L1, L2 Visa

Interview was on 28 Feb 11 AM. VO took my passport and entered details in computer and he asked me below questions.

1. Are you studied in US?
Ans: No. I have done my Masters from Bangalore University.

2. Have you applied for visa before?
Ans: No, Not for L1

3. I mean any other visa like B1 etc.
Ans: No I did not. Last year my company applied for H1B but it did not pick in lottery

4. Since how long are you working with this company
Ans: Since last 2 years and 3 months

5. What did you say 3 years and ?
Ans: No Sir Its 2 years and 3 months

6. What is your specialization?
Ans: I have prepared for this questions and I answered it clearly. I am specialized on 4 company's propitiatory tools.

7. Who is your client?
Answered

7. Is any other client using your specialized tool?
Ans: No. These tools are not available in open market and it is exclusively developed for this client.

8. How long are you planing to stay in US?
Ans: Initially I am planning to stay for 6 months. If required I will stay longer.

9. What is the application you have developed.
Ans: I have not yet developed any application yet. I have developed these tools. And I am going US to develop application by consuming these tools.

10. What is your application used for?
Ans: It is used for developing applications for any device including smartphone. And using this application one can securely communicate with cloud services.

By listening all these answers he was looking convinced and I was feeling that he will approve visa. But suddenly he said your visa is not clearly approvable. Eligibility for L1 is different. Ask your HR to apply in another category. I was shocked.

My guess for rejection is first question. I was not prepared for this question. It did not came in to my mind at that time that I had applied for student visa almost nine years back and it was rejected. I made a mistake. They will have all the information. My suggestion is not to hide anything. But it really felt bad that because of small mistake they reject the visa. :(

If you feel rejection reason could be answer of any other question. Please let me know. Based on answers you may find exact reason.

My L1A Blanket got rejected some days back. Here is the details how it went..

Me: Good afternoon. How are you doing today?
VO: I am doing good. Thank you.

VO: Who is your employer?
Me: Answered

VO: How long?
Me: 1 yr 3 months

VO: Total experience
Me: around 10(mentioned exact to VO)

VO: client?
Me: Answered

VO: When are you planning to go?
Me: Apr 1st

VO: Which place?
Me: Answered

VO: Your Designation.
Me: Manager

VO: Role
Me: Program Manager

VO: Supervisor
Me: D level(answered exact designation)

VO: Is he at same location?
Me: Yes

VO: How many other manager reporting to him?
Me: 3 including me

VO: Who was your previous employer( it was surprising for me)
Me: answered

VO: Why no other managers
Me: Answered (Like proficient in managing similar projects etc,client has choosen)

VO: What % is managerial role
Me: 100

VO: What is this program about?
Me: Answered(To the point explained)

VO: It contains technical information. L1A has very narrow approval rates and hence you can ask your employer's HR to file visa under other visa category. Mentioned as clearly not approvable.

So whats your opinion about the reason of rejection? Is it due to program description or due to supervisor at same location and other manager reporting or my current experience at my current organization..

Shall i go ahead for L1A individual premium which my organization is planning next?

Please share your thoughts..
Thank you for your time and all the best...

Thanks for the forum posts, which I regularly browse through and will update myself on the questions for L1.
Here is my visa experience for L1B Individual Category:
* L1B - Regular Processing - Received RFE - Approved in Dec 2016;
* Visa interview scheduled for my Spouse as well as my Kid (4.5 years)
* 2nd March: Biometrics: Chennai - Me and my Husband alone we went. 12.00 PM queue, reached 10 mins before and was allowed to go inside. In the queue, our Passport and DS160 will be arranged and be given to us and need to wait for the token in a counter. My turn came, we just need to keep fingerprints and were asked to be there before 15 mins prior to the interview.

* 3rd March: PAI interview: I took my Kid as well. We went in our own car; My husband managed to find a parking place opposite road to the Oxford.
 Interview appointment time: 10 AM, but we reached by 9.20 and showed our passports and were allowed inside.
Every where we were being checked if we carry any electronic items; we left everything in our car. Just carried a plastic bag with files (any type of files, as there was not checking today).
WE were asked to remove our watches (ordinary).
We kept our passports and our plastic bag with files for scanning.
Were asked to go to counter where they verified our passports and marked and asked to move to another counter
There we were asked to reverify our finger prints.
Next were asked to wait near a row of people where I was asked to wait for L1INdividual category.
Then came the counter name where we should appear for the interview.
1. My previous person was L1B Blanket - was explaining his skills. But the VO Officer said that it was not approvable.
2. My turn:
   * I wished the officer with a smily Good Morning, he responded well and asked me 'how are you'. I responded and asked him too. He gave me a smiling reply.
   * me: I gave our passports (three of ours) to him, he gave an appreciative smile.
   * VO: He asked me to wait for few secs.
   * VO: Asked me 'yours is L1 Individual?'
   * me: Yes
   * VO: You work for XX company
   * me: Yes
   * VO: What is your Client
   * me: XX
   * VO: What is the specialization of the manager whom you report to.
   * me: I didn't expect this question. But I managed to answer my Account Manager's role.
  * VO: You have your I797 with you?
  * me: Yes Sir, here it is and I gave it to him (original)
 * VO: verified and returned back.
 * VO: What will you go and do at US, your roles?
 * me: I explained with good confidence, about my project's role at onsite.
 * VO: Turned to my husband and asked, 'Where did your wife complete her Master's degree'
* my husband: Replied with the response. XX university.
 * VO: How old is your kid.
 * my husband: 4.5 years old.
 * VO: to my kid: How are you?
 * my son: I am fine.
 * VO: to my kid: Whats your name?
 * my son: My name is XX
 * VO: laughed and replied, that's very glad.
 * we: Thanked him.
 * VO: Your Visas are approved. Thanks for spending your time today here.
 * we: Thanked him too.

Hi,

This forum helped me a lot to prepare for my L1A interview. So it's my turn to share my experience.
My visa interview held on 24th Feb, 2017 at Kolkata Consulate. Interview timing was 9:00AM. I reached there at 8:40 and after standing on a long queue interview happened on 10:00AM.

The Questions are :

VO : Good Morning.
Me: Good Morning Mam.
VO : Please give me you passport and I797B.
Me : Sure (handed over the same to VO)
VO : How many years you are with YYYY Company?
Me : xx years
VO : So you applied for specialised knowledge or managerial?
Me : Managerial.
VO : How many people do you manage?
Me : xx number
VO : Are they direct reportees ?
Me : Answered
VO : Are they all in US ?
Me : Answered
VO : Are you married ?
Me : Answered
VO : How much will you be paid in US?
Me : xxx dollar per annum

And finally... the golden word came..you visa is approved. you will get you passport after 3-4 days.

My L-1B individual visa got approved yesterday at the New Delhi consulate, I went there with my wife and she also got her L2 approved.

Our appointment was scheduled for 11:30 am but they allowed us entry at 10:30 am as it wasn't crowded like always, which was a surprise to us. We reached the interview counter at around 11:00 am, our counter number was 12 and we were attended by an old lady:

VO: Hello, how are you?
Me: I am good, how are you?
VO: I am doing good. Can I have your passports please?
Me: Sure (handed over both the passports to her)
VO: Can I see your I-797B form?
Me: Sure (handed over the form to her)
VO: How long would you stay in the United States?
Me: 3 years
VO: What would be your salary there?
ME: USD YYYY X
VO: What's your highest education qualification?
Me: MBA
VO: Have you ever been to the United States in the past?
Me: Yes, twice (mentioned the dates)

Then she turned to my wife and asked the following:
VO: What's your highest qualification?
Her: MBA
VO: Would you do a job there?
Her: I haven't decided anything about that yet, I will try to be a good home maker but if I get bored I might look for some options
VO: ok

She thanked us and took both of our passports. She asked me to ensure that I read my rights as a worker in the United States before leaving to the United States.

We thanked her back and left the counter happily.

Just got the visa approved today - 28th Feb 2017 at Chennai Consulate.

Folks. i just want share my experience

Me: Good Morning, How are you doing?
VO: no response ( VO was very serious guy - not even a smile)
VO: Please give me your documents
VO: Are you working at client or in house
Me: Answered - In house
VO: What is your job title
Me: Answered
VO: How many people report to you onsite
Me: Answered
VO: How many direct reports
Me: Answered
VO: Will you be managing the Entire IT Department
Me: Answered - Yes.

Question to Spouse

VO: Maam, what is your highest degree
Wife: Answered

Then the golden word came -- Your visa is approved

Tips
Dress according to your designation
Stay calm and composed
Practice your Q/A in front of mirror.
Be confident
Dont look at others - the person before me got a 221 g at the same counter.
Read as much as you can on immihelp.
Prepare your own Answers, do not just copy.

Thanks
Good luck to all of you... And thanks to all those who posted here their experience.

Thanks

Hello All,

Thanks to this forum for vast experiences ..This helped me lot

My L1 A Blanket Visa got rejected last year in april 2016 at chennai ,My company filed L1
A Individual this time under PP and i got it last month.

My Visa date was Today and here you go:

 Questions to To Me : What is your role ?
Since How many Years you are with current organisation?
Any earlier Rejections ?

To My Wife: How many years if your marriage ?
Do you have any children ?

That's it and Golden Wors Your Visa is Finished ..

Hi My L1 blanket interview is scheduled on 17th March and I did received only 1 copy of I129S document from my company , but since we need 3 copies of it can I take Xerox of it or do we need to carry all 3 copies should be directly signed employer? Please advise. Also is it must to wear blazer while attending for L1A interview at consulate?

I was very much tensed before the interview as this was my first time and had seen a lot of rejections these days after Mr Trump new set of rules.

I only had positive hopes for the clearance.

? Interview Process

Consulate Officer: Hi
Myself: Hi. Good Morning, How are you?

Consulate Officer: Good Morning. I am good thanks, how about you?
Myself: Fine, thanks. Handed over my documents

Consulate Officer: You work for Scientific Games?
Myself: Yes

Consulate officer: Is it Bally Technology?
Myself: Yes, It is legacy Bally. Scientific games has acquired Bally Technologies.

Consulate officer: What’s your experience in this company?
Myself: 1.8 (I was told not to tell 2 if you have some 2 or 3 months less to complete 2).

 Consulate Officer: What you will be doing in US?
Myself: I will be implementing the functionality of G2S Protocol in our proprietary Connexus Product.G2S stands for Game to System Protocol and it makes the communication between the host and the slot machines very easy.
Will also be supporting remote upgrade of games and software of slot machines in our product as the implementation is done.

Consulate Officer: Is G2S your Protocol?
Myself: No Sir, It’s a Proprietary gaming protocol.

Consulate Officer: Will you be working from Client Location or Parent?
Myself: Parent Company Sir.

There was pin drop of silence for 20 seconds and then the Officer uttered the golden words “Thank you Sir, Your Visa Stands Approved” which made my day.

After coming out I had only one feeling in my head, the tension which I was taking from the day my Visa dates were finalized to the final date of interview was over within a span of 2 minutes.

Thanked God and left happily from the office.

Be yourself and speak confidently. You got to be yourself at the time of interview.Speak to the point and in short sentences.

After my L1 B Blanket was rejected, my company applied for L1 B individual under PP. I got RFE first and then approval from USCIS.

As per the procedure I appeared for the Interview with my family at Delhi consulate on 24 Feb 2017 and got my visa approved.

Questions were simple :
Show me your I797
How long have you been associated with current company?
Highest Qualification?
Designation?
US salary?

To my Wife:
years of marriage?
Is this your only child?

That's it ! Your Visa is approved.