L1, L2 Visa

Hi,

I had my interview at Chennai on 3rd Sept at 8 AM.

I had prepared well regarding the specialization however there was still a doubt on what all may be asked.

Few questions asked were:

• Type of Visa applied.
• Name & location of the client.
• About Specialization and how the specialization will help the client. Asked me to explain with an example.
• How many months it took me to develop this model (specialization) and Why I have to be in US to implement this?
• Is the tool/model related to SAP?
• As I am not a programmer so what is my role in developing the tools and model ? (Most tricky)
• How many months will it require to implement this in US?
• How long I have been with my organization?
• Designation
• How big is my organization ? Revenue , Headcount, People currently in US etc.

Finally at the end the golden words came out :). I received my passport within 2 days time as I opted for courier facility.

My L1B was rejected yesterday, visa officer just asked me us salary and company name before rejecting it.

Thanks.

Hi,
Can anyone help me in getting the below queries clarified?. Would be greatly appreciated.

1. My L1B is under process and i would like to know if there is any chance for getting RFE.
2. If so then do i have to produce the Client letter or Manager letter related to my current project or specialization?

Yes. Today was my day!!! Got my L1 A Individual approved today.
 
Background:
 I had a L1 A blanket rejection in Mar 2013 and subsequently my office had applied for L1 A Ind. in premium mode.
 As soon as we applied for L1 A Individual, we got a RFE. We then responded to it and the approval notice came in 15 days.
 
OFC:
 Yesterday was my OFC date. The process was very simple and got over easily.
 
PAI:
 To my surprise there was NO questions asked to me during the interview. The VO was very kind enough. He just asked me the type of Visa i'm applying.
 He asked me to give him the following documents
 1. Approval notice
 2. Petition Document
 3. Visa Fees payment details
 
Once I handedover the above, He told the magical words 'It is approved'

During my previous L1 A Blanket interview, the following were the questions
 
1. Current Designation
 2. Current Salary in India
 3. Salary in US
 4. No. of people reporting to me
 5. Or they leads or individual contributors
 

Key thing: Stay cool. Be confident. Every case if very different. Don't be panic seeing or hearing rejections.
 All the best

Hi Team,

My company is planning to apply L1B Visa for me at the end of September and I may go for L1B Visa Interview in the month of October. I am planning to take my wife also with me for this L1 Dependant VISA interview as in most cases people who with their spouse are getting approved. My wife is currently 4 months pregnant and by the time when we attend interview she will be in her 6 month pregnancy. However, I won't take my wife to US as she can't travel in flight after 7 months, just to get the VISA approved I am taking wife for VISA interview. So, what are my chances of getting my VISA approved. In this scenario, I have three clarifications. Please suggest...

A) Can I take my pregnant wife also with me for VISA interview? What are my chances of getting approved?
B) If So, is it mandatory that we need to update the spouse details in both of our passport? Will we get a new passport and passport # if we update the marital and spouse details in our passport?
C) If I take my pregnant wife also for the VISA interview, will they reject it reasoning my child will be born in US? considering a potential migrant...

Kindly suggest....Thanks much in advance

My Interview was scheduled on 30-Aug-2013.

Important points for fellow applicants are:

1. You can got to office around 15-20 mins before interview, no need of waiting in que for long.
2. When you enter Visa office you still need to wait in long queue for further formalities like finger prints collection, dd submission etc. So please ensure that you have taken some food in morning else you will feel tired.
3. Mobile phones and any sort of electronic items not allowed.
4. Keep passport, Ds160 and Appointment confirmation handy.

Prepartion guidelines:

1. Please prepare inadvance all points that are mentioned in your petetion and DS160 like:
you client, salary (indian , US), designation, travel duration etc.
If you answer correctly on these questions then it will give a very good impression to VO.
2. Prepare throughly about your specialization - not more than 3 lines about what unique you do in your project that no body other than you can replace in same company or in US. Also mention that your project is very critical not kind of usual applicaiton.

It is very important to justify your specialization so please ensure that your answer meets expections mentioned above.
If you do so , your visa will be definitely approved.

Thanks to all and all the very best.

- A

I can't wait to share my visa experience to this site.
Dear visa applicants, before going to your visa interview, Please read first 3-4 pages and prepare accordingly.

Here is my experience

Me: Good Afternoon Mam! How do u do?
VO: I'm doing good

VO: where do u work?
Me: Answered

VO: How many years with your current company?
ME: I 'm working for this XYZ Company for 4.10years

VO: Tell me about your Specilization?
Me: Answered Crisply not more than 3 sentences

VO: Oh thats much complicated tool does.

VO: where you are going to stay in US?
Me: Minneapolis

VO: what's your US Salary?
ME: Answered
VO: That's pretty decent

VO: To my wife how long you have been married this guy?
My wife: 7 years

VO: What's your educational background?
My wife: MBA

VO: wow's that cool.

VO: I approve your visa

Me and My Wife: Thank you very much!!

Tips: 1) Your Answers should be very crisp (May be not more 3 sentences). If they ask for your Specialization, you can give headings of what it does like 1) YYYY Standardization, YYYY Customization
           2) Don't feel nervous, even if you said wrongly, Don't show it to them.
           3) Don't give unnecessatry pauses while answering your questions on roles & tools specialization, this gives your lack of preparation & level of confidence.

All the best!!

Hi,

My L1 visa interview is scheduled at Chennai US consulate, both the visa formalities i.e. ofc & interview will be completed on the same day.
I heard that both buildings are located in different locations, can someone please let me know about the best way to travel to OFC and VISA interview building.

Also, it would be really good if you can let me know where to keep the mobile & bag near consulate.

Thanks in advance.

VO: Hi, Good Morning!! Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long.
Me: Good Morning!!! It’s alright. I am YYYY X, my wife & my daughter.
VO: Hi!!!
VO: Where do you work?
Me: Name of the company & spelled phonetically.
VO: Which place are you going?
Me: Baltimore.
VO: It’s a nice place. Lot of the folks here are from Washington DC which is nearby.
VO: What kind of company is it?
Me: Pharmaceutical.
VO: It must be quite exciting at this point of time working in India.
Me: Yes it is.
VO: What kind of visa have you applied for L1A or L1B.
Me: L1A.
VO: What would be your designation?
Me: Senior Manager Pipeline Management.
VO: What would be your salary?
Me: YYYY X + Perks Bonus etc.
VO: Smirks!!! Not bad.
Me: Smile.
VO: How many people would be reporting to you onsite?
Me: Not sure. Depends once i join. Probably 2. I have 12 people reporting here in India looking after Intellectual Property & Business Development.
VO: What do you do here?
Me: Litigation budget management & Launch Calendar planning & forecasting.
VO: So you are not on the R& D side of the things?
Me: Yes that would be correct. I look after IP & Business development.
VO (to my wife): What do you do?
My wife: B Tech.
VO: B.Tech in pharma ??
My wife: No. in IT.
VO: Sir you would receive an email notification & pulls out the copies of I-129 and said please submit these two to HR and once you arrive in US to the immigration authorities. The third copy is for us.
Me: Thank you so much.
VO: Have a nice day.
Me: You too. Have a nice day!!!

Tips: Be yourself. Keep it simple. Don’t get stressed out over things on which you don’t have control.

Thanks for this site.. AS like others this site helps me to imagine the things happening inside the embassy and it helped me for our mental preparation.Just go through all the experiences particulary rejeted experiences for this entire year.
You could have heard that L1 visas are so tough and there are lot of rejections please do not confuse with those things (thanks for my colleagues for their encourage).You prepare your self in the right way.
 
OFC appointment on 26th morning 10 AM.
Half an hour early is well enough. If you reach there at 9:50 for 10 AM appointment do not worry, please go to the respective officer and show the appointmnet time they will allow you to go inside like a VIP :)
First day just 10 mts work.
 
Tips:
Make sure that your name should be same as DS160 and your passport.
Appointment letter and DS 160 enough for the OFC appointment.
 
Counsular interview:
 
Since I know chennai very well I went in my friend 2 wheeler ( not recommended becoz there is no parking for 2,4 wheeler). every one are coming in auto,call taxi ( most of the call taxi drivers wont accept for waiting because they cant park their vehicle around that area but there should be some good drivers please check that before you get in).
If it is possible please accompanied by some one for help in case of taking care of your belongings,mobiles any emergency need of any doc.
Worst case do not worry there is a small green colour trolly kind of shop is there.(DO NOT GO WITH ANY ODD PERSON OUTSIDE TO KEEP YOUR BELONGINGS, ONE GUY APPROACHED ME TO KEEP MY MOBILE IN HIS LOCKER IS ON OPP SIDE OF THE ROAD ,BUT I DENIED ) Once your document is verified and you will be provided by a token number. show the token number and pay 10 rs ( just for mobile) and then you will be allowed to enter in to the gate.
 
Look for the token number in tv and process towards the exact counter, Here they will ask for all the needed docs and they will provide you the needed doc with rubber band. Asked for finger prints again here. Please keep all the other docs in your file. In case if you have any special client letter or support doc please keep it ready along with the rubber band docs.
 
Next step is to pay the cash. For this you have to go to another builing where cash counter is on last counter and the interviews are happening in all other next counters.
He will be asking to write your name and passport number behind the dd. ( you should carry pen in my case i got the pen from cashier :) )
 
Then you will be seated exactly like a Railway reservation counter. Look for your Token number and go towards the counter.
In the waiting time you should be able to listen the interviews happening with other guys. I would recommend you to listen those questions and make sure that you are understanding their questions and accent that will make you more comfortable. In my case some L1 or H1 interview was going on and the interview went so long,both the voices are audible. Hudos to him he was able to convince and his visa got approved.
After waited for 15 minutes I could see my token # and I stood in the counter queue, another interview was going on. Just be calm and notice everything.
 
Below are the questions: ( very easy interview for me )
 
VO: good morning
Myself: Good morning
 
VO:Asked for the documents
me:Given the documents
 
he directly opened the 2 nd page of i 129 s and asked the below question.
 
VO:What is your spealized skill in this project?
me:I am specialized in my companys product YYYY and their interactions with the clients environment and their tools
 
VO:What is your product and what it does?
me:I explained the usage of my product and I have not used any tech terms.
 
(He was looking something in his machine but he was listening me. when I stopeed my answer he directly looked my eyes and he wanted me to complete my answer and I completed my answer with no technical terms)
 
VO:Who is your client:
me:Client name. ( no description needed unless you asked for )
He should have known my client name , he pronounced my client name correctly than me and say good.( but some of my team met for same client they got rejected)
 
VO:How many years you are with the current company?
me:1 years and 6 months ( Didnt used the word Not closed to or approximately)
Vo: good
 
VO:How many years you are with the client?
me:Till the date I joined with the current company.
VO: good
 
VO:Where were you working before this company?
me:Told the company name
VO: Good
 
VO:How many years you were with that company:
me:3 years. Here I explained that I joined contractor and got permanenet within 1 year( do not know whether this explanation is needed or not)
VO: Very good
 
VO:What is your indian Salary:
me:INR per annum
 
VO:What is your US salary?
me:$ per annum
 
VO:How long you want to stay in US?
Me: 3 years
VO: he shows 2 fingers and asked 2 years
me: I shown 3 fingers and told 3 years :)
 
VO:what is your honour or qualification( not remeber the right word he used)?
me: I have done my Bachelor Science of Engineering in Computer Science.
VO: Good
 
VO:Is this the first time you are going to US?
me: yes
VO:Fresh passport..
me: yes
 
VO: he was looking and typing something in his machine. ( got nervous at this point)
Then he took my passport and he stamped my i129s . At last he told that he has approved my visa ( till this time Im not sure ).
He gave me 2 copies.
 
Thats it .. nothing to explain that moment.
 
 
 
Do not have any idea on what made him to approve my visa without any extra questions. He was so kind and good. Please check with your company whether you want to opt for courier option (Rs 300). In my case no need But I choosen that unnecessary.
 
Tips:
1. Be confident with the answers.
2. Be prepared to explain your specialization and also about your project.
3. Please do not use technical terms.
4. Make your answer short and correct.
 
All the best.