L1, L2 Visa

My L1 got rejected on last friday. Please advise when can I go for the stamping again.

Got L1-B approved on 8th July.
Donot go before time, its no more first come first serve. Be there just 35-45 minutes ahead of your interview appointment time.

It was smooth process. For L1B ppl you need to get your BEP folder(HDFC receipt) from the BEP counter form the VFS counter. Everything is well organised, and ppl there will guide you.
Inside the consulate, you have floor managers who are there to answer your queries (if any)

I was called @ counter 13
Officer: Good Morning, How are you doing.
Me: Good morning, I am doing good. How are you sir.
Officer: (no reply) (may be he was trying to check my accent :) )
Officer: So which company you work for
Me : XYZ
Officer: How long
Me: x yrs
Officer: So what specialized skill you have.
Me : I have knowledge of my company's propritary s/w (xyz). And working on this product for past 2 years now
Officer: (Typing constantly on his computer screen, i don't think he was looking. But he looked 3-4 times at me to see where i was looking. And i was constantly looking towards him @ his eyes)
Officer: Seems this knowledge is common, and i see lot of candidates poses this skill
Me: No Sir (Confidently). I also have knowledge of
 Client business model and client propietary s/w (ABC). Which they use across there financials.
Officer: Who is you client
Me: ABC
Officer: ABC .. hmmmm
Me: yes sir
Officer: Alright, I am approving your visa, you will receive your passport in 1 week.
---------------
To all my friends out there...
A) Confidence.
B)Uniqueness of your skill (Donot just say that you are going for design or requirments gathering)
2 candidates got rejected as they gave the same answer- Officer informed them it doesnot looks to be a unique knowledge. Anybody can do it.
C) Have some keywords with you that aligns your knowledge with client proprietary

Hi,

First of All thanks to Immehelp.You will get everything here on your Visa/Interview.

Question asked By VO.

VO: Good morning Sir good morning mam.
Me: GM.

VO: how many years with XYZ your current company?
Me: 5.5 years

VO Typing on computer for some time.

VO To my wife: why didn't you change your last name mam.
My wife: Give the ans.

Vo to my wife: what you do?
Wife: I'm woking in xyz company for last 6 years. she is EIA Consultant.

VO again typing somthing on computer.

VO: what XYZ do?
Me: My company in consulting, product/software development and us staffing.

VO: what is your role?
Me: I'm working and Resource & Delivery manager.

VO: what will be your role in US.
Me: My role wiil be same Resource and Delivery manager.

VO: what is your India and US salary.
Me: abc lac par month and cde K/annum

VO: How many people in your team in india.
Me: told him number

VO: How many people in your team in US.
Me: told him number

VO: In US your team members are on H1 and L1?
Me: told him their visa types.
h
VO: Please show me your Org Chart.
Me: Show him Org Chart.

VO: Do you have hire and fire authority?
Me: Yes.

VO: Suppose you are not happy with your team member's performance than what will you do?
Me: I'll review his last 6 months performance than i'll pass my feedback to Admin and HR department.
        for next step

VO: why your company need you after 5 years?
Me: Our company in expending and got some new projects.My company want someone who knew in n out about company and
it's clients. They need a person who can manage, supervise a team here

Vo: Ok. thaks a lot. you will get your passports in next 4-5 days.
Me: Thanks

 
All the best for your interview.

L1A Approved at Delhi Consulate

I appeared for Visa interview for L1A at Delhi Consulate 2 weeks before and My visa was approved. I was asked below questions, my case was visa extension case. I had L1B in past and at the time of renewal I applied for L1A based on my role and previous experience.

List of Questions asked by Visa Officer:

Why are you going to USA
Which Company
How many years with Company
Which Client
How many years with Client
What is your company doing for Client
Where you will work ? Client place or Company place
Do you have authority to recommend hire fire authority
Team size
Single or Married
Are you the only one who can perform this role


This web site was very helpful for me. I like to thank you all who are posting their experiences on this website and people managing this website. thanks again.

Hi,

I went there for L1B visa with my wife and 10 month old son. My appointment was scheduled at 11.00 AM. Because of taxi driver & traffic, we reached there by 11.00 instead of 10.45. Security guy was rude and asked us to follow the queue. I requested that I've a baby with me and then he asked us to break the queue and proceed directly in.

After we went in, security checked our bags. Then few girls staff members collected my docs and immediately gave us token. There were almost 50-75 ppl waiting. Lady who gave us token asked us to proceed inside. After going to main building, Indian officers checked our docs, passport. Asked me and my wife few basic questions like birth date, address in India etc. Then he asked us to pay the draft and go for fingerprinting. Once that done, Staff waiting outside guided us to an empty window for main visa interview.

VO greeted and asked my wife and son to go and sit in waiting area. Then he grilled me almost for 10 - 15 mins.. asked me hell lot of questions. I don't remember all of them, but will try to write here as much as I can. Here we go:

Me: Hey
VO: Hi
VO: Your wife and son can go and sit at waiting area
VO: Can you please give me just Form I129S and Form I797?
Me: Gave the docs
VO: Please give me two more copies of the same
Me: Gave
VO: Which visa you are applying to?
Me: L1 B
VO: Blanket?
Me: Yes
VO: Which company do you work for?
Me: XYZ
VO: How many years you have been in this company?
Me: 5.5 years
VO: Total experience?
Me: 7+ years...
VO: Which client you are going?
Me: It’s a product based company, we don't have clients, but we have customers
VO: Where is this company? I've never heard of this company before..
Me: Smiled.. It’s based in Pune
VO: How many ppl work in Pune
Me: @#$# ppl
VO: So what you guys do?
Me: We have range of products.. explained in detail.
VO: How many ppl work in US?
Me: @#$#%$ ppl
VO: Wow.. that’s huge number. But I'm still unclear about what do you guys do. Can you please tell me what products do you have?
Me: Told names of various products..
VO: So you write software?
Me: Yes, we develop software

When I tried to show documents to support my company's credits, he said "Don't show me any docs.. just answer my questions".. :-)

VO: What’s your salary ?
Me: In India?
VO: Yes
Me: #@$ K per annum
VO: What will be your salary in US?
Me: @#$ K USD per annum
VO: Do you live in US?
Me: No
VO: Have you been there before? If yes, how many times and why?
Me: I have been there for 5 times, 2-3 weeks each time on B1 visa
VO: What you did there?
Me: Had design discussions, meetings, conducted training.
VO: So what specialized skills do you have?
Me: This is very important. Be specific, use minimum technical words.
VO: Still I did not get it, why can they hire person in US?
Me: Because the expertise I've are special. Since I'm so long in this company, I know intricacies and have expertise in our proprietary products.
VO: What’s your designation?
Me: answered
VO: I'm still unclear about your Specialties..
Me: Smiled and explained him again...
VO: What technology do you use to write your product?
Me: Answered

VO started typing something on his computer
there was a big pause.. Then he said,

VO: You are sure you are not going to any client?
Me: NO...
VO: Okay Mr. xyz, your visa is approved.. you will get passport within 5 days.

No question asked to my wife.
Not a single document he checked...

Unasked advice: Be confident.. DON'T mug up your answers.. Expect the unexpected questions.. If you are clear about your experience, you shall be able to convince..

For guys who are going with baby:
-- Complete VFS staff treats you like VIP. No waiting.. I was inside the consulate at 11.00 AM and out at 11.45 AM.
-- All baby food, feeding bottle with water / milk is allowed. Take some diapers, wipes along with you.
-- Cell phones are allowed in Delhi consulate, you just have to switch them off before entering.


All the best !! Thanks immihelp for such a wonderful site.. it’s really helpful… :-)

Hello All,

Today I attended the VISA interview at Chennai for L1A and L2. It was very quick and got approved in only 20 mins after I entered. (Very well organized)
First two counters and finger prints stuff are handled by VFS(Indian) guys. So no need to be panic at all if you have right documentation in hand.

I beleive approval for VISA was decided much before I reached the last counter(US VISA officer). It was hardly 3 mins the interviewer talked to us. I was bit panic and did couple of mistakes to answer reagdring my role. However I got it.

I was asked ->
1. My role details(all one line queries)
2. My salary(in US)

No questions to my wife and KID.

Small advice from my experience ->
1. It does not matter how you dress. (just a business casual will do..not to take too much chance)
2.If you are less experienced(I think exp is a primary requiement for L1A/L1B), prepare well to defened your case. (They ask exactly the right questions which you beleive is a weak area). Dont give up if they say they can not give VISA. Just say "Can I exaplain my case in details may be?"
(You dont need to rush to finish. After all, one paid lot of money and spent so much time)

3.Visa officer "mood" does not matter at all.

4.Try to reach only 30-40 Mins before the interview.Not earlier and not late.

Got my L1-B Approved at Delhi.Questions asked
1.Which company do you work for?
2.What is your role in company and how long you have been working there?
3.What is your education degree?
4.What is your specialized knowledge-This is the most important question.You have to be clear and confident when answering the questions.Try to explain in simple terms why your skills are special.If you have any special accomplishments that you have done which differentiates you from others,you can add that at the end.Try to guage the interviewer's reaction while you are replying and make sure you tell in a way that the officer is impressed.
5.Salary here.
6.Salary in US.
7.Will your spouse be travelling with you?Any Kids?

Do not be tensed during the interview.Go with the thought that you deserve to get the visa for your specialized skills and that you will get it .

Got my visa approved .

HI All,

immihelp really rocks ..but at the end you luck matters ...

I had my visa interview on 7 july @ 10.15

me : Good morning Officer
Vo : (With smile) GM

vo : whats ur client
me : ZZZ

vo : In which company u r working
me : ZZZ

vo : whats ur indian salary?
me : ZZZ

vo : what will be ur US salary?
me : ZZZ

vo : whats you will do work ?
me : Answered.......

vo : great...and went to find the seal....

vo : then he said i have no doubt about ur knowledge and expereince but i dnt approve ur visa at this time..pls apply for different visa category .......

Still dnt knw whats the exact reason ....

Thanks a ton immihelp, my L1B got approved today.

Sharing my experience, which will help others:
- At Hyderabad consulate, there is nothing like you cant carry purse or small Bag etc.. (all myth) , only thing they dont allow is mobile and any electronic items. There are scanners and incase you dont leave a pen drive etc out they will catch you and you never know it can affect your mood and interview. So besides electronics you can carry all documents in a reasonable transparent or non-transparent folders, and can carry purse , watch etc... etc...

- They are not allowing to enter consulate from first gate itself before 30 mins of interview time, so do not waster your time by going early, you dont have to, as they allow you into open area itself as per time in interview letter.. Come 45 mins before max to avoid waiting time

- Everything inside is extremely professional and you will wonder if you are in government office of india or USA. It was just great to see consulate staff taking personal attention to ladies, kids and senior citizens.. and even youngs. No one will get angry if you ask them 5 times the same question!

Finally it took around 2 hours of formalities time before i was at VO:

1) How long you have been working in present company?
--- x year and y months

2) Why your company filed L1B for you?
-- Be confident, dont hesitate, reharse this question atleast 10 times in mirror, this is same as whats your specialization, remeber no L1 B blanket can go without this question.. prepare. More than anything its your communication skill here.

3) What's your current salary in india?
-- YYYY lacs per year

Thats it, i was told my visa is approved!

Now, i saw couple of folks getting rejected above me, honestly reason sounded to me who was witness they were not clear on Question 2 , as soon as you fumble in this question, trust me your chances are less.

As per L1B rule, its only and only given for specialized worker, so you need to prepare and prepare this question. Thats the key. Also make sure you show professionalism in queue of VO , they watch everyone now and then. Be well dressed and all the best!!!

My company has processed L1 Blanket Visa couple of months ago and finally i attended interview on 8th July'2011 at Hyderabad. here are the questions i was asked in the interview.

your experience in present company?
Your specialization?
Purpose of visit?
who is your client?
What is the team size?
Can offshore team handle your job if you fell ill in the onsite?
with no hesitation i said "NO, they cannot handle."

Finally golden words, “sir, your visa is approved. you will get your passport in 5 days”.

All the best