H1B, H4 Visa

I my case was sent back to uscis for some verification.Does anybody have tthese kind of expirience.

Hi,

I appeared for consulate interview at 20/10 @ Mumbai. Everything went fine(no slips). Vo told me that I will get my passports in couple of days. But still I am seeing Administrative processing in tracker. Has some one else faced same thing?

But tension now..

Hello Everyone,

Thanks a lot for those who shared their experiences. It does count and indeed help a lot. So here I am with my own H1B interview experience at the Hyderabad Consulate on Oct 21st 2014

OFC - Oct 20th 2:30 PM

I arrived at 1:30 PM and was only allowed inside at 2:10 AM (for another queue inside). You need to have the following documents

1) Passport (original). Carry old passports just in case
2) DS 160 confirmation
3) Appointment confirmation
4) Fee payment receipt
5) Photographs (Just in case the camera at the OFC stops working, they will as for your photographs. I read several instances where this happened)

You will be security checked and ten-printed (in case anyone doesn't know, ten-print means fingerprints of all your 10 fingers will be taken).

I was asked only 1 question. "What is your purpose of visiting the US". I said "Employment". I was out by 2:35 PM

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Interview - Oct 21st 8 AM - The BIG day

As any other normal Indian. I arrived the consulate at least an hour before though I knew that I will only be allowed 30 mins before. Even the queue starts forming 30 mins before. (But its always better to be early than getting struck in traffic or other unforseen circumstances )

Me: Good morning Ma'am
VO: Good morning
Me: How are you doing today
VO: Good
Me: Great. Here is my passport and H1B petition approval notice.
VO: You can take back the petition (without even looking at it. Okay, I was not expecting this)
Me: Sure Ma'am.
Vo: Who is your employer
Me: YYYY
Vo: What does your employer do
Me: **** ** consulting firm **** **** *
VO: Where do you work currently?
Me: Client location in **** (city name)
VO: What does your client do
Me: **** **
VO: What do you do for your client
Me: **** ** (job responsibilities. Be concise and be ready to speak for a minute if necessary (remember this is why you are going to the US). You will be stopped at 5 seconds anyway)
VO: So, which location will you be working?
Me: **** (city name)
Vo: Okay, your visa is approved
Me: Thanks a lot Ma'am. (and Thanks God!)

The process was pretty smooth and here are all the documents I took took with me. I was out by 8:20 AM

All passports in original
DS 160 with sticker from OFC
Appointment confirmation
I797A copy
LCA copy
I129 copy
Fee receipt
Client letter
Employer letter
Resume
Payslips - 6 months
Bank statement - 6 months + letter from the bank
Previous employment letters
W2 forms
SSN, US DL
Client location photos

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Before me there was a couple for B2 visa and a family (1 H1b, 1 H4 and a kid).

Questions to the B2 couple (visa approved)
1) Why are you visiting the US
2) What does your daughter and Son in law do
3) Do you have any other chidren. Are they in US too
4) Are you still working

Questions to the H1/H4 couple (visa approved)
1) All questions to the H1 guy were similar to mine
2) But the VO asked the wife where does your husband work and she could not answer. VO then asked "Madam, how long is your husband working for ***". The wife didnt answer that too. VO repeated the question 3 times and finally the wife answered.

-----------------------------------------

Few tips (not that I am a guru of such things, but I know how tensed people can get when it comes to stamping as a lot of our future depends on this.)

1) Its okay to be nervous. Remember that we are human. But try not to show it out.
2) You do not have to carry copies of your passport. (Be logical, you are carrying the original passport. Why would you need the photocopy?)
3) Confidence will be your best weapon. Use it well.
4) Try your best to be calm and answers frankly.
5) Take as many documents as you can. If you can not take a document, be prepared to answer why you do not have it.
6) Do not worry about sending email about PIMS and Advance document submission. These are obsolete topics and are no longer needed to worry about before hand.

And of course, ALL THE BEST!!!!

Hi Guys. Thanks for who posted experience here. I had interview @mumbai consulate on 20-21 Oct.

21 Oct- visa consulate. appointment was at 11 AM along with my wife.

VO (Lady): Can I have passports and I797?
me: Sure

VO: What is your position in xxx company?
me: answered

VO: How long have you been working with xxx company?
me: answered

VO: How much you will get in USA?
me: answered (2 times)

VO: What is your highest qualifications?
me: answered

Then she asked questions to my wife.
What is your highest qualifications?
How long you have been married?
Is it love marriage or arrange marriage?
How your parents met?
do you have child?

Then she said with smile you will get your passports in 3-4 days..No magical words but that's fine. After that she asked me whether I have rights and protections pamphlet? I said yes. then thanks her and we left.

It was very smooth. Best of luck to who have interview scheduled.

For Mumbai Location, I would suggest to go just 20-30 mins ahead of your appointment time. Both OFC and Visa interview does not take lot of time. (15 mins each)

OFC Appointment: 16 - Oct - 2014 (Fingerprints and then Photograph will be clicked at OFC)

Visa Interview Appointment: 20-Oct-2014

No token system at this location. Just get into a line (which starts outside the consulate) and you will end up straight to the Visa Officer for the interview at the end of the line. (they would take finger prints one more time just before the visa interview)

Background:
My current employer is one of big MNC and my new employer is not so big - arnd 1200 employees.
I had L1B visa with my old employer (2 times) and was in USA for around 5 years with this visa.
My H1B application was selected and there was a RFE which got cleared after my new employer provided necessary documents to USCIS.

Interview:
Visa Officer asked me to provide passport and I-797.
After having a glance at the document, he asked me:
VO: Please tell me something about your project with this company.
Me: Sir, ABC is my new employer.
VO: Ok. Please tell me your role and what you will do there.
Me: I could not answer it completely. Even though I had prepared for this question, I was not able to give satisfactory answer(I felt so)and I ended up with abrupt stop when VO asked me another question.
VO: Would you be working as internal project or you have a client?
Me: We have a client. XYZ is our client.
VO: Who? which company?? (He asked again about client name)
Me: Repeated the name of client company.
VO: XYZ?? Could you please spell it for me?
Me: I spelled the name.
(Meanwhile, I passed my old passport to him)
VO: Are you married?
Me: I said no. Not yet.

VO said your visa is approved.

VO returned original I797 and old passport (putting a stamp on old visa sticker saying its not valid any more - even though it was expired)

Hello Everyone,

I am currently working for company YYYY in India and shall be travelling to USA to work in YYY.
YYY is fully owned subsidiary of ZZZ.

In such cases, I am sure the simple questions also sound tricky to some of us. Kindly help me answering those.

1. Who is your Employer?
- What should be the answer YYYY or YYY? (As question is not specific as "who is your CURRENT employer?" OR "Who is your Employer in USA?"

OR Where do you work?
- Answer should be YYYY or YYY?

2. Briefly describe your designation & duties? OR What is your designation and role?
- Should these be Designation & Duties in YYY? (As per I-129?).
(My designation in YYYY is different than that in YYY.)

3. How much is your salary?
- What should I tell? salary in YYYY or YYY? Or VO will be specific about ZZZ/YYY?

4. Why are going to USA / Client Location?
- New Employment at YYY. And I shall be working from client location for my Employer.
(Note that YYY location is different than my client location.)

Please let me know the answers. I know many who have similar questions in mind & there will be many more :)
Your answers shall clear that "small" doubt in mind.

Thanks you very much in anticipation!!!

I've read the experiences in this site before going for my interview. So thought of sharing my experience too.

Biometrics -19th October 4PM
I went there some 30 mins before the schedule and could see a long queue outside the compound. I had read in the instructions given to me from my company that many things are not allowed inside the compound so I just had the transparent folder with Appointment confirmation, DS160 confirmation, my passport and a 50x50 mm white background photo (Note: photo was not asked anywhere) all in a plastic cover. I didn't even take my umbrella, mobile or wallet. But the security check was not very strict. They just asked whether my phone was switched off.
One person checked the passports and people were allowed in batches inside. Inside they checked the DS160 & appointment confirmation sheets and cross checked with the passport. A token no. was stamped on the outer cover of passport. We were asked to wait till our token no. appears on one screen with the counter no. we need to go to. Around 7 counters were there. All employees here are Indians only. My token no. and counter no. appeared and I went to the counter where one person sits behind the glass and a camera fixed for taking photo. He asked for my DS160 and passport and queried my full name, date of birth and what type of visa I was applying for. Answered appropriately. My finger prints were taken: 4 fingers of each hand and the 2 thumbs together. He then asked me to remove my specs and took a photo. Asked me to take those docs along with the other docs for my consulate interview. Some seal of OFC was there in these docs.
 
Consulate Interview - 20th Oct, 9.00 AM
Here also I reached half an hour before the time. It was raining and many people were there before me for the same 9 o clock batch. Going early or late just makes you stand in front or back of the same batch queue. Waited in the queue for 15 mins or so. A guy with a tab checked the passport and asked me to move to the right side of the entrance. Before going to this side there is a very small baggage counter outside where you can keep things. But Its better not to take much things with you. The queue was pretty big this side, but there was a roof so the rain was not a problem. Please note you can take the umbrella with you inside all along. DS160 was checked by a security and I was let in through a door. Here the security checks were done. My folder was passed through a baggage checking machine and a frisking was done.
After that we were asked to go to another building where they checked the same docs again. I had taken the same sheets which had the OFC seals. They'll paste a slip with token no. on your passport. we had to go inside and stand in a small queue, asked me to go to one of the interview counters where verification and passport check was done. They made some green marking over the token number. Again they asked me to stand in a queue next to the previous one. Then I was allowed to sit and asked to wait till my token no. appears on the screen. Counters numbered till 19 were there. While waiting we can see many people attending the interviews, hear many questions asked for different types of Visas; no interviews lasted more than 4-5 mins. Some were too short also. Nothing to get tensed here. I was little tensed seeing this, but believe me once its your turn you will be super cool. Mainly because we're not in a situation like the job interview. We are standing across a glass and not sitting across a table. The interviewer also will be cool. The interview was quick for the 2 tokens in front of me. Then my turn came.
He asked for my passport; Didn't ask for any other documents. He asked me just the 4 questions below.
Q1) Why are you going to the USA?
A) My company has a project there in NJ for which I am going to work as a system analyst
Q2) So you will be working for your company from the clients location
A) yes
Q3) which is your company
A) ABC
Q4) Which is your client
A) X Insurance.
He said "your visa is approved and this is for you" and handed over the pamphlet of rights & Protections. I thanked him and left the counter.
It was quick and there is nothing much to get tensed.

I have detailed everything I could remember. Hope it'll be helpful. All the best to everyone :)

Dear Friends,

Below is the reply I have received from the consulate for my inquiry on my visa status which is under admin processing right from the day of my interview 29-sep-14.

'DEAR SIR,
 
Your petition is not valid in the system,
 
Please check it with your employer and send us email only when you are sure it’s fixed.'

I have checked with my employer where he confirms that everything is completed and so we have received I-797 approval.

Kindly suggest what should be done now.

Kumar
 

Hi Friends,

I had VO interview on 16th oct and it was approved from Chennai and i had asked passport to deliver on delhi blue dart.
I am checking my status on :
http://ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-passporttrack.asp

This says your passport is still with US embassy. It's been more than 2 days.

https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=WwjqOlbeRYzCYubaSQI+RA==

This says status ready . I am not sure , is there any other place to check status or what.

I would really appreciate if anybody can help or where can i call to find out. What is happening.

Thanks,
DK Rajput

Hello,

Thanks a ton to the team of immihelp who provides the great platform for US immigration.

It's H1-B extension for me and fresh H4 stamping for my family. My consulate interview was yesterday 09:00 AM. Below are the questions asked to me .

1. Which company are you working for?
2. Your salary in US?
3. Whats your designation?
4. How old your angle is?

Given a white paper to my my wife, which describes the parent's rights in US and VO said "You will get your passports in couple of days".

That's it... and all set. :)

Now a question time:
Still i am seeing "Administrative Processing" on our application. Can some please let me know, how many days it takes to get passports?

Regards,
Harpreet Singh