L1, L2 Visa

Today (22nd Feb) got my L1 A visa approved.

Questions Asked
1) what is your role
2) how many people report to you
3) Onsite/Offshore ratio
4) Team hierarchy (Project leads, Team members count)
5) Whom do you report to
6) where do your reporting manager work?
7) Where do you work if you travel to US
8) Client location

I also got my wife and kid for dependent visa and few question for them

1) How old is your daughter
2) How are you planning to celebrate her first b'day?

My Observations:

There are very few rejections today and it all depends on how well you answer (your confident level and communication skills rather than the answer to the question)

All the best to you guys !!!

I would start by thanking immihelp and its users for sharing their experiences, questions, suggestions etc which helped me prepare well for the L1B interview.
I had a lot of doubts before applying for this visa category in light of the rejections that occured in the past. I am not sure about the other fellow candidates who would be around me at the same time as I was not concentrating on them. However, my experience was good and the overall process right from entrance to the exit took approx 45-50 mins.
After arriving at the Chennai consulate, provided the DS160 confirmation page & Interview confirmation page to the person inside the glass window at the front entrance of the Consulate. After verification and a brief security check was allowed inside the door where the machine and manual security check happened. After that entered the main lobby where many counters are available which I believe is for pre-screening of the documents. You would need to await your turn to queue up at the window based on the token number you were provided before entering the consulate. Once docs are scanned, I was ten-printed and then was sent to the other building where the interview took place. Again, awaited my turn and monitored the lcd display for my number. Note - there are no audio to the display, hence you need to monitor the display to see if your number is flashed.
Then I queued up for my interview and was able to see & hear the candidates in front of me. I believe the ones in front of me were for H1 interview and both got the approval.
Then it was my turn. I greeted the VO with a nice smile followed up with "how are you doing today". He immediately looked up at me, smiled and replied "I am good, how about you". I said, am fine thank you.
He looked at my file and confirmed that I am from "XX" company. I said yes. Then the series of questions followed
1. How long you have been with this company
A1. I have been with X company since past XX years and YY months
note - I have 10+ experience. Having a good experience and good communication helps
2. What are you going to do over there
A2. I explained about the project, special skills and the client
note - I had prepared well for this
3. How long have you been working with this client
A3. All my XX years and YY months are with this client
4. Which location will you be travelling
A4. I will be travelling to ZZ location

He was typing all throughout the interview. Then after the above questions, he removed the 2 copies of I-129 and started writing on it. At this point of time, I was a bit worried but that lasted only couple of secs as he announced that "your visa is approved and here are the 2 copies of I-129 one for your company and one for you". He bundled the remaining docs along with my passport and kept in the box next to him. He flashed a pamplet and asked whether I have read that. I said that I have had a glance at it but didnt read in detail. He then gave me a copy and continued saying that your passport will arrive in 5-7 days. I thanked him and left immediately (not giving him a chance to change his mind .. just kidding).
Overall a good experience and a good result at the end.

I was in the visa line today, after having read Immihelp for days. I noticed that everyone here says "Great the VO."

I was in line with 3 other guys for L1b's. I watched each one great the VO, and then I watched them get rejected. I was not surprised, most of them were low level guys, just starting out.

I have 9 years of experience at my company, and I led the prject I was going over to the US for. I decided not to great the VO.

The VO asked me many technical questions. He understood what I explained well.

I got my visa. Greating does not matter. We are not applying for student visa.

Dear all,

We had our L1A interview today for my husband (who is from a non IT company), me and my 3.5 year old daughter. He is getting transferred to the US office to take on a global role. It was a smooth interview and our visas got approved.

Let me break some myths about the interview here

1. You need to have atleast 3 years of experience in your current company - not true, my husband had less than 2 years in the current co. and 14 years overall.

2. The visa officer is generally rejecting all visas- not true, many visas were approved today. Key take away is confidence, valid experience, ability to articulate the skill sets or the managerial experience (for L1A) and clear understanding of the questions asked.

3. The L1A candidate gets questioned first- the visa interview started with the VO asking me if i think my husband is a good cook, followed by marriage date, and then the VO asked my daughter to identify her father after which we were asked to leave and the interview continued for my husband. Overall, the VO was very polite and sweet.

4. My husband and the VO had a good 8 to 10 mins of discussion and I understand that he was questioned about all the usual key details with respect to salary, work nature, reporting structure, supervisors name, designation, educational qualifications etc.

End of all, My husband out of his own accord kept talking about the length and breadth of work experience, why he was chosen for this role, key responsibility areas, educational certifications apart from degrees held etc. the VO kept listening and nodding throughout.

So, hope this helps and wishing good luck for all the prospective L candidates.

The questions were all common ones -

1. Which company and how long with the project and Client?
2. Why U being sent?
3. Total Exp?
4. Graduation background.

Observation -
The most imp thing is smile and show confidence(even if u aren't) and greet the officer.
Keep sayin the answer..it might be irrelevent sumtimes but don't break the fluency, this gives an idea to VO that u know a lot abt project and skills.

Thats all from my side... All the best Guys..

I will be applying for L1 ( intra company transfer) - product company and my spouse will apply for L2.
My friend mentioned L1 there are 100% chance for rejection. is that true ?any idea?

Had L1A interview on 17Feb at Chennai. All formalities were complete in flat 45min.
VO's are very friendly and not scary at all.

Q1. Where do u work?
Q2. Who is the client?
Q3. What is ur role?
Q4. How many people report to u in US?
            - probed further as to why 13 -- just blabberd, but with confidence
Q5. How many people report to u in India?
Q6. Have u been to US before?
Q7. What was the earlier Visa type?
 - Asked me to handover the old passport
Q8. How old is ur son? --- 15 months
Q9. Has he started to walk?

Starts typing... then says Visas are approved and passports will reach us in 3-4days.

That's all... Spouse no questions asked!

Hope it was helpful.

Very Big Thanks to immihelp and the people who posted their experience over here.. Question are all same ... the following query's were asked :
1/ Where are u going in US?
2/ What is ur total exp. in present company?
3/ Who is ur client ?
4/ How many peoples will be reporting to you in US?
5/ How many peoples are reporting to you in india?
6/ What is ur Indian salary?
7/ What is US salary?
8/ Do u have hire & fire authority?
9/ Tell me something about ur project ?
10/ what will be role over there?
11 / Ur responsibility ?
 
To my wife :
1/ What is ur qualifications mam ?

now finally golden words came: I am approving ur visa , will be send u by courier 4-5 days. Thank you.

Points noted:
1. Greet them
2.Eye contact
3. Always smiling face
4. Don't lose ur confidence
5. very short and meaning full answer
6. Don't use extra word or don't try to explain them. Try to close ur answer in 10 sec .

Very Imp: Read all post in Immihelp and practice b4 going there.

Hi,

My L1A and spouse L2 visa got approved.

Questions asked

VO. So you work with YYYY company
Me. Yes

VO.How long have you been working with this company
Me. X years Y months

VO. Have you travelled to US before
Me. Yes

VO. On which visa
Me. Provided the detail

VO. Which customer
Me. Gave the customer name 'ABC'

VO. So you are going for 'ABC' again
Me. No, that was previous assignment with previous employer

VO. So this time which client are you going for
Me. Explained

She typed few things. Looked at my spouse

VO. What do you do?
Spouse. on leave

Your visa is approved.

Things were quick and went on well. Be confident and well dressed for the interview.

Thanks,
Prakash

Saw Prateeks inputs below.
Are you from SAP technology ? Which module? What did you mention as specialized skill? did you mention SAP? Please reply.. I am in a dilemma over this.