L1, L2 Visa

Hello Everyone,

My L1A (individual) visa was approved in Nov 2019. Let me give some my background of my application. My business visa was earlier refused multiple times in last 3 years and I was really frustrated. After doing some research (esp. on this forum) I realized that I had been probably applying through the wrong category. I changed my visa category to L1A.

Timeline:
June 2019: Applied for L1 visa under premium processing.
Late June 2019: Received RFE
Sep 2019: Submitted all required documents
Oct 2019: Received approval notice from USCIS
Nov 2019: Appeared for personal Interview

Overall Experience:
It was bit exhaustive to compile and collect all the documents from initial application in June 2019 to RFE submission in Sep 2019. However, USCIS was quite prompt in responding at each of the stages.

Interview Experience:
It was all very well managed at both VAC and US Consulate. After completing formalities at VAC a day before, I reached at the consulate 30 mins prior to the appointment time. Within an hour, I was in front of Visa officer (VO). I was well prepared and composed. I greeted her and she responded back quite cheerfully. This gave me a sigh of relief as It reminded me that a good beginning is half job done.

Q&A
VO: Please pass on your passport and I797 B approval notice (first page only)
Me: Submitted
VO: Have you been to US before?
Me: Yes
VO: Visa category and when?
Me: : xx years back under XYZ category.
VO: Its quite long back, what was your age? Bit of laugh exchanged between us. I thought it’s a good sign.
Me: I nodded and I told her my exact age then.
VO: Why and when did you switch your career?
Me: Replied quite confidently
VO: Current company name
Me: Replied
VO: Location of US office
Me: Replied
VO: Indian and US salary
Me: Replied
VO: Is this a specialized role?
Me: No, it’s a managerial role. I gave some details about my role. I thought this was a trick question. Be very clear with your roles and responsibilities.
VO: Why did you come here for interview, why not nearby consulate offices?
Me: Actually interview venue was allocated by USCIS based on my old address. I believe this was based on my Income tax document. I just explained that and she looked convinced.
VO: Why is your wife and son not travelling with you? I went alone for the interview?
Me: I will be travelling for a short term project at the moment. Next time, I will take them along.
VO: Current job responsibilities, no. of reporting staffs?
Me: I tried to give a detailed answer but she stopped me in between.

VO was looking at her computer screen and she was typing all the time. However, It sounded like an easy interview and i got quite hopeful by then.

Then came the Golden word from her. She smiled and said, your visa is approved and you will get your passport at your communication address. I was on top of my world and took a deep breath.

My two cents to all new applicants:
Be genuine with your application and don’t overstate any information. You should spend a good amount of time for the interview. VO generally asks questions from a fixed list and hence it shouldn’t be a great deal to prepare answers. IMMI forum is the best platform to prepare the list of expected questions. Lastly and most importantly, be confident and composed in front of the Visa officer. A good preparation with little bit of luck will certainly help your cause.

My best wishes.

Hi Everyone,
 
My wife's L1B blanket was rejected in January 2019 and her employer applied for L1B individual petition which is now approved.

Meanwhile, I've got a job from one of the Canadian employers and both of us got the Canadian work visa stamped couple weeks back.

Now, the question is will having a Canadian visa cause problems to our L1/L2 Visa? The idea is that my wife will be working at US and I will be in Canada and we would want to visit each other occasionally or during some emergency.

Please suggest

Hi,

My L1B visa extension was approved in Nov 2019 by USCIS. I am still in USA and my current visa L1B is valid until Jan 2020. I am planning to travel to India in June 2020. Can someone please share their interview experience for L1B extension from India?

Have you heard of any rejections during interview even though you have approved visa extension from USCIS. I have seen people travel to Canada to get their visa stamped after extension, if this better option compared to travelling to India?

I am Senior software engineer and having 8 years of experience ,
My company is planing to process L1B now
I had applied B1 visa One and half years back and its got rejected, they give me 214b
Will be in trouble at any case for my B1 rejected or any other case
Suggestion Please ….
Let me know some precaution, I should be aware of

Hi All,

My L1-B (Blanket) got rejected few months ago at chennai, is it ok to book my next interview in other location than chennai ? This is for L1-B (Individual).

Thanks in advance

Hello All,

Has any one given L1B interview at London US Embassy? Could you please share some your experience so that i can prepare myself for the interview. My interview is scheduled on Jan 9th.

Looking forward for your help and support.

Thank you!!
Ravi

Hello All,

I am following this forum for a long time and its very much helpful.

I am in a situation where I need you guys to help and support.

I have been working for a company YYYY in the US for the past 3 years in L1A(blanket) in “managerial capacity”.

My company filed the first L1A extension in the month of May and we got RFE in the month of July.

We replied back with all the requested documents in the month of September. But my extension got denied in the month of October.

Now we filed a new L1A blanket petition around scheduled an interview in Chennai.

Followings are questions:
1.Will my extension denial has any impact on the new petition?
2.Whether the VO has complete details of my denial of reasons/notice?
3.Will there be any questions by VO related to my extension denial in the interview?
4.What could I answer if the VO asks about my denial reasons?
5.Since its very short time frame for the new petition interview, my company suggested showcasing as currently, I am working in India with US payroll. Will that legally possible scenario?

Please help me with this.

Thank you,
Rithu

Hello,

My L1B individual visa got RFE, and I am in the process of replying to RFE. I have prepared some documents , but almost all of them have companies confidential information such as projects, internal architecture of products and tools.

Is this something that can be shared with USCIS and attorney. In my case attorney is 3rd party that my company is tied up with for Immigration.

Thank yoi

Hi,

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences it helped.
I had my interview few days ago.

My experience in order of occurrence:

1. Day 1 went to VAC for biometrics, simple process took hardly 15 minutes.
2. Day 2 went to Consulate, stood in a queue before being called upon for my time of appt.
3. Joined another queue for security (both these queues outside consulate on the footpath) and then went straight in.
4. The attendant there arranged the documents in order as per instructions they shared mins ago.
5. With passport and arranged docs, Paid fraud fee (by cash) at the fee counter.
6. Another zigzag queue waiting for my turn.
7. Here comes the interview:

Questions asked by VO:
1.What is your company name? (fyi...its a product company..)
2.What is this company's business?
3.What is your salary in US? (fyi.. its above 100k)
4.What is the salary in India?
5.What is your role? (Software engg)
6.What is your experience in company? (fyi.. i am only little ore than 2 yrs exp)
7.How long will you be staying?
8.What is your specialization? (answered in 3 lines, about specialization and proprietary stuff)
9.Will you be at client? (No, as i won't)
10.Who are your clients? (named US clients)
11.What is the revenue generated? (i had very less idea only known due to internal communication, so honestly told so and approximately told the figure)
12.How any employees in India? (when i answered this he commented its relatively smaller firm, i commented we are spread across xx countries worldwide)
13. There would be others you have your expertise, why you then? (told a distinguishing aspect)
14.Do you have kids?

To my husband:
1. What do you do for a living?
2. will you work in US? (seems like this is to check if your spouse is aware of the legal permit, so be careful about saying if you get work permit and suitable role then yes)

Finally he started stamping, i was clueless whats happening, then i heard some words and then "safe travels", thats when i knew.

Some tips from my experience:
1. Be presentable and Always have a smile. (not grinning of course)
2. Greet the officer with a smile with like "gm officer how r u" (it matters as they might be grumpy from last interview, u never know!!! so the first few seconds can change the whole train of conversation)
3. VOs were amiable as i observed, so we can answer calmly and not rush as they would give you enough time.
4. its difficult to contain the whole work exp in few words, but be crisp and use good choice of words to make an impression
5. Be confident and be convinced about your specialization/uniqueness which makes it easier to convince them too.

Thanks!

Hi all. This is the first time I post something in this forum and after using it to help me during my visa process I think is time to give something back and also to humbly ask for some advise.

First some background.

My wife and I are from a country in the European Union, so this means that we have travel at least once a year to the US for the 5 years. Before that we both were in US with an F1 student visa (back then we were not married yet). We have never had a problem going in and out to the US, but last time we went there in summer this year at the port of entry the officer said to my wife that it looks like she overstayed while she were there with the F1 one visa, she did not do it, so this is what she said and the office let her going into the country telling her that next time she travel she needs to have some documents to clarify this. So nothing happened and we both spend some days in the US.

Today we had our interview and this is how it went:

VO: Good morning

me: good morning

VO: L1 A right?

me: Yes sir

VO to my wife: Did you study before in the US?

my wife: Yes

VO: Did you come back to your country right after finishing the program?

my wife: yes

VO: ok, cool

VO to me: Do you work for xxx company?

me: yes

VO: what is your position there?

me: xxxx Manager

VO: what the company does?

me: manufacturing of xxx product

VO: what is your title in US?

me: xxx Manager

VO: what will you do there?

me: explain in 3 sentences

VO: So you can hire and fire people and will also manage a budget:

me: yes I will

VO: Why the company is sending you

me: Explain in 2 sentences

VO: Oh, you also had an students visa before?

me: yes, we both did the same program

VO to my wife: Do you plan to work in US?

my wife: I will apply for work permit and if I get it I would like to work

VO: what kind of job would you like to do?

my wife did not expect that question but she answered honestly: I am Master Degree in xxx so something related to this

Then he typed for a couple of minutes and said: Sir I am approving your visa but your wife's visa needs to go under administrative process. I am keeping both passports and my intention is to approve both of your visas but I cannot do it now since this administrative process needs to be done.

Then I explained him about the situation in the port of entry last time in US and asked if this is the reason for Adm. process also add said that we had with us documents to verify that my wife never overstay (college transcripts, old passports, etc). the VO said:

I do not need to check these documents if your wife says she did not overstay I trust her, so not worries about this.

He then gave us a 221g yellow slip saying: sorry since right now is not approved I need to give you this.

The 221g does not have anything marked other than: further admin process needs to be done.

I ask him if he know approx. how long it would take and he told me: It should not take more than 2 weeks.

And that is.

The VO was a really nice smiling young guy and we had a nice interview.

One more think. My wife is working in the same company as I do and this was clearly stated in her DS160.

So from one side it is good I got my L1A approved, but I will not move to the US without my wife so we are not happy with the situation.

Any feedback from the nice people of this forum would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!