planning to leave India and get stamped on H4. BUt not sure if I get stamped or not. Has anyone been on this before. Any information will be helpful.

Hi Friends,

Need suggestion from you. Last night i received approved I-797B scan copy from my Employer. While going through i found that Petitioner Name was Mis Spelled of TYPO Error from USCIS.

Actual Name: ABCD Consultancy
In I797B : ABTD Consultancy

When i notified to my employer he said it is a typo error from USCIS, It is ok and no issues with this and it wont create any problem while stamping as Consulate will refer to DS160 form.

Rest all the details are fine. Its just one word got misspelled.

Please help me guys is it ok to for stamping.

On 27th July I attended the visa interview, and my application was put under administrative processing with 221g white slip.

Please find the questions below (along with my response) during the interview.

Background: I am currently working in India. Previously I was in US on F1 and worked on H1 for about X years. This H1 petition is transfer to new employer under quota/cap exempt.

1. Who is your employer, how long are you with them?
>>> This is a new job opportunity, and the petitioner is YYYY .
2. How many employees do they have?
>>> They have about XX employees.
3. Who is the client?
>>> YYYY .
4. What does YYYY (client abbrevation) stand for?
>>> Not sure.
5. What do you do for the YYYY (Petitioner)?
>>> I build and support YYYY and YYYY using product suites like YYYY and YYYY .
6. What is your highest degree?
>>> Masters.
7. Which University did you get your Masters from?
>>> YYYY (from USA)
8. What is the major?
>>> YYYY
9. How many years were you earlier in USA?
>>> About X years.
10. Your previous employer filed your immigration petition?
>>> Yes
11. You no longer work for that employer?
>>> Yes
12. What business does client do?
>>> Client is into YYYY business.
13. How is client business related to your job position?
>>> We enable IT solutions for client's business.
14. How many clients does YYYY (petitioner) has?
>>> Petitioner has many clients like YYYY , YYYY , YYYY and many more.
15. Are all of them direct clients or do they have vendors?
>>> I am not sure about it, but YYYY (mine) is a direct client.
16. Since when YYYY (petitioner)is into business?
>>> Since YYYY
17. How many employees from YYYY (Petitioner) working for this Client?
>>> Currently there are about X employees working for Client.
18. Where is CLient located?
>>> YYYY
19. Where is Petitionerlocated?
>>> YYYY
20. So both are in same XX (State)?
>>> Yes.
21. When did this project start?
>>> I think early this year (in YYYY month).
22. Since when Petitioner has YYYY (mine) as its client?
>>> Not sure.

Visa Officer was typing some thing for a while and then asked me to submit all the documents that petitioner gave me. And she asked me to wait outside for a while.

After about one hour, I was called at a different counter where an Indian VO gave me 221g white slip saying that the application needs administrative processing (and will take about 2 weeks time for update). And returned all originals to me (except the original letter that was addressed to Hyd consulate), and mentioned that they took copy of all documents.

***I have immediately updated all the above details to the petitioner through email and on call, and asked them to update client accordingly so that they will be prepared to respond for any client verification.

31 July: Heard from petitioner that USCIS reached client through call and email for verification.

14 Aug: Received email from Consulate to submit my passport.

19 Aug: Received SMS saying passport is ready for pickup.

20 Aug: Collected passport with visa stamp.

Thank you very much for all those who shared their experience on this forum. It was very helpful.

Tips: Prepare as many questions as possible through the forums available on internet.
      Make sure you go through all the petition related documents in detail.
      Dress well and be confident.

At the end of the day luck does matter :-)

Hi All,
I would like to share my visa interview experience with all of you. It might help you in your preparation.
18-Aug-2015 - Bio-metrics @ 10:45 AM
Arrived at the center at 10:20 AM they allowed inside at 10:30 AM and finger printing was done and i was out at 10:45 AM.

19-Aug-2015 - VISA interview Appointment @ 11:30 AM
Arrived at 10:30 AM and got in line 11:10 AM, I was called for the visa interview.
Following questions are asked by lady Visa Officer:

VO: hello sir, Good Morning
Me: Good Morning mam
VO: Give me your passports
Me: I gave my passport and my wife passport as well
VO: who is your Employer?
Me: I Answered some xxxx

VO: Who is your client?
Me: YYYY

VO: How do you about this Employer?
Me: I posted my resume dice.com and Myvisajobs.com

VO: Do you have any layers and vendors in between?
Me: no End client and xxxx

After that she asked me to give the Employer and Client related documents.

I gave the following Document to her:

? Employer Letter to consulate
? Employment Offer Letter
? Employee-Employer Agreement
? Itinerary of Employment
? Client subcontracting/Consulting Agreement
? Client Letter
? Description of Client Project,
? End client Job Reconfirmation Letter

After that she given me Yellow Slip(Please remain seated until you are called to a window by our staff).
They have called my name after 2 hours and asked me stand in the queue where the first interview happened. The same American VO.
I am approving your visa's now. Go through this pamphlet your rights in US. Have a nice day.
Me: Thank you very much. Have a Great day Bye.

Hello,

  can someone help me on this ....my petition is approved on oct-2014 but am going for stamping 1st week of sep-15, so is there any chance of asking VO

why you have took long gap to attend interview?

Please share me your valuable points

Hi All,

Its Time to share my stamping experience.

VO Questions as Below.

To me:

1. Who is your petitioner ?
2. Which Location you are going ?
3. Since how many years you are working for this company ?
4. What is your Role ?
5. Who is your client ?
6. How many Number of Employees working ?
7. What is the Annual Turnover of the company ?

To My wife:

1. To Which location you are going ?
2. Why are you going to USA ?
3. Do you have any friends/Relatives in USA ?
4. How you know your friend.
5. How many kids you have and their Age.

Do you have white pamphlet ?

Golden Words "VISA approved".

Thanks