L1, L2 Visa

These are the questions asked,

VO: Good morning, can i have you documents?
Me: Handed over the documents.

VO: How long have you been working for company abc
Me: Answered

VO: what is your designation
Me: Answered

VO: What will you be doing in US
Me: explained

Vo: how long have you been working for company xyz?
Me: XYZ? I work for company abc

Vo: Yeah but xyz is one of your clients right?
Me: Yes, but we develope the SW for abc company and there is
a different team who handles client.

Vo: what is your specialization?
Me: explained in layman's terms

Vo: how long have you been married?
Me: Answered

Vo (to my wife): do you work mam
Wife: yes, i work in *** sector

Vo (to my wife): do you intend to work in US
Wife: yes, once my EAD approves i will star looking.

Vo(to me now): what is favourite colour?
Me: Blue

Vo: (smiles) you are not gonna get it. Here is the green colour.
Please carry both the copies of 129S while entering us. Good luck.

Me: Thank you officer.

First of all, I would like to thank this site and the users who post their experiences here. It had helped me very much in my preparation and in facing the interview. Now is my turn to post my memorable interview experience and contribute to this awesome site.

I had my L1B Blanket Visa interview in Chennai Consulate on 31st January 2020 at 8:30AM. The Embassy staff will be displaying the time slots in a large bold font on A4 size White paper. The 8:30AM slot was displayed on the paper at 8:35AM and I was allowed into the consulate along with the queue. I did not carry a mobile phone. However, there is a counter to deposit the mobile phones. However, I suggest it is better not to carry mobiles and have unnecessary diversion/anxiety of where to deposit them etc. If you want to carry it mandatorily, then you can carry otherwise avoid it.

After entering the consulate, there will be a security check. After that, there is a person who informs you to arrange your documents in order which is displayed in a paper. For L1B VISA, you need to arrange the docs in the following order:
I129S(First 8 pages) + I797(First page) - 3 sets
DD(Anti fraud fee)
DS-160 Confirmation Page(the one which is stamped at VAC)
Passport(Carry your expired passport also if you've one)

After you've arranged the docs in this order, the person will verify the order and put a rubber band around the documents. Now, you will be guided to a counter where you've to submit the DD(anti fraud fee). You'll get a receipt which will be attached to your documents. After that, I was sent to the Fingerprint counter and got my fingerprints verified.

After this, I was guided to join a queue of 30-40 people. Spent 30 mins or so in the queue. Here you can see the candidates being interviewed by the Visa officers. I tried as much as I can not to hear their conversation. Then, the assistant at the queue asked me to go to counter xx. I waited behind the Yellow line as the Visa officer was interviewing a candidate. My turn came and here were the questions asked:

Me : Good Morning mam.
VO : Good Morning. Documents please.
Me : Sure mam. (I handed over the documents).

VO : Are you applying for L1A or L1B?
Me : I'm applying for L1B mam.

VO : Which company you work for?
Me : Answered the company name

VO : How long you're with this company?
Me : xxx years and xxxx months

VO : Why do you want to go to US?
Me : Explained the reason in 2-3 lines.

VO : What does this tool do?(follow up question from my previous answer)
Me : Explained what the tool does along with the benefit of the tool.

VO : One more follow up question from my previous answer. The question was like why your company has separate requirements/design standards?

Me : I was totally surprised by this question. This was completely unexpected question. I never thought about this during my preparation. I didn't know how to answer this. I had a split second to decide what to answer here. I gathered my thoughts and said, my company is in so and so business and hence separate standards are needed. However, I stumbled in answering this question and thought that maybe my interview is ruined at this point.

Important suggestion here : Try to predict what follow up questions can be asked on the answer that you've given on your specialization/purpose of travel. Ensure that you've all the answers ready for the follow up questions.

VO : Did you apply for an L Visa earlier?
Me : No mam. This is the first time I'm applying for L Visa.

VO : Are you married?
Me : Yes

VO : Do you've kids?
Me : Yes

VO : Are you traveling with your family?
Me : Answered.

VO : Tell me your Indian Salary in Lakhs per annum.
Me : xxx lakhs per annum

VO : What will be your salary in US?
Me : Answered

VO : Which place are you going to in US?
Me : Answered the place and State name.

The officer took a Green colored form and started stamping on my 3 sets of documents. She didn't speak anything while doing this. I was so tensed in my mind and was thinking, is this form for approval or for hold or rejection...many thoughts were going on in my head. After stamping the 3 set of docs, she finally uttered the words "YOUR VISA IS APPROVED". She kept one set and handed over me the 2 sets saying to hand over one set to the HR and one set to carry during the travel to US.

I had put a lot of effort to prepare for this interview. I had prayed to God sincerely seeking his help and blessings to take me through this. I'm very happy that my prayers have been answered. I have received my passport along with VISA stamp couple of days back.

Though I prepared very well and was pretty good in the mock sessions taken by my friends, the importance of the situation got into my head at the final moments and I felt very tight and nervous moments before the actual interview. Honestly, I felt I did not speak as fluently in the interview as I usually speak. However, I believe I performed decently in the interview except for that one unexpected question.

Suggestions:

1)Go through the questions posted by the users.(I went through several pages in this forum and got an essence of how the questions are)

2)Very important : Write down the questions and answers and keep practicing them. If you do not write down, you'll have a different answer to a question each and every time. So, make a note of the answer and improvise it if you want to. But writing the answer is the most important step.

3)Though we put our efforts, luck also plays a important role. However, the luck factor is not under your control. The only thing under our control is the effort we put on preparation and how well we can answer the questions asked by the visa officer. Hence focus on this part which you've control on.
Believe in God and seek his blessings. I believe in One and felt good about the positive outcome. If the outcome was negative, I would have been disappointed for sure but I would have moved on by feeling satisfied with the effort that I have put.

All the best to the Visa aspirants.

Attending a Visa interview along with wife and Kids. Would it increase the chances of a VO to be convinced and approve it. My thought would be marginally YES.

Please find my L-1B Visa (Blanket) & L2 Dependent visa interview questionnaires for your reference.

Time & Location:- Morning 9:30 AM EST, U.S Embassy,Ottawa CANADA. (My Visa Officer is young lady probably less than 30 years old.)

Once I reached embassy before 30 minutes, I saw only couple of people in Que near local admin desk once entered inside embassy main gate after showing appointment confirmation to security

There, I have been called out to verify my passport & visa documents. Visa Officer (Lady) at window 1 verified all my documents given by my employer and asked me to filter out only I-129S & I-797 form alone (2 copies of I-129S & 1 copy of I-797) rest all other documents are not required.

Later, she asked me to pay 500 USD for L-Fraud Prevention & Detection fee and 4500 USD border security fee, verified photos and took finger prints all this happened in same window 1.

After finger prints Visa officer at window 1 asked us to go to Window 7 for Visa Interview.

Myself:- Good Morning Officer, How are you doing today. (With Smile face)

Interviewer:- Very good morning. Give me your passport & visa documents pls.

Myself:- Sure. (gave her documents with smiley face and good eye contact)

Interviewer:- How many years you are working with YYYY Company (Looking at previous Visa stamp in Passport).

Myself:- 9 years 1 Month.

Interviewer:- Are you going to work for Client.

Myself:- No, i will work for YYYY Company(My Employer) -> Asked this question twice to see same answer.

Interviewer:- What is your height Degree.

Myself:- Bachelor of Engineering.

Questions to My Wife -

Interviewer:- What is your height Degree.

Wife :- Master in Technology.

Interviewer:- Do you work.

Wife :- No.

Questions to My Daughter -

    
Interviewer:- Which grade are you studying ?

Daughter :- 1st grade.

Interviewer:- Favorite Subject ?

Daughter :- Science (Visa Officer asked some questions on science)

After 2-3 minutes verifying on computer, Visa officer Stamped approved on I129S document and gave one set off I129S document to us and said you will receive mail for passports pickup and Have a good Day.

MySelf :- Thank you Officer Have a good Day and left the embasy.

4th Feb :-

Recived mail form embasy with Passport Tracking number.

5th Feb :-

Received mail from Canada Post to collect the package.

Note:-

My interview went only 15-20 mins(Documents filter,Visa fee,Finger prints & interview) and I believe, our attitude is much important rather than appearance.

All The best !

Hi All

I am planning for dependent PAI in "Hindi" language in L2 visa category.

I am not able to see any slot in 1-1.5 month in Any consulate in India.

Please suggest is there very very limited translator service in Own language or any Idea to book it within 1-1.5 month?

Else, Should I prepare dependent to give PAI in "English" language ?

I am worried as I am not able to plan dependent travel due to it.

Thanks a lot for this forum as it was very much useful in interview preparation.

I read a lot on this forum, and my time to give back to the community.

At the outset, my general advise is:
- Read atleast the last 20 pages on this forum
- Rehearse the top 10 asked questions (you can easily find them anywhere)

My questions were:
- Who is your petitioner?
- How long have you worked for them? (9th year running)
- Will you have hiring/firing responsibility? (yes)
- How many direct and indirect reports? (4 direct, 11 indirect not incl offshore)
- Q to wife: How long have you been married?
- Q to wife: Can i see the original marriage certificate?

L1 and L2 approved.
Interview was on a wednesday. We got our passport back the next wednesday (5 business days not incl the visa interview day for delivery)

Good luck all.

I have have following queries on l1 b visa

* Does not marrying and being single affect your process. Is it taken in a sense
that the individual has less intent and motivation to return back to home country ?

* Why is L1b blanket rejected more than l1b individual ? What are the top factors to be considered for L1b blanket ?

* How doest one make a bullet proof documentation? What are the key factors !

This forum was very helpful. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and suggestions

I am working for a product company.
Filed L1 A individual. After RFE, petition got approved in December 1st.

Interview Date: 28-Jan
Questions:
How long you are working in this company
Indian Salary
US Salary
How many Direct Reports
Avg experience of the Sr.most direct reports

(To my Wife:) Mam Which city and state your husband will be working

(To me:) What is your roles and responsibilities

(To my son): Which grade are you sir?

She kept on typing for few secs and finally said 'You visa is approved sir"

Thanks again
Good luck

Hi All,

Anyone here attended interview on 31-Jan-20 ? , My Passport status still says its with US embassy did anyone have the same status like me , then please let me know.

Also if anyone has idea about the duration/process please reply me !! it would be greatly appreciated

My turn to repay back to the forum for all the support

My L1A was approved today in Chennai. The lawyers had done a great job putting together a strong package. Turned out that it was not really necessary.

Standard questions on what's your salary in the new role, how many people reporting and example of some of their titles. We were asked as to how long the role was for and I mentioned it is 3 years for now. It was the honest response. Immigration officer was polite and respectful. Both mine and my wife's (L2) were approved.

I have lived for a long time in the past and allowed my green card to expire. No conversation on that at all.

Good luck to others in this phase.