H-1B stamping experience at Bombay?

R

riyer

Registered Users (C)
Please hurry... Need Help. Any recent experiences with the Bombay consulate for H-1B stamping? Can someone list the documents required for the stamping? Any specific and peculiar expereinces/ questions that I need to know? A complete narration of the experience would be appreciated. thanks much in advance.


Matter is urgent.
 
No personal exp but someone close I know....

Thingsa re really bad guys my advise is if you are planning to go to India especially for an H-1b visa stamping think twice. All Consulates and US Embassy in New Delhi are very strick issuing visas. A friend of mine went to India after working 3 years here in US. Now he had additional 3 years extension and all the documents in hand. He wentt o India to get married and bring his wife along on h4. After marriage he and his wife went at Channi consulates to apply h1 and h4 visa. Visa officer took his application and ask him to appear after 5 weeks. He was surprized why he has to come at first place and second why after 5 weeks. After 5 weeks he went and was told that he could not satisfy the officer and his employer in US is not finacially strong to pay his salary. His qualification is no more consider a "speciality occupataion" In simple term his and his wife visa was refused. My friend is very upset he moved in brand new apartment and bought new car and home decore before left for india. He was so confident that he worked here and h-1b is approved for next 3 years he will get the visa. I feel bad please advise if you have any suggestion. Lately US is adopting double policy but consulatesa re not issuing any business, tourist or students visas anymore............
 
Re: No personal exp but someone close I know....

Originally posted by liftkarade
Thingsa re really bad guys my advise is if you are planning to go to India especially for an H-1b visa stamping think twice. All Consulates and US Embassy in New Delhi are very strick issuing visas. A friend of mine went to India after working 3 years here in US. Now he had additional 3 years extension and all the documents in hand. He wentt o India to get married and bring his wife along on h4. After marriage he and his wife went at Channi consulates to apply h1 and h4 visa. Visa officer took his application and ask him to appear after 5 weeks. He was surprized why he has to come at first place and second why after 5 weeks. After 5 weeks he went and was told that he could not satisfy the officer and his employer in US is not finacially strong to pay his salary. His qualification is no more consider a "speciality occupataion" In simple term his and his wife visa was refused. My friend is very upset he moved in brand new apartment and bought new car and home decore before left for india. He was so confident that he worked here and h-1b is approved for next 3 years he will get the visa. I feel bad please advise if you have any suggestion. Lately US is adopting double policy but consulatesa re not issuing any business, tourist or students visas anymore............
Click to expand...

US consulates can and are checking employer's backgrounds. If your employer is a genuine business and has been around for a few years, you should not have any problem getting a visa in Bombay. If your employer is a 1 man fly-by-night bodyshop operating out of his apartment, you will most likely be refused.

For the visa interview you will need

Filled out forms (DS-156, DS-157 if applicable)
Passport
ORIGINAL H1 approval (I-797 approval notice)
All your ORIGINAL education records
Letters of employment from previous empoyers
Letter from your current employer describing your job responsibilities
Your pay stubs of last 3 months
Fee drafts
Carry 2 copies of all these documents.
 
Re: Re: No personal exp but someone close I know....

Originally posted by nkm-oct23
US consulates can and are checking employer's backgrounds. If your employer is a genuine business and has been around for a few years, you should not have any problem getting a visa in Bombay. If your employer is a 1 man fly-by-night bodyshop operating out of his apartment, you will most likely be refused.

For the visa interview you will need

Filled out forms (DS-156, DS-157 if applicable)
Passport
ORIGINAL H1 approval (I-797 approval notice)
All your ORIGINAL education records
Letters of employment from previous empoyers
Letter from your current employer describing your job responsibilities
Your pay stubs of last 3 months
Fee drafts
Carry 2 copies of all these documents.
Click to expand...

Hi nkm-Oct23, riyer
I am planning to go to Bombay for H1B stamping for my new passport (old was stolen), I am in US for last 3.5 yrs out of which 2.5yrs on H1. After looking into all the post for stamping in India, I am scared and want to know if anyone has any experience in H1B stamping at Bombay?
Also riyer when are you planning to go for stamping at US COnsulate Bombay.
 
Good Experience in Mumbai but lot stricter than before

10 days ago I was in mumbai to get visa stamped.
This was my 3rd stamping and in general things seemed better this time with that blue dart pick up in place.
I qualified for that drop box etc but they didnt give me stamp instead asked me to come for personal interview.
(letter says come in AT 10.30 but it means TILL 10.30.
so go there @ 8.30 or 9 just like you would.

I went in there and noticed that there were lot more rejections this time than ever before.

I got my stamp and i am back but i will suggest you get it done while in US.

Apart from H4 and tourist, I Am not sure that all those who got rejected were applying for H1. They could be B or L visa.

either way, i saw rejections in all cases and was shocked to realize what kind of risk i had taken this time.

Interview too was lot more detailed this time than the 1st time.
with jobless claims rising and possibly they found some fraud documents cases or something but INS seems skeptical.
Also, things are bad in mumbai but they are lot worse in other places. In my opinion, madras is the 'scariest' place to get visa stamped these days.
So if anyone of you going there, you should REALLY REALLY consider getting stamp here.

BTW, i posted this query earlier today,
When we file for H! renewal, how long does it take to get a receipt? in past all that was done within a week but this new employer lawyer says,
it takes 2-3 months to get a receipt( not the H1 visa, just the receipt).
Sounds silly and i hope it is because i dont have much time left on current H1.
 
Thanks for sharing the info, I'm going to India 02/25/03 for visa stamp. Few questions and would really appreciate detailed answer as it would also help others

For dropbox what all documents you attached, I'm listing the normal ones, but did you add anything else. Also how long it took for you to hear from consulate after you dropped your documents.

- Passport
- Original H1 approval (I-797 approval notice)
- Degree certificate
- Letters from employers
- Pay stubs for last 3 months
- Fee drafts
- Bank statement
- W2 form

Can you share the questions they asked for interview, would help to be prepared. Did they ask for any documents?

BTW I have never got visa stamped, so am I eligible for drop box? Also from my understanding there is no way I can the visa stamped from US, correct?

Anything else?

Thanks in advance
 
Last edited by a moderator:
H-1B stamping experience at Bombay?

Sorry for delay in reply.

Have a safe trip to india Mehul.

about list of documents,
i think your list is comprehensive.
They asked me for I124 (or I24?). Anyway, i didnt have it and they were fine with it.

One of friends who got married, they asked his wife to submit pictures of his office building.
I had never heard of this. (but then i had never seen some one ask for W2 but they did in case of this friend and it seems you have already included in your list).

As for drop box/courier,
in mumbai, I got call and they sent passport out the day after so everything happens within 5 Biz days.

they asked me to go for an interview,
after interview, officer told me that i was fine and i should collect passport next day afternoon. They do so if you are travelling within 5-7 days after that.
or else, they send it out by courier next day. you will get it day after.

Good luck.

I will try to write again later to addr your other Qs.
 
surprising

i am quite surprised to read this stuff.
when i went to mumbai for stamping last year (in may end), the process was a breeze. drop box and passport was delivered home in 2 days. i don't know what was the rejection/acceptance ratio because i simply had to drop in my app and leave. they hardly asked for any docs, even though i had gotten my life history for the application. in the end they just took the application/emp letter/i-797 and the demand draft. i guess things are pretty bad now. my visa's expiring later this year ($%#@$%) and so i probably need to go through the whole routine again.

anyone know if h1b revalidations can still be done in the US? I am in calif. any help on duration of process/acceptance rate will help in making a decision.

i am very sorry to hear about the guy who got rejected and missed out on the new car/apt. tough times these are!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top