L1, L2 Visa

We attended our Biometrics on 19th January 2023 at 8:30 am and interview at 10:30 on same day. Biometrics is smooth but it took almost 1 hour. My husband is main applicant.

After reaching consulate a person will be there who will help L Blanket applicants to arrange documents. After this fees to be paid (500 dollar), we paid through credit card. Next step to reach in front of visa officer.

Interview

VO: Please give fee receipt, DS160 and passports
Husband: Given
VO to Husband: Where are you going?
Husband: Answered
VO to Husband: what will be your salary at USA?
Husband: Answered
Vo to Husband: What is your specialization?
Husband: Answered
Vo to Husband: Will you join any other office?
Husband: Answered
Vo to My Daughter: How old are you?
Daughter: Answered
VO to Me: What is your higher qualification?
Me: Answered
VO to Me: Are you an Environmentalist?
Me: Answered
VO to Me: Had you applied for tourist Visa in 2015?
Me: Answered
Thank you I am approving your Visa, Safe travels.

She gave us one green receipt. We received 2 passports with VISA stamp on 21st January 2023, waiting for my passport.

Thanks to this forum, it gives us the idea of whole process.

All the best for All!!

Hi,

I am currently in India and had drop box appoint for my L1 Stamping along with my wife and 2 kids on 29th December. I submitted all required documents and I got visa “Issued” status for myself, my wife and my younger daughter. However, for my elder daughter (13 years old) I am still seeing “Application Received” status on CEAC status tracker.

It’s been 3 weeks now and her application is still under processing. I raised a query to US Consulate and they said its still under processing.

All 3 of us are getting status updated at the same time but not my elder daughter. Is this normal? I am really stuck here in India.

Have anyone seen such behavior? Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

Hi All,

This forum will be helpful to understand the Visa interview question and process with the experiences shared by individuals. Thank you all..

However, it may create some fear by reading the experiences, but read it to gain knowledge and prepare your answers.

Do not prepare essay's, its only 3-5min of interview, have your answers prepared in short and clear in 10-15 words, and talk more only if asked to explain in details.

I have prepared my questions and answers after reading many experiences on L1 and it was helpful, and i would like to share my experience on the same.

My L1B Individual petition got approved after the RFE and i got the slot booked for Biometric in Dec 2023 at Hyderabad and VAC in Mumbai for Jan 2023.

I am a HR Manager, and my petition was approved with Marketing Manager and i could clear the interview easily.

I would like to share with you all about my experience during my VAC Interview in Mumbai.

1. Be on-time reach 30-40min before your scheduled time.
2. Mobile can be deposited at Consulate with Rs.50 Charge.
3. Only Passport will be verified during the entry.
4. Security Check will be done just like Airport.
5. Then you will be sent in line to Verify you Passport and Original Approval Notice (This is for L1).
6. You will be moved to VAC Interview line, and they will guide you to keep the documents in Order.
7. Many interviews will happen for F1 Students, and they throw the passports based on their behaviors, but be cool don't get nervous by that.
8. Most important thing, do not listen to the questions asked to others, you may forget your answers.

Mostly for L1 you need to keep you Passport and Original Approval Notice ready.

Interview Process:

Officer asked to submit my passport and Approval Notice I-797. I was not asked to submit i-120 or any other documents.

Do not give any other documents until asked and followed with Interview questions.

Below are the Questions Asked and he was typing something and just saying ok, ok...

1. Are you applying for Specialized knowledge visa?

2. What does the company do?

3. What is your specialization?

4. What type of products does the company develop?

5. Where do you stay in US?

6. Where is your office location?

7. What is your salary in US and India?

8. What is your highest qualification?

9. How long you are working with your current company?

10. What is your title?

Finally, with a smile he said your visa is approved and have a good day.

Tip for Men: Go only in Business Formals with white shirt and be confident.

Note: It's just a casual discussion with an Officer, if your petition is approved, 90% is done, and 10% is on your confidence and body language. Talk to them like you talk to a new friend. you will crack the interview for sure.

Reply if you need more help, not for my answers please, be prepared with your own answers based on your petition and try take any friend help on mock interviews it will help to build the confidence for sure. Any help to guide on interview process you can reply here..

Thanks to all...

This forumn was highly helpful in the preparation.

Time to give back to the community

VAC on 2nd Jan 2023 was a smooth process if all the details in DS-160 is correct went in by 3:00pm came out by 3:30pm

Visa interview on 3rd jan 2023

Reached the consulate by 10:30am paid the fraud deduction fee in DD and was asked to wait in the line for the interview

Questions asked
Me: good morning and wish you a happy new year officer
VO : You are working for XYZ company?
Me : yes
VO : Whats your Job title in US?
me : answered
VO : whats your salary in US?
ME : Answered (above 100k)
VO : why cant a us person cannot do this work ?
Me : Answered
VO To my wife : are you working?
Wife : yes
Vo : which company?
Wife : answered
VO : Do you have a H1b visa?
Wife : No this is my first us visa application
VO : do you work for a client or inhouse?
Wife : Answered

VO to me place your right hands for scanning
Vo to my wife place your right hand for scanning

VO : Am approving your Visa and handed the green slip

The entire interview itself took only 3-5mins

We left the consulate by 12:00pm

My take away is be confident and answer truthfully

listen to the VO questions carefully before answering

Received the visa on Jan 6 visa premium delievery services

All the best

I am so thankful for this forum for all the help and information on the interview. It helped me greatly to prepare not just for the questions but also mentally. Now is my turn to give back to the community and so, here is my experience with the visa process.

Logistics – We stayed at The Park which is diagonally opposite to the embassy and about 1.5 km away from the OFC. Let me tell you this, the hotel is subpar and perhaps gets people only because of the embassy.

Nov 29, 2022 at 8AM - OFC
We reached about 7:30 AM and were let inside. There were a number of people standing outside who had appointments in the afternoon (people have way too much time!) Just reach out to the guard and he'll let you in. The process was pretty smooth, although long. It took about 30-35 mins but that would've been much shorter given the start of the day wasn't delayed. We waited for about 20 minutes in the first queue and then another 10 mins in the 2nd queue. A lady checked DS160, appointment confirmation and passport details. Stuck a sticker on the back of the passport which had details of the DS160 and appointment. The actual biometrics process took only about 5 mins. DS160 was stamped post-taking biometrics.
 
Nov 30, 2022 at 10AM - Interview
We reached at the Embassy by 9:15AM. There were, again, a lot of people again with interviews later in the day. We reached out to one of the embassy people there and they let us go to the 1st queue. In between a guard asked if we have any electronics (mobiles, watches, tablets etc. - you aren’t allowed to take anything and there isn't a place to keep as well). Took about 15 mins in 1st queue where the embassy guy checked for the passport, stamped DS160, and yesterday’s sticker on the back of the passport.

We, now, stood for more than half our in the second queue before we were let in the embassy. Meanwhile, it was post 10AM. Inside the embassy, a guy will help with organizing the documents i.e., 2 copies of I-129, I-797, passports and DD (Fraud Detection Fee of $500 – we chose DD as that’s the quickest – Embassy’s website states the exchange rate and I suggest everyone to take DD rather than cash/card).

Then, we moved to the second building of the embassy. There is going to be a big queue which is for F1 visas, but if you tell the people there that you are for an L1 blanket, they make you jump the queues. I submitted the DD (took less than 5 mins to do that) and my husband was asked to stay behind. Post getting the receipt, I stood in the L1 interview queue and in 2 mins was asked to go to the interview window wherein I stood second to the person being interviewed. I called my husband to stand there with me.

My husband and I stood behind the interview window and the interview lady was noticing us and our body language while she interviewed the guy ahead of us. I could hear her as she cross-questioned him to clarify her understanding – he did get his visa approved. Then came our chance for the interview. This went as follows:

Me: Hello! Good Morning
VO: Good Morning! Your visa category is L1A or L1B
Me: L1B for me and L2 for my husband
VO to my husband: What’s your qualification [my husband and I were bit shocked given she asked him first]
Husband: Answered
VO to my husband: What do you do currently?
Husband: Answered
VO to my husband: You can either now hang out at the back or can go and wait outside.
Husband: I’ll hang out at the back
VO: Your company name is XXX?
Me: Yes
VO: What does it do?
Me: Started explaining and I had gone through only half of the answer and she had stamped my I-129. She then cut me off.
VO: What’s your specialization?
Me: Started explaining and she started typing in the system. She again cut me off even before I had reached to half of my answer.
VO: Seems like a glorious XX job.
Me: Explained why it isn’t a glorious XX job and how my specialization mattered and how only a handful of us are there and can do this.
VO: It seems very interesting what you do. [I was very happy listening to this]
VO: Your designation in the US?
Me: Told
VO: Your salary
Me: Told
VO: Your visa is approved. Safe travels
Me: Thank you! Have a good day
VO: You too!

This entire conversation was only about 3-4 mins max. She handed me the green slip and my husband and I left very happy.

Let me tell you this, it DOES MATTER the way you are dressed and the way you carry yourself. They can see you from head to toe (including shoes) when you are standing 2nd for the interview – My husband and I had formal pants and a shirt with formal shoes (he didn’t wear any suit etc – we thought that would be too much).

I could see that she was already pretty sold on my application given that she didn’t even know what my company did and this perhaps goes to the fact that we dressed up properly and carried ourselves with confidence. Although, there were several others who were dressed shabbily or maybe not as uptight and got the visa.

I Lastly, I did see many rejections (one super pissed-off guy) but don’t let that hassle you as your application is unique and you should know what it entails. Be honest and confident in your answers.

Best of luck!

My L1B Visa was got approved on 30-Nov-2022. Biometrics was scheduled on 28-Nov-2022. No matter what preparation we do at the last moment its our confidence and convincing counselor office is the key for your visa approvals. This portal is best to see the previous experience, I assumed it will be the same with my case too. But counselor officer dragged the interview for 45mins to make sure all the information and answers are correct.

Logistics- Stayed in ibis hotel, which is good for bachelors but not for family and near to consulate and walkable and good thing is it is near to metro Station as well (Thousand lights Stop) on blue line rout. They do have shuttle to US consulate. The Lunch and Dinner Buffets are expensive and ordered the food from Swiggy.

To feel the Chennai utilize the Metro and local buses, though Tamil is difficult language to communicate with local but they can speak english. Uber is expensive.

The questions that were asked to me are mentioned below

1. Company name
2. How long its been working with this organization.
3. Designation (US and India)
4. Job duties
5. Specialized Knowledge
6. Location in US
7. Annual Salary in US and India (in terms of Dollars)
8. Client that you will be working for
9. How long your working with client
10. Client Letter
11. Will you be working with Client place or parent office
12. Products of the Client
13. Details of the projects current project
14. Why do you have to travel to US why can’t this work can be done in India
15. Previous travel details (Month and year to be precise) -
16. Asked about LCA Letter if any
17. About Marriage

Good luck

The overall process is smooth if you are prepared well in terms of your documentation ! Chennai is the only centre in India to provide this type of visa.
Book flights and hotel in advance - Google is your best buddy here, choose whatever suits you best.

Day 1: Biometrics - Docs needed: Appointment Letter, Passport and DS160 confirmation. If you have kids take photos of them from the shop at the ground floor.
Day 2: We reached the Consulate 15 minutes prior to the appointment and were let in pretty quickly as we had an Infant with us too. You start with the security check (Mobiles, smart watches are not allowed, best to leave them at the hotel). After security check > You will be directed to a team that will arrange your docs > Order of docs : I129 - I797 - Passport of main applicant followed by dependents. Then you move in line to pay the fraud fees > $500 (Best to carry credit card as exchange rates can fluctuate and DD may not be best for this). You can see others being interviewed while you wait to pay the fraud fees.

Now I was in line for the interview, I called my wife along with my son and we stood in line.

VO: Good Morning
ME: Good Morning Officer, How are you doing.
VO: I am Good, How are you?
ME: Excited to be here
VO: Good to know someone is excited
VO: So we are applying for an L1A
ME: Yes
VO: Could you tell me what your company does
ME: Gave a couple of lines about the org in the simplest manner without any jargons.
VO: Thats great, What will be your designation in the US
ME: Same as in India - Senior Manager (This is where the VO was already preparing my docs for stamping)
VO: What will be your salary in the US
ME: XXXK + Bonus + Stock Options ( VO stamped the I129 here and moved our passports to the box next to them)
VO: Any direct reportees ?
ME: I am a functional manager and manage multiple folks from different teams but do not have direct reports
VO: How many people in the cross functional teams
ME: Depends on the projects however If I were to put a number to it - around 20 on any given day
VO: Makes sense, Please place your right hand fingers on the scanner. Looks at my wife : Could you please step forward
Wife: Good Morning Officer, How are you doing today
VO: Good, What do you study
Wife: Bachelor in Computer Science
VO: Are you working currently
Wife: Yes
VO: Please place your left hand 4 fingers on the scanner
VO: Addressing me - We are approving your visa at this time and you will receive your passports within a week. Please carry the greenslip with you when you arrive at the US port and make sure its secured as this is your only copy.
We: Thank you Officer, You have a great day ahead
VO: Smiling, You too.

If you are what you say you are - Just be your self and there is nothing to worry about
Plan your next day, be it biometrics or consulate visit - Prepare docs, Credit card before hand. If you have everything thats needed, that inturn will boost your confidence for sure and will avoid last minute hassle.

Wish you best of luck with your preparation and consulate interviews.

Thanks to the forum for such a great information is being shared here – I am sure every L1 applicant wouldn’t have missed this site!.
I was in US between 2008-2012 on L1B Blanket and in year 2017 my L1B Blanket refused by stating “narrow approval range thus cant be approved”

I always having in my mind how this will effect my L1A case although every visa application is separate case altogether.

My company filed L1A individual on Sep 2021 in normal mode and got RFE in May 2022 (asking for more information on my managerial duties, it was certainly was on the cards because in initial petition wasn’t supported any managerial related documents(my law firm started doing now at the initial petition itself!, may be learning for them, glad that I got RFE instead of rejection!!)) and responded to RFE in June 2022 and finally approval came in Aug 1st 2022.

Searching for consular appointments were nightmare, was able to reschedule to Nov4th during October bulk slots release.

I do not want to get into VAC and other process, there is NO change to that process and called out by many applicants here already.

My Interview went like this:

VO: Good morning

ME: Good morning sir, how are you doing?
VO: doing great thank you.

VO: So, you were in US on L1B and your L1B refused with current petitioner?
Me: Yes sir, L1B was with same petitioner.

VO: Who is your petitioner?
Me: XXXXX

VO: You were in US with YYYY Petitioner?
Me: Yes sir, it was YYYY

VO: Where are you going in US?
Me: AAA, BBB state

VO: what is you annual salary?
Me: XXK+ other benefits (got nervous here as I am sure its not par like 100K but close)

VO: what will your designation in US like Program Manager or Senior Manager?
Me: No Sir, its just Manager

VO: How long you are with XXXX?
Me: 7 years 7 months

VO: as manager experience?
Me: 2 years 2 months

VO: what will be your team size in US?
Me: 15 (7 direct and 8 indirect)

VO: your VISA is approved sir, have a safe trip
Me: thank you sir, have a good day

VO didn’t ask i797 either, he took only passport. So, I kind of felt that L1A individual cases are sure shot as now a days L1A blankets itself getting maximum approvals (not sure how long this continues, may be COVID effect?)

Finally 14 months wait is over with positive results.

Here’s my case:

* In the US on L1-B (through XYZ Company) between Mar-2011 & Feb-2012
* In the US on L1-B (through the same XYZ Company) between Mar-2015 & May-2016
* Went to the US (through the same XYZ Company) on L1-A (Visa Expiry Date: Jan 10th, 2020) in Feb-2018
* L1-A extension filed in May-2019
* GC Filed (by the same XYZ Company) in Sep-2019 in EB-1 category (Priority Date: 09/16/2019)
* L1-A extension Denied on Jan 7th, 2020
* Came back to home country on Jan 16th, 2020 and started working for the same XYZ Company
* I-140 (For the GC Filed in Sep-2019 in EB-1 category) Approved on Feb 15th, 2020
* Currently, working from my home country for the same XYZ Company

Questions I have about my case:
1. Can my I-485 be filed while I’m in my home country ?
2. If I get my H1-B from a different employer, can my I-140 be ported/transferred from XYZ Company to the H1-B employer?
3. If I leave the XYZ Company, what happens to the Approved I-140?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

First of all thanks to the forum and valuable inputs from group.

I attended my L1-B Renewal Consulate Interview in Chennai this week.

Please come prepared and save your time and energy in the hot weather.

1. 2 Sets of 129s and i797 first page which has WAC* number
2. Passport
3. DS160
4. Appointment confirmation

Keep all your G28, supporting documents in separate folder.

You can pay fraud fee $500 in INR, USD, DD, Credit/Debit Card at the counter (USD exchange rate is INR 84)

Me - Good Morning, how are you?
VAC - Good, which visa category are you applying? L1A or L1B
Me - L1B
VAC - What does your company do?
Me - Answered the generic product line we sell
VAC - What is your specialization?
Me - Answered my specific skills
VAC - What is your total experience?
Me - 10 in the company and 15 overall
VAC - I am approving your visa and please take the signed form 129s with you. you will receive the passport in a week.
Me - Thank you, have a good day.

I have seen B1, L1, and F1 rejections. Key things to consider: Be confident when answering, understand the logicality of questions and your answers, be prepared.

Best of luck.