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L1B Individual RFE : Anybody have got through RFE Response review to Approved Decision in this month
My case is being processed in Vermont service center.Status not changed from last 6 months. Anybody has got L1b Individual RFE -> Approved recently ? please share your thoughts/experience.
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L1-A Individual Approved in Chennai on 7 April - My experience and Learnings
Let me begin by saying thanks to this wonderful community, which has been a huge help in getting the insight into what really happens and helping prepare for the overall process.

I applied for L1-A (Individual). I immediately took help of the experiences shared by the community members here to prepare myself. I earlier applied for L1-A Individual in Oct 2013 but my petition received RFE and subsequently the petition itself was denied. I once again initiated L1-A Individual in September 2015 under normal processing. This time too, I got RFE. I responded and this time my petition got approved.

My Learnings:

Before I narrate my experience, here’s what I learned during the process:

1. RFE or Denial Has ‘NO’ Impact– If you receive RFE or denial, it does not impact your current petition. During the time I was waiting in the queue for visa interview, I heard the Visa Officer saying to a candidate, “Your visa will keep getting rejected unless something changes in your application which makes you qualify for this visa category.” What this tells is RFE or denial simply means that our application is not satisfying the criteria for the visa and there are still some unanswered questions. Prepare your application well and chances of getting through will go high for sure (I learnt this by two RFEs on two petitions ).
2. Personal Appearance – I think it is important that you wear nice cloths to create good impression. However, it is not a mandatory criteria. I saw guys wearing jeans and T-Shirts and they got the L1-B visa. For L1-A, it is advisable to wear formal cloths. Suits and Tie are not required. I only saw one guy, out of around 100 people, wearing a suit.
3. Politeness – It is important that you be polite and greet the visa officer. Again it is not mandatory, but politeness and courteousness shows professionalism which further strengthen your chances.
4. Do not Argue – I saw a female and a male arguing with visa officer (one for study visa and other for work visa) when they were told visa if denied. The response visa officer gave them was simple “you do not qualify for this type of visa yet, unless something changes in your application, your visa will not be approved.”
5. Prepare Well - I cannot empathize on this point more. It is perhaps the most important point to remember. If you are prepared well, it will show in your answer as you will be to the point and right on target. Else, you will fumble and give longish answers. One guy applying for L1-B was asked “what is interest rate”. The candidate was shocked I guess to hear this and asked to repeat the question. “What do you understand by the interest rate”, asked the visa officer. The guy could not answer properly. Needless to say, his visa was rejected.
6. Visa Officer’s Mood or Personality – The outcome of visa interview is not dependent on visa officer’s mood or personality. At counter 21, there was a young visa officer who looked quite stern, did not laugh, and denied the visas for at least couple of candidates. However, when he was greeted, he did greet back. I saw a change in behavior when a guy prepared well spoke politely and appeared relaxed and well prepared. Visa officer might not look at you the whole time, or he/she may not give you positive impression, but do not get flustered and instead keep giving answers. They may be verifying your answers with the information on their screen. That visa officer did approve a few visas while I was there.
7. Phones Are Allowed in OFC Not in Consulate - Mobile phones are allowed in OFC when you go for biometrics. However, you would need to switch-off your phones when you enter. For PAI in consulate, mobile phones and even water bottles are not allowed. It is best to keep them in the hotel or guesthouse if you are staying close by. If not, you can deposit at private vendor outside the consulate.
8. Make Use of Google Maps: The Ola I booked to go to OFC did not know the location very well. Google map came to my rescue and I was giving direction to the driver based on the map. For PAI at the consulate, I hand drew the map on a piece of paper in case of issues, but this time the Ola driver knew the location so we reached without fuss.

My Experience:
1. At OFC:
a. Our appointment was at 3:00 PM on 6 April, 2016. We reached there half-an-hour early and we were let in immediately.
b. We went to the ground floor by stairs and into a large room where two set of queues was there. One queue was for passport collection and other was for verification of documents (Appointment letter, DS-160 and Passport).
c. After verification at the ground floor, went to the first floor. From that point onwards, there was one queue.
d. Next, they put a sticker at the backside of my passport.
e. Next, we were given two different token numbers (one for me and one for my wife) for the biometric and asked to proceed in a large room where we sat and waited our turn to come by looking at my token and counter number.
f. Once my token number was flashed, went to counter and completed my biometric and photograph as required by the procedure.
2. At Consulate:
a. Our appointment was at 11:00 AM on 7 April. 2016. We reached there by 10:30 AM and were let in immediately by the guy who looked at our appointment letter as well as in the tab that he was carrying.
b. Next was security check and we were let in with two folders that I was carrying, one for visa related document and other for education and experience document, just in case required.
c. Inside I was asked if my L1-A petition is Blanket or individual. When I told it is individual, he asked me to move to the next building.
d. There was a long queue and it took time before we reached inside the building. It was quite hot outside the building and I was happy that I did not wear suit or tie.
e. Inside the building there was one general queue and other queue was for L1 Blanket to pay the fee.
f. We were in a queue for half and hour and it was even more hotter inside. Then our turn came up.
g. We were directed to counter number 15 where a dark complexioned US national greeted us. He was very polite and smiled during our interactions and biometric scans to match the record at OFC. We thanked him after the verification was completed.
h. Next, we were directed to counter number 17 where an Indian lady was there to verify further. We greeted her and she greeted us back. After she was done, we thanked her and she gave us a smile, perhaps not expecting us to thank her.
i. We were then directed for the interview. I could see at least 100 people there waiting before us. During the time of my wait, I could not help overhear some interviews and their responses. I got to know guy at counter 21 was stern and rejecting many candidates and I was hoping that I don’t get to face the guy.
j. After a while our turn came at counter 23. The officer was around 45-50 years of age and was appearing like a no-nonsense guy. He was courteous and smiled during our conversation. I thanked him after the interview was over. By the time I came out, it was 12:45 PM!
My Interview:
Following is the interview that took place:
VO: Good Morning! May I have your passports please!
Me: Good Morning to you too! (Gave the passports)
VO: Are you applying for L1-A?
Me: Yes, I am applying for L1-A Individual.
VO: Who is the primary applicant?
Me: I am the primary applicant, (said my name)!
VO: Which organization you work for?
Me: I work for ZZZ.
VO: For how long you are working for ZZZ?
Me: I have recently completed 4.5 years.
VO: You will be working from your company office or client location?
Me: I will be working from the client location.
VO: Who is your client?
Me: My client is YYY.
VO: Where is your client located?
Me: My client is located in Santa Clara, California.
VO: What is your US salary?
Me. It will be $$$$$$ US dollars per annum.
(Ah this time, he started bundling our passports in a rubber band)
VO: And ma’am, what is your qualification?
My Wife: It is B. Sc. Biology.
VO: Do you have kids?
My wife: No, we do not have kids yet.
VO: Thank you, sir, I am approving your visa and keeping your passport.
Me: Thank you so much! I have a question to ask!
VO: Please tell me
Me: Do you need to take copy of my I-797B
VO: No, I have all the information in my system!
Me and my wife: Thank you so much sir!

That was it guys! I have written based on my experience and understanding. This may not be the understanding of everyone.

I wish you all the best for your petitions and interviews!

All Replies (0)
L-1A Blanket approved in Chennai
First thanks all for sharing your experiences, it really helped. my interview was scheduled on 5th Apr 2016 at 11:30am (I have my Bio metrics on the same day 9:30am)

I went there with my wife and daughter (toddler), We were there in the consulate by 10:45am and we were allowed to enter the security check immd. In no time we were there inside the consulate. Here are the questions :-

VO: Which company you work for ?
Me :Answered
VO: What is your designation ?
Me : Answered
VO: How long have you been working with this company ?
Me : 8 Years Now
VO : How many reportees you will have in US ?
Me : 5
VO : What are their designations ?
Me : All 5 are managers
VO : Are you going to manager only the managers ? you dont have someone who works at the ground level ?
Me : For now I have identified a 5 member team once I am there I will start recruiting additional team members as per the required skill set,
VO : You are travelling just to recruit someone in US ?
Me :No Recruitment is part of my R&R along with it I have other responsibilities as well. (He interrupted),
VO : Good, What is your proposed role in US ?
Me :Explained my R&R in detail, that had People management/hiring as a parameter
VO : How long are you planning to stay there in US ?
3 Years

The to my wife

What is your Husbands name ?
Answered
Which place are you going to ?
Answered
Can I have your marriage certificate?
Provided original for reference and got it back
How long have you been married ?
3 year now
How many kids do you have ?
1

Then you know what !! my little girl did something to the receiver (speakers), I was unable to hear a word what he spoke. The VO got up and disappeared for a heart stopping 5 secs then he reappeared, asked us whether he is audible. Then said the golden words "I am approving your Visa"
Thanked my wife as well and my kid (for breaking the speakers) :)
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L1A Blanket approval at Chennai
I attended with my family - spouse and our daughter

VO: Good morning, how are you guys doing?
Me: Exchanged greetings

VO: How long have you been with your company
Me: Almost 10 years

VO: Which client
Me: Answered

VO: How many direct and indirect reportees
ME: Explained my offshore and onsite org structure

VO: What is your annual USD
ME: 80k USD + yearly bonus

VO: How long do you plan to be there?
Me: 3 years

VO: Can you please tell me about your project
Me: Explained in 2 to 3 sentences at a very high level

VO: What is your designation?
Me: Answered as per the petition

VO: (Turns to my wife) Mam, what is your highest educational qualification?
Wife: Answered

VO: (To me) I am going to ask a very tough question
Me: sure Mam

VO: What is your wedding date
Me: (smiles) answered

VO: I have approved your visas, please wait for me to complete the paperwork
Me: sure Mam

Greeted the officer and left.

Tips:
Please stay calm and confident, try to not rehearse much on the interview day or do things that would make you nervous.
Prepare well for the expected questions, preparation will give confidence
Dress well, regular formals is sufficient. I did not see anyone with a suit or tie today.
At the counter, look at the officer as the audio will not be clear sometimes. So unless you are looking at the VO you would not know whether a question was asked
For L1A, you have to demonstrate that you are a manager (or leader) in the way you speak.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

If the visas are approved, please try to spread joy by helping others. The auto guys ask for almost double if they know if you have cleared. I pay what they ask.

If you don't get it, that's not the end of everything. Everything happens for a reason so take it in your stride and move forward.
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L2 EAD renewal not yet approved
Hello everyone,
Nebraska Service Center received my application for an L2 EAD renewal on the 18th of December, 2015.
There has been no status change on the website, related to the application, and I have submitted multiple SRs all of which ask me to wait further. Its already been 107 days, and my application has not moved forward. I have tried the following options:
1) Contacted the Congressman;s office who tried to file SRs for me
2) My employers filed an SR for me
3) I called the USCIS center but they were of not much help
4) I have taken an infopass appointment on the 6th of April, lets see what happens

Is there anything else that can be done? Is there anyone who applied around the same time frame, and got a response, or have taken other steps?

i am currently employed, but on an unpaid leave of absence :(. I do not how long the wait is, because my employer can wait only for a small period of time.
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L1B Blanket (specialized skill) Approved

Last week My L1B got approved. Here is my experience,

Background: I work for a US company and have around 8 yrs experience

First day OFC: OFC is in different location than that of consulate. Just reach 30 min before your schedule time and the process is very simple. Carry necessary documents as told by your company and follow the instructions. It will be over in 15-20 min.

Consulate:

Reach 30 min before your schedule.. Carry all the necessary documents.. will have security checks, documents validation etc which will take roughly 10 min.. Then into the main building where you have to pay the DD and stand in the queue for the interview.

Prepare yourself is the key. Stay calm and composed. The below link should help you for preparation,
http://www.immihelp.com/l1-visa/l1-visa-stamping-interview-questions.html

My experience.

Good morning mam
VO – Good morning. How are you doing? Can I have your documents

I am good, Thx. How about you?
VO – I am good. So which company you are working for?

I work for ZZZ
VO – How long you are working for ZZZ?

More than X years
VO – Ok. What work do you do?

Explained current role in Bullet points (Note: You have to prepare well for this based on work you do in line with I129)
VO- Ok. What is your specialization?

Explained specialization(Note: You have to prepare well for this based on work you do in line with I129)
VO – ok, Why you have to go to US for this work?

Explained my need (Note: You have to prepare well for this based on work you do)
VO – So your company provide this X service as well?

Yes mam, we provide
VO – I didn’t know. How many days you are staying?

X Months
VO – What is your salary?

I will be on India payroll and will get allowance in US?

Checking for details in the monitor for 1-2 min and said

Congratulations sir, I am approving your visa

Me- Thank you very much, have a good day

Most important
1. Prepare well for all the possible questions (Mainly on specialized skill) and practice
2. Keep calm and confident (Don’t get distracted seeing others being rejected visa)
3. Answer to the point (neither less not more) keeping eye contact.
4. Dress smart
5. Carry a Credit card with you, otherwise will be a hassle if visa fee is changed.

ALL THE VERY BEST!!
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L1-A Individual Approved @ Chennai March 2016

General Notes:
Individual Visa Petitions result in lesser questions as all the verification is already done
Prefer to have Bio-metrics and PAI on different days for sake of convenience and keeping mind at ease as there is pressure to clear the interview especially for Blanket ones. Moreover if you are new to the city you can explore it to keep you mind fresh and active.

Day 1 - Bio-metrics:
Travel:
1) Use Google Maps to get the address - Its called as OFC, VFS etc - address is easily available.
2) Use cabs like Uber or Ola for ease and AC
3) Reach only 15 mins early - no point in going before. Infact standing in the heat will lead to sweating
Clothing:
1) Wear smart dress and be well shaved and have a hair cut. Your picture is going to be taken and it will be in your visa forever. Make sure you look your best! Go get a facial!
Stuff to Carry:
1) Only DS-160, PAI Invite and Passport - Nothing else is going to be asked. No point carrying.
2) There is a baggage counter to keep all your stuff
3) Mobiles are allowed - just have to switch them off when u enter the actual area
What Happens:
1) When you reach - check the print out on the gate that specifies the slot being sent it. This actually doesn't matter. Just go before 15 mins, show your letter to the security and he will let you in. They allow people directly in when their time is come so just be a few mins before time and you can avoid being like the dumb people in the queue.
2) Once you enter, you will be guided by arrows and personnel. A few lines for document check and you will reach the main entrance (2 floors)
3) At main entrance your passport will get a sticker and you will be let in post security check.
4) Your DS-160 will now be stamped and you will be given a token - when the screen flashes your token go to the counter and do the stuff
5) You are done. You can leave.
6) In case of issues - you will know what to do as when u travel from the main road to the building - you will see a basement shop which does zerox, photos, ds-160 corrections etc. Nothing to worry
7) There is also a locker facility.

General Notes:
Individual Visa Petitions result in lesser questions as all the verification is already done
Prefer to have Bio-metrics and PAI on different days for sake of convenience and keeping mind at ease as there is pressure to clear the interview especially for Blanket ones. Moreover if you are new to the city you can explore it to keep you mind fresh and active.

Day 2 - PAI:
Travel:
1) Use Google Maps to get the address - Its called as Consulate - address is easily available. Everyone knows where to stand once you reach there
2) Use cabs like Uber or Ola for ease and AC
3) Reach only 15 mins early - no point in going before. Infact standing in the heat will lead to sweating
4) Autos may be a lil expense right outside the consulate - spread joy or walk a little away to get a good deal.
Clothing (Very Important):
1) Wear smart dress and be well shaved and have a hair cut. Your dressing, look and body language is going to matter a lot in front of the Officer. Be at your best. Avoid Tie and Suits. Formal Shirt and Pant. White Shirts are best.
Stuff to Carry:
1) All documents - list is available all across the net.
2) There is a baggage counter to keep all your stuff - note that is manned by local ppl and not the consulate.
3) Mobiles are not allowed - keep it in the baggage counter - note that is manned by local ppl and not the consulate.
What Happens:
1) When you reach - check with the helpers - you can easily identify them and they will guide you to the line. Stand in the line and wait for entering the consulate.
2) Once you reach the door, you will be subject to security check and your PAI, DS-160 and passport may be checked.
3) Once you enter, you will be subject to a check again and your documents will go through x-ray check. Donot carry anything other than documents. Use the baggage counter - avoid unneccessary issues.
4) Inside the consulate another queue awaits you which will lead to main room.
5) In the main room, you will be given tokens or will be manually guided (queues will be there everywhere) for Biometerics verification and passport verification.
6) There is facility for water and rest room - use it.
7) After the verification - you have to wait for your interview. Keep Calm.
8) Greet the officer, wear a smile and be confident. Speak loud and ask if you can't hear or understand them. Be polite - use phrases like - Sorry didnt get that, can you please repeat it, Sorry can you please repeat it - so on... ask them as many times as you want (don't do it unnecessarily ofcoz) but just be polite each time.
9) Questions Asked
a) Type of Visa
b) Reportees - Direct/Indirect, Onsite/Offshore Count, Reporting Structure
c) Work Location - City/Client or Employer office
d) Do you have Hire/Fire authority
e) Highest Degree
f) Total Work Experience
g) Designation
imp note - YOUR ANSWERS SHOULD BE AS PER YOUR DOCUMENTATION. Any varience may lead to rejection or blue slip.
10) Visa is approved - your passport will be ready in 3-5 business days
11) Thank the officer, smile and leave - you are done for the day.

All Replies (3)
L1-B Blanket Approved @ Chennai on 29th March 2016
Hi All,

Please prepare very well for this interview and leave the rest to god and fate. All the questions on this forum and in their interview preparatory section are more than enough to face the VO confidently.

I observed that wearing my company ID card proved to be a big bonus to me as VO immediately recognised my company as a US MNC.

Following questions were asked by the Visa Officer during my interview:
1. Do you work for XYZ company in India?
2. Will you work for XYZ company in USA?
3. Will you be working for a client project through XYZ company?
4. Which client?
5. What services does the state provide to this client?
6. How long have you been serving this domain?
7. Have you served other clients in the same domain?
8. Why have you not travelled to USA for other clients?
9. How long do you plan to stay in USA?

There was a long pause after the last question for about 1.5 mins and during this time he was busy typing stuff in the computer and finally stamped my documents and told me the golden words..

Remember to be confident, and ignore the chaos around. Avoid looking at visa officers while standing in the line or even listening to the questions they are asking. This may have a negative impact on our mindset while we are waiting for our turn.

Prepare well with short, concise and direct answers. All the very best :-)
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L1A BLANKET VISA APPROVED CHENNAI -29/MARCH/2016
Thanks to all...Really this site is very helpful and i have got only four questions in today's PAI.

The Questions are:

1. What is your title
2.What is your onsite salary
3. Team Structure - Onshore
4. Who is your client?
5. Whom your reporting to?

Thanks.
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L1 A Blanket Visa - Rejected
Dear Friends,

sorry for late reply, i have attended L1A Blanket on Feb 11, 2016 and it was not approved.

Be confident with your answer and always have eye contact. i have missed this level.

I would like to thanks everyone post thier questions and answers.

Best Regards,
Kannan.CS
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Disclaimer: Please note that the experiences presented are submitted by visitors to our website. Individuals’ experiences may vary, and you should interpret each individual’s experience at your own risk. Do not make a decision solely based on an experience posted here. We do not endorse any individuals’ experiences, and we are not liable or responsible for consequences stemming from your use of the information presented within any individual’s experience.