H1B, H4 Visa

Visa Type: H1B and H4 for spouse
Time 9:30 AM.
Total Duration :2 hours(2 min for the interview)

VO: Hello How r u today?
Me: I am good how about you?
CO: Fine, Your passports please
Me: Sure. (Handed over the passports, DS-160, appt. Letter, Petition copy, and HDFC receipt)..(I kept my other documents/originals bunch ready, so that I can take out easily and pass on to the officer)
CO: Did you read this pamplet? (Pointing to the white pamplet pasted to the glass window)
Me: Yes
CO: You work for company xyz?
Me: Yes
CO: You will be working from client location?
Me: Yes for client abc at pqr.
CO: How many employees of your company work for client abc?
Me: xx
CO: How many in the project?
Me: yz
CO: All are your companys employees?
Me: yes and some are local hires and I am going from here.
CO: whats your degree?
Me: B.Tech in XYZ
CO: Whats your project about?
Me: blah blah blah (20 sec)
CO: how long you have been married?
Me: y Yrs and m Months.
CO: Your visa is approved you wil get it in 5 days.
Me: Thank You !

Hi All

My H1-B visa is going to expire in 15th March 2012. I have applied for I-94 extension and the same is pending USCIS approval. I would like to know the following points regarding travel restrictions:

- For the period when my extension approval is pending, is there any restriction on travelling to any state within USA and to Alaska, Hawaii and Bahamas? I understand that I cannot travel outside USA for this period.

- After the I-94 extension is approved, is there any restriction on travelling to any state within USA? Also since I will have the I-94 extension paper and my previous H1B visa would still be expired, will I be able to travel to places outside the USA mainland i.e. Alaska, Bahamas and Hawaii? I have heard that if the plane/ cruise touches Canada/ any other country during transit to these places outside US mainland, then I-94 extension is not enough and valid H1B visa is required. Is it true?

Any pointers to these will be very helpful.

Thanks
Anamika

Hi Guys,

I am bit confused in employee client relationship model.

What is the exact diffrence between BEP and EC model? I am not able to judge my case?

FYI I am carrying BEP letter with me . Does that means I am a part of BEP model.

please put some light on this. This will be very helpful for me. Thanks in advance

Hi all,

My interview was scheduled in chennai consulate on Feb 3rd,8.00AM.

1. I reached the queue outside chennai consulate around 7.30AM.

2. I was asked to show my Visa appointment in the counter outside consulate to issue Token number.

3. After intial screening of my documents & body checkup(Please don take wallets or any other things except your documents,atleast u can avoid unncessary tensions by doing so).

4. I waited by looking at the screen for my token number,once I my number flashed in the screen,I went to that particular counter just to confirm my arrival by giving all the necessary documents.They segregated few documents & bundled it(Includes passport,DS160,petition).

5.Again I waited for my finger print counter,where I left my 10 fingers printed.

6.Atlast I went to another block,wherin I was asked to follow the screen just to look for my token number.

7.Once I got my counter number,I stood for 2 minutes & my turn came.

Questions:

A.) Who is your client
B.) Have you been already to US.

Answers:

A.) I told my client is ABC
B.) Yes

He asked me to go through a white panplet & told me tha tmy visa is approved.

Also he informed me that I will receive my passport within 5 days.

One tips for all of you: Just listen to the interviewer & answer appropriately with a pleasant smile. Visa is yours :-)

First of all a big Thanks to this website. I had my interview on 2nd Feb and Bombay. The interview lasted for a minute. Following questions were asked

1. Who are you going to work for. -> I told I'm full time employee and have a direct client XYZ

2. How much are they paying you?
3. Married? Why isn't your wife going with you?

That's it. He gave me a thumbs up and wished me all the best. Just asked for my passport and petition. I got my passport couriered to me next day in Pune.

Some tips:

1. Know everything about H1B
2. Know what is Employer-Employee relationship. During interview they try to indirectly ask you -> Who provides you benefits? The answer should be your employer and not the client. A guy in front of me got a slip.
3. Bombay is humid. Wear a white shirt. It helps
4. Arrive an hour before your interview and stand in line. The crowd is huge.
5 If your employer is well known, then it's a cake walk.
6. Bombay VFS has lockers located at 5mins drive from consulate. Use it.Directly go to lockers first, deposit all your stuff, use washroom to freshen-up ans they take you to consulate in their cabs and also bring you back.
7. Be precise with the answers.

Good luck guys. Now I will use this site to prepare for my trip to USA.

Hi All,

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It helped me very much in preparing for the interview. I have my visa approved from Hyd consulate on 3rd Feb. Actual Interview took just 1 min after an hour of security and waiting time.

VO asked me 4 questions

1) what does your new employer do?

2) what are you going to do there?

3) What is your package?

4) Which city you are going to work?

He said your VISA is approved. And I'm waiting for my passport.

I have 4 people before me and he approved all. I think in general it is pretty much smooth if you have proper documents and right information also depened on VO to VO.

So ensure you have everything and good luck..

Have a good day..!!

Appointment on 31 st 8:15 am

Security check took 15 min... Had to retake photos which took 30 min.... then the wait time is for another 30 min after ten printing which took 15 min... So total wait time is almost 2 hours... I have a direct job from University of Chicago with science background... I heard that science people are being given lot of 221 g processing so i was little nervous... My actual interview took 1 min.....

Me: hello, good morning
VO: good morning, so who do u work for
Me: University of chicago...
VO: wow, so what do you do there ?
Me: applications and systems programmer
VO: whats your salary?
Me: xxxxxx dollars
VO: so where do u stay in chicago? Lake shore?
Me: no, xxxxx
VO: why not in Wriglyville?
Me: aah its to far and it snows a lot in winter and commuting is hard,...
VO: laughs... Yeah true.... Types something
VO: your visa is approved... Have a nice day
Me: thankyou, have a nice day...


Be confident and honest..... Make sure u bring all documentation....

Teja

My interview was scheduled at 8:45 AM. I just went 15 mins ahead. As usual doc verification and finger print record has happened.

By 9:15 i had my interview. Please find below the Q's and A's:

Me: Good Morning Sir
VO: Good Morning

I gave my clubbed docs (@ counter 1) to him. He looked into it for a while.

VO: You are working for YYYY company?
Me: Yes

VO: Who is your client?
Me: YYY Company

VO: What you will be doing for YYY company?
Me: I briefed about my project. (Please don't use any technical terms here, Just brief it in simple english. He just want to ensure nothing wrong you are going to do, that's it.)

VO: How much you will be paid at US?
Me: ZZZ USD per annum

VO: Where are going to stay?
Me: ABC location

VO: What is your highest qualification?
Me: Master of Science in Computers

VO: Showed a white paper and asked do you know what is this?
Me: Yes i read it. It is white pamphlet

VO: Looked into the computer for a while and told "YOUR VISA HAS BEEN APPROVED" and you will be getting the passport within 5 working days.
Me: Thank you so much. Have a good day :)

So, in H1 there is no rejection at all. Please note the following things before going for the interview then the day will be yours.

1. Read all the docs you are taking to the interview
2. Ensure that your wage is within the range mentioned in LCA
3. Read the white pamphlet
4. Be confident, answer the questions in simple english (no technical terms)
5. Dress well

All the best!!!

Please find my below Visa Interview report:-

It started at 9.20 AM and went for 20-30 Minutes, the longest ever interview at that time..- Lady Young short hair VO

Me: Good Morning, How are you?
VO: Good Morning.

Went through I797 for 30 seconds

VO: Can i see your I129 and LCA


VO: How long have you been working with your employer?
Me: From June 2010- its being 18months or so...

        She was Typing some thing for a minute..

VO: Can i see a Letter from your Employer to USCIS

She read the whole letter- ( i dont know from where the hell she got that much time)
She saw my Payrate init and compared to LCA


VO: What is Annual Salary?

Me: XX,ZZZ USD

VO: Can i see your pay Checks?
Me: Can i know how months do you need it, is it from Past 6 months?

VO: I guess you worked from June 2010 right? Can i get from the beginning?

What the......... I had only the 6months kept on Top in my Folder, and i had to search a bit for remaining Ones, but got in took 10 secs more... and for my luck i had them in order..

Me: Please find my paychecks, with latest on top.

VO: Can you come again, i see a difference in your LCA

Me: Thats my initial/ Minimum Pay rate, during the time i had an increment and bonus.
       She gave a horrified look- thought i would get 221 G directly..
She went through my 1st paycheck and 2nd and 3rd ---10th paycheck.... where my pay rate was less... i guess she was
convinced at that time..

Vo: Do you have a Middle Vendor?
Me: Yes, YYYY Consulting.

Vo: Can i see the letter from them?

What the... Seriously? what if i dint bought it, Luck again, which i took it as a FYI for me has helped me..
Read through it..

Vo: What role does your Vendor do?
Me: We report our Status reports/ Time Sheets reports to them and simultaneously to my Employer.

Vo: Who manages your work Progress reports?
Me: Its mainly my Employer, ZZZ. We have an daily status report meeting and a personal meeting on Saturday mornings.

Vo: Where is employer your based in ?
Me: ZZZ. USA

Vo: May i know the client Name?
Me: ZZZ

Vo: Could you spell that?
Me: Spelled out - Its an utility company bla bla bla.....
   and gave my Client letter ( She dint even cared it)

She again went through my eVantage letter and i797 LCA and i129.....

i am waiting and waiting... got sick of this interview already..was standing almost 15 min by now... i was seeing her hand, whether it was going towards 221G

VO: Give me 3 min.
Me: Sure, Ma'am.

She went inside with all my documents.... Omg.... I just had heard turn back, and saw everybody looking at me only, with so much pity on me... seriously everybody..

Vo: Ok sir, Can you let me know , what is your highest degree of education?
Me: Master's in YYYY Univ, Graduate in 2009 in ZZZ....

Vo: Can you come again with your Graduation Course?
Me: YYYY ....

VO: Can i know what is your present year Salary..?
Me: ZZZ,ZZZ... that from Latest W2 .

Why the hell she is concerned with my salary so much...

Then Next, She took my Passport and Visa Confirmation letter and kept is aside.
This is the time i thought i got my Visa..... as she kept passport aside.

Vo: You said you came to US before right?
Me: Yes, Ma'am.

She again removed my passport back and opened and saw my previous expired F1 Visa.... and again tension started.... Oh God.

She Stamped the old F1 visa.

VO: Sir, Your Visa has been approved. YYYY X is your Employer in US.
Me: Thanks Ma'am.


By the she told that my visa is approved, i was not able to hear what she says as i was tottaly exhausted with this Interview!
Anyways its done, i guess she is the most toughest Interviewer Over there. Other windows are not so much tuff i guess.

And main thing, My interview was at 9.15, and i went inside at 8.10 am, so you can go inside 1 hour before. Go Chennai!!!

i attended the h1b visa they took my BTech degree original provision certificate to verify wether it is original certificate or not they gave back my passport. is this one a 221g query or not. they did not give my form or slip that the original is with them. can u say me how much time it takes to verify my certificate and will i have any problem regarding this one.