H1B, H4 Visa

Thank You Immihelp & members for sharing your experience & tips. Let me take my opportunity to file my experience too.

OFC on 20th, 4 PM:
Reached around 3.15 PM, luckily no Queue was there (probably due to rain). Entered along with family, no security check was done & straight to the Visa BioMetrics floor. Take these without fail,

-> DS 160 confirmation form, Appointment letter, Passport (& photo for kids below 14)

Everything completed inside 15 mins. Collected back the DS 160 form after taking photo & Passport with a label. All employees are Indians & they are very helpful too. But no storage place available to keep our holdings, plan accordingly [I kept my holdings inside call taxi for both the days].

Interview on 21st, 8 AM:
Reached around 7:30 AM, HUGE Queue & I had to stand for 30 - 40 mins. There was light drizzle & had a tough time keeping my docs & kid safe. You need to bear with BEGGARS, DOGS, rain drops from trees etc etc while standing in the queue :) not sure why Immig people can even lay a roof on the platform.

An Indian officer with a tab cross checked with our labels on top of passport. Entered to security check inside campus (roof available here), after security check entered the office. I carried a bottle of milk, biscuits, diapers for my baby but no issues.
Officers redirected me to the interview spot, labeled the passport based on application type & green tick mark (I got L1’s TOKEN by mistake & stood in L1’s Queue. I noticed H1s moving to different counter, enquired a facilitator & he asked me to get a different token for H1. [What if I had attended the L1 interview!]).

You need to keep an eye on the display for your token number & which counter you need to move (similar to passport office). There was only 1 counter open for H1 & I stood there waiting for our turn.

VO, a female of mid 30’s & excellent attitude. Candidate in front of me got rejected, he could not justify to a Question “Why is this a specialized job?”, he is from a small company & might have got rejected however I seriously got scared :-|

My turn:
WE: Good morning ma’m
VO: Hello… greeted back to all 3 with a big smile
ME: [Handed over our passport] Our passports!
[She liked my baby girl’s dress very much & started interacting with her, my baby who is just 2 yrs tried replying to her. VO gave a sticker to her to play with…..]
VO: Which US company you will be working for?
ME: AAA
VO: So AAA is your employer?
ME: No, I work for YYYY & AAA is my client
VO: [To my wife] How old she is?
Wife: 2 yrs (My kid too understood the question & she replied too showing 2 fingers which lead to a friendly conversation…)
VO: Whats your highest education?
ME: MS in blah blah
VO: And your salary will be?
ME: $ ZZZ per annum
VO: [to my wife] Whats your highest education?
Wife: MSc in blah
VO: Oh, so planning to work?
Wife: No [with a smile]
[And again she was chit chatting with my kid & also shared about her baby girl blah blah, we just nodding our head with smile…]
And finally, VO said "Your Visa is approved, enjoy your stay etc etc" handed over a white pamphlet & typing for some seconds…
I greeted her Thank you have a great day & VO greeted us back, bye bye to my kid again !!!

VO DID NOT ASK FOR ANY DOCS except passport.

My simple advice is “Be calm & cool, don’t show any kind of panic, maintain eye contact, answer precisely to the questions & no paragraph answers, rehearse your answers for all FAQs & maintain your docs properly.
Best of luck !!!

Hi All,

I am working with a consultancy ( EVC model). I am planning to go for H1 stamping( first time).
I have client letter, pay stubs and last year W2, but my employer has 24 employees ( info from I-129 ).

As number of employees are few are there any concerns while going for H1 stamping.
Are there any additional documents that i need to carry?

Please suggest.

Thanks.

 From past 6 months , my receipt status was in " initial review " . Recently applied for premium processing within 2 days of acceptance of premium processing my case status changed to Post decision status with following
" On XYZdate, your appeal was dismissed. The original decision on your case remains the same. If you have not received this decision within 30 days, or you have recently moved, please contact the appellate authority directly for assistance.
 
For approved applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include USCIS sending notification of the approved application/petition to the National Visa Center or the Department of State. For denied applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include the processing of an appeal and/or motions to reopen or reconsider and revocations."
 
- I am worried of decision . What does that mean ? and what to do next ?

Hi Friends,

I need the suggestion for following.

My petition was filed for client but my work location is employer's place. I am having agreement between employer and client and project description.I don't have any client letter since client don't want to provide any client letter.

1)is it mandatory to have client letter ?

2) if VO asks for that what i have to answer ?

Please suggest me..

Thanks...

Hi

First of all thanks to the immihelp and it's members who shared their valuable interview experiences which helped to great extent for interview preparation.
Now it is time to return the favour. Here is my experience

Oct 21, OFC-Appointment

Very simple process. Completed in 15 min. I had my appointment at 10 am. I reached the office around 8:30 am and they allowed us inside at 9:45 am. After entering into the queue. One lady checked the DS-160 confirmation details, appoint ment letter and passport and allowed us inside. After entering into the building receptionist checked again and gave us the token and moved us into another room.
Question asked during fongerprints

What is your purpose of visit
ans: Work assignment

After that took photograph and fingerprints. Over all process took only 15 min and I was out of the building at 10:10 am.

Interview - Oct 22

Scheduled the interview at 8:30 am. Allowed us inside at 8:00 am. After initial checking and all, gave us the token and allowed us inside the building.

Entered into the office at 8:20 am and after most nervous wait of 60 min, my turn came at 9:20 am.

Questions asked

me: Good morning office. how are you doing today
vo: Busy in typing something in the system.

vo: asked the passport
me: passed the passport

vo: Who is your petetioner
me: xxxx company

vo: who is your client
me: xxxx ( I think vo did not got my client name. Gave some doubt look and I repeated my client name (In loud tone).

vo: what do you do for your client.
me: blah blah ........( While explaining VO was busy in typing something in system and I think VO did not listened to what i was saying)

vo: what is your client location
me: answered

vo: how much do you earn over there
me: answered accordingly

Then Golden words came from VO "YOUR VISA IS APPROVED". I said thanks and came out.

VO did not asked for any other documents, not even I-797. Just took the passport.

Docs carried for OFC

1. DS-160 confirmation.
2. Appoitment letter
3. Passport
4. photographs

Interview

all docs that I carried for OFC
2. Client letter
3. Project description.
4. Payslips
5. Tax returns
6. Bank statements
7.I-129,LCA
8. Original education certificates.

confidence is the key. Answer loudly and never give additional information while answering questions. This may lead to additional questions.

All the best guys and once again thanks again to immihelp.for proviing such a platform for everybody to share their experiences.which helps a lot while preparing for interview.

I have bad experience in Chennai. Here is the details

Aug 20 : I Had interview and issue 221g blue slip stating administrative processing and final decision to me made. Took I797, I129, Project Documentation from me and returned my passport.

Sep 17 : Got first update asking to submit the Tax Documents via email to Chennai Consulate.

Sep 18 : Submitted the Tax Documents via email

Sep 19 : Returned all my documents which was submitted at the time of visa interview.

Oct 15: Got another update asking to submit Project Documentation Details via email to Chennai Consulate.

Oct 15: Submitted the Project Documentation Details via email.

Current status is still Administrative Processing. Can I know when will get the update from Chennai Consulate? It is more than 60 days from the date of visa interview but no update still now.

Hi friends,

I have filled DS10 by clicking 'START AN APPLCATION' button without selecting Location <li>https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/default.aspx&lt;/li>, and scheduled my appointment with this generated number. Is there any issue as I haven't select Location before 'START AN APPLCATION' ?

Please clarify me on this. Thanks in advance.

Hi friends,

I am filling DS160 FORM for myself(H1) and my wife , kid as H4.

Can you please help me on below questions.

1. are you traveling as part of group or organization ? Yes/NO : what should i select for me and my dependents.

2.Are there other persons traveling with you ? ( In my DS160 I have added my wife and kid, shall i also update their DS160 details with my name....)

Thanks in Advance.

Hello everyone,

I am trying to update my phone number in US DOS scheduling service,however, its giving me an error. I already have scheduled my appointments and just trying to update my phone number while in India.

Can anyone suggest me how to resolve this issue?

Thanks you all for help.

Hi All,

Oct 14,2014-OFC Appointment.

Simple process takes 10 to 15 mins for bio metrics & Photo.

Oct15,2015-Visa interview.

VO:May i know your client.
ME: YYYY X Incorporation.

VO:I didn't get your client.
ME: YYYY X

VO:Still I didn't get your client name can you spell it.
ME:X X X X X.

VO:She tried to pronouns and finally got my client name(She embarrassed and apologizes me because my client is world brand company.Problem here is they are pronouncing is different)
ME:No problem mam.

VO:Do you know your salary?
ME:Sorry mam.

VO:Do you know your salary?.(Repeated).
ME:Yes mam, YYYY X$ PA.

VO:What do you do for YYYY X(My client).
ME:Expalined the R&R.(She not even listened typing something on system and stopped me & asked the next question).

VO:What is your highest qualification.
ME:Sorry mam.

VO:What is your highest qualification.(Repeated).
ME:Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

VO:Sorry i didnt get you....Post graduate.....
ME:Its :Post Graduate Diploma in Management.PGDM equivalent to MBA.

VO:Ohh MBA.....She took my passport and given the white pamphlet.
VO:Go through the pamphlet to know your rights in USA.
ME:Thank you mam,Left the place.

TIPS,

Dont reach before 15mins so that no need lose your energy by waiting outside.Chennai traffic is good.
Dont skip your food and drink more water.
Avoid taking children to the counsalte.
Be confident,prepared and feel free.
VO is very friendly and ask them to repeat the question if you not understand.
If you are from Top MNC wear your ID card.

Note:Above is my experience not a legal advice.