H1B, H4 Visa

Really great help from the forum, got to do my part here.. :)

I had the appointment for 0930 today and had followed question for me.


1. Which company you work for?
2. What have you been working for YYYY ?
3. How long have you been with YYYY ?
4. What is your total work experience?
5. What is your highest qualification? From which university?
6. Many questions about the tool again……..
7. Your visa (B1) has been rejected earlier in?
8. Any documentation about the iKnow tool with you?
9. What would be your work location in US (if client location)?
10. How many people are employed with your company (India/abroad)?
11. Do you have a team in US? Team strength?
12. What will be your salary in US?
13. Where would you be travelling to in US? What would be your location in US?
14. Do you have taxation documents for YYYY ?

'Your visa has been approved, you will get your passport in one week or less.'

 In the end, keep your cool and be confident.

Hi All,

The forum helped me a lot before my interview. Let me share my experience at the US Consulate for H1B interview on 18th Sep.

I reached at the consulate around 07:15 AM. There was already a long queue (approx. 300-400 people). We were allowed to enter the consulate at 07:30 AM.

Step 1> Security checking (electronic devices strictly not allowed, remote control car keys are also not allowed. Can carry umbrellas, carry bags)
Step 2> We are asked to wait for some more time and then were allowed to enter the office to get the token number.
Step 3> Finger and thumb print scanning.
Step 4> Waiting for token number to get displayed in the screen.

The volunteers are very helpful. The process is very simplified and easy to follow.

My token number was displayed and I was called at counter number 33.

Me: Hello..Good Morning
VO: Good Morning. How are you? (The VO was a serious looking guy in his mid 30's, but greeted me well)
Me: Fine..

VO: Can I see your Passport and the petition?
Me: Sure

VO: Who is your client?
Me: **** *

VO: Where is it located?
Me: **** *

VO: Who is manager?
Me: **** *

VO: Is he a client manager?
Me: **** *

VO: Where does he works from?
Me: Same location **** *

VO: How many people from your company work at the client location?
Me: I was not sure on this but I said approx 40 to 50 (I was very sure that he is not aware of the count).

VO: How long you have been working with the company?
Me: **** *

VO: What is your highest qualification?
Me: Bachelor of Engg. (Elec. & Comm.)

VO: What is the duration of the course?
Me: 4 years

VO: Can I see copy of your petition:
Me: Sure (I handed my I-129 to him as he already had my I-979)

VO: Are you married?
Me: No

VO: Any plans to get married?
Me: Not in near future..atleast for 2 more years.


My interview lasted for 3-4 minutes. The VO asked me a lot of questions but didnt see him rejecting anyone. Tourist VISA's and B1 are still getting rejected (counter 27), but I didnt see any H1B getting rejected on the day.

Key is "What you speak is not important, How you speak is important"

I know its easier said than done but still keep your mind calm and its very simple to get through.

interview date :19 /9 new delhi appointment time:9:30

below is my experience

me:Gm ...how r u doing
vo: GM i m doing gud ..(wid a smile)

vo: so u r working wid ......(employr name)
me :yess

vo: where r u going to stay at US
me:answerd

vo:wat is ur responsibilty der
me:answrd in detail

vo:ur client name?
me:answrd

vo:ur highest degree of qualification??
me:answrd

vo :when did u get married??
wife:answerd

vo:having a kid??
wife:yes

vo:he is 4 yrs of age??
wife:yes

vo:ur intrview ws fine ...just visit countr 30 meet official ovr der
n handed over our passports to us

officer over der was Indian...he gave us a pink paper which says they put our case on hold under sec 221(G)
n we need to follow der official site for updates
n he kept our passports wid him...

now wat ???
is there any chance of our visa approval??

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences. It was really very helpful.

Below is the list of questions asked from me:

Who is your employer?
Whats your designation?
What will be your location there?
How much will you be paid there?

and that is it.

Conducted interview on 18th sep for H1B visa at Mumbai.


1. who is ur company and what it does for?
2. Describe ur project.
3. how much u earning in this company?
4. how many employee work in ur company?
5. Where is ur office located?
- my office is from TX but i work at client location in NJ.
7 Where is in NJ?
8. Who is ur client?
9. what ur client do?
10. how many employee work in ur client location ?
11. Total experience?
12. who is ur manager?
13. In which company he is from?
14. What is ur highest degree?
15. Are u married?
-No, i m single.
16. Are u going to marry?
17. Did u read this pemphlet?
- pemphlet is given with the token?


Then , Visa approved . u will recieve ur passport within 2-3 days. Thanks to immihelp.

Don't need to worry if u are right person with the confidence.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your experience. I feel equally important to share mine too.

I had a little complicated case.
I received my petition in early July. Didnt bother to go through it as in any case visa will be valid only from Oct.
Finally in August I started with DS 160 and got a shocker that my name in not correct in passport. My Surname was blank and complete name was written in the Given Name column. It is'nt that big a issue for visa but I was told I might face problems in US when I apply for SSN if their is mismatch in name in my documents and passport.
So I decide to get it corrected but found some new fraud going on with Tatkal passport seva in Pune. I tried for 10 days to get an appointment but didnt get. Dont know if it was some issue with their systems or some new fraud like railway tatkal booking. In normal case it would have taken 45 days so did some jugad and got my passport anyway on 22 Aug.

Finally the interview day. 14th sept. 9 am slot.

reached their by 8.35. Was expecting some crowd as mentioned in most of the posts but it was all clear.
Did some security checks
Had to wait for some 30 mins and got the token
Went inside and got finger scan.
again some 50 mins wait for interview. By 10.30 their were hardly 50 people left and embassy people were announcing if their is anyone left for finger scan. Maybe they were in a weekend mood.
4 couters 26,28, 33 and 34 were processing h1,h4 and b1 and some other counters for other visas for families, specially huge Gujrati crowd. (to my surprise they even had gujrati translators helping VOs for people who didnt knew english)

Most of the VOs were very cool except an Indian VO on counter 28. I heard a lot about him from other people and witnessed personally while waiting for my token to appear. He was a complete--------------

Finally my token number appeared for couter 26.

While I was waiting in queue their was announcement calling Mr. Deepak Parekh at counter number 27. I thought might be some Gujju who did something foolish and they are calling him back. But to my surprise their came a gentlemen in a nice black suit and yellow tie.. he was the HDFC guy DEEPAK PAREKH and that counter was specially opened only for him. I heard his interview and the way he answered really made me feel confident.

Finally it was my turn.

Me: Good Morning sir.
VO: Good Moring.. Give your documents.

Gave him my new passport, form I797 and old passport.(he didnt even bother to see my old passport though i was insisting and didnt wanna hide anything)
VO: How long have you been working with ZZZ
Me: XX months

VO: Your salary in US?
ME: $XX per annnum

VO: Your highest qualification
ME: BE Comp Science

VO: will you work for employer or client
ME: I'll be strictly working for employer at XX location. (this is the most important question. One of my colleague said client by mistake and they rejected his visa as he didnt have invitation letter. think before you speak. They dont give you the option to take your word back on such questions)

VO: Are you married?
ME: No

VO: Any plans to marry?
ME: Yes m engaged and supposed to marry OCT 2013. (I lied)

VO: Your visa is approved and You'll get it by next week.
ME: Thank you.

I had interview at 11 am on friday and by monday afternoon i got my passport back.

Some free advice.
Do check your passports as many of my friends found similar issues after I told my case. Some had spelling error in parents name or incorrect DOB. Now a days TCS is doing a good job with new passports but those who had passports issued more then 2 yr back might have such problem.

Below are the Questions asked

1) Asked Passport and application

2) who is your employer

3) who is your client

4) What is your total exp

Then VO asked wheather i got a copy of white pamphlet and said i am approving your visa, passport will be mailed in couple of days.

For H1B it is all about Strong documentation.


Kumar

Hyderabad

Thanks this forum and the members who have been valuable repository for VISA aspirants. Below is my experience

Interview Date: 9/14 - Mumbai. Appointment: 07:45 AM

History: My previous H1B stamping attempt was rejected in October last year due to Employer-Employee Relationship and is currently with USCIS for a review.

06:15 AM : Reached Consulate (Already a big crowd but no queue was formed)
06:45 AM: Stood in the queue with my wife
06:55 AM: VFS personal checked the appointment letter, I797 and passports while in the queue itself
07:10 AM: Let inside the consulate
07:15 AM: Initial security checking - no electronic equipments, gadgets etc. Carried all originals for me and my wife in a transparent folder
07:30 AM: Another queue to get the serial number from VFS personal. Validation of the appointment letter. They stick a sticker with the serial number over the passport. One thing to note: If going for a family based VISA, only one sticker on the principal petitioners passport would be affixed.
08:00 AM: Queue for ten-finger printing
08:10 AM: Waiting for the serial number to appear on the big TV screen. Individual windows have a smaller screen enlisting the current and upcoming serial numbers
08:15 AM: Windows 26, 28, 33 and 34 start processing. Gentleman on #26 is very soft spoken and is approving a lot of cases with basic questions asked. # 28 is a rude looking India with American accent. He seems to be screwing up a lot of cases - even H4's. My hope is mine should be on #26
08:30 AM: My serial number is shown up on #28. (Kash....all wishes come true!)
08:40 AM: After standing in the queue for window #28, my tuen to face the VO. I was tense but my wife was cool!

Transcript
Me: Good morning Sir
VO: No response

Me: Feeling more tense
VO: Pass me your passports, interview appointment letters and I797 please
Me: Given over

VO: Whats the name of the client:
Me YYYY based in XX of YYYY state

VO: Whats your highest level of education
Me: Answered

VO: Experience
Me: Answered

VO: How many years with this employer
Me: New offer

VO: How did you come to know about this opening
Me: Told him that I am in India since Nov 2011 stuck on a 221g of my earlier petition, had posted my profile on dice, the employer reached me over email, had a couple of rounds ot interviews before being interviewed by the client. Thats how I got this offer

To my wife:
VO: When did you marry
Wife: 2ZZZ

VO: Do you have any kids
Wife: Answered

VO: Where did you get married
Wife: Pune

The VO types something on the system, literally threw our documents back in the window-document collection area and said you would get your passports by courier.

I did not waste even a minute more at the window (Didn't wish the VO to rethink and start asking something else) Grabbed all the docs, thanked him and that was it. It took less than 2 minutes overall.

Key: Have a good employer. Even a top-tier US based staffing company(TechSystem, KForce etc) is good if not FTE.
Also, try to be cool which I know is easier said than done.

All the Very Best for all the aspirants and thanks a bunch to the forum for providing valuable help

Nikhil

Hi All,

I have been following this site for quite sometime and has been very helpful in preparation for the interview. Here is my experience.

I had my VISA appointment in Chennai Consulate at 7:45AM. Reached consulate by 7AM and was waiting till 7:15AM.

I was asked to provide Passport, Interview confirmation letter. A token was provided (VFS copy and Customer copy.) N39 was my number. After security check (I just got the documents in a file, so checking was simple), I was asked to wait in the lobby for my turn. I went to the counter number displayed in the screen and since my photo was not recent, I was given a slip and asked to take a photo inside the VFS. (Paid Rs.100)

I had to wait for 15 min as the Photographer had not yet come. I took the photo and waited again for my turn, the officer asked for my passport, new photo, I-797 documents, H1B petition document (I had copy only). All the documents were bundled and I was asked to give my finger prints at a separate counter.

After finger print I was asked to go to the next building for my interview. Waited for my turn and got nervous when I saw my number flashed along with the counter no.

Questions asked:

VO: Hello mam, How are you today?
Me: I am doing good, How are you?
VO: I am doing great, Thank you.

VO: So you had visited US earlier? In B1 VISA? How long did you stay?
Me: Yes mam, I stayed for 6 months but the VISA was B1 in Lieu of H (authorized to work).
VO: Oh alright, I understand.

VO: Which company are you working for?
Me: I am working for **** *, we are the largest **** *. We work in **** S/w.

VO: What is the **** S/W
Me: I answered explaining what the software is, she seemed to be convinced.

VO: How long are you working with the current company?
Me: 5 years (She started typing in the system).

VO: I am approving your VISA mam, Please read this (a small white) pamphlet. Thank you, have a nice trip to the US. (returned all documents except passport)
Me: Thank you Mam.

For H1B, if the documentation is strong and answers are confident enough, you will be able to get the approval without any issues.

Thanks,
Vidya

Hi,

Me and my husband had our VISA interview at Mumbai office on 11th Sept 2012.

During the interview, VISA Interviewer asked my husband to provide ORIGINAL H4 Petition document. Being a fresh application, we didn`t receive any H4 Petition document from my employer and they asked us to present my H1B Original petition only if the interviewer asks for petition document for my husband as well. So, I informed the interviewer on the same.

But he was insisting on H4 Petition document and told us that for now he will approve my (Primary applicant-H1B) visa and let my husband re-schedule his interview and get H4 petition document during his interview and that time he will approve his H4 VISA. Also, please note, Interviewer didn`t give us any slip or any document. I got my VISA now but I asked my employer to re-schedule my husband`s interview now.

Questions asked to me-

1. Employer name and my experience with current employer.
2. Client name (Asked me to spell it)
3. What does client do?
4. My roles and responsibilities.

To my Husband-

1. How many years completed for our Marriage?
2. Arrange or Love marriage.

If anyone has any idea on this scenario, Please let me know your views. Your help would be much appreciated.

Good luck all :)


Kranti
Pune