H1B, H4 Visa

Hi All,

Hi,
first of all thanks to everyone who contributed thier experiences.
My Interview went like this.

VO: Hello, can you pass the folder (Initially they put DS156,DS157,I737,I121,LCA,Passport,HDFC Fee Receipt and Interview Letter in one folder).
Me: Passed the folder.

VO: why you went XYZ country? ( Previously I went XYZ country for Studying).
ME: for studying

VO: So you are going to work for ABC company in USA?
ME: Yes sir.

VO: How many employees are currently working in ABC compnay in USA?
ME: YYYY

VO: What exactly ABC company do?
ME: Explained.

VO: What is your qualification?
Me: YYYY

VO: What is your Total Experience?
ME: YYYY

VO: So presently you are working in ABC Company?
ME: Yes sir.

Then VO said, I am approving your VISA you will get your PP in 2-3 working days.

VO did not ask any document other than the main folder.

the complete interview process lasted in 1 Min.

Be confident while talking with VO, he always trying to find out negative things.

-Satish

Hi all,

Myself and my wife attended for H1B and H4 stamping at chennai

The interview went like this

Self: wished the VO
VO : wished in return

Self: submitted mine and my wife's DS156,157, (these are only mine) I-797,I-129,LCA
VO: Checked them

VO: How long have u been married
self:1 1/2 year

VO: can i c ur marriage certificate
Self: submitted the cetificate

VO: can i c the marriage photographs
Self: submitted them

VO: what's ur qualification?
self:Masters

VO: can i c ur original certificate
self: submitted my masters original

VO: can i c ur graduation certificate
self: submitted

VO: on what project r u going to work in US
self: i explained my project in brief

VO: do u have the project description
self: yes and submitted it.

After this he had gone through the project specification for quite some time and
issued me a 221(g) form.

Let me tell you about the 221(g) form

The form consists of 2 columns named

From Petitioner and From you.

From petitioner means the documents required from your US employer and From you means documents
to be submitted by you.

For me only the From petitioner was checked

In that

1) Tax returns and financial statements of US employer
2) Umemployment wage reports for the past 2 quarters
3) detailed project description

These were the documents asked.

Actually i had all these documents with and I said the same to the VO.
Then he said I dont have time now to verify them.
Please drop them at your nearest VFS office and u l get ur VISA.

I said Thank You and returned home.

I spoke to my employer after coming out of the interview. He also said that dont worry we wil
send you the documents and u ll get ur VISA, b.coz last year also the same (221g) was happened
to 4 of their applicant it seems and after they submitted the required documents they were
issued their VISA it seems.

I think I was issued 221g because the VO was not satisfied with Project description.

I m planning to submit the documents by next weekend.

I recently received 221g, asking for some documents tax submission for 2 yrs, agreements, project documentaions, etc etc.. and has asked me to attend the interview personally again...

Now i have got all the VO requested doc from my employer..

Pls anyone could tell me.. how to go about it for the second round of interview.. having 221g

The person ahead of me in line who was applying for an H-1B had a similar experience. The position of the interview booth and a high volume on the vo's microphone allowed me to hear what was going on.

The essence of the conversation was that though the individual applying for an h-1b had all the documents, the VO was not convinced because there was no apparent link between the individual's training and past experience and the new job that the applicant wanted to take up.

The person had a background in statistics (a masters degree from the U.S. infact) , but was taking up a position in marketing. There was atleast a 30 minute conversation wherein the person, despite having all the documents, could not clearly establish the link between his qualifications and the job. So, the VO kept asking him what coursework he had taken that would remotely qualify him for the job.

I dont know what happened after that, since my turn came, but I saw the person walking away very dejected a little later on. This may be something to keep in mind. One will have to be able to establish very clear links between the job and the previous background.

This should be easy enough because if the Company HR has hired someone in the first place, they can obviously see a link and a good fit as to how you can benefit the company which is why they are hiring you.

Unfortunately some h-1b applicants are not able to articulate the connections.

So, despite having all the documents, he could not convince the VO. Just kept on fumbling and was not prepared for that question.

It may be something to keep in mind, and that may be one reason the visa officer decided to take additional time to review your documents if the connection wasnt clear to them immediately. (I dont know if this is the case in your situation or not, am just offering an experience and a possibility).

In the case mentioned above, the VO grilled him for about a half hour, and there was no major rush, it was a friday evening and very limited applicants (I think they keep it low volume on friday evenings) , but in your case, if there were long queues and the timing was early, they may not have had the time to grill you or go through your documents and verify labor market needs in your field....or to check with the company's HR, which, if you send in by post, they can establish contact with the HR manager through phone/email and ask him/her why they have hired you and establish the veracity of what you are going to do for them


As a suggestion, if you perceive this was the case, it may be helpful to include a clear statement in your next application as to how your qualifications meet the job requirements.

Hi Friends,

Can anyone you tell me how are the H1B stampings happening at Delhi consulate? I mean is that strict or normal. I had booked an appointment for myself in the first week of september, and would like to know the current H1b visa stamping status in Delhi consulate.

Any information in regards to this is highly appreiated freinds.

regards,
Ram

Me: Good Afternoon
VO: Good Afternoon

How are you?
Fine, thank you.

VO: What you do? What¡¦s your plan?
I¡¦m a YYYY and going to join YYY at VVVV.

VO: Why you want to change you current good employer for new and less known company?

For Global software product exposure and off course for better salary.

VO: How old is new company? When it was founded?
 Answered

VO: How many employ work in new company?
 Answered

VO: Is this Company founded by Indian? Are all employees Indian ?
  Answered

VO: You been to USA before on Business Visa?
Yes

VO: Show me you I129
Shown.

VO: I approved your Visa ļ
Thanks a lot... Have a nice Day!

My Observation ¡V The most important point above all is your eye to eye contact and confidant and relaxed communication with VO.

All the Best!!

I recently received 221(g) at chennai consulate and asked me to submit documents( USCIS submission papers, tax submision for 2 yrs, agreement between employ and employer, agreement bet client and employer, project documentation, unemployment wage report+ all documents carried at the time of interview) with out passport.

So shall i need to submit original educational and experience docs or xerox copies.
how to take new ds 156/7 as bar code is already pasted on my passport.

How long does it take for consulate to give a decision as in some other forums I have been listening like people are waiting for 1-2 months.

folks...
Notice that there is a column written by a person named "xyz123" ,he claims that he got a h1visa.God knows how he got a visa!!!! he claims that H1 visas @ chennai is rejected because aspirants dosent listen or dont understand with VO.He means to say that all of those who got 221g dosent listen to or understand english.........Seems xyz123 eyes are on head after getting the visa.
 
My request to aspirants is
Try to get as much as documented client information for H1 interview
There are 9 points written on 221g form issued at chennai(Try Get this document from those who issued with 221g at chennai ).Do not book slot unless you some how manage to get as much as docs mentioned in 221g from your employer.
Produce geniune Exp and educational certificates
IF YOU FOLLOW ABOVE U WILL HAVE 95% VISA SUCESS RATE AT FIRST ATTEMPT ITSELF.

Here goes my experience ..

VO : Hi
Me : Good Morning Sir

VO : Have you worked in the US before ?
Me : Sorry sir can you repeat it please.
VO : Have you worked in the US before ?
Me : No Sir

VO : Why do you want to go to the US ?
Me : For gaining some International Work
     experience

VO : Which company will you be working for
Me : XYZ Company

VO : What is that company into ?
Me : Software Development & Consulting.

VO : What are you currently working as ?
Me : I am working as a Software Consultant

VO : Which company are you currently working in ?
Me : ABC

VO : Since how long ?
Me : From the past one year

VO : Have you ever been outside India ?
Me : yes sir i had been to london last october.

VO : Why did you go there ?
Me : To attend some project related discussions

VO : Since how long are you with current company
     again ?
Me : From the past one year sir.
VO : Alright your visa is approved.
Me : Thank you sir.

Not even a single document was asked in my case.

Hi Everyone,

Well, first & foremost I would like to thank this wonderful site for facilitating such good service by providing a place to get information for all kind of US visas.

I had an appointment on 14th August at 2:15PM at Chennai consulate, I was preparing for about a month for this interview checking all the updates and posts from this site. On the day of interview I arrived consulate at around 1:20PM and I saw a long queue standing out side the consulate and it was a dry and hot afternoon. I see people using what ever they have to protect from the sun like folders, newspaper etc. My wife and me were standing in the queue holding a bag in which we have all our files and docs. Someone in the line said we can’t carry bags inside so I had to look for a place to keep my bag I went around the consulate and found a small tea shop where he said it would cost me Rs50/ to keep the back nothing to do I accepted and kept the bag there and he handed over me token no. I was back in the standing queue and I have noticed that if ur appointment is at 1:00pm just come 15 min before and just go to the counter and show ur passport and visa applications you would be entered in to the consulate no need to come too early. Our turn came at the counter to show the docs and once done we entered in to consulate and saw a guy sitting and asking us to show all the files and folders we all have. His purpose was to check for any items that are not allowed in the consulate, my employer had sent his financial docs in a sealed cover addressing to visa offer he saw that sealed cover and asked open it but I denied it and said it is for visa officer then he told us we would not allow until u open and it is against our regulation here, so I had to open and show.

After finishing the security check we were allowed to stand in a queue where they do preliminary check of the docs we have and they would arrange all the necessary docs as per them and will hand over to us the docs in a folder given by them. My wife and my docs were kept in single folder and given to us along with passports. After that the coordinators asked to us to take a seat and wait till we call. We were there for about half an hour and I heard coordinator calling the applicants for 2:15pm appointment we were then guided to next building and there we were standing in a queue for about a half an hour and then we were allowed inside the building there we were asked to go and stand in a queue for finger print scanning we both have completed the scan and then asked us to sit in the chairs in mean while an American who is the security in charge walked in and greeted us and told his name and giving out information about the process they do at the consulate and telling us how many applications they handle everyday and requesting us to be clear and attentive at the counter when you meet the VO. He was friendly and cracking some jokes on the kind of people he came across while interviewing and also told us writing our names in our native languages in the visa applications is mandatory.

We were then asked to stand in the queue and then after about half an hour our turn came and we were guided to go to a particular window by the coordinator. At the window.

We: Hello..
VO: Hi how are you doing?.
We: smiled and replied fine
VO: asked my M.tech certificate
Me: gave
VO: where do you work currently?
Me: xyz company
VO: How long and on what project
Me: about 2 yrs and xxx project and yyy domain
VO: Tell me about your project in US?
Me: No project is assigned to me, once I reach US they would assign me a project and my US employer has many clients and client information is confidential henceforth project details would be known once I go there

VO: No response and I felt my answer did not satisfy her

VO: asked my wife how long u got married?
My wife: 8 months
VO: asked for photo album
We: gave her and she looked at us and said are you both in the album we told yes
VO: then she asked my wife how long she is working and as what?

My wife: she replied
VO: She took out a blue sheet 221g Blue) and ticked on the particulars and asked me to drop all the docs requested at the VFS office in Bangalore.

Me: fine and is there anything

VO: nothing else and just drop these requested docs at VFS office Bangalore as we want to know weather your US employer could provide employment to you or not.

We: Thank you.

After the interview we just walked out of the consulate. It was pretty tiresome experience for my wife and me. I had not lost hope yet and I am confident that my employer would provide me with docs and in fact I have all the financial docs of the US employer with me but not asked a single doc about it and the only doc I lack was this project description in detail. I have updated the information to my US employer and waiting for documents and I hope I would get by next week and then plan to submit by first week of September.

Guys’, issuing 221g forms is been a common at the Chennai consulate if ur docs are genuine then getting visa is not a problem. No need to worry but only concern is that it takes time (I think may be 1-2 months)

Any ways this was my experience and hope it would help you all.

Good Luck!