H1B, H4 Visa

Thanks to you all to share your experiences.
its for new US Employer.
currently working in big MNC.

Below questions asked by VO.

1)pass port and I797
2)employer?
3)Which client
4)duties?
5)how much pay?

Just she asked me pass port and I797..she has given back my i797.

 then ...she said Visa approved.

Thanks once again to all.

Back Ground:

I work as full time employee for a major health insurance company, joined recently. I worked as a consultant at the same company for about 2 years through direct vendor (big us consulting company).

I am working at US for about 7 years now on H1B.

However, I had 2 rejections in 2010 for H1B. I use to work for the small consulting company that time, I think probably that was the reason for rejection and I was stuck for 16 months in India. I started a IT job in big US-Indian consulting company and then in 2011, I got the offer from my last company (big us consulting company) to work at major health insurance company. Later in 2013 my client major health insurance company hired me as full time employee. I appeared for the Visa renewal for the same major health insurance company.

My perm was denied for my previous company (big us consulting company) for some technical reason and my current company started the green card process.

This forum helped me a lot in the past, so thought to share my experience:

OFC Appointment Experience - Mumbai - 12/22/2013 4:30 PM

Entry to Exit would not take more than 10-15 minutes including the security check.

My appointment time was 4:30 PM on Sunday (yeah, they were open on Sunday). I didn't knew that Mr. Narendra Modi is addressing the big rally at BKC until Sunday Morning. So, I decided to reach there little early. I reached there by Auto at 3:30 PM. There was no crowd at OFC center and they allowed me inside for the finger printing immediately. I carried my full documents folder, but they only needed

1. Passport,
2. DS-160 confirmation
3. Visa appointment letter.

I didn't carried any electronic items and any prohibited items at OFC center. However, they have a locker at OFC center, which is super expensive like Rs 200/-. They also make corrections to your DS-160, if it's needed, again they charge heavy amount for the corrections.

The staff would post bar code sticker on the back of passport. Then I was sent into a hall where my Fingerprints and Photograph are taken. All this process didn’t take more than 2/3 minutes and I was out by 3:45 PM.

Visa Appointment (US Consulate) Experience - Mumbai - 12/23/2013 7:45 AM

Reached Consulate by 7:00 AM and around 200 people standing in the line. I asked few people about their slot and stood in the line.

Security person verified appointment copy and scanned bar code attached backside of my passport at OFC office. After body checking allowed me into the building, there checked documents folder (they are not allowing CD/DVD/pen drive any other electronic items). You can put your stuff at OFC center locker, OFC center is 1.5 km from US consulate. OFC center is opened early like at 7:00 AM, if you need. This will be extra charge service.

Only thing I was carrying was documents, flat keys and wallet.

After that they have asked me to go to another building called passport lobby. There they scanned again bar code on the passport. There they took my right hand four fingers impressions. They had many chairs to sit, but there was one queue for Visa Interview and they asked me to stand in the line. They were sending candidates from this line to different windows for the interview.

There were two people in front of me. First boy was denied visa and another girl was going for Student Visa. Visa office grilled her and finally granted the visa. The seems like a strict officer.

Felt little tension and the conversation with Visa officer follows.

Greetings exchanged..

1. What is your designation with xxxx (it seemed like he knew my company very well)?

2. What is your salary?

3. What's your highest education?

4. Are you married?
Answer: I am not married.

5. Will you take your wife with you when get married?

6. Did you read this white phampleqte?
Answer: That's pretty much first signal, your visa is approved.

7. Are you xxxx full time employee or it's your client??

8. When did you joined xxxx??

9. Then he asked for last passport and realized my last visa was stamped the current password. He cancelled my old visa after that.

Finally he said "Your Visa is approved." I said Thank you..

Be confident and answer.

I hope it helps you and ALL THE BEST!!!!

is this 221g/Admin processing case number unique ?

Am able to see my case number in 2 different statuses when i change the locations between (India,hyderabad and India,Chennai). I attended the location is India,Hyderabad.
One is showing "admin processing" in hyderabad location and another one chennai location as "Issued".
is it possible? Did any one has idea? i am totally confused about the statuses.

By the by i got mail to submit my passport @ OFC. Then i saw this confusion case unfortunately. Help me out to understand.

Hi

I attended my H1B interview in Sydney with my wife and my 2.5yo kid.

People told me that if you have worked more than 1 year, you can apply for Visa here itself rather than going back to India.

My case was working for client at the employer office itself. Not at the client site.

Before the interview itself, consulate staff took the original I797 and attached it to my passport.

We took the token for the interview and took seats in the hall.
We were called for the interview by a lady VO. She asked if I was there for student visa. I said no, its for Work Visa H1B.
Then she checked somethings in her computer and our passports and enquired with someone else somethings.
After sometime she asked us to take a seat and told her that we will be called again. She kept our passports and I797B.

After 5-7 minutes, we were called to another window by another VO. He had all the three passports and the original I797B with him.

VO started checking something on his computer but it looked like he was not able to find something. He enquired with someone.
In the meanwhile, he asked us to step aside and took interview for another person while the problem gets sorted.

Following were the questions asked:
------------------------------------
[VO] Is this your 1st H1B?
[VO] What is your role in the job?
[VO] What programming language do you use for development?
[Me] C,Java
[VO] Which language you like better? Why?

Then he asked my wife and me to for fingerprints. There was a finger printing machine at the VO counter itself.
Then he asked some questions to my wife.

Questions to my Wife:
-------------------------
[VO] How are you two related? (Pointing to me and my wife by face)
[VO] Who is this kid?
[VO] Do you have the birth certificate?
[Me] I said Yes, Do you want to see original or copy?

[VO] If you have Original, then Original.
[Me] Showed him the original Birth Certificate.

He then had a close look at the certificate and matched the information in the certificate and the passport.
Also, I observed him trying to match the photo in passport with face of my son.

[VO] What is your highest qualification?
[VO] What are you going to do in US?
[VO] Have any of you two ever been ever arrested?
[Me] We both answered "No"
and then he said "Anyways you are not going to tell that in front of each other....". We all laughed and then VO said that he was only joking.

Then he had a long look at the computer screen. It seemed he was reading something probably the petition itself.
My kid was getting impatient. So, he told my wife, that you can go and take a seat.
So, my wife went away with my son and then he again started reading something on the computer (He was not typing and just moving the mouse).

In between his readings on the computer VO asked me the following:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[VO] How did you find this job?
[VO] Are you going to work for a client?
[VO] For which client are you going to work?
[VO] Are you going to work offsite or onsite?
[VO] How much did you pay for the petition?
[VO] I did not pay anything. Employer paid for the petition.
[VO] Are you going to pay for trainings your company provides?
[Me] No.

After reading more from the computer, he said "Your visa has been approved" .....

The next day, on the status website, mine was showing "Issued" and my wife's visa status was showing as
"Administrative Processing" and my son's visa status was showing as "Ready".

After 2 more days, all 3 status' showed up "Issued".

VisaOfficer: Give me your Documents
BinduTadivaka: (I gave my Passport, I-797 and I-797 Employer Copy. When the Officer is referring to the I-797 Employer Copy, I told him that it’s the Employer Copy, and he said, he got it.)
VisaOfficer: Is it a H1?
BinduTadivaka: It’s H4.
VisaOfficer: Who is the Employer?
BinduTadivaka: Crystal Data LLC
VisaOfficer: Can I see your Husband’s Visa?
BinduTadivaka: He did not get his Visa stamped, because his H1 has been an extension in US. (Officer said he got that.)
VisaOfficer: How long have you been married?
BinduTadivaka: 5 ½ years
VisaOfficer: Do you have a United States Citizen child?
BinduTadivaka: Yes
VisaOfficer: How old is he?
BinduTadivaka: 3 years 5 months old
VisaOfficer: Where are you going to stay in US?
BinduTadivaka: Baltimore, MD
VisaOfficer: Are you visiting here?
BinduTadivaka: No… I have been here since 3 years… (I was about to continue..)
VisaOfficer: So, all the while you have been staying here and your husband has been staying there??
BinduTadivaka: I stayed in US for 6 years… (I was about to continue…)
VisaOfficer: Ohh... you have been on H1.
BinduTadivaka: My I-94 expired and my Employer filed H1B petition before the I-94 expiry. But the petition has been pending for a long time. And when my son was born, I have decided not to work and left the country. I was under the impression that I have a 3 year bar or something like that… But recently my attorney told me that I was out of status, but have NO UNLAWFUL PRESENCE. (I was assertive when I said the last sentence. The Officer seemed totally convinced at this point.)
VisaOfficer: Who was your Employer in United States?
BinduTadivaka: I had multiple Employers. Brandon Group Inc., Wipro Technologies, Sozoh Inc, First Tek
VisaOfficer: If you are on H4, you can happily stay at home…
BinduTadivaka: That (H4) is my only option. I am not trying to work until my son grows up.
VisaOfficer: Your Visa has been approved.
BinduTadivaka: Thank you very much… (I started crying…)
VisaOfficer: You’re OK?
BinduTadivaka: (I nodded my head communicating a “yes”.) Thank you very much… (Am crying even more…)
VisaOfficer: You’re happy right?
BinduTadivaka: (I nodded my head once again, which means a) “YES”

Hi All,

I would like to thank everyone who have taken out their time and written their experience and questions in this forum.

Well, today I had my interview at 8:30am New Delhi embassy. The VO officer asked me few general questions like My employer name, my highest qualification and my job responsibilities. He was very cool with the answers and gave me a green signal right away.

Best of luck to all the people who have their interview today or in the coming weeks.

Thanks
Vaibhav

History:

I have been rejected 2 times on H1B with 221g white color ones.
AND
one time got rejected B2 visa.

Here is the Chennai experience on Friday the December 27th 2013

After getting the token directed me to go at 22 counter.

Consular officer was nice and he approved all the visas for the people front of me. But this time I have all the docs but still got doubt. Here it went.

1. Who is your employer?
Answered my employer name

2. Where are you going to work?
Working for my employer and I am going to work at the client location.

After that VO was staring at his computer screen and his expressions got changed and while looking at his expressions I felt that I will be getting rejected this time too.

3. Do you have Client Letter?
I said My employer didn't give one but told him have other docs.

He told me to give the entire packet and I did gave it to him and they have yellow slip to wait until they review.

They kept me waiting for 2 and half hours and finally called me at counter 31 and said Need more time to review the case and gave me Blue color 221G.

I still have hopes on this but lets see. I will definitely update the case once I get any update.

Dear All,

I have few question on H4.

After getting H1 stamped, is it possible to apply for H4 for dependents, even before H1 holder goes to US ?

If Yes, can the dependents go for stamping without (or) with H1 holder ?
If No, then should the H1 holder go to US and stay for few months before getting H4 ?

Thanks,
Gaurav.

Thanks for all those who shared their experience.

I got my H1B stamped in Saudi Arabia on 08 Dec 2013.

During the day of interview, i reached there before 1 hour. But allowed inside only before half an hour after heavy security check. After entering inside, i was asked to sit in a hall.

Documents Carried:
---------------------------

I-797B,
LCA,
I-129,
Passport,
Appointment Letter,
DS-160 confirmation letter,
Experience documents,
Pay slips,
Bank receipt of visa appointment fee,
Education certificates.

Initially an consulate officer checked my documents and asked me to get the bank receipt of visa appointment fee's, that i left in a bag in security. So, all documents should be there in hand at initial stage.

Later i got an number to sit until my turn comes. When my number was prompted, i went to VO. Conversation as follows..

1. Where are you working ?
Answered.

2. Which is your future company ?
Answered.

3. What is your salary there ?
Answered.

4. How long you are going to work ?
Answered.

5. What is your role there ?
Answered.

Then i was asked to sit for sometime.

After half an hour, one more consulate officer called me by name.

I went there and was asked almost same set of questions.

They got my finger prints and asked to leave. The VO mentioned that, if they want anything, they will call me in mobile, since i was staying in the same city.

Since there was no confirmation whether my visa got approved, i left the place thanking them.

Next day, my status was moved to 'Administrative Processing' from 'Ready'. When i emailed them, i got a reply stating that my visa was approved and i will receive the passport within couple of days.

Within 2 days, the status got changed to 'Issued' and received my passport.

Thanks again for all those who shared their experience.

OFC on 24/12/2013 at 9 AM.
Interview date on 27/12/2013 at 9:30 AM

OFC office is located at Cenataph Road, near to Tynampet signal and I was reached at 8:40. There were around 15 people waiting in the line. I was asked the security person waiting outside the building and he was allowed me to go inside the building. Two people sitting near the door inside was verified my DS-160 confirmation, appointment copy, and passport. They attached a bar code sticker to my passport.

A family carried DS-160 application copy but not the confirmation page, the security people asked them to bring DS-160 confirmation copy so please be aware.

They allowed me to go big hall and there I have given actual bio-metrics. The officer asked my date of birth and full name, then took photo, left hand four fingers, right hand four fingers and two thumb finger impressions. That's all I came out by 8:50 AM. It took 10 mins exactly.

Interview:
-------------
Docs carried:
I-797B,
LCA,
I-129,
Passport,
appointment letter,
DS-160 confirmation letter,
Experience documents,
education certificates,
Marriage certificate, and
Photos

Reached Consulate by 8:45 AM and around 200 people standing in the line it is like Tirupati darsan Que :) and I asked few people about their slot and stood in the line. There was server failure on before day so whoever was having appointment they came on 27th.

Security person verified appointment copy and scanned bar code attached backside of my passport at OFC office. After body checking allowed me into the building, there checked documents folder ( they are not allowing CD/DVD/pen drive).

After that they have asked me to go to another building called passport lobby. There scanned again bar code on the passport and gave me a token. Token number starting with EZZZ, entered into big hall. There they took my right hand four fingers impressions. Felt little tension and the conversation with Visa officer follows.

Greetings exchanged..

1. Where are you working?
I am working with YYYY company and the petition is for ZZZ.

2. When did you get the offer from your future company?
Answered

3. Then why you are not joined your future company still?
I am waiting for the petition and visa approval and I have already put the paper with the current company.

4. What is your salary?
Answered

5. What is your roles in the future company?
Answered four roles.

Finally he said "Your Visa is approved." I said Thank you..

Be confident and answer.