L1, L2 Visa

Hi All,

Thank you for all the up to date information provided. I have prepared my self for interview by going through each one's experience shared here and every question which was asked to me was present here. My L1b was approved and stamped on 10 Aug, 2016.
I need to ask a question:

I have read in all the below threads that every one's I-129s was stamped and signed after the approval but my visa officer only signed and dated that form nothing else, no stamp. Is it normal or it can create problem for me at immigration desk?

It would be great if any share his/her experience for the same situation.

Thank you to all the contributors to this forum for sharing their experiences and helping prepare for the visa process.

Using this forum to prepare reminded me of college days where we would rely on "previous year's questions papers" :)

After so much stress and anxiety my L1A blanket process was quite easy at the end and on the lines of what has been shared previously so my only tip is please don't sweat about it!

Questions asked:

1. Where do you work right now?
2. How long have you been working here?
3. What is your future role?
4. US salary?
5. How long have you been married - to wife?
6. How old is your kid?

And then the golden words!

I am from Bangalore and working for a product based company.
Thanks to this forum for making us prepared.
The process:
OFC-9th Aug 11AM
Visa Appointment-10th Aug 10AM

For OFC appointment, they will allow only prior to 45 mins of your schedule, it is suggested to reach an hour before and wait in the Queque. Dont worry if your are late, as there are no restrictions and you can enter an any time before they close for the day. It takes hardly 15min to finish the process and there are always people to guide you through the process.

Visa Appointment:Final day has arrived, i was very tensed and prepared very well(this isn't required), Do not bother about your appointment time, Just reach as early as possible as they will not check your appointment time and allows you inside as your turn comes.My schedule was at 10AM and i reached the Consulate by 8.30AM, finally i was back in hotel by 10.30AM.
As i mentioned there are people to guide you and need not to be worried.
Once you are inside through the heavy door to submit the DD, if you have Blanket petition inform them, there is a separate counter for that.

Questions asked:
1-Which company you work for
2-Where are you going
3-How long
4-Which company are you going to work for in US
5-What is your annual salary in US
6-Do you get any food allowances apart from salary
7-Which state are you going to in US
8-What is your specialization
9-What tool is that,how do you develop
10-What is your highest qualification
That's it!Visa approved.

Documents to carry:
DS160 confirmation page authorized by Biometric centre(OFC)
3 sets(mandatory) of I-129S
3 sets of 797(mandatory)(only first page)
Write your name and passport number behind DD,get DD at highest exchange rate or carry some cash/card

Suggestions:
Do not over prepare
Don't panic
Don't look above for the number of questions, if you are comfortable ,it goes very smoothly and you don't even know that it has ended.
Don't look at other people giving interviews.

Hi I have my PAI schedule for 23rd aug 2016. 10.30 AM. at Chennai. My return flight has been scheduled at 14.10pm to Kolkata. I just want to know whether it is feasible to complete all the formatilies and can I easily board the flight by that time? Or should I take some later flight?

Thanks for your help!!

Hello,
My L1b is expiring on 15 Nov 2016 & Passport is also expiring on 20 APR 2017. Now my petition is approved and waiting for appointment. So my questions
1 - Do I have to renew my passport before applying for Visa interview ?
2 - Can I apply for visa interview with currant passport & will apply for new passport in USA. What will happen when my old passport ? Do they stamp on my old passport or new passport ?
3 - Will this process create any problem ?

Please suggest , this is urgent.

Hi Guys,
      My L1-B blanket visa was recently denied by the Chennai consulate. My company filed for L1 individual. I've got an approval on that from USCIS.

 I am based out of bangalore, I see that waiting period is huge in Chennai. Earliest Appointment date is Nov end. I was wondering if it's allowed to apply from other consulates ? Has anyone done that ? Any negative effects it can have on Visa approval ?

I had my visa interview on 8/5 @ Chennai, went along with my wife and my infant.

I work for a well known IT company and had been there for 1.5 years with overall experience 9+ years. Have a B1 visa and had an L1B earlier from my earlier employment. Had as well got a B1 and L1B rejected in past years.

Following were the questions asked in the interview:

What will be your profile in US?
I answered using the terms like Manager, Budgeting, Team, Estimations etc.

How many direct reportees in US and India
I answered my true count of reportees with their designations

To whom do you report?
One of the VP of my company

From where is this VP based out of?
Answered a different location then where am going. as well explained why am going to this city and will come back as soon as work is over which has a definite time span.

Who is the client?
Gave the client's name (a well known Insurance giant)

To my wife:
 What is your highest qualification?

Quick tips:
1. Be prepared - there is nothing as over prepared, I did trials in front on mirror from around 20 days back.
2. Dress smart - I wore a blazer to interview to give that experienced feel
3. Be confident - It goes without saying, you have to sell yourself to them, do it with confidence.
4. Try indicate that you will be going only for a definite time and then come back.
5. Lastly, its not end of world if they say no, I have had a rejection then approval, then again rejection and then approvals....stay true and strive.

All the best to one and all !!

OFC Appointment: Aug. 3, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Visa Appointment: Aug. 4, 2016 at 9:30 AM
Visa Type: L1B Blanket for myself and L2 for Wife
Consulate: Chennai
Visa Status: Approved

Background: I am from Mumbai and I work for one of the largest service companies. Since I am not from IT background, I had to prepare myself in a little different way. This forum was very helpful in understating general questions and how to answer them as well. But, when I went through the whole forum, I found out that this is very much concentrated on IT professionals since those are the ones who often apply for L1 visa. I don’t know any IT language or don’t have a special knowledge of any IT skill. I also don’t work for any particular client. I work with multiple clients based out of head office of the company. I am specialized in designing logistics or supply chain of our client. My company has also developed global tools which I am specialized in.

Experience at OFC: I and my wife both stayed at IBIS City Center Chennai hotel which is very convenient to travel at both the places (OFC and Consulate). For OFC , we booked an UBER and reached on time. When we reached inside OFC first counter is where they check DS160 and compare the same with passport. I forgot to write my father’s name in given name section in my DS160 (Maharashtrians be careful. Please make sure passport name and name on DS160 matches). Lady told me that I have to make changes and come back again. Thankfully, there is a counter at basement where 2 ladies sit with computers to make these changes. They charge are enormously high (Rs.200 for change, Rs. 500 for new DS160). I remembered my security question and answer so it was just a change for me. There was a big queue and it took us 1 hour to make these changes. Both of us went back to first floor and completed the whole biometric process. Generally, if you don’t have any changes in DS160 then it’s a process of 15 min. Even if you have an appointment time given, I found out that you can go any time on that particular day before 5 PM.

Experience at Consulate: From IBIS, Consulate is a walking distance of 10 mins. I and wife both preferred walking to consulate in the morning after breakfast. We both decided to wear formals (Shirt, trouser and jacket for me and Wife wore a formal dress). Both of us reached there at 8:30 AM. Be ready to stand in a queue on the road side for 30 mins.

After going inside the consulate, one lady helped us for aligning documents together. She told me to pull out I129s and first page of I797 from three sets, which were provided by my US office. By 9:30 we were inside the consulate on the first window where we had to pay USD 500 as L1 blanket fraud prevention fees. Then we went to next window where fingerprints were captured. We then stood in a long queue for final interview window. It took us almost 1 hour to reach there on the window. While you wait there in queue, you can see people getting their visa accepted or rejected by Visa officers on different windows. It actually builds the whole tensions. But, don’t worry and be confident.

VO: Good Morning
Me: Good Morning mam. How are you doing today?
VO: Pretty Good. How about you?
Me: Good thanks.

VO: May I have your documents please?
ME: Here they are. (3 Sets of documents, DS 160 and Passports)
VO: Have you applied with us before sir?
Me: Yes mam. I had applied for F1 visa in 2006.

VO: So you work for YYYY X
ME: Yes mam.

VO: What is your designation in India and US?
ME: Gave her the answer.

VO: So what exactly you do?
ME: I told her my skills.

VO: So you will work based out of your companies head office or you will be located at clients office?
Me: I will be working from my company’s head office locates at YYYY in YYYY state.

VO: How much is your annual salary?
Me: told her the base salary and annual performance based bonus.

VO: So, how big is your team in the US?
Me: Around 15 people.

VO: Then why can’t they do your job? Why you need to travel there in the US?
Me: I told her that I am specialized in these skills and because of my experience in industry, experience with my company’s tools and educational background I got selected for this role.

VO: I got that part but why are you travelling why can’t your other team members do this job?
Me: My Company is growing 20% year on year and now our department is falling short of people and they need me to fulfill the required needs.

VO: Oh! So you will be just another body in the team.
Me: Yes mam, a body with special skills.

VO: Just give me a minute. (She went insider to discuss about my case with someone. IT took her almost 2 minutes to return to the window)
Me: Okay mam.

VO: Which clients you have worked with before and who are your customers in the US?
Me: Gave her the whole list of clients.

VO to My wife: How long you guys have been married?
Wife: 5 years mam.

VO: What is your wedding date?
Wife: Told her

VO: Was he (Me) fair to you last anniversary?
Wife: (Showing her diamond ring) Yes, he was…

VO: I am approving your Visa. Give me couple of minutes to stamp the I129s. I will keep your passport and one copy of I129 with me. You will require another copy at the port of entry and one copy is for your employer’s record.
Me: Thank you mam.

VO: Have a nice trip to US.
Me: Thanks and lot.

I think, it is very important to be confident. One needs to talk slowly and clearly. Visa officer wants to give you a visa. Just make sure that you are eligible for the same.
 
All the best for your interview.

Hi Guys,
Thanks to those who have been posting their experience in this forum.it does really helped me to clear the interview. My L1B/L2 blanket got approved on Chennai

The following questions were asked in Visa interviews.
L1B Blanket:
1)So you’re working in YYYY company?
2)what is specialization?
3)What exactly you will do in USA?
4)What would be the US Salary?
5)What is the client name?
6)Which city you’re going?
7)Did you implemented these tools in other customer? What is the customer name?
8)When did you last worked for these tools?
9)Is this project takes 3 years????

My spouse:
1)How long have you been married?
2)You have 2 kids? and what are their ages?

Hi,

I have appeared for L1B blanket visa interview at Chennai Consulate in Dec'15. My case was refused and I was asked to apply for individual category. Later, my employer had filed individual petition and my L1B individual case is approved now by 7th July 16. I have couple of urgent queries -

1. Looking at my urgent travel plan to US office and current long wait time what is the way to book appointment for emergency cases?
2. I got to know some instances that if any blanket case was refused and consular provided feedback to apply in individual category (with handover of blue letter for blanket case refusal, then one can directly appear for interview at same consulate (where blanket was refused) without booking interview appointment. In this case showing up previous details at the consulate should allow one to enter into consulate and appear for interview. Please confirm.