H1B, H4 Visa

Dear,

As per employer advice, am planning to attend H4 visa next week and then employer will convert H4 to H1 once I go US.
(I do not come under CAP as I have approved H1 in 2009 only, but did not attend embassy).

Now how much time it will take to convert from H4 to H1b?. Please advice me.

Thanks

Hi All,

Need you guidance on my below situation.
I am on H1-B with I 140 approved and have 3 years H1- B extension.
I came to US in 2007 with a company (X) then changed couple of company’s and finally settled in new X company who hold my H1 and Green card.
I have only 1 visa stamping in my passport (first time when I come to US in 2007) and I am planning a trip to India in August 2014. I will be carrying all necessary documents including client letter.
Can you please suggest risk of my Visa getting stamped? I am very tensed.
Please share your thoughts and help me out.

Here is my Administrative Processing journey:
 
Jan 9, 2014: Finger Print Scan done at OFC, Chennai.
 
Jan 10, 2014: H-1B Visa Interview at US Consulate, Chennai.
Visa Officer issued blue slip with 221g & said "Your Visa has been kept on hold, it needs to undergo necessary Administrative Processing before a final decision can be made".
Visa Officer kept my i797, Client Letter (originals) with him. A case number was written on blue slip. Visa Officer told me to check status online.
 
Jan 10, 2014: A case has been created for Administrative Processing.
 
Apr 24, 2014: Employment Verification with Manager.
 
Apr 28, 2014: First Status Update
 
May 5, 2014: Received an email from US Travel Docs asking to pick up my documents (i797, Client Letter).

May 6, 2014: Picked up my documents (i797, Client Letter) from US Consulate, Hyderabad. Issued another blue slip. "Please submit your Passport for the issuance of Visa" was clearly written on blue slip. I submitted my Passport for Stamping.
 
May 7, 2014: Second Status Update
 
May 8, 2014: "ISSUED" mentioned at US Travel Docs (CEAC) website.

May 9, 2014: Received another email from US Travel Docs asking to pick up my Passport.
 
May 12, 2014: "H-1B STAMPED". Took Passport from US Consulate, HYD.

First Day with OFC is very smooth. Make sure you know the details of your passport and carry all the old passports with you.

Second Day Interveiw with Consulate even smoother than first day.

Me: Good Morning Sir.
VO: Good Morning

VO: Your Passport.
Me: Gave Passport.

VO: Your Clinet?
Me: Answered

VO: What you do them?
Me: Expalined in two sentences.

VO: Your Salary in USA?
Me: Answered.

Then Golden Words came "Your Visa is Approved. Have a Safe Journey".
Greet VO with Thank You Very Much.

Hi Friends
I would like to thank this forum which gave me confidence for H1B interview.
Let me help people who want guidance for complete H1B process in Hyderabad.

I would strongly recommend plan for visa along with spouse/kids (I have planned along with my spouse and 2 kids)
Keep note that primary application is for H1B and dependents are for H4.

Step 1 :( Document Collections)
    From Petitioner
     1. I797 B - Petition approval
     2. LCA copy
     3. G28 from law firm (Optional)
     4. Tax documents for last 2 years
     5. List of employees with their immigration status and wages paid
     6. Formal letter from petitioner to Hyd US embassy (request for VISA)
     7. Formal request letter petitioner to USCIS (while applying for petition)
     8. Company goodwill report and certifications if any e.g. MBE, HUB etc...
     9. Project Description Document if you are going for employer location and do not have any client letter (Mine is In
          house project so, I had to carry PDD)

For Self
    1. Birth Certificate
    2. 10th Marks Sheet
    3. 12th Marks Sheet
    4. Degree certificate
    5.Degree Marks sheets
    6.Prev.Employers experience certificate
    7.Current Employment pay slip (last 2 months)
    8.Last years’ form16 (optional)
    9.Current employer ID card (Optional)

Family:
    1. Marriage Certificate and marriage photo (Optional)
    2. Her/His Education Certificates
    3.Kids Birth Certificate
    4. Kids Photos (4Nos) US passport specifications (Almost all studio people know the specs just inform them
        before)

Step 2 :( DS-160 Form)
       Remember you need to fill DS-160 for family separately. In my case four DS-160’s filled separately. (Mine-1
       spause-1 first child-1 second child-1)
       Link for DS-160 form filling online is https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
      Select India-HYD embassy and Start an application. It should generate unique code e.g. AA00XXYY, Remember to
       note down. It helps for application retrieval.
       Review the contents at least twice before clicking submit button.
        (Mistakes can be corrected even after submission but avoid un-necessary headache)
       Confirmation number is important after application submission.
       You will have 4 confirmations for four DS-160. Take confirmation page print just after it generates else no need to
        worry. You will get PDF copy mail to print it later also.

Step 3: (Profile creation)
      Go to https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=India
      Click new user and create your profile. Single profile is enough for whole family.

Step 4: (visa Application form fill up)
       Fill Visa application in your profile
      While filling you need DS-160 details and all above documents listed in step 1.
      Add dependent information as well which links to your H1B application.
      While filling step6 is fee payment. Here it automatically calculates fee as per current prescribed rate by embassy. It
      also includes fee for family (190$ per candidate)
      Avoid NEFT payment as it requires adding embassy account as beneficiary to your bank account. Some banks
      may take a day or two to activate beneficiary, depending the amount you want to submit. E.g. SBI does not allow
       transferring >25K you got to wait 3 days minimum.
       My Preferred mode of payment is going to AXIS bank and pay the fee in cash/cheque.
       Before going to AXIS bank you got to take print of CG reference number which is provided by Stanley form fee
       section.
        Once you pay the fee receipt number gets activated (~2Hrs) and automatically tagged to your profile.
         Do remember take print copy of application form which has been filled.

Step 5: (Schedule an appointment)
       We got to take two appointments
      1. OFC visa application center for Biometric collection and Photo session
      2. Consular interview for visa decision
         Login to your profile and schedule appointment once done take prints of appointment confirmation along with
         bar-coded sheet.
        When you schedule an appointment it is for whole family not for alone.

Step6: Attend biometric interview
    Documents required are:
    1. DS-160 confirmation (in case mine 4 DS-160)
     2. Interview confirmation along with bar code sheet
     3. Original passports (carry old passport if you have)
     4. Kids photos
     5. No electronic items No handbags

Process:
      - Kids not required but if you take them Queue line will be shorter (separate queue for applications with kids)
      - 15 mins before they allow to get in. Staff will verify appointment time and DS-160.
      - Security checks and tags the passport with bar code sticker.
      - Token receipt
      - Wait for your turn
      - Left and right hand fingers on machine
      - Keep smiling face for photo because it prints on visa and it’s done.
  
 Step7: Attend consular interview
        - Location is same but different building is present 30 mins before scheduled time. It is because you may find
            difficult to get parking place (50 rs per hour). If you are with parents to handle kids there is private waiting
            lounge just in front of consular building 30Rs per adult.
      -Documents to be carried referred step1 above.
      - Security check and token receipt.
      - No kids, No to any electronic items and No to bags.
      - Do collect white booklet for the reference. Read it (There is chance that VO asks have you read it?).
      - Wait for your turn. Keep an eye on Monitor (which displays serving window with token number e.g. now serving
        P368 at window 14) and do not give concentration to success/failed candidates around you try to ignore them.
      - Water, tea and light breakfast available if required.
      - Now VO interview turn (I was with my spouse...intw went like below).
     
Me: Hi Good morning
VO: Good morning. Your passport pls
Me: Here, I passed my 2 passports (old and new) along with I 797B
VO: Glanced his monitor for a while and said pass me all passports
Me: I gave spouse, first child and second child passports
VO: Ok, what are going to do at YYYY ?
Me: Explained about my project in one line
VO: How many employees at YYYY ?
Me: More than 80
VO: What is your highest qualification?
Me: BE in ZZZ
VO: Where is client located?
Me: Sir, am going to work at employer location (Try to avoid answers which has words "NO")
VO: Ohh, Ok can you explain me about project?
Me: One liner about project.
VO: All our passports have put in some tray Looked at my wife and said Madam Can you place your left hand fingers on that machine. And you as well.
VO: Ok iam approving your visa collect passports later.
Me: Thank you very much sir.
came out with joy.........

Step 8: Collect your passports
       -Wait for the mail or login to your profile and check for the status. (Usually it takes 2 days for your passports to be
          ready with stamp)
       - Carry zerox copies of your passports fist &last page. (I had passports zerox of all my family members)
       - Carry authorization letter to collect her passport from your wife. It should have stated that your ID details and her
         signature.
       -Your original ID is required. E.g. Voter ID, Aadhar, DL etc...
       -Location is same where you have given biometric appointment1.
       -Process is also same token and wait for your turn to collect.

Hello everyone I am new in this forum, I completed masters in USA in January 2009 but did not applied for H1B and came back to India, now I want to go back to USA, can I apply for H1B on masters quota, please let me know what are the advantages and disadvantages I have right now, please help me, anyone with same situation can share their experience.

Hi Guys,

I lost my original I797 petition in transit and went to appear for visa interview with photocopy of the same.
My employer raised a risk that it might get rejected, but I still went for consulate interview.

It was super smooth.

I handed over photocopy of my petition to VO and he asked me if I have my original petition
I told him that it was lost in transit.
he said - it is fine, not a problem.

Then he checked something on his system and asked me some usual questions about salary, job, client, employer etc.
and said - 'Your visa is approved' :)

I have just received approval for my H1B petition. Now I am planning for the visa interview in Mumbai. Can anyone help answer a couple of queries I have:

Are my wife and two children who are dependents required to fill the DS 160 electronic form or is it suffucient for only me to fill it?

Are the Non Immigrant Visa fees of US$190 applicable only for me or do dependents also have to pay the fees?

Please give me feedback immediately. I would really appreciate it.

Thank you

Finished the H4 visa appointment yesterday in Chennai-consulate. The lines outside were crazy! No discipline what so ever. There is a safe-keeping facility now before the consulate door. It is a small shed where you can deposit your bag & cell phone etc and you will get a token in return. But, best if you do not need to carry anything. That will save you some time in 1 extra queue. The process inside the consulate is very smooth. There are consulates who will speak to you in the local language. I saw the American speaking very good Tamil and explaining and talking very patiently to an old lady. That felt good.

My case was a bit unique as this is my 2nd marriage and we were applying for our daughter and my son from my 1st marriage as dependents on my 2nd husband. So, I was bit nervous, wondering what would be the questions or extra documents they will ask? I was prepared with my divorce papers including the custody details.
But, surprisingly, they did not ask anything at all. The H4 visa was approved instantly. Thank God!
Its always better to be prepared and then get pleasantly surprised like this!
Best of luck to all other as well.

I got my visa approved last week and now can I apply for H4 visa for my wife and kid??