H1B, H4 Visa

OFC: 23rd Dec 2013 @ 11 .00 AM
Interview: 24th Dec 2013 @ 8.00 AM at Chennai.

OFC is a straight forward process just give your Finger prints and Photograph.

VO may ask your name and Date of birth for confirmation.

Note: Just reach before 15-20 min prior to your appointment, In chennai its near to Stalin's new house.All the time
VFS people will be assisting you so don't worry.

If you do any mistake in DS 160 don't worry, Out side OFC auto valas will be there they will take to internet cafe and help you, but they will charge you more as I saw two guys done mistake and done like that.

I reached chennai consulate near Gemini Circle @ 7.30 AM and there was lot of people already in the Queue and I asked one person what's his timing he said mine was 8.00 AM I stood after him.

VFS Employees will be checking your DS 160 form and Passport and let you go in after security checks.

Inside they will scan your file and stamp on closed envelopes and ask to go next building.

Shown the passport and took token number and went inside.

Mine was a Small company in US with 40 employees and I was the first one to attend visa Interview outside USA.

There were around 28 counters and waiting for my turn waiting the screen.On counter number 22 VO was like an Super Fast Express in my wait time around in 15 min time he approved more than 10 Viasa.

I prayed to god that I should get that Counter and he was with me My token number was shown on same Counter, That time my confidence was doubled.

Me : Good Morning Sir
Vo : Very Good Morning.

Vo : Who is your Employer.
Me : YYYY Solutions(He didn't understand I again told the Name clearly)

Vo : Is this New employment.(As I was wearing my current company ID card)
Me : Yes sir.

Vo : How you find this job?
Me : One of my friend working there refereed me.

Vo : How many employees are working?
Me : XX members.

Vo : Are you working on In-house Project?
Me : Yes.

Vo : What is your Project?
Me : I explained him for about 2-3 lines as my projects is related to HRMS bla bla...

Vo : Are you an HR guy?
Me : No Officer I'm a SAP Analyst Integrate HRMS to SAP and told 2 job responsibilities.

Vo : Can I see your Project Documentation?
Me : I opened the sealed cover and given the Documents which my employer sent. He taken those and left some where for 3 min, I was bit worried that time as I was the one who waited for such long time in that counter.

VO : Came and given the documents put my passport in a tray and said I'm Approving your visa but it was not audioable then he Gave me White pamphlet that time I was Clear My visa is approved.

Me : Said Thank you and Happy Christmas.
Vo : Thank you and same to you with smiling face.

It's like Going for an exam for leaked paper but Confidence and Smiling are the Keys.

All the Best for all...:)

Interview date : 24th Dec 2013

Interview process was just 5 minutes.

I have read in this website most of them telling dont be nervous and be confident. I tried a lot but could not.

The person who stood before me for interview answered the roles and responsibilities that is different from his document. So VO asked him some additional documents that he did not have. He asked him to send some emails and handed some documents.

In my opinion What ever we answer should be from documents.There should not be mismatch unless we have justification.

I was nervous and my mind just went blank once I was before VO.

VO : How long have you been associated with your current company - ZZZ?
Me : 4 years
VO : Can you please tell me your Client company's Name?
Me : YYY
VO : What are your roles and responsibilities in the project?
Me : Answered as in the DS-160
VO : What will be your designation in US?
Me : Answered
VO : For my confirmation I am asking you this. Is this the first time you are going to US?
Me : Yes.
VO : Smiled and Handed me the White pamplet.The most expected words came out "I am approving your Visa. you can collect your passport in 2 or 3 days"

OFC : 22nd Dec 2013
PA : 23rd Dec 2013

Interview took about not more than 5 mins. actually my employer is very very small company and from india i was the first person who went for stamping.

Questions during the Interview .

1. Handover your Passports and I-797 B ?
2.who is your Employer and location?
3. are you going to work at Client location ?
    Ans: i said No. i will be working in Employer location for the In House Project.
4.how long you been working with your employer ?
   Ans: since it is a new employment, i have not yet started working with them.
5. about the project that you are going to work for ?
     Ans : Explained about the Project (i took ample time to explain her with the examples)
during my explanation she is continuously typing the keyboard, though you feel she not attentive, keep talking until she moves to the next question.
6.how much are you going to earn in US per year ?
7.who is the current company in India that you are working for ?
8. what is your highest qualification?
9.over to my wife, how long you been married ?

thats the end of it, wished me good luck and said you will get an SMS regarding passport dispatch information.

Biometric(OFC)- 18 Dec
Interview - 19 Dec

Biometric is just fingerprinting and photo snap so no need to worry on day 1.Just reach 15-20 min prior to the appointment(documents-passport,ds160 confirmation,appointment confirmation)

Interview - appointment at 11 AM.went inside at 10 AM,after security check ,allowed the inside building ,Immigration people was pasted a slip on passport (token no) and shown me the LED monitor display area .Waited for 20 min then my turn came up.

Questions:
Who is your employer?
xxxxx
What is your annual salary?
xx$(I just told per hour and he asked again by pressing annual word i told approx xxx$ per annum)
Who is your client?
It's in house project .I work for my employer
what's the project?
bla bla-------explained in 2 to 3 sentences
What work you do ?
explained my responsibilites in 2 to 3 sentences

that's it.My Visa is approved.

I collected my visa stamped passport today(Dec23 rd)

Thanks for the people who shared their experiences here as it was given me the idea on questions,process etc.

Finally Be confident and be pleasant always.All the best for each and everyone who are waiting for visa stamping.

Biometric (OFC) - 19 Dec
Interview - 20 Dec

Biometric was a easy go, so just enjoy it.
Consulate PAI - Interview at 10 AM, went around 9.30 AM. Let inside around 10.05.
After security check, went to the 2nd building.

!st - They take our fingerprints in a different counter
Then go and have a sit and keep watching the LED monitor for your token number and which Queue to stand. Waited for around 10 mts. My turn came up.

Questions:
How long you have been working in your current company?
Your client name?

Visa is approved.

Be Confident & Stay kool, All the very best for each and everyone who are waiting!!!

First of all thanks a lot to this forum and excellent people, it helped me a lot for my interview preparation.
I felt my experience would really helpful to people who wants to know negative results as even i was trying to find more refusal results in this forum.

Coming to my background, I have more than 8 yrs of experience with one of top MNC in India and my petition is through small US company.

Interview dates:
OFC: 19-Dec-13
Interview: 20-Dec-13.

My H1b Visa is under administrative processing and I got 221(g) green slip. I was asked to submit further documents as proof. Following was interview conversation.

Employer Name:
Client:
Salary in US
Highest Qualification
Then asked any client letter.
I told i will be working at my employer location and showed MSA between employer and client
Then he asked, there is nothing mentioned about you and your project and responsibilities, thus we need a client letter.
I tried to convince him that client will not provide client letter if employees are working from Petitioners place. I have a job description from employer and showed it to him.
After verification of Consulate letter, he replied that, there is no information about the project description and it states only job duties. He said he need specific project description document and he cannot approve Visa with out it.

I tried to convince him again with my job duties mentioned in Consulate letter and told him I will be performing these duties from Employer location.

 He asked me , so you don't go to client location at all.
I replied that I can attend business meetings at clients place but no need to work at client's place. As my work related to development enhancements, I can work from my employer location rather than client location.

Then he started asking how many employees are working from employer to Client. I replied.

 He asked me how many employees are working at Client site and how many employees are working at petitioner site.
I tried to reply and he finally concluded that please send me the details of how many employees are working at client site and at petitioner site and their salaries and gave 221(g).

Valuable suggestion from experience is, if you work for client, client letter is mandatory, otherwise project description document should be essential. Please be specific for these documents from your petitioners.

Please also help me in following queries

It would be really helpful, if any of you could send me the sample or template of a Project description document looks like, so that I can follow my employer to get the similar one.

Should I submit my passport at VAC along with the required documents to be submitted, as it is not mentioned in 221 g to submit the passports and we cannot predict the timelines of administrative process cases.

Hi Everyone,

Wanted to post my experience with the H1B visa interview.

Date:
Biometrics: 19/12/2013
Visa interview: 20/12/2013

Location: Chennai Consulate

Biometrics was a 5 minute job. Unfortunately since i was not familiar with Chennai i went to the OFC centre earlier than required. Had to wait in a queue outside the OFC center for about 1 hr before they let us in as per our scheduled slot.

Once you get in, there is a basic security check & they stick a sticker on ur passport with the DS 160 bar code. This will be used at the consulate as well the next day. U just need to carry the appointment confirmation, DS 160 confirmation & passport

Passport appointment:

Went to the consulate 1 hr prior to my slot. I carried my mobile phone & had to return to the hotel to leave it back. Once they let u in, its was just a matter of 10-15 mins for me.

The person in front of me was applying for a student visa, but was struggling to answer basic questions confidently. He was asked why there was a gap of 2 years between his graduation & now when he is applying for F1 visa. He answered that its because his grand mother died. VO denied his visa immediately.

Mine was a easy experience.

VO asked for passport & I797.
VO: "so u r going to work for ***"
ME: Yes
VO: Can i also see the LCA
ME: Gave the document
VO: which client will you be working for?
ME: answered
VO: ur salary ?(after checking LCA)
ME: answered

Handed me the pamphlet regarding workers rights & said my visa was approved.

General thoughts: Be confident, Know your documentation, Be sincere (if you can be) & things should go your way.

Hello All,

I read this form very often and would like to share my h1b experience with the members.

Interview questions asked by VO:-

Which company?
What company do?
Checked my LCA and petition letter.
Will you work on client side?
Project name?
What is your role?
How many employes does the company has?
How did you get to know about the job?

That's it.Finally VO approved my visa.

Be confident and focus on your documents and explanation you have to provide them.You will easily get the visa.

Thanks

Hi all,
Thanks for everyone who has shared their experiences on this website. It really helped me prepare for my interview.

Background Information
OFC – 18/12/2013
Consulate Interview Date – 19/12/2013
US Consulate Location – Chennai
Type of VISA – H1B

OFC Appointment Experience - Chennai -

OFC – Entry to Exit would not take more than 10 minutes including the security check. My appointment time was 2PM.
I reached at 1.45 and I was immediately allowed inside with verification of following documents -
1. Passport
2. DS 160
3. Appointment letter confirmation
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 these process didn’t take more than 2/3 minutes and I was out by 2.10.

US Consulate Process at Chennai for H1B Visa:

My appointment time was 9 Am, I was allowed inside at 8.45 am after standing in long queue. one guy was standing before was 10 am appointment but he stood in the 9 am line. this way people are irritating the security guys, he is shouting only 9 am appointment stand in this queue, but there are some people who doesn’t listen to them making things complex for both themselves and others.

After verifying the appointment letter, I am sent to security check. There they check for all the documents and if you have any envelopes they check and stamp on it. collect the documents and sent inside, from there sent to another building where the visa interview happens. In the door of the building they have pasted a paper visa interview lobby.
As soon as you enter the lobby, the passport is scanned for the bar code pasted on the OFC venue. Then they will paste a token starts with E YYYY if your visa category is H1B.

There starts the actual interview process, first they scan for your fingerprints for confirming the identity, then you will asked to seat in the waiting area. You have to be alert to see your token in the huge displays hanging in the hall. your token number will be displayed along with the counter you have take the interview. As soon as you know the counter number you have go and join the queue in the counter.

Before me a guy’s B1 visa got rejected..

The officer called me who is next in the queue but the guy got rejected asked the reason for denial.

The visa officer said "you do not qualify the visa category you applied" with smiling face.

Then he started with my interview process.

Vo : Do you work for YYYY company ?
Me : yes
Vo : Who is your end client you work for ?
Me : YYYY
Vo : What is your salary in US ?
Me : xxxx USD

Immediately after that he said "Your VIZZZZA is approved, have a nice trip to US "
The interview lasted not even for a min...

My husband and I got married legally (registered marriage) married on 20 Nov 2013 and we went ahead with the H4 visa application even though our social wedding was due in Feb 2014.

The biometric is not really a big deal. Do not underestimate it nevertheless.
Documents you need for the biometric:
1. DS-160 confirmation
2. Appointment confirmation
3. Old and recent passport.

You will need to give your fingerprints and they will click a photo and may ask you when is your interview at the Consulate.

Do not worry about how you shall proceed through the process. There is enough help around and people will guide you at every step. Be alert!

The Embassy interview (Kolkata Consulate):
What to carry?
*) At check-post 1 - Old and recent passport appointment confirmation and DS-160 confirmation
*) At check-post 2 - The same is verified and you are asked to proceed.
*) At the waiting hall - I was asked for 1. Husbands passport and Visa
                                                                    2. His employment verification
                                                                    3. My passport
                                                                    4. His I-797
*) At another counter before the main interview - The lady segregated the documents and handed me over my passport, my husbands latest visa stamping information and his I-797 and asked me to keep the rest inside my folder.
*) At the main interview.

Me: Hi how are you?
Officer: Good, thanks (smiled)
Officer: So, you are going to your husband?
Me: (smiled) Yes!
Officer: What does he do?
Me: He works as a (Designation) at (Organization) in (State, City)
Officer: How long has he been in the US?
Me: Since (Year) or xx number of years
Officer: When did you get married?
Me: Just been xx number of days on DD-MM-YYYY
Officer: How many people attended your wedding?
Me: 10-12, pure family affair
Officer: So, do you have a big wedding coming up?
Me: Yes, we do on DD-MM-YYY in (City, State)
Officer: Your visa has been approved. You can collect your passport within 2 business days
Me: Thanks! Have a great day

Now that was simple!
So, we were really worried because we still had our social wedding pending and so did the officer figure. Do not lie or cover up at any cost. Be straight up and do not conceal any information. And yes it is absolutely OKAY to apply for the visa before the social wedding. What you must have is:

1. Marriage Certificate
2. Some pictures of your legal wedding
3. Supporting documents
4. All necessary information about your husband

What to wear:
So, I read in most forums how women must dress like newly married ladies when going for the interview. I am afraid you do not have to be laden with jewelry or look like red riding hood.
What I wore:
1. Cotton suit (Blue and red), try carrying a dupatta
2. Small dangling earrings
3. A sleek necklace
4. Matching sandals (if you are sporting heels ensure they are not too high and noisy because you have to walk and stand in the line, and you do not want to get uncomfortable)
5. Try clipping your hair behind because if you keep flipping your hair and talking it gives an impression that you are concealing information even though you might not be
6. Be extremely casual, smile, if you don't understand anything let them know.
7. I did not wear a mangalsutra, nor bangles nor did i apply sindur because my social wedding was still due, but if you are already married socially you may or may not carry it off.

Please do not dress callously. Avoid carrying cellphones. If you have any suspicious items let them know. Be loud at the counter and answer briefly, They do not have the time to listen to long stories and explanations. Give an explanation
 when asked for. I was really nervous, almost freezing but I guess it wasn't really a big deal unless you are misleading them.

Good-luck!