H1 Visa Experience Chennai Consulate

Visa Stamping

I have my interview scheduled for the 22nd Aug and I am leaving for India next week. I only have photocopies of I129 and LCA. Will they suffice or is it absolultely essential to take "attorney certified" copies?

Hi,

---- You have to carry your original I-797 (H1B approval notice) alongwith you to the interview and not I-129 which is only an application for H1B approval (although it is good to have it handy).

What do you mean by "Attorney Certified copies"? Would you mind clarifying

Subramanya
 
Re: Attorney certified copies

In this forum as well as if you do a google search, you can find mention of submitting "attorney certified" copies of documents. It means getting the photocopies of I129 and LCA certified by your attorney (the one who processed your H1b visa). The attorney signs and certifies that he has verified that the photocopies are true copies of the original and gives his contact info and license number.
 
Visa Documents

In this forum as well as if you do a google search, you can find mention of submitting "attorney certified" copies of documents. It means getting the photocopies of I129 and LCA certified by your attorney (the one who processed your H1b visa). The attorney signs and certifies that he has verified that the photocopies are true copies of the original and gives his contact info and license number

Hi,

OK, let's bring back the topic. Your query was Do you need "attorney certified" copies of documents.

---- In one word it NO.
Normally a copy of the I-129 and LCA are sufficient to be shown to the VO if they ask. As such the !-797 approval notice would have been issued based on these applications.
The Counsel/HR person from the sponsoring company and/or the lawyer would have signed these forms and submitted. Further, if the documents have to be "attorney certified" it will duplicate all your efforts. The benefit of all this is only your satisfaction.
As per my knowledge I have not found on any website that "attorney certified" copies of documents have to be submitted for H1 visa stamping

Hope I clarified your query. Further info, the forum is open

Subramanya
 
Re: Successful stamping on Aug22nd

Hi All,

Had an appointment yday for self, wife and daughter. The information and help that I received from others in this forum was very helpful. I wanted to share my experience and hope that it might be of some use to someone.

Carried the following documents:
I-797A originals
I-129 and LCA
Payslips for all years worked in USA
W2s and 1040 tax returns for all years worked in USA
Work experience letter from previous employer
Letter from current employer mentioning my position, salary and responsibilties
Degree certificates and transcripts.
Marriage certificate, birth certificate for daughter and Marriage photo album.
DS-156 and DS-157 printed out, signed with photo attached.
Appointment Letter
HDFC receipt (yellow copy).
Passports.
Previous H1B I797.

My appointment was @ 13:15. Reached there @ 12:15 (Even though the guidance letter says dont reach more than 15 minutes in advance, I recommend that you reach there atleast 60-90 minutes before). There were some 20 people ahead of me in the queue. Was allowed inside @ 12:30. The guard outside checked our passports and appointment letters. Inside the security guards patted us down and checked our plastic bags containing documents. Our marriage photo album was xrayed. We then entered a "pre-screening" area. We were asked to wait. Please remember to leave your cellphones at home.

Around 1:45 (yes, 30 minutes after our scheduled appointment time), we were allowed to stand in one of the queues for pre-screening. During pre-screening, preliminary checks are made and relevant documents are collected and arranged in a folder. This is done for you by the person at the counter.
It helps if you organize your documents in the following manner ( I did not and wasted a lot of time at the counter searching in my bag):
1. All your appointment letters stapled together.
2. Your original I-797s' (for some reason, the person at the counter insisted on getting the top portion (which is really the employer copy) plus the bottom right hand side portion. Luckily I was carrying the top portion also. I thought the bottom right hand side sufficed) and I-129 and LCA stapled together.
3.Passports (if you have multiple passports and an older passport has the earlier visa stamp, you need to submit the older passport too. Otherwise the old passport is not needed. If you are submitting multiple passports staple the last pages of the passport together).
4. Your application forms (DS-156 and DS-157). Staple them together. Make sure of the following:
All columns are filled out. You have signed the DS-156. You have written your fullname in DS-157 in your native language. Also make sure that you enter your Indian address (unless the instructions specifically ask for US contact address) in DS-156 (I entered my US Address and the person at the counter made me step aside and correct this).
5. Your marriage certificate and birth certificate for your kids.
6. Yellow copy of HDFC receipts.
After prescreening you get a folder with the above documents together with a orangish-brown cover sheet, mentioning your case# and your appointment time marked on it.

After prescreening,we once again were asked to wait. After 15 minutes, we were asked to get into another queue to enter the visa interview room. People with small children get some special consideration. I saw a number of people with small children, being allowed to jump the que and proceed inside without waiting. In the visa interview room, we proceeded straight away for fingerprinting. After waiting again for about 30 minutes,we were asked to stand in a que for interview. The interview proceeded as follows:
1. Wished "Good afternoon" and received a return greeting. Handed over the folder with my documents.
2. The lady commented about the number of passports per person ( I had 2, my wife had 3 and daughter 2. The multiple passports were on account of expired/name changes etc).
3. Asked me if studied in the US. Replied yes.
4. Worked for a consulting company (previous experience). Yes. Asked me how long. Replied 4 years.
5. Mentioned my current employer and asked me how long have I been working for them. Replied 1 year.
6. Asked me what I do. Replied briefly.
7. Asked me for my payslips and tax documents. Showed her 2006 payslips and W-2s for the years 2001-2005. She went through the W2s and cursorily glanced through the payslips.
8. Asked me where I live in the US. Replied.
9. Told me that my application was approved and asked me to proceed to the counter for submitting DDs'. Wished me a safe trip back to the US. Told me that my passports would be couriered to me within 3/4 days. Thanked her. Received all my documents back except for the following:
a) Passports.
b) DS-156 and DS-157
c) Appointment letter
d) HDFC receipt
10. Proceeded to the cashier counter. Please remember to mark your fullname and passport# on the back of all your DDs'. Some people had forgotten to do so and they did not remember their passport#s' and had some difficulty finding it.

Plan to avail the "rush service" (you can check the status on VFS website or send an sms to check status, and then collect your passports in person from VFS) for collecting my passport.
 
gcPosthumously, great post! thanks a lot. I am going for my H1B renewal. My son was born in US and is a US citizen, do I have to take him for the VISA interview? I did not take an appointment for him thinking that he does not need one.
 
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Mohit
mohitfl@hotmail.com
 
Successful visa stamping @ chennai

Hi, I had interview on Aug 24 and got visa stamped @ chennai :)

Carried docs,
0) Passport, HDFC receipt (Yellow and pink with barcode) pp photographs
1) I-797
2) Copy of I-129 and LCA
3) W-2s
4) Tax transcripts (Optional)
5) Payslips
6) Educational certificates and transcripts
7) Experience letters
8) Employment verification letter
9) Complete set of docs used for H1 extension (optional)

10) Also carried one copy of all the above docs (optional)

Only 2 questions asked,
1) Are you returning back to work in US - Yes
2) For which company
Then she asked for the payslips and said that your case is approved
and told to pay the fees.

I got back the pp on aug 31(one week) through rush service from VFS .
 
221 G - Urgent Help- Please

Friends
I have attended H1 Visa interview today at chennai consulate. But i have got 221G. I have studied MS in US. i dont ve the original degree.But i showed them the course completion certificate since the convocation is in Feb 2007.
Now they were asking me to get the original degree.
What to do? Has anyone ever in this situation before.
PLEASE give me your valuble inputs.
Thank You very much
 
Re: Original degree

Hi Maruti_009

You should be able to collect the degree certificate without waiting for the convocation. If you can, auithorize someone (your friends/relatives) or even ask the university to courier the degree certificate to your Indian address.
 
Re: Appointment not needed for US Citizen

Sorry for the late reply. An appointment is not needed for US citizen. I left my son at home when I went for the interview.
 
Question on Supporting documents

As per New Delhi embassy link http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/nivhlovisas.html, the supporting documents include

Original Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
Original Labor Condition Application (LCA). Applicable to H-1 applicants only

But i doubt if we can get "Original" I-129 or LCA. I did get copies from my company. Is that a problem or shall I ask for Originals?

Please help.
 
rush service

can anyone explain me in detail how to use the rush service?
your valuable inputs would be very much appreciated.
 
Re: Rush service

ssselpaso,

Normally, your passport will be returned by courier 3-4 days after your interview date. But via the rush service, you can collect it in person from the VFS office in Cenotaph Road, Teynampet.

After your interview, please visit the vfs site daily and check the status. The site will inform you whether your passport can be picked up in person from the VFS office. You must go the office between 4 to 5 in the evening to pick up the passport. If you are picking up passports for self and family, please take your family also alongwith you or they may ask for authorization letters from your family members to pick up the passports.

You must take copies of your HDFC receipt and your appointment letter (?) to the vFS office.

HTH,

Regards


ssselpaso said:
can anyone explain me in detail how to use the rush service?
your valuable inputs would be very much appreciated.
Click to expand...
 
try to get them certified by your attorney (if possible).

js07 said:
As per New Delhi embassy link http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/nivhlovisas.html, the supporting documents include

Original Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
Original Labor Condition Application (LCA). Applicable to H-1 applicants only

But i doubt if we can get "Original" I-129 or LCA. I did get copies from my company. Is that a problem or shall I ask for Originals?

Please help.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

Do they take time to issue the visa. I thought you can collect the passport on the same day of the interview. Anything changed in the process? Please shed some light. thank you

labor_dec02 said:
Hi, I had interview on Aug 24 and got visa stamped @ chennai :)

Carried docs,
0) Passport, HDFC receipt (Yellow and pink with barcode) pp photographs
1) I-797
2) Copy of I-129 and LCA
3) W-2s
4) Tax transcripts (Optional)
5) Payslips
6) Educational certificates and transcripts
7) Experience letters
8) Employment verification letter
9) Complete set of docs used for H1 extension (optional)

10) Also carried one copy of all the above docs (optional)

Only 2 questions asked,
1) Are you returning back to work in US - Yes
2) For which company
Then she asked for the payslips and said that your case is approved
and told to pay the fees.

I got back the pp on aug 31(one week) through rush service from VFS .
Click to expand...
 
passport should be back in 3 business days

per their website and also per the experience of most of the known cases you should receive the pp in 3 business days. For some cases they do take a few days more to send it back to VFS(courier), I don't know what the criteria is for taking longer than usual time. It is always better to call VFS to check whether they have received your passport back from the consulate, before you go their to collect ur Passport.

saro28 said:
Hi,

Do they take time to issue the visa. I thought you can collect the passport on the same day of the interview. Anything changed in the process? Please shed some light. thank you
Click to expand...
 
hi gc posth

thank you for your response regarding rush service.
I have another question ...do I need to mention about...like I want to use the rush service even while booking the appointment?
 
Re: rush service

No need. But if you dont pick up the passport on the day it reaches the vfs center, they will courier it.

ssselpaso said:
thank you for your response regarding rush service.
I have another question ...do I need to mention about...like I want to use the rush service even while booking the appointment?
Click to expand...
 
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