H1B, H4 Visa

Finally I got my passports.

Again, please be aware, for passport tracking, if you send an email to "[email protected]", the status update you get is wrong "In Transit from Post". I didnt received SMS or email for passport status.

I visited VFS global Bangalore, these guys received the passport three days back and they didnt even send an email or sms that passport has arrived. When asked "why you guys did like this" I get answers like, Its US consulate not us, Sorry sir, etc. And after big fight, finally I got them.

New system is not in a very good working condition. BEWARE.

hai guys can any one tell .. what are the docs to be carried for us consulate (chennai) .. i mean the checklist ..

please need the information.. ill be looking forward for assistance guyz help me out ..

Most of the H1B's were being approved that were ahead of me. Though be ready to carry the docs that were being announced by support staff at the consulate while I was waiting for my turn.

I-797
I-129
LCA
End Client letter
I-140 if you have one
Project Description
Offer Letter
Recent W2 and paystubs

Q's that were asked:
VO: Who do you work for, what do they do?
VO: what's your annual income? Make sure this amt matches in LCA and offer letter.
       He asked me for W2 for prev year to match up the amt I said.
VO: How many employees do they have?
VO How many of those are on H1B? Make sure this matches to the support document in your H1B petition. You dont really need to know this. If you dont just be frank.
VO: You have a masters degree from University of ... Why this univ and what was your major?
VO Do you have an approved immigrant petition(I-140)? Who filed the petition? How long have you been working for them? Why did they file an immigrant petition for you so quickly after you joined the company?(Tough one- had no good answer at the spot)

Today is that great day!!!My H1B visa got approved!!!

Thank you all for sharing the experience!!!

Just wanna share the questions and suggestions asked to me

VO: Hi!!Good Morning!!How are you?
Me:Good Morning!!i am good...How about you?
VO: Fine..Thank you....Can i get your documents?
Me:I gave.....
VO: Why you need to go US?
Me:I answered appropriately
VO:She was not clear with my client name so asked me to repeat it...
Me:I told...
VO:Do you have a reporting person there?
Me:Yes
VO:Do you have vendor in between your client and employer?
Me:No

Heard the golden words...

VO: I am approving your visa...Good luck...
Me:Thank You

Suggestions:

1) If your company is BEP listed then please take BEP letter....

2) Also to have your passport couriered for the specific address,take 300 bucks to pay for the courier service.

3)Be confident....

Please dont go by the passport status by sending an email to [email protected].

I have attended my interview at Chennai consulate on 28th Sep 2012.

This is wrong, I didnt received my passport and it shows "InTransit from post" for tracking, and it shows the same output, for my daughter, where she received the passport. We both attended on same day.

Although visa is approved, its been more than 7 business days, which is the time frame for passport delivery, I didnt received mine. when you call Customer care, they will tell the same information (In Transit from Post), my case is escalated two days back, no response yet.

This is really a painful experience.

My Visa for H1B – New has been approved today. Thanks for all those who shared expereince here!!

Please find below my Experience.

Day 1: Finger Printing
You can reach the place 30 minutes earlier to the scheduled time. This is very simple process where they take finger prints and one snap.
You will have security check but a simple one. Just like how it is in a shopping mall.

Day 2: Visa Interview.
This has the usual procedure of scannign and security check, you willl not be allowed to hold any electronic items and metals. And once we go in, you get help to pin all your DS160, Appointment letter and HDFC receipts. You go to a counter with these where a verification is done, then here I was informed to move to another counter where cross verification of the finger prints given the previous day was happening.
There was a long queue here and after a wait of 45 minutes got my turn, here a visa officer will be cross checking the finger prints.

After this I was asked to take a token for the interview, after the token was taken waited for another 30 minutes or so. Here people will be assisting you with setting up the documents in required order.(I129, I 797, Pay slips, Form 16 etc)

Then I moved to the counter for my visa interview, Passed on the Passport and DS160 form which was already pinned to my passport.

Me: Good morning sir
VO: Very good morning, How are you doing today?
Me: Good, how about you?
VO: Good too, Why are you going to the US?
Me: Explained the purpose.
VO: Who is your client?
Me: YYYY
VO: What will be your pay in US?
Me: YYYY $
VO: What is your education?
Me: Answered Accordingly
VO: University?
Me: YYYY X

VO: Your Visa has been issued sir, have a great day!!

He did not ask me for any documents though!! Only a copy of I797 was taken, I have the original with me.

Hi All,

This is Praveen, when i was apply the H1b i am not married , so in my I-129 petition in part 4 (are applications by dependents beging filed with this petition) they marked it has NO, now i got married 6 months back , we are planing to go to visa interview together , can any one please give me the process for this.

Thanks-Praveen

Hello Friends,

My Spouse h4 visa got approved at HYDERABAD Consulate. Below is her experience.
=====================================================================================

Arrived before 30 Minutes of Appointment.

At the Entrance (gate): The watchman checked my appointment letter and passport. Then I was asked to walk inside.

After that they did a security check.

Inside the Consulate: There was a lady who asked me "which visa am I applying?”. I said for H4. Then she asked me my passport, appointment letter, DS160 confirmation, my hubbyz I797 and I94. She then pinned up all these documents. After that I was asked to go to counter number #.

At The Counter: The person asked my passport and took my right hand fingerprints. And then I had to wait at the waiting room (for about 10 minutes) where they gave me a token (they call you for the interview when your number comes)...

My token number was XX and I was asked to move to counter number XX.

Counter:
Interviewer: Hi how are you?
Me: Good morning Sir. I’m good... How r u?
Interviewer: I’m fine too. Your passport please.
Me: Yes, Sir here it is.
Interviewer: So where does your husband work?
Me: Told him the Company name.
Interviewer: Can u show me his pay slips?
Me: Absolutely Sir (I gave him the paystubs/Pay slips)
Interviewer: so where are you going to stay in US?
Me: Told him the Address.
Interviewer: what’s your hubbyz annual income?
Me: YYYY X $ per annum.
Interviewer: how long has it been for your marriage?
Me: It’s been X months Sir.
Interviewer: Was it an arranged or love?
Me: Arranged.
Interviewer: Who arranged and how?
Me: Parents arranged our marriage. Through marriage bureau
Interviewer: Your visa is approved. You will receive your passport within a week :)
Thanks to Allmighty Lord!

Thank you for all the posts made by experienced applicants here. I did my interview well and it got approved.

Below are the details of H1 & H4 Visa interview process and suggestions:

With the new process taken by US visa offices, applicant need to take two appointments.

First appointment for submission of your finger prints and submitting your photograph(they are clicking your photograph in the counter itself still I would suggest you to carry 2 photographs of visa requirements).

Second appointment is for the consulate interview.

First appointment:

My appointment was scheduled for October 5th 2012 at 10:00 AM. Since its a new process to avoid confusions I reached the OFC location (For Chennai its the TPL house, No: 3, Cenotaph Road, Teynampet, Chennai) by 9:15 AM.

You will be asked to wait in the queue before the gate according to your appointment time. Please note that accompanying guests may not be allowed inside unless the person taking the appointment is either old or sick or child.

If the previous slot of appointment is not having much crowd, they may ask you to enter the premises even before the scheduled time.

I was allowed to enter at 9:30 AM itself. I was asked to move to first floor where a representative will make you stand in line according to your appointment time.

The representative will advice you to have ONLY your passport, appointment confirmation and/or DS160 page in your hands. The will not ask or look for more documents in the entry(but during the finger printing they may ask you some details so better to have the documents ready in a separate cover).

With your Passport, Appointment confirmation letter and/or DS160 you will be allowed to a security check (No carry bags,pen drives, CDs, Car keys with remote, mobiles, tablets,sharp items or any electronic gadgets are allowed. Polythene covers are allowed though.) immediately followed by few representative who will be checking your passport and confirmation letters. Once done you will be given a token number and be asked to wait in a hall where there will be counters through which the bio metrics and photo coverage will be done.

Once your token number is called you should visit the counter. (Even if you are taking your dependent with you, please walk individually to the counter one after another. They will not allow both of you at the same time). The representative in the counter took my passport and the DS-160 confirmation letter and the appointment letter. After taking the passport, they will ask you your date of birth and your full name. Following that you will be asked to submit your finger prints. (both the hands, total ten finger- four, four and two thumb). They will then take a photo of yours in the camera they have. The same will be done with your H4 as well.

Your passport will have a sticker affixed to its back which is your DS 160 confirmation bar code. (This will be verified at the time of Consular interview).

That is it for the appointment.

Note: For some people they were asking to show the I797, Petition and dependent details. So better to carry the docs with you.


Second appointment:

My Consular appointment was scheduled for October 9th 2012 at 7:30 AM. I have reached the consulate by 6:45 AM. (It is recommended to reach the consulate 40 minutes before your appointment.)

Since there were riots in Chennai few weeks back, now the wait area has be moved to the pedestrian walk of Oxford Press. One security person will approach you to confirm the appointment time.

Next you will be asked to show your DS 160 number to the police and they will make a note of it in a record.

A consulate person will visit you and ask to keep your passport, DS 160 and Appointment letter ready. Once that is verified there will be another person to check your DS 160 number against their records.

A small security check manually is done(for both H1 and H4 - Ladies have a room to get the frisking done) - No carry bags,pen drives, CDs, Car keys with remote, mobiles, tablets,sharp items or any electronic gadgets are allowed. Polythene covers are allowed though.

Another Consulate person will check your passport and mark your place of passport collection in case of approval and stamps the DS 160 with "APPLICATION RECEIVED"

Once you reach the actual gate of the consulate, another security check manually. Then you will be asked to enter the and drop all your documents and belonging for IR scanning.

Another small frisking is done.

Now when you get into the hall, they will guide to get the token number. You can show your passport, DS 160 and Appointment confirmation letter to the person in the counter and they will issue you the TICKET NUMBER.(One ticket is valid for both H1 and H4).

Once your ticket number is displayed in the monitor walk to the counter and give your Passport, DS 160 and Appointment letter. The executive will later ask for your HDFC/Axis bank receipt followed by your I797, I 129 and LCA. The executive will verify the details against their system, bundles your passport, DS 160, Petition, Approval letter and will ask you to move to building 6. But before moving to building 6, you will have to wait for your turn near counter 12 to verify your finger prints. You will be asked to submit your right hand finger prints, get it verified and your bundle will be marked.

Now you have to move to the building 6 where your actual consular interview is going to take place.

You will be asked to wait for your turn. Keep an eye on the monitor for your ticket number to be called. Please be active as they will call three ticket numbers at the same time to a single counter. Go and wait near the counter with the bundle. When the visa officer calls you go to the counter and please submit only the bundle through the opening to the officer. Here your visa interview starts.

Below are the questions asked to me and my spouse:

H1: Good morning.

VO: Good morning.

VO: Are you going to work for your company or your client.

H1: I will be working for my company.

VO: Where is your company located?

H1: <<US Work Location>>.

VO:(After going through my documents) The petition says that you are going to work at some other location.

H1: Yes. That will be my client.

VO: That was my first question to you.

H1: Sorry, I understood the question wrong initially. I will be working for <<MY COMPANY NAME>> posted at my client's place.

VO: Great. How long you have been with your company?

H1: Past 6 months.

VO: (Turning to my spouse). How long have you been married?

H4: 7 months.

VO: Where did you meet your husband first?

H4: Sorry, I cannot follow the question. (mic was not clear at the VO end, so the question was asked to be repeated).

VO: Was your marriage arranged or love?

H4: Arranged marriage.

VO: How did your parents get to know each other?

H4: Matrimonial Agency.

VO: Can I see your wedding album?
 
H4: Here it is. Passed a substitute album of smaller size since our actual album is big enough not to fit the counter window. VO verified it.

VO: (Showed the white pamphlet on employee rights in US to me.) Did you go through this?

H1: Yes.

VO: (took our passports and returned all other documents including the I797/I129/LCAto me). I am approving visas for both of you. You can collect your passport at the location preferred by you in the application. You will receive an email and/or sms once the visa is ready.

H1/H4: Thank you so much and have a great day.

Note: This process is jotted based on the happenings in Chennai consulate. This may or may not suit for the rest of the consulates.

ALL THE BEST FOR APPLICANTS ! Be confident. Questions will be asked only that are related to you. All you have to do is make your answer crisp and clear !

- Rao

Hi All,
Thanks for sharing your experience. This site has helped me a lot to prepare for my interview.

Before posting my today's experience I will give you some background about my case. I work in EC model. My employer is very small company with hardly 10-15 employee.

And also my client is small healthcare related firm with around 2000-3000 employee. Now about my visa. Mine was visa extension. I had my previous visa stamped in Nov

2010 with same Employer and same Client and it was only for a year. So it got expired in Nov 2011. Then my extension petition was approved and in Apr 2011,I came to

India for some personal reason and went for stamping in May. That time my visa was not approved and received 221(g) instead. I had submitted all the documents as

requested within a week. Now comes the tough time. Wait time. No updates from consulate and no where to track the status of my case. Then in July I had received mail

from consulate that my case is being sent back to USCIS for further review. Now I had lost all hopes. I knew this is going to take forever. I spoke with my employer

and we decided to wait for two more months. So till Sept I did not receive any update from USCIS and hence we decided to file a fresh H1 B petition in premium

processing. And this petition got approved in Sept, so I went for H1 stamping interview today (9th Oct) at Mumbai Consulate.

Here is how my interview went :

Me : Good Morning
VO : Good Morning. (Took my passport and I 797).

He scanned my passport and of course found about my history on PIMS.

VO : Why are you going to US
Me : Going for temporary work assignment

VO : I see that your visa was not approved in May this year. What was the reason.
(I was 100% sure this question would come so was well prepared)
Me : During last interview, the officer was not convinced that I work for this particular client. So this time around I have requested client letter in more detail.

VO : May I see this new client letter.
Me : Sure. In the letter they have also mentioned about location and probable duration of the project. You can see it there.

VO took at least 5 minutes to read the letter. It seemed he read entire letter carefully. And he got convinced about it this time.

VO : So anyway. What is your highest qualification.
Me : Answered appropriately.

VO : Salary?
Me : Answered

VO : Employer name and location
Me : Answered

VO : Who manages your work at client location?
Me : My manager ZZZ. He works for Maantic.

VO : Where does YYYY work from?
Me : From our main office. But he visits client site twice a month. And we discuss about any issues during his visit.

VO : How many employees from your company working at client location.
Me : Answered.

To my surprise he asked me to provide few names of my collegues as well, which I provided. And then he typed it on his system. Very strange ! ! ! And then again he has

started reading my client letter.

VO : (reading letter) So I don't understand. This letter says your client doesn't have any authority over your work assignment or your day to day activity. Then why do

they require you to work in their office?
Me : Actually we need to interact a lot with the client people to understand the requirement. And also I train end users on the different product which we are developing. So client requires me to be available in their office.

And that was it. I think my answers was convincing enough for him.

VO : I am approving your Visa. You will get your stamped passport within 3-4 business days.

My suggestion is to make sure you know all the possible questions and then prepare their answers properly. Talk to your employer if you have any doubts. In fact create a questionnaire and try to put as many question as you can find on all the forums. And then write down exact answers also. It will be helpful in building your confidence for the interview. In fact I think it worked for me because none of the above question was unexpected. I was prepared for all the questions VO might ask.


All the best to all of you.
- Vivek