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Visa
L1, L2 Visa
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Chances for a getting L1B Visa
One of my friend has following profile. He is being recommended for L1B visa. Please suggest whether it would be successful:
Total years exp: 16
Currently employed with top US based MNC product companies
Travelled to many countries including USA
Had 10 years Valid B1 visa till 2015
USA role is a PoC between customer and local team.
Would be getting more than 150K in CA.
Total years exp: 16
Currently employed with top US based MNC product companies
Travelled to many countries including USA
Had 10 years Valid B1 visa till 2015
USA role is a PoC between customer and local team.
Would be getting more than 150K in CA.
All Replies (0)
L1 Blanket Individual Interview Experience at Chennai on 09 May 2016
Hi All,
Thank you everyone for sharing your experience. It's my time and here are the questions:
Greeted each other
VO: 1) So your blanket L1 petition was not clearly approvable last time?
Me: Yes
VO: Company
ME: ZZZ
VO: How many years with the company?
ME: YYYY years YYYY months
VO: How much are you going to draw in US dollar?
ME: salary per year
VO: What are your specialization?
ME: 1) Tool 1, 2) Tool 2 and 3) Tool 3
VO: For how long are you going to US?
Me: I will be going for 1year, then I will be back to India
VO: What is your designation?
Me: ZZZ
Then finally I heard golden words, your Visas are approved.
Thorough preparation is a must with all possible questions, which leads to provide confidence. This site is a complete reference for the candidate.
I have a question here. This is L1 Individual visa. Should my I129s be stamped by consular officer?
Note: She didn't even asked for my I-797.
Thank you everyone for sharing your experience. It's my time and here are the questions:
Greeted each other
VO: 1) So your blanket L1 petition was not clearly approvable last time?
Me: Yes
VO: Company
ME: ZZZ
VO: How many years with the company?
ME: YYYY years YYYY months
VO: How much are you going to draw in US dollar?
ME: salary per year
VO: What are your specialization?
ME: 1) Tool 1, 2) Tool 2 and 3) Tool 3
VO: For how long are you going to US?
Me: I will be going for 1year, then I will be back to India
VO: What is your designation?
Me: ZZZ
Then finally I heard golden words, your Visas are approved.
Thorough preparation is a must with all possible questions, which leads to provide confidence. This site is a complete reference for the candidate.
I have a question here. This is L1 Individual visa. Should my I129s be stamped by consular officer?
Note: She didn't even asked for my I-797.
All Replies (1)
L1A Blanket Visa approved Chennai
My L1A Visa has been APPROVED. :)
I'd like to thank this group for your feedback and sharing your experiences as well.
Here is what happened in the last 2 days that may help future candidates applying for the Visa.
Day 1:
Appointment at the VAC: (Bio-metrics and photo)
Went 30 minutes ahead of time and they let me in immediately. This was at their new office in Kodambakkam High road, Chennai. (Parking is tough. Suggest taking a cab) At the ground floor there was a counter where a couple of staff check the DS-160, Appointment confirmation, MRV fee receipt and Original passports. No other document was checked or reviewed. It helped to have this handy and they cross verified the data in the DS-160 with the passport and ticked relevant fields. They only wanted my current passport and separated the old ones from the current passport.
We were then sent to the 1st floor where another staff scanned the bar-codes from the MRV receipt and that brought up the relevant DS-160 on his screen. In my case, the MRV receipt had a confirmation number that belonged to my previous B1 visa application and hence it did not bring up the current L1A DS 160 form on his computer. He asked me if I made any changes to the DS. I replied in the negative and told him that the MRV form had the incorrect confirmation number. (The Chennai Travel team says that while paying the fees it automatically pulled my previous DS confirmation number). Nevertheless, the staff wrote the words 'Edit' on the current DS 160 form and sent us in. The confirmation numbers in the MRV form for my wife and kid matched the DS160. So no issues there.
We went to another counter where two staff again scanned the DS forms and printed and pasted a bar-coded sticker at the back of all three passports. It had the $ value of the fees paid and the date and it also read 'L1B' instead of 'L1A'. When I checked they said that's not a problem and everyone had 'L1B' sticker on their passport.
Then we were directed to another counter where they printed tokens and handed it over to my wife for herself and my child. Since mine needed an Edit, I mentioned to them that an edit was needed and they made necessary changes and pasted a new bar-coded sticker on top of the earlier one. I guess that overrode the problem. Then they handed over a token for myself as well and we were seated in a room with several counters.
On our turn, we went to separate counters based on the token numbers. The representative behind a glass counter asked for the type of Visa applied and purpose of travel. No preparation is needed for this however, as this is not the real interview. Probably just cross checking the answers with the DS 160 form. They also asked for the date of birth and read out the Passport number for confirmation.
Then they ten printed us and took our photos. We didn't take our kid so they took the 2"x2" photograph and took a photo of that. Then they stamped the DS 160 forms confirming that we presented ourselves at the VAC and asked us to carry the stamped DS forms to the Consulate the next day.
The entire process was completed in 30 minutes.
Day 2: Visa Interview at Chennai US Consulate. 2.5 hour process
Our appointment was at 10:30 am IST. We reached there at 10 am thinking that would be early but there were folks from the 9 am interview still standing in the long queue outside in the sun. Could be because of the H1B rush.
There was an initial queue where one person had a tablet and checked our passports to verify if our passport numbers were in his tablet to verify we had a valid appointment.
Post that we had to stand in another long queue where another representative would stamp the DS 160 forms that were earlier stamped at the VAC center.
The queue moved very slowly. Easily a 35 minute wait. Single lady applicants, elderly applicants and applicants who had children got preference and were let in quicker. We did not take our daughter for this interview as well.
But if you have a kid whom you can handle, it's better to take them so get some of these advantages. But if they are toddlers, leave them at home.
There was a security frisking outside the main entrance and any electronics, including electronic watches, pen drives and any storage device had to be deposited outside at a private vendor. Post that we were let in the main entrance where there was another round of a more thorough and detailed security check.
All pockets had to be emptied into a tray including wallets, files and folders, keys, etc. and passed though a metal detector another round of physical frisking.
There was another entrance where a representative would verify the DS 160 and send them to join another queue at the adjacent building.
All L1A applicants were asked to wait and keep handy only the first page of the I797 and the I129S forms and of course the passports and the $500 demand draft. He bundled everything in a rubber band and handed it back an asked us to join the queue in the adjacent building. He didn't want any other documents or even the rest of the pages of the I797. They didn't collect my company’s supporting letter or my consultants (very reputed international consultant and law firm) covering letter.
The other line was let into the main building 10 at a time. Wait time was relatively lessen than the ones outside. Again, families with children were admitted instantly.
When we went in, there was another slow moving queue where we had to stand. We were sent to counter to pay the $500 fraud protection fees and were given 2 copies of the receipt. We were asked to join another line where our finger prints were verified and a pink mark made on the bar-coded sticker on the back of each passports.
Post that we had to join another queue passports alone was requested and the lady checked something on her screen and then marked the bar-coded sticker with a green pen this time.
Post that we were asked to join the queue in the adjacent room which was the main interview queue. Until this point, all counters were manned by Indian nationals.
The final was long too, around 70 applicants standing in the line. At the end of the line a representative would see your passports and assign an interview counter with a US Visa Officer.
The Interview:
Mine was a nice US lady whom I greeted and was greeted back. She asked for my passports which I handed. I asked her if she needed the G28s. She said she didn't. She stated that I already have a valid US visa to which I acknowledged (I have a valid B1 visa, which helps provide confidence that some level of previous scrutiny was already done). She said that was a different visa class though. Then started the questions.
VO: What is your current designation, Sir:
Me: (Directly to the point) Assistance Vice President, Ma'am
VO: So AVP, Operations?
Me: Yes Ma'am
VO: Whats your US Salary?
Me: Upward of $100000 Ma'am
VO: Who would you be reporting to:
Me: Vice President, Operations
VO: Who is your client?
Me: Ma'am this is an intra-company transfer and I will be working for the same company but in the not at a client location
VO: How many people would be reporting to you in the US?
Me: I will be handling a team of 100 employees out of which 5 managers will report into me, at the moment, Ma'am.
VO: To my wife: What is your marriage date?
My wife: mentioned
And then there was a little chit chat about my daughter whom we didn't bring and she said it was a good thing not to bring them if not needed.
VO: To my wife: How old is your daughter?
My Wife: 1 and half years
VO: (Typing something on her computer) Thank you Sir, you're visa is approved. I will be keeping your passports for the visa stamp and you should be able to collect it in 5 days.
She then stamped the I129s and gave me a copy saying that I need to keep it handy as I could be asked at the POE.
I asked again if she needed the G-28s and she said no. We thanked her and exited.
So, that's it guys. It's over and trust me I'm glad. I kinda over prepared for it for a week. But I guess it was good in a way just in case something specific came up.
In the entire process, they did not receive or review my company's letter. I guess because it was pretty straight forward and there was nothing to reject. But the letter helped me a whole deal to prepare. My company in the US provided a detailed letter with my current roles in India and proposed roles in the US, etc.
Basically, the interview process is mainly to check if you are applying for the correct visa category, you maintain consistency with the DS forms and I129s forms and if your skills match the type of visa being applied for. They don't really wanna drill you or keen on rejecting unless really needed.
So there goes. I know it's kinda lengthy but I figured my experience may help someone else in the future.
Let me know if you need any other information from me..
Unless it's a L1B or H1B, you don't need to prepare too much in detail. But you need to know everything that's in the I129s and DS160. Also note that since the VO did not receive any documents for review, it is basically just testing if you are proving consistent and truthful answers.
They have body cues to find out if anyone is uncomfortable or not being truthful.
Hope this helps.
I'd like to thank this group for your feedback and sharing your experiences as well.
Here is what happened in the last 2 days that may help future candidates applying for the Visa.
Day 1:
Appointment at the VAC: (Bio-metrics and photo)
Went 30 minutes ahead of time and they let me in immediately. This was at their new office in Kodambakkam High road, Chennai. (Parking is tough. Suggest taking a cab) At the ground floor there was a counter where a couple of staff check the DS-160, Appointment confirmation, MRV fee receipt and Original passports. No other document was checked or reviewed. It helped to have this handy and they cross verified the data in the DS-160 with the passport and ticked relevant fields. They only wanted my current passport and separated the old ones from the current passport.
We were then sent to the 1st floor where another staff scanned the bar-codes from the MRV receipt and that brought up the relevant DS-160 on his screen. In my case, the MRV receipt had a confirmation number that belonged to my previous B1 visa application and hence it did not bring up the current L1A DS 160 form on his computer. He asked me if I made any changes to the DS. I replied in the negative and told him that the MRV form had the incorrect confirmation number. (The Chennai Travel team says that while paying the fees it automatically pulled my previous DS confirmation number). Nevertheless, the staff wrote the words 'Edit' on the current DS 160 form and sent us in. The confirmation numbers in the MRV form for my wife and kid matched the DS160. So no issues there.
We went to another counter where two staff again scanned the DS forms and printed and pasted a bar-coded sticker at the back of all three passports. It had the $ value of the fees paid and the date and it also read 'L1B' instead of 'L1A'. When I checked they said that's not a problem and everyone had 'L1B' sticker on their passport.
Then we were directed to another counter where they printed tokens and handed it over to my wife for herself and my child. Since mine needed an Edit, I mentioned to them that an edit was needed and they made necessary changes and pasted a new bar-coded sticker on top of the earlier one. I guess that overrode the problem. Then they handed over a token for myself as well and we were seated in a room with several counters.
On our turn, we went to separate counters based on the token numbers. The representative behind a glass counter asked for the type of Visa applied and purpose of travel. No preparation is needed for this however, as this is not the real interview. Probably just cross checking the answers with the DS 160 form. They also asked for the date of birth and read out the Passport number for confirmation.
Then they ten printed us and took our photos. We didn't take our kid so they took the 2"x2" photograph and took a photo of that. Then they stamped the DS 160 forms confirming that we presented ourselves at the VAC and asked us to carry the stamped DS forms to the Consulate the next day.
The entire process was completed in 30 minutes.
Day 2: Visa Interview at Chennai US Consulate. 2.5 hour process
Our appointment was at 10:30 am IST. We reached there at 10 am thinking that would be early but there were folks from the 9 am interview still standing in the long queue outside in the sun. Could be because of the H1B rush.
There was an initial queue where one person had a tablet and checked our passports to verify if our passport numbers were in his tablet to verify we had a valid appointment.
Post that we had to stand in another long queue where another representative would stamp the DS 160 forms that were earlier stamped at the VAC center.
The queue moved very slowly. Easily a 35 minute wait. Single lady applicants, elderly applicants and applicants who had children got preference and were let in quicker. We did not take our daughter for this interview as well.
But if you have a kid whom you can handle, it's better to take them so get some of these advantages. But if they are toddlers, leave them at home.
There was a security frisking outside the main entrance and any electronics, including electronic watches, pen drives and any storage device had to be deposited outside at a private vendor. Post that we were let in the main entrance where there was another round of a more thorough and detailed security check.
All pockets had to be emptied into a tray including wallets, files and folders, keys, etc. and passed though a metal detector another round of physical frisking.
There was another entrance where a representative would verify the DS 160 and send them to join another queue at the adjacent building.
All L1A applicants were asked to wait and keep handy only the first page of the I797 and the I129S forms and of course the passports and the $500 demand draft. He bundled everything in a rubber band and handed it back an asked us to join the queue in the adjacent building. He didn't want any other documents or even the rest of the pages of the I797. They didn't collect my company’s supporting letter or my consultants (very reputed international consultant and law firm) covering letter.
The other line was let into the main building 10 at a time. Wait time was relatively lessen than the ones outside. Again, families with children were admitted instantly.
When we went in, there was another slow moving queue where we had to stand. We were sent to counter to pay the $500 fraud protection fees and were given 2 copies of the receipt. We were asked to join another line where our finger prints were verified and a pink mark made on the bar-coded sticker on the back of each passports.
Post that we had to join another queue passports alone was requested and the lady checked something on her screen and then marked the bar-coded sticker with a green pen this time.
Post that we were asked to join the queue in the adjacent room which was the main interview queue. Until this point, all counters were manned by Indian nationals.
The final was long too, around 70 applicants standing in the line. At the end of the line a representative would see your passports and assign an interview counter with a US Visa Officer.
The Interview:
Mine was a nice US lady whom I greeted and was greeted back. She asked for my passports which I handed. I asked her if she needed the G28s. She said she didn't. She stated that I already have a valid US visa to which I acknowledged (I have a valid B1 visa, which helps provide confidence that some level of previous scrutiny was already done). She said that was a different visa class though. Then started the questions.
VO: What is your current designation, Sir:
Me: (Directly to the point) Assistance Vice President, Ma'am
VO: So AVP, Operations?
Me: Yes Ma'am
VO: Whats your US Salary?
Me: Upward of $100000 Ma'am
VO: Who would you be reporting to:
Me: Vice President, Operations
VO: Who is your client?
Me: Ma'am this is an intra-company transfer and I will be working for the same company but in the not at a client location
VO: How many people would be reporting to you in the US?
Me: I will be handling a team of 100 employees out of which 5 managers will report into me, at the moment, Ma'am.
VO: To my wife: What is your marriage date?
My wife: mentioned
And then there was a little chit chat about my daughter whom we didn't bring and she said it was a good thing not to bring them if not needed.
VO: To my wife: How old is your daughter?
My Wife: 1 and half years
VO: (Typing something on her computer) Thank you Sir, you're visa is approved. I will be keeping your passports for the visa stamp and you should be able to collect it in 5 days.
She then stamped the I129s and gave me a copy saying that I need to keep it handy as I could be asked at the POE.
I asked again if she needed the G-28s and she said no. We thanked her and exited.
So, that's it guys. It's over and trust me I'm glad. I kinda over prepared for it for a week. But I guess it was good in a way just in case something specific came up.
In the entire process, they did not receive or review my company's letter. I guess because it was pretty straight forward and there was nothing to reject. But the letter helped me a whole deal to prepare. My company in the US provided a detailed letter with my current roles in India and proposed roles in the US, etc.
Basically, the interview process is mainly to check if you are applying for the correct visa category, you maintain consistency with the DS forms and I129s forms and if your skills match the type of visa being applied for. They don't really wanna drill you or keen on rejecting unless really needed.
So there goes. I know it's kinda lengthy but I figured my experience may help someone else in the future.
Let me know if you need any other information from me..
Unless it's a L1B or H1B, you don't need to prepare too much in detail. But you need to know everything that's in the I129s and DS160. Also note that since the VO did not receive any documents for review, it is basically just testing if you are proving consistent and truthful answers.
They have body cues to find out if anyone is uncomfortable or not being truthful.
Hope this helps.
All Replies (0)
L1 A Individual Visa Approved
Thanks to everyone for sharing there experiences.
May 9,2016 completed my VO round -
VO - Hey
Me- Good Morning Sir....
VO- Passport Please
Me- Handover
VO- What is your highest qualification
Me- Replied
VO- What is your Designation
Me- Replied
VO- How many reporting (count)
Me- Replied 7 at onsite
VO- How many year you have completed in your (ZZZ) Company
Me- Replied - Resented completed 4 years and 3 months
VO- Client Name
Me- YYYY
Golden Words...I am approving your visa...
May 9,2016 completed my VO round -
VO - Hey
Me- Good Morning Sir....
VO- Passport Please
Me- Handover
VO- What is your highest qualification
Me- Replied
VO- What is your Designation
Me- Replied
VO- How many reporting (count)
Me- Replied 7 at onsite
VO- How many year you have completed in your (ZZZ) Company
Me- Replied - Resented completed 4 years and 3 months
VO- Client Name
Me- YYYY
Golden Words...I am approving your visa...
All Replies (0)
L2 Visa
Hi All,
I have a question, I have a L2 Visa(dependant of L1 A) and i will be travelling to US by mid of June. Am planning to continue my Job by working from home after entering to US, I will be on my home country payroll(not US Payroll), Am i legally allowed to do that or should i get an EAD even if am planning to work from home for the current job
I have a question, I have a L2 Visa(dependant of L1 A) and i will be travelling to US by mid of June. Am planning to continue my Job by working from home after entering to US, I will be on my home country payroll(not US Payroll), Am i legally allowed to do that or should i get an EAD even if am planning to work from home for the current job
All Replies (0)
L1A individual approved
Hi All
Thanks to this forum for being eye opener for L1 visa aspirants. I had my VISA interview today for L1A individual ..Below are the question
VO- Good morning .How are you doing
Me- Answered
VO-So you work for #### Company
Me- Answered
VO- You had been denied visa for L1B on Jan 2015.Why so?
Me- I answered that the role i was playing was not suiting Blanket and i had been asked to apply on another category.Hence tried L1 A by upskilling myself.
VO-Will you be still playing technical role ?
Me- No.I am into project Management now and moved on to higher role/This question was asked since i applied for L1b earlier which got rejected
VO-Your Visa approved.
Greeted and returned.. Looks more easier..All the best for all aspirants
Thanks to this forum for being eye opener for L1 visa aspirants. I had my VISA interview today for L1A individual ..Below are the question
VO- Good morning .How are you doing
Me- Answered
VO-So you work for #### Company
Me- Answered
VO- You had been denied visa for L1B on Jan 2015.Why so?
Me- I answered that the role i was playing was not suiting Blanket and i had been asked to apply on another category.Hence tried L1 A by upskilling myself.
VO-Will you be still playing technical role ?
Me- No.I am into project Management now and moved on to higher role/This question was asked since i applied for L1b earlier which got rejected
VO-Your Visa approved.
Greeted and returned.. Looks more easier..All the best for all aspirants
All Replies (0)
L1A Visa Experience ( Senior Functional Manager)
Hello all!
Would like to start by thanking everybody on the forum, who have been really kind to share their experiences and drive awareness in terms of what to expect during this process at the embassy.
My company petitioned me for a L1-A Blanket Visa & my wife for a L2 dependent visa.
Our interviews were scheduled on 02 May - OFC for biometrics and fingerprinting ; 03 May - At the consulate for interview.
Local transportation -
We were put-up in a nearby 5-star hotel with ridiculously expensive cab charges. Hence we choose to use FastTrack radio taxi services for all of our commutes to embassy/its offices.
OFC Location - Google Maps
We had a bit of a nightmare on the OFC location as Google maps still holds the old address in cenotaph street. Driver did not seem to know new address either. Went back to the checklist to realize that this office has now moved to a location near "Valluvar Kottam" signal and is now called "Visa Application Centre". We were fortunate to course correct and get to the right location on time.
Please take note and be aware of not being excessively reliant on Google maps.
Process at OFC
It is mostly smooth and lasts 15-20 mins. My slot was 12:45. There will be queues of people who would have arrived hours together earlier and will not be let in until their allotted time. Please do not get distracted by the queue. If you have reached 15-20 mins in advance you should simply walk up to the main entrance and the door man will let you inside directly.
Ground hall - verification (look for biometrics queue ; not the passport collection queue);
First floor - re verification of docs;
Next hall - security check and stickering on passport; First floor inner hall- scan passport stickers and allotment of tokens. Be seated and once your number flashes go to the window identified and finish photo and fingerprinting.
Note- the sticker on passport says L1b for all blanket L1's. This is not type of visa (don't worry why it did not say L1A)
Process at consulate
Reached 20 mins before (9:10 am). I was requested by my company's immigration team to were a suit (which I did).
First - big queue outside the embassy to undergo verification of tickers and allowed inside.
Then security check and seal on DS 160 ( different ladies and gentlemen queues. So pls separate the DS 160 for ease of management. I saw people all kinds of circus to remove the staple pin, tearing it, dropping documents in process, etc.,)
Next - Inside waiting hall. For l1 blankets, we will be asked to wait for a minute. The three copies of 129s and 797 will be stapled as three sets. A rubber band will be fastened with the passports and payment dd.
Next - walk across to "visa lobby" adjacent building ~ 100 mtrs away.
Next the door man allows folks in batches of 15 to enter the building.
A employee will call for blankets to come out of the queue and submit the dd and collect receipts.
Then next counter for fingerprinting
Then the adjacent counter for quick verification and a "green felt pen mark" on the passport stickers.
Then join the queue for visa interview .
We had a reasonably long queue (unlike the another gentleman below who claims otherwise - same day same time :)) nevertheless after a wait of ~ 20-25mins in an enclosed environment cramped tightly with little air circulation we were shown one of the counters.
A Jewish American officer wished and welcomed me and my wife. ( I was wearing my company's badge over my suit all along. Reputed US MNC). Here is the ensuing dialogue -
VO - (With a smile) Good Morning, please come over. How are you doing today ? Can I have your documents pls.
Both of us- (Smiling back) Good Morning. Doing very well,thank you. (Handed the packet with rubber band )
VO - What is your proposed role in US ?
Me - xxxxxxx
VO - Sir, Would you have direct reports in US ?
Me - This is a senior functional manager position which exercises tremendous influence.. (At this point I was stopped with another question.. I felt this was discourteous.. Nevertheless listened patiently to his next question)
(Tip : Stay to the point. No justification unless asked for)
VO - What is your function ?
Me - xxxx ( I answered with the function name in my title)
VO - (Looking at his computer) No sir. What is your function ?
Me - With a smile, I responded with the same answer with a slightly reinforced tone.
(Tip: stand your ground. But courtesy very important)
VO - Will this be for services division / products ?
Me - Products division
From this point on he did not appear to be attentive and was busy typing into the system.
VO - Can you tell me a little about the products ?
Me - Explained and was cut short after a statement
VO - What would be your salary ?
xxxxxx (Well over 100K)
VO - Did you say xxxxxx (breaking down in numbers)
Me - Yes that is correct.
VO - Who would you report to ?
Me - Director of xxxxxxx to a gentleman by name xxxxxx
VO - would you have other folks performing this role ?
Me - No
VO -You will be the only one for xxxxx in the whole world ?
Me - That is correct
(Tip - Confidence!)
VO - Great ! (Turning to my wife!) When were you married ?
Wife - xxxx (Spelled out the date).
VO - where will you stay ?
Wife - xxxx (Answered with confidence)
(I have visited US on B visa ~ 20 times and my wife twice,VO made a surprisingly incongruent remark at this point. Are you staying there or will be going now ? Before she answered he went to next question )
VO - (Stamping the I129S) How many children do you have ?
Wife - (Did not hear bcos of the mad speaker.. She requested to repeat..but VO himself volunteered 'none yet' .and handed over the two stamped 129S and "Have a great trip"
Both of us -Thanked and wished good day and left.
This was our experience. Thanks to the forum and Good luck to all aspirants!
Regards,
adakot
Would like to start by thanking everybody on the forum, who have been really kind to share their experiences and drive awareness in terms of what to expect during this process at the embassy.
My company petitioned me for a L1-A Blanket Visa & my wife for a L2 dependent visa.
Our interviews were scheduled on 02 May - OFC for biometrics and fingerprinting ; 03 May - At the consulate for interview.
Local transportation -
We were put-up in a nearby 5-star hotel with ridiculously expensive cab charges. Hence we choose to use FastTrack radio taxi services for all of our commutes to embassy/its offices.
OFC Location - Google Maps
We had a bit of a nightmare on the OFC location as Google maps still holds the old address in cenotaph street. Driver did not seem to know new address either. Went back to the checklist to realize that this office has now moved to a location near "Valluvar Kottam" signal and is now called "Visa Application Centre". We were fortunate to course correct and get to the right location on time.
Please take note and be aware of not being excessively reliant on Google maps.
Process at OFC
It is mostly smooth and lasts 15-20 mins. My slot was 12:45. There will be queues of people who would have arrived hours together earlier and will not be let in until their allotted time. Please do not get distracted by the queue. If you have reached 15-20 mins in advance you should simply walk up to the main entrance and the door man will let you inside directly.
Ground hall - verification (look for biometrics queue ; not the passport collection queue);
First floor - re verification of docs;
Next hall - security check and stickering on passport; First floor inner hall- scan passport stickers and allotment of tokens. Be seated and once your number flashes go to the window identified and finish photo and fingerprinting.
Note- the sticker on passport says L1b for all blanket L1's. This is not type of visa (don't worry why it did not say L1A)
Process at consulate
Reached 20 mins before (9:10 am). I was requested by my company's immigration team to were a suit (which I did).
First - big queue outside the embassy to undergo verification of tickers and allowed inside.
Then security check and seal on DS 160 ( different ladies and gentlemen queues. So pls separate the DS 160 for ease of management. I saw people all kinds of circus to remove the staple pin, tearing it, dropping documents in process, etc.,)
Next - Inside waiting hall. For l1 blankets, we will be asked to wait for a minute. The three copies of 129s and 797 will be stapled as three sets. A rubber band will be fastened with the passports and payment dd.
Next - walk across to "visa lobby" adjacent building ~ 100 mtrs away.
Next the door man allows folks in batches of 15 to enter the building.
A employee will call for blankets to come out of the queue and submit the dd and collect receipts.
Then next counter for fingerprinting
Then the adjacent counter for quick verification and a "green felt pen mark" on the passport stickers.
Then join the queue for visa interview .
We had a reasonably long queue (unlike the another gentleman below who claims otherwise - same day same time :)) nevertheless after a wait of ~ 20-25mins in an enclosed environment cramped tightly with little air circulation we were shown one of the counters.
A Jewish American officer wished and welcomed me and my wife. ( I was wearing my company's badge over my suit all along. Reputed US MNC). Here is the ensuing dialogue -
VO - (With a smile) Good Morning, please come over. How are you doing today ? Can I have your documents pls.
Both of us- (Smiling back) Good Morning. Doing very well,thank you. (Handed the packet with rubber band )
VO - What is your proposed role in US ?
Me - xxxxxxx
VO - Sir, Would you have direct reports in US ?
Me - This is a senior functional manager position which exercises tremendous influence.. (At this point I was stopped with another question.. I felt this was discourteous.. Nevertheless listened patiently to his next question)
(Tip : Stay to the point. No justification unless asked for)
VO - What is your function ?
Me - xxxx ( I answered with the function name in my title)
VO - (Looking at his computer) No sir. What is your function ?
Me - With a smile, I responded with the same answer with a slightly reinforced tone.
(Tip: stand your ground. But courtesy very important)
VO - Will this be for services division / products ?
Me - Products division
From this point on he did not appear to be attentive and was busy typing into the system.
VO - Can you tell me a little about the products ?
Me - Explained and was cut short after a statement
VO - What would be your salary ?
xxxxxx (Well over 100K)
VO - Did you say xxxxxx (breaking down in numbers)
Me - Yes that is correct.
VO - Who would you report to ?
Me - Director of xxxxxxx to a gentleman by name xxxxxx
VO - would you have other folks performing this role ?
Me - No
VO -You will be the only one for xxxxx in the whole world ?
Me - That is correct
(Tip - Confidence!)
VO - Great ! (Turning to my wife!) When were you married ?
Wife - xxxx (Spelled out the date).
VO - where will you stay ?
Wife - xxxx (Answered with confidence)
(I have visited US on B visa ~ 20 times and my wife twice,VO made a surprisingly incongruent remark at this point. Are you staying there or will be going now ? Before she answered he went to next question )
VO - (Stamping the I129S) How many children do you have ?
Wife - (Did not hear bcos of the mad speaker.. She requested to repeat..but VO himself volunteered 'none yet' .and handed over the two stamped 129S and "Have a great trip"
Both of us -Thanked and wished good day and left.
This was our experience. Thanks to the forum and Good luck to all aspirants!
Regards,
adakot
All Replies (4)
L1A Individual Visa Approval Process (Chennai)
Hello,
Wanted to share my VISA stamping experience on this forum as I got my VISA L1A individual approved today.
Day 1 - 05/02 - Bio-metrics
Our appointment was at VAC office at Nungambakkam for Bio-metrics at 1245. We reached just 5 mins before our scheduled time and were told to go straight to the office inside. We had our kids with us so we were told to skip the lines from the initial document screening itself. Person at the system will scan your DS-160 and passport, and issue you tokens (1 each per passport). Once your token gets displayed, it takes approx 5 mins. for the entire process of fingerprint scanning and photo. We were out by 1:10 PM.
Day 2 - 05/03 - OFC Interview
Our scheduled interview appointment was at 10AM, but we reached by 9:05AM (we were way too early, but as advised don't be there before 15 mins from scheduled time). Ironically, queues were small compared to how some people have described in this forum. The whole process time is pretty seamless right from the queue outside the consulate. There is a person to scan your passports in the first initial queue and you move to the main entrance session for security check. There is a second level security check for all applicants and documents before you proceed to the waiting area. Word of caution: You can carry food items and water for children, however they will ask you to taste or sip it. Applicants with kids are prioritized at each point, person in the waiting area asked me what type of visa I was applying. As I had applied for L1A Individual, we did not have to wait and were told to proceed to the main complex. I could see huge queue on the left of the entrance in the complex (usually for B1 and other visa category). Once inside we were told to skip all lines and assisted to stand at 15-18 for bio-metrics and initial verification of passports (Time spent:5 Mins). Then we were told to go directly to counter 27 for the interview. I could see the Visa officer was speaking to a couple in Tamil to my surprise. He sounded very relaxed, flexible and accommodating with the applicants. I waited for approx 5 mins and could hear he approved the visa for the couple with a smile. Here are the questions that were asked during my round of interview:
VO: Good Morning, Can I have your passports please?
ME: Good Morning, sure here you go. (Handing over our passports)
VO: So your company name is ____?
ME: (Confirming) Yes Sir, it is ______
VO: And you are going to Allentown?
ME: Actually, Emmaus but yeah I have been to Allentown couple of times
VO: (Striking up a conversation) Did you enjoy the place?
ME: Yes, I did. It's a beautiful scenic place, I like it more than some of the big cities
VO: I agree (with a smile)
VO: Can I see your I-797 please?
ME: Oh sure, here it is (handing over the original approval notice)
VO: Thank You! (Browsing through my I-797)
VO: What is the name of the client?
ME: It is ______
VO: Can you spell that out for me?
ME: Sure, it's _________
VO: Thank you, how much is your salary?
ME: It will be ___K per annum plus company benefits and bonuses
VO: (to my wife) And ma'am what is your highest qualification?
My Wife: It is ____
VO: (to me) And you Sir?
ME: _____
VO: (to me) And do you remember your Marriage Date?
ME: Of course, it is _______
VO: I bet you don't want to get that wrong (with a chessy smile and a laugh)
ME: Absolutely not Sir, I practiced it a thousand times now (sharing a laugh!)
VO: (to my elder one) Hi, can I ask you a question?
My Kid: Yes
VO: Who is the person standing next to you? (Pointing to me)
My Kid: He is my Father
VO: And who is the one standing behind you?
My Kid: She is my Mother
VO: Very Good, And who is she holding?
My Kid: She is my sister
By this time, he gave my my I-797 back and told me "The system is taking time, but it is approved". This was a confidence booster.
VO: I will keep you passports now, your visa's are Approved. Congratulations and all of you have a safe travel to US
ME: Thank you Sir, just a question though. Do you need the Approval notice?
VO: Oh no, that you can keep. You should have it handy at the POE, they might ask for it though rarely.
ME: Thank you! Have a nice day.
VO: You have a great day as well! (With a smile!)
I was lucky to have sailed through without an effort (we were out of the building by 9:40 and our interview was 10AM!!!), but here are a few pointers of wisdom:
- BE SURE - Don't overthink, (thanks to the forum, but don't think out situations before hand)
- Prepare but don't OVER-PREPARE, there are folks who say we prepared for a week in advance. Ideally, a day or two before is enough. You don't need to "PSYCHE OUT" yourself. Relax and stay focused
- Stack your documents, take all your required documents and don't leave anything to chance
- No need to overdress or accessorize (formals and presentable clothes only)
- Keep A SMILE on all the time! It melts the sternest of hearts.
If you have traveled earlier and have a valid B1 or other visa, it is added advantage. However, everything depends on the day!
Once again Thanks to everyone who was of help and Good Luck to ALL the aspirants!
Wanted to share my VISA stamping experience on this forum as I got my VISA L1A individual approved today.
Day 1 - 05/02 - Bio-metrics
Our appointment was at VAC office at Nungambakkam for Bio-metrics at 1245. We reached just 5 mins before our scheduled time and were told to go straight to the office inside. We had our kids with us so we were told to skip the lines from the initial document screening itself. Person at the system will scan your DS-160 and passport, and issue you tokens (1 each per passport). Once your token gets displayed, it takes approx 5 mins. for the entire process of fingerprint scanning and photo. We were out by 1:10 PM.
Day 2 - 05/03 - OFC Interview
Our scheduled interview appointment was at 10AM, but we reached by 9:05AM (we were way too early, but as advised don't be there before 15 mins from scheduled time). Ironically, queues were small compared to how some people have described in this forum. The whole process time is pretty seamless right from the queue outside the consulate. There is a person to scan your passports in the first initial queue and you move to the main entrance session for security check. There is a second level security check for all applicants and documents before you proceed to the waiting area. Word of caution: You can carry food items and water for children, however they will ask you to taste or sip it. Applicants with kids are prioritized at each point, person in the waiting area asked me what type of visa I was applying. As I had applied for L1A Individual, we did not have to wait and were told to proceed to the main complex. I could see huge queue on the left of the entrance in the complex (usually for B1 and other visa category). Once inside we were told to skip all lines and assisted to stand at 15-18 for bio-metrics and initial verification of passports (Time spent:5 Mins). Then we were told to go directly to counter 27 for the interview. I could see the Visa officer was speaking to a couple in Tamil to my surprise. He sounded very relaxed, flexible and accommodating with the applicants. I waited for approx 5 mins and could hear he approved the visa for the couple with a smile. Here are the questions that were asked during my round of interview:
VO: Good Morning, Can I have your passports please?
ME: Good Morning, sure here you go. (Handing over our passports)
VO: So your company name is ____?
ME: (Confirming) Yes Sir, it is ______
VO: And you are going to Allentown?
ME: Actually, Emmaus but yeah I have been to Allentown couple of times
VO: (Striking up a conversation) Did you enjoy the place?
ME: Yes, I did. It's a beautiful scenic place, I like it more than some of the big cities
VO: I agree (with a smile)
VO: Can I see your I-797 please?
ME: Oh sure, here it is (handing over the original approval notice)
VO: Thank You! (Browsing through my I-797)
VO: What is the name of the client?
ME: It is ______
VO: Can you spell that out for me?
ME: Sure, it's _________
VO: Thank you, how much is your salary?
ME: It will be ___K per annum plus company benefits and bonuses
VO: (to my wife) And ma'am what is your highest qualification?
My Wife: It is ____
VO: (to me) And you Sir?
ME: _____
VO: (to me) And do you remember your Marriage Date?
ME: Of course, it is _______
VO: I bet you don't want to get that wrong (with a chessy smile and a laugh)
ME: Absolutely not Sir, I practiced it a thousand times now (sharing a laugh!)
VO: (to my elder one) Hi, can I ask you a question?
My Kid: Yes
VO: Who is the person standing next to you? (Pointing to me)
My Kid: He is my Father
VO: And who is the one standing behind you?
My Kid: She is my Mother
VO: Very Good, And who is she holding?
My Kid: She is my sister
By this time, he gave my my I-797 back and told me "The system is taking time, but it is approved". This was a confidence booster.
VO: I will keep you passports now, your visa's are Approved. Congratulations and all of you have a safe travel to US
ME: Thank you Sir, just a question though. Do you need the Approval notice?
VO: Oh no, that you can keep. You should have it handy at the POE, they might ask for it though rarely.
ME: Thank you! Have a nice day.
VO: You have a great day as well! (With a smile!)
I was lucky to have sailed through without an effort (we were out of the building by 9:40 and our interview was 10AM!!!), but here are a few pointers of wisdom:
- BE SURE - Don't overthink, (thanks to the forum, but don't think out situations before hand)
- Prepare but don't OVER-PREPARE, there are folks who say we prepared for a week in advance. Ideally, a day or two before is enough. You don't need to "PSYCHE OUT" yourself. Relax and stay focused
- Stack your documents, take all your required documents and don't leave anything to chance
- No need to overdress or accessorize (formals and presentable clothes only)
- Keep A SMILE on all the time! It melts the sternest of hearts.
If you have traveled earlier and have a valid B1 or other visa, it is added advantage. However, everything depends on the day!
Once again Thanks to everyone who was of help and Good Luck to ALL the aspirants!
All Replies (0)
L1 A blanket visa approved
Hi All,
I got my L1A blanket visa approved today. I just could not wait to share this news in this forum. As all others have said, this forum has given me handful of information to face the interview with utmost confidence and preparation.
Guys, I faced my Business Visa interview last year and I was really nervous to face the interview. This time, trust me, I was excited to attend the interview.. and you know what could be the reason for this???
Preparation!!!! Yes once you prepare really really well, then you will be waiting to face the interview. You will be excited to answer the interviewer. And that’s what exactly I experienced today. So my sincere advise to you all is, please prepare for all possible questions and have short and crisp answers well prepared.
Go through this portal. There is nothing different that the interviewer could ask other than the questions posted on this portal.
While I was eagerly waiting for the interviewer to question me those critical topics like my proposed responsibilities, current responsibilities, why have they chosen me etc. etc… he questioned me on very basic items and approved my visa, which was a total surprise to me…
Here is my interview questions.
Are you from ABC company?
How many years of Managerial Experience?
Where are you travelling?
Is that your company or client site?
Who is your client?
What is your team size at onsite?
Whom are you reporting to?
What’s your proposed Salary in US?
That’s it guys, he was having a plesant smile on his face and so so friendly. It was more like a conversation that I had with the interviewer. He made me to feel so comfortable.
After asking all these questions, he was typing for around a minute and finally stamped by I129 papers all the copies and gave me back 2 set of documents.
All the best for all US Visa aspirants.
I got my L1A blanket visa approved today. I just could not wait to share this news in this forum. As all others have said, this forum has given me handful of information to face the interview with utmost confidence and preparation.
Guys, I faced my Business Visa interview last year and I was really nervous to face the interview. This time, trust me, I was excited to attend the interview.. and you know what could be the reason for this???
Preparation!!!! Yes once you prepare really really well, then you will be waiting to face the interview. You will be excited to answer the interviewer. And that’s what exactly I experienced today. So my sincere advise to you all is, please prepare for all possible questions and have short and crisp answers well prepared.
Go through this portal. There is nothing different that the interviewer could ask other than the questions posted on this portal.
While I was eagerly waiting for the interviewer to question me those critical topics like my proposed responsibilities, current responsibilities, why have they chosen me etc. etc… he questioned me on very basic items and approved my visa, which was a total surprise to me…
Here is my interview questions.
Are you from ABC company?
How many years of Managerial Experience?
Where are you travelling?
Is that your company or client site?
Who is your client?
What is your team size at onsite?
Whom are you reporting to?
What’s your proposed Salary in US?
That’s it guys, he was having a plesant smile on his face and so so friendly. It was more like a conversation that I had with the interviewer. He made me to feel so comfortable.
After asking all these questions, he was typing for around a minute and finally stamped by I129 papers all the copies and gave me back 2 set of documents.
All the best for all US Visa aspirants.
All Replies (2)
visa interview dates at chennai
Hi All,
My L1A individual petition has been approved. But right now there is no availability of slots at USCIS chennai. At my company's end, they are telling, till August, there are no slots available..Is that true. Can we check online on the USCIS calendar
My L1A individual petition has been approved. But right now there is no availability of slots at USCIS chennai. At my company's end, they are telling, till August, there are no slots available..Is that true. Can we check online on the USCIS calendar
All Replies (1)
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