H1B, H4 Visa

a letter from employer which describes my roles and responsibilities
and finally, a pdf document of my project description of 5 pages...that's it

VO is a lady, rejected a visiting visa in front of me and approved a L1 visa of a family with a kid..after that it's my turn and it went like this.

Me: Good morning mam, how are you (with a smile)
VO: Hey I'm good

VO: give me your passport and i797
Me: handover those two docs

VO: (did something in the system for 10 seconds and asked me)
What kind of a company is this YYYY (my employer name), what they will do?
Me: They are into consultancy services, it's a startup company

VO: so are you going to work for any client
Me: I will be working on a employer location, it's an in-house project

VO: you said it's a consultancy service company
Me: yah, it is a consultancy services and they have product development as well

VO: what? it's a startup company and project development, what project are you going to work
Me: explained my project in just two lines

VO: ok then, show me your project documentation?
Me: (I have taken out that file of pdf with 5 pages and handovered)

she looked it for 5 seconds and said
VO: it is just a PDF document, like a ppt, where is your project documentation, I am asking about that?
Me: I don't have a project documentation, it is with my employer.

VO: Is it with your employer, how could you come to the interview without your project documentation... it is like a big negative sign do you know that?
Me: It is an employer document, and I have the documents which are sufficient for attending a visa interview.

VO: No, these documents are not sufficient to attend the interview, ok then show me your other sufficient documents?
Me: I have handovered all the documents that I have (the 5 documents mentioned above which I have)

she look at them very quickly in 3 seconds and said
VO: with these documents you came for the interview, I have no choice of approving your visa.
Me: just looking at her without any expression change and without any confusion face and I said 'OK'.

VO: ok then, give me some time and enjoy the Hyderabad weather, I will call you back
Me: Ok thanks.

and I went outside and waited for 60 mins... and I have called back by a person and asked me to go and stand in the same counter..
I stand at the line and again it's my turn

Me: hello mama (again)
looked at me and did something for a minute in the system and then said
VO: take back all your documents and keep them with you
Me: I said 'OK' and took back them

VO: Typed something on the system again for 1 min and scanned my passport and surprisingly the words come out saying
'I am going to approve your visa, you will be receiving it in a couple of days'
Me: thank you mam and have a nice day.

So, it is happened like this to me, little strange and little bad...but finally don't know what helped me to get the visa.

however, all the best for the ones who are going for the interviews.
if you study my case carefully, you ppl will understand few things and definitely get some confidence for the interview.

Thanks

Hi

I have been a reader of this form and would like to thank all the people who have been sharing their experiences
and helping those in need. My case is below

I came back from US in feb 2011 for h1b stamping and was given 221G as I was working on EVC model at that time.
I continued working for same company from March 2011 till now from India, I was working as a sub contractor
from India for them. Now, this company filed my h1b and it was approved.
Its an IN-HOUSE project which I will be working on.
I have filed my taxes in India from past 2 years and will be filing it this year as well.

I have few questions for which I need answers for. I will be going for my H1B visa interview soon. If the VO asks me below questions, what should be my answer

Ques. What is the duration of your project OR How long are your required there for this project?
Ques. Has you visa ever been refused/rejected ?
Ques. Do I need to carry my pay-stubs (I don't have any) or do I need a letter from the bank stating that I was getting my salary in my Indian account ?
Ques. How long you have been working with this company ?
Ques. What all documents apart from the regular one's, do I need to carry to strengthen my case ?

Kindly help me out .. Thanks a lot in advance .. Really appreciate the same.

Hi,

I had an interview in hyd today. After asking all the questions they have given a white slip saying for additional admin processing.Mine is a small employer and VO was suspicious about the client.I have given all the docs including tax docs for the previous 3 years and w2 docs and also the photographs of the new company..They dint ask me any new documents to be submitted. But given me a white slip saying admin processing..When i asked VO she said it will take 3-4 weeks for processing. Generally how many days it will take.Is there anyone on the same boat...

For h1b it is better to go chennai or mumbai. otherwise you may need to believe in the luck.

Hello Everyone,
 
Foremost, Thank you for sharing your experiences here. It really helped me prepare.
 
Below, I have shared my experience in the Chennai OFC and consulate for H1B. Hope it helps.
 
Sunday, 9th March 2013.
Venue : Chennai OFC, Teynampet.
 
Only DS 160, Appointment Confirmation letter and Passport is all that is required.
So, keep them handy and ensure that, the personal details in DS 160 and appointment confirmation letter is a perfect match with the same in passport.
I need to stress upon here that, there is absolutely NO need to go early for the queue. I saw people arriving 90-120 mins earlier to their scheduled appointment time. You just have to wait in the queue if you arrive early. My suggestion would be that, just go 20-30 mins prior and that would be ideal.
 
The staff at OFC were very courteous, and things will go smoothly if you follow their instructions. The staff speak, English, Hindi and Tamil. The DS 160 form shall have a seal and your passport will have a barcode stuck to it. This is apart from your fingers imprints and photograph being taken.
 
The entire procedure just took 40 mins for me.
 
Monday, 10th March 2013.
Venue : US Consulate, Gemini Flyover, Chennai
 
There was a bigger crowd and queue here. I had arrived 20 Mins prior to my scheduled time and that was optimum. You need to switch across 2 queues to reach the security check.
I have listed my interaction with the Visa Officer (VO). He didn’t ask for any other document except for my passport.
 
Me : Good Morning Officer, How are you doing today?
VO : Very Good Morning Gentleman, Thanks for asking. I pretty good today.
 
VO : So, whom do you work for?
Me : Answered.
 
VO : What amount of experience do you carry ?
Me : Answered.
 
VO : Which client will you be traveling to and where are they located ?
Me : I travelling to ABC company, located at PQR city in the state of XYZ.
 
VO : Can you Spell the name of your client ?
Me : Spelt.
 
VO : Can you briefly describe about your client ?
Me : Answered in 3 - 4 sentences.
 
VO : Are you married?
Me : Answered.
 
VO : (Pushing a white booklet) Please go through this document, this is very essential for your stay in the USA.
Me : Certainly.
 
VO : I am approving your VISA. Have a safe journey and a rewarding time.
ME : Thank you officer.
 
VO : You can collect your passport in 2-3 days and watch out for a mail on the same form us.
Me : Alright, Thanks again and have a great day.
 
My tips for the interview would be,
1. Be Calm and confident.
2. Know the information in your DS 160 and I797, like the back of your hand.
3. Maintain eye contact and keep smiling.
4. Most importantly, Don't get into a chat with other fellow applicants and discuss things. These friendly banters, have high potential to disrupt your concentration and focus.
 
Just go there with the right attitude and mindset, things should happen.
 
Hope it helps !!

I had attended the Visa interview along with my wife today and Singapore US consulate has issued me a 221g asking for additional documentation to be provided. Below are the documents asked for.

I got a pink slip with additional documentation as requested.

Now, the question is after I submit additional documentation, how many days would it take to issue the VIsa or would there be any additional documents again asked for? Please advice

They asked me to bring ALL the documentation they have requested for in as below at a time and submit it in the embassy in person

1) Complete list of Petitioner's active projects.Provide contact info for clients.

2) Petitioner's certified or notarized federal tax returns for the last three years ( 2011 &2012)

3) W-2 forms and payroll records for all people employed by the petitioner for last 2 years.

4) W-3 for 2012 and 2013.

I had to wait for almost like 1.5 hour near the interview counter as there were only 3 interviewers, my interview just lasted for 2-3 minutes . Almost all people who were interviewed before us got 221g or rejections in case of L1. Overall what I observed was , Singapore consulate is very very strict and I saw people being literally screwed and offered rejections.

Below was the conversation.

VO: Who is the employer
Me: Answered

VO: From when employer is in the business
Me: Answered

VO: How did you get to know about this job?
Me: I uploaded my resume in job sites and they had contacted me regarding an opening matching my profile.

VO: Did they contact you.
Me: Yes.

VO: Would you be working for a client ?
Me: Yes, Gave the client name.

VO: How many employees does current employer have
Me: Answered

VO: What would be your role at the client.
Me: Explained as per the petition

VO: Is it a new project?
Me: Yes, it's kind of new project

VO: What is your current salary? And how much would you be paid.
Me: Answered.

Then she said I would need additional documentation for this to be processed with out even asking for what documents I have.

I saw her writing white paper of the project as the required doc and ticking other stuff in 221g

Me: I told I have already submitted the petition cover letter at the finger printing counter , which has the project details. She looked in to the letter and said I don't see it, then I told its in the later pages. She rechecked it and marked out white paper of project required in 221g and kept ticking other options

Me: I have other documents which my employer sent like client letter
VO: She did not even bother to ask if I had any documents until I told her,then she asked me to pass all the documents and kept with her

 I passed her
1) My client letter
2) Offer letter and
3) Offer Agreement letters
4) Client agreement letter between employer and client

She did not check any other stuff in 221g and asked me to come back and attend the interview in person with all the documents they have asked for. She kept back all the documents which I provided including I797 and returned our passports.

I got a pink slip with additional documentation as requested.

Now, the question is after I submit additional documentation, how many days would it take to issue the VIsa or would there be any additional documents again asked for? Please advice on the general time lines being observed in such cases.

Awaiting your responses. This forum was very helpful for me though the result in my case was not expected.

Thanks,
Kumar..

Hi All,
I have 4+ years of exp in IT . Out of 4 years first one year i workded with ITC InfoTech on contract based. Currenlty i'm working with Mphasis Limited for 3 years.
Now I am going to apply for H1B with some consultancy.
Qurey: I don't any document with ITC InfoTech because i worked with consultancy, so that i can provide documents provided by Consultancy.

Do we need to show any documents providing by ITC while stamping.

Please help me on this.

Regards,
Prasad

Hi ,

I received an offer from Yahoo which as you know is a very large IT company. I received an email from the lawyer telling me they cannot file the H1B for me this year because my export compliance license is still "Pending".

I talked to many of my friends at other companies (Google , Facebook and Microsoft) and they told me Export Compliance License takes a very long time to be obtained (sometimes it's issued after starting a job with H1B) and it's usually impossible to obtain it before April 1st so it's not necessary to obtain in order to apply for the H1B.

Do you have any information regarding this issue ? Do I need to have Export Compliance License to file H1B ?

Best Regards,
Arian

Hi,

i am attending interview on 12th..my employer has only 6 employees when he was filed my petition. will it be a problem to my case?
Its an inhouse project and my employer has given me tax docs and w2 docs and client letter also.

Thanks,
Deepesh

Hi,
I have interview set up for my fiance for H4 dependent visa. I have H1B visa stamped, but will be valid only for two months at the time of the H4 dependent visa interview. I should have my H1B extension filled with a receipt in hand during interview. I could have my extension filled in premium processing, but trying to confirm if I really need to.

Has anyone come across cases that where rejected because of H1B not valid for too long or in my scenario.

Thanks for any guidance.

Hello all,
   One consultant filed my H1 in Year 2008 and I have attended H1b Interview in Chennai. The only question asked for me is " Give your client letter". Unfortunately i don't have that and when i asked my consultant before the interview, he said, we have clients and you will be placed once you come to US. During his stage, i got 221g and later i submitted client offer but no LUCK.

Again this year(2014), some consultant processing H1 For me. Can anyone suggest me do we need the client offer? Is it mandatory? If i don't have a client offer, does this means my H1 wont get approved?

Any suggestions on this pls..

Regards
Prasad