L1, L2 Visa

Hi

Attended interview at Mumbai consulate on 19th September , was told visa was approved,passports were kept and no slips given

Status continues to show " administrative processing"

Anyone going through same thing ? When did you get passports ?

Hi,

I've a Visa interview in this month end. Can anyone please share your visa interview answers in detail for below questions ? I agree that It is confidential to share company and project and other personal details , so please mention YYYY X for confidential data and share.

1) what is your specialization ?
2) why only you?
3)What is role & responsibilities ?

I had gone through all Q&A posted in this site but everyone shared with "short answers" (1 or 2 words) for above questions and also no direct answers .

I would be really thankful if anyone could share their complete answers given during visa interview for above 3 questions .

I know

Hello Everyone,

I would like to share my experience as this forum helped me a lot during my preparations for the interview.

Firstly, just relax and keep calm. The whole process is just about what your application says and what you present at the interview. I understand all this is too overwhelming but trust me it is not so scary or terrible as it is perceived to be. It is easier said than done. I went through my nervousness as well but at the end of it I understood its not that worth to be terrified. I do not want others to lose nerves, hence I am letting everyone here know that its a smooth process if all your documents and responses are intact.

To start with, read others' experience on this forum and elsewhere but dont get too drowned into it. Every single person has his/her own thing to share. Use forums only as a reference point. Do not prepare based on what is posted here.

- Read your application and petitions (I-129S) thoroughly.
- Be clear about dates, number of years in current job, marriage dates etc.
- Make sure you tell your designations (current and future) correctly
- Know your organization chart and hierarchy very well
- Know the exact location of the destination company/client in the US
- Prepare well with your responses. Have short bullet point responses for each question requiring ling answers. The officer will surely cut you down and you will not be able to complete the entire paragraph or all the bullet points that you prepare. Hence, make sure you prioritize your sequence of response. For example : What are your responsibilities .. A: My core responsibilities include leading and managing xxx group/team/function. ......
- Make sure your responses are in line with your visa type criteria
- Have a brief response for what does your company do
- Practice, practice, practice. Do rehearsals in front of mirror by looking into eyes, ask your spouse/friend or anyone else to take mock interviews. Do this just a day or two before just to get a hang of it. Do not overdo it. The idea is to make sure you dont break/fumble when suddenly the office cuts you and asks another question or a follow up question.
- I will not talk about soft skills like smile, say hello etc as they are understood.
- Do not volunteer information that is not asked or required. For example, when asked for designation, just mention your designation as my current designation is xxxx. You dont have to extend and I say things like I have been in this since xx years or this is a senior level etc. They will ask things if they want to
- There are many things I can go on and on but I know it will not cater to everyone reading this. So I will just jump to my interview experience.

Day 1: Biometrics : I stayed at The Park Chennai. The Biometrics center is nearby. You can book Ola/Uber autos or the security guys at The Park will call for an auto. You may also walk if you dont mind chennai heat and humidity. Auto charges to and fro together should be less than Rs150. I had a 12.45 pm appointment. Me and my wife reached there by 12.30. Most of the times, they let you in 10-15 minutes before time.

- Please do not carry any electronic/electromagnetic, basically unwanted items like mobiles. smart watches, pen drives etc. You can keep your mobiles switched off inside the building but smart watches and pen drives etc are strictly not allowed.
- There is no dress code as such. But better to be dressed in formal, semi-formal or business attire. Make sure you are groomed well coz your picture will be clicked there
- Keep all your documents in order - Original Passport, Appointment confirmation, DS160, Visa Fee receipts and other documents related to your visa, work, education.
- Once you enter the building, you will hop on to first floor where you will see a queue. There will be a quick check on your passport, appointment confirmation and DS 160 and you will be sent to 2nd floor
- You will see another queue. Once you get in, you will be security screened. Then you move to a deck where your passport and document will be clubbed in arubber band and you will move to next desk.
- A bar code sticker will be put behind your passport. You will take back your passport and documents and wait in queue for your biometrics.
- There are monitors displaying counters and the sequence based on your serial number. You will have to go to counter displayed next to your serial number. Your finger prints and picture will be done here.

Yipee. you are done.

Day 2: Visa Interview

- Do not go very early. Its of no use since you will not be allowed to enter before your schedule
- Generally there are two lines on the footpath outside consulate compound. There are barricades with print out of appointment schedules queues. You need to wait in the queue as per your time.
- Again, do not carry items not allowed. Its clearly written on the appointment details. I saw many of them struggling during security
- Carry all your documents in a transparent folder
- Make sure you carry umbrella based on weather forecast. It was thunderstorm when I went and forgot to take one. As soon as I got down of auto, there were people selling umbrellas for Rs 200 per piece. I had no choice but to buy.
- Once you get in, you will go through a security check
- In the next area, my wife was asked to sit and since I was the principal applicant I was asked to go towards a desk at the wall and sort documents in order pasted on a note on the desk. Basically for L1A, it is three sets of G28, I-129S and I-797 for L1A Blanket.
- Once your three sets are done, you go to the desk where a executive will check the sequence, take your passport, DD, 3 sets and put it in a rubber band and ask you to move forward to interview building that is located just next to this one.
- As you enter, there is another queue for fee payment (based on visa types). You need to submit your DD or pay by credit card/cash etc in Window 14. The cashier will staple the receipt to one of the 3 sets and give it back to you
- Next you to move to windows 15 or 16 for biometrics validation. You fingerprints will be validated with the fingerprints you submitted a day before
- Finally, you move to the interview queue. As soon as you get into the hall, you see a big hall with people standing in a queue and many glass separated counters with mikes. This is the moment where you have time to relax after the rush of billing and documents. Use this time to calm down, breathe well, meditate, say prayers or do whatever but try to be calm. For me, once I entered the hall, it all looked so normal. I calmed down immediately and I got a thought that it is not at all so bad as I had thought or people made it sound so serious and terrible
- DO NOT LISTEN TO OTHERS" INTERVIEWS. When you are in queue, you will hear questions and responses of other going through a interview. Just dont hear or look that side. This will help avoid pre-judgements about people getting rejected in a specific window etc.
- Wait for your turn and just rock it.
- Here is how my interview went at counter 30.

Me- Good Morning Officer.
VO - Good Morning. Can I have your passports and documents?
Me- Sure Ma'am. Here it is (handed passport and documents in rubber band)

VO- Are you both husband and wife? (looking at both of us, we went for L1 and L2)
Me - Yes Ma'am

VO - How long you have been married?
Me - xx years and xx months

VO - Where do you work?
Me - I work at YYYY Inc

VO - How long you have been working there?
Me - I have been with this organization for last xx years and xx months

VO - What is your designation?
Me - My designation is YYYY X Manager

VO - What is your salary?
Me - My current salary is YYYY per annum in Indian Rupees

VO - What are your roles and responsibilities?
Me - Explained in short and crisp bullets

VO - How many people report into you?
Me - Since this is a functional manager role, no one reports into me directly. however, cross functional team resources report into me during the projects

VO - Oh this is a functional manager role. What do you mean exactly by cross functional?
Me - Explained

VO - What does your company do?
Me - Gave a brief description about company's business

VO - Where is this located?
Me - Answered

VO- Is this where you will be working?
Me - Yes Ma'am

VO - What will be your salary in the US?
Me - YYYY USD per annum

VO - Who do you report into?
Me - I report into a gentleman named YYYY , who is our Director

VO - Who does he report into?
Me - He reports into xxxx, who is our group's head and is seated in the US

VO - Who does he report into?
Me - He reports into YYYY , who is our vice president

VO - Do you have any organization chart?
Me - Yes Ma'am I do.Just a moment (luckily I had got prints of org chart of 3 levels above me)

When I was taking out my org chart, she turned to my wife

VO - Are you working Ma'am?
She - Yes Ma'am. I am working with xxx and I am currently serving my notice period

VO - I see that you already hold a B1 Visa
She - Yes Ma'am I do (co-incidentally, it was the same office who approved my wife's B1 last year)

I handover the org chart to the officer:

Me - Here is the org chart Ma'am
VO - So you report into him, but thats in India
Me - Yes Ma'am. Currently the person I report into sits in india but my reporting will change when I move to the US

VO- So who will you report into
Me - I will report into xxxx

VO - Looking into org chart - so thats your boss' boss?
Me - Yes Ma'am

She turns and separates 3 sets from the rubber band (that is the moment I am excited and relieved), stamps it, signs it.

VO - Gives two copies to me and says keep one with you always during travel and submit other to your company when you reach there. She keeps one set and passports with her.

VO - Congratulations, your visa is approved. have a nice flight(Gives two copies to me and says keep one with you always during travel and submit other to your company when you reach there. She keeps one set and passports with her.
Me - Thanks you so much Ma'am. Have a nice day ahead
VO - Thanks you too, Bye Bye
Me - Bye

Kept all the documents in the folder. Quickly came out of the building. And I was so relieved given the months of paper work, petitions, preparations etc. I would like to reinforce again that be clear with what you have submitted and what you say. Be confident while you speak coz while they are typing and asking questions, they suddenly turn and start looking into your eyes and that is why I mentioned earlier to practice in front of mirror or ask someone to take mock interviews so that you practice looking in the eyes and answer when there is a sudden change in question or VO cuts you down to ask follow up question.

Nothing said or written here will give a complete picture. But there are things that you can make sure is perfect :

- You documents - original and photocopies should be perfect
- Know what is written in your petition, why it is written. Ask questions to your attorney, Be very clear
- Get errors corrected
- Make sure you dont overthink or overprepare. Be chilled out for those 2-3 days
- This entire process drains you our and takes lot of time and patience. Make sure you are not starving. Eat well, sleep well.
- There are washrooms in the consulate. If you are not calm or if you are nervous like I was, then just get into washroom, relax, Wash your face. come out. Stand for a while, breathe slowly. Have water. talk to someone or sing or pray but just dont think about getting rejected
- Be well dressed. Dont dress for a board room meeting. Be presentable

As said earlier, dont take everything on the forum or internet too seriously. Just prepare well, have documents in place, be relaxed and give your best.

Wishing everyone all the best.
 
  

My l1b blanket approved on 26th Sept.

I want to share my experiance as I have got much help from here for preparing for my interview.
8.45 am my biometric done at VAC. - no worries
10.45 am, entered into us consulate. All security checks done.
At documents sorting counter, they asked for i797 copy. But my employer didn't give it to me.
 he asked me to wait there for 15 mins. After he confirmed my i129 with i797 and allowed me inside consulate.( called inside and talked )

Those 20 mins, I felt like a hell.
Next counter is payment and biometric counter. - no worry.

The people who as standing with me in the beginning of the outside queue are far ahead of me.

Later entered into a big rope queue to face VO.

Mysugession: observe all VO officers, I have seen a lady in the middle counter she rejected many in 10 mins time.
J1 rejected b1 rejected l1 rejected. Remain vo officers are I felt better.

The women who stands ahead of me in the queue went to the the stubborn lady VO officer. I felt relaxed.

My miracle turn:
Security send me to stand in the first counter.
 VO is a lady. I observed before when I stand in the queue she approved many visas.

I am at yellow line waiting for my turn.
 The Vo is taking interview for other girl, she rejected her Visa saying not appropriate Visa selected. She is eligible for F2 but applied other. Next pls...

Now my turn.
VO: your documents and passport please.
Me: GM madam how are you( that time time is 11.55am)

Vo: GM, I am good. What type of Visa?
Me: l1b blanket

Vo: who is petitioner?
Me: told my USA employer name.

Vo: oh.. u work for xxx. Who is u r client?
Me. Yyy.

Vo: exp with current employer?
Me 9years.

Vo: 9 years great. What your client do?
Me: my client is in developing and designs hardware embedded products.
 She is in cool mood and doing some singing sounds
Vo: what is u r specialization?
Me: given my exp, propritary knowledge and what I do at client.
Vo typing something. All the time she is typing.

Vo? U r Indian salary? Told
Vo:: u r USA salary. Answered. Vo typing something

She confused with my salaries and asked me twice. Answered.

Finally goldenwords. I am approving Visa. She stamped on all 3 129s and given 2 copies to me fir Poe.

My suggestion: prepare well. Read i129s 10 times.

Hi All, Wanted to share my experience like everyone else did which actually helped me getting prepared for my Visa interview.

I appeared on 26th Sept for my L1 A Blanket along with my wife and 2yr old kid and the following is my Q&A. Please suggest keep your I129s, I797 and your passport intact in 3 different sets and all other supporting documents separate. Because I carried a lot of them and while entering there will be a person asking you only these to begin with. I repeat other supporting documents might be required but these are the main ones which the VO will first collect from you. the challenge i faced is that I had to sort these along with my kid standing in the queue and was a little clumsy. any questions happy to help.

Me: Hi Good Morning
VO: GM and had a good broad smile, I was on counter 21

VO: Which Visa
Me: L1 A Blanket

VO:Which company
Me: Answered(I work for a Pharma company)

VO: Years of exp
Me: 5 years 11 months

VO: why am I going?
ME: asnwered

VO: How many direct reports
ME: 9 direct in India

VO: any direct in US?
ME: no but i have budget to hire 2/3

VO: what will their designations be?
ME: analyst

VO: who do i report and who does my line manger report?
ME: my direct manager is Director and then it is Chief financial Officer(Global CFO)

VO: kept on typing for long
VO: my salary
ME: 130K + benefits

finally after again typing for long he said my Visa is approved and asked me to be very careful with the forms which he gave with the stamp.

overall experience was good with a couple of more questions on my work nature and why should I be there!

Your company, your role, package, tenure is what I feel makes a deciding factor , Thankful to this page here and experiences shared which helped me to prepare well.

Feel free to let me know for any questions and I'm all open to help, as i know how nervous I was when i was preparing !

Good Luck to all and please do not worry if your Visa is not approved at the first time, try again and you will succeed.

Which Visa you are applying?
L1A for Managerial.

Petitioner?
company name

Salary?
less than 90K

work for client ?
No

How many Indirect reportees?
more than 10 (Instead of saying digit,I could have said like 10 and I have authority and Budget to hire more )

How many direct in US?
less than 10 (Instead of saying digit,I could have said like 10 and I have authority and Budget to hire more )

How many indirect in US?
No (I feel this is where interviewer thought that I am like a track Lead and not a manager)

We have very narrow chances to approve this visa , we can't approve your Visa

Make sure you maintain same hierarchy in India and in US.

I have received RFE for my L1B individual Visa filed under premium processing. May i know what level of details or supporting documents are required to prove specialization. I had already submitted all awards, appreciation emails, trainings, certificates, internal PPTs, presentations done by me. Now I am confused what else can be added??? Any suggestions would be helpful

I had responded to RFE and saw that it was approved on USCIS site. Can i go ahead and book an visa appointment using the I129 receipt no WAC YYYY XX or do i need to wait for the approval notice.

I applied L1A at premium processing

I got RFE

I see one of team memeber from USA has left org and that causes change in team structure

Should I go ahead and file amendment or just keep as it is ?

The person was direct reportee to me and he was project manager
Kindly help

Team,

When we apply for L1 A Blanket Visa-- We have I729 and Supporting docs like Org Structure/Offer Letter.
 
My question is, Do Attorney submit these docs before hands to given US consulate? Want to understand if US Consular knows the case in advance or comes to know only when we attend the interview and provide petition.