H1 Visa Experience Chennai Consulate

H1 Visa Stamping - Need advice

I have been reading a lot on these forums and found a lot of valuable information.

I am going to the chennai consulate for H1-B Stamping on January 4'th. I came to US in Fall, 1998 to do my masters. I started working on a H-1 from 2002. I worked for the same company for the past 3 years from Mid January 2002. I haven't gotten my H1-B stamped on my passport since I haven't left the country. I have seen some queries from the Chennai Consulate about Income on W-2 not matching LCA. Our company pays us only after we submit our signed timesheets from our clients so that they can charge the clients.The amount mentioned on my LCA is 55,000$ where as my Tax returns for 2002 came to 45,000$. This happened because my Company moved their location and lost some boxes in the transit which had employees timesheets. I got my 2 months salary for 2002 in 2004 which is really late.The paystubs I got reflect they are for year 2002. For 2003 I submitted my timesheet late to my employer. SO I got paid for Oct, Nov and Dec of 2003 in Feb.2004. The dates are reflected in the paychecks. I have always been working and I have letters(Photocopies) from my client(I worked for the same client between 2001-2004) to prove that I worked. I got paid but I got paid late.Would this be an issue. Can anyone suggest what would be the best reason to give if asked a question about this. My year to date earnings for this year are really high because I got paid for some periods in 2002 and 2003.

Also I dont have a W-2 for 1998 from my school. I couldn't get copies from school and IRS. I was told by my school they dont keep copies this long and haven't heard from IRS yet. Will this be an issue. Thanks for all your help.
 
Sridu75, I don't think you'll have a problem with that, I think... I THINK as long as you have all the W2s that you got while on H1, you should be fine, I don't think you need to give an eloberated explanation of how those W2s got less/more amount on them. Good luck to you.

This is only my opinion, and I'm not an attorney.

sridu75 said:
I have been reading a lot on these forums and found a lot of valuable information.

I am going to the chennai consulate for H1-B Stamping on January 4'th. I came to US in Fall, 1998 to do my masters. I started working on a H-1 from 2002. I worked for the same company for the past 3 years from Mid January 2002. I haven't gotten my H1-B stamped on my passport since I haven't left the country. I have seen some queries from the Chennai Consulate about Income on W-2 not matching LCA. Our company pays us only after we submit our signed timesheets from our clients so that they can charge the clients.The amount mentioned on my LCA is 55,000$ where as my Tax returns for 2002 came to 45,000$. This happened because my Company moved their location and lost some boxes in the transit which had employees timesheets. I got my 2 months salary for 2002 in 2004 which is really late.The paystubs I got reflect they are for year 2002. For 2003 I submitted my timesheet late to my employer. SO I got paid for Oct, Nov and Dec of 2003 in Feb.2004. The dates are reflected in the paychecks. I have always been working and I have letters(Photocopies) from my client(I worked for the same client between 2001-2004) to prove that I worked. I got paid but I got paid late.Would this be an issue. Can anyone suggest what would be the best reason to give if asked a question about this. My year to date earnings for this year are really high because I got paid for some periods in 2002 and 2003.

Also I dont have a W-2 for 1998 from my school. I couldn't get copies from school and IRS. I was told by my school they dont keep copies this long and haven't heard from IRS yet. Will this be an issue. Thanks for all your help.
 
New H1 visa stamping in chennai consulate

Hello,

I came to USA in a L1 visa and changed to H1 visa last year.

I am going to get a first time H1 visa stamping in chennai consulate in a few months. When I was in L1, the company I worked for had some financial trouble and I was not paid for couple of months. My Question is:(1) Will that be a problem when I go for stamping? Under H visa there are no missing paystubs

(2)It specifies in the required document page in the consulate website the following
"If you are currently working in the US on an H1B visa, please submit your pay slips for the current calendar year and your federal tax returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2) for all years in which you were employed in the US"

Does this mean they will see only the tax returns filed when in H visa?

Can anyone clarify this?

Thanks
 
L1 to H1 stamping..I-485

Hello freinds,

I came to USA on L1 and changed to H1. I am now in 3rd H1 (2 times H1 extended) and my GC is under process. I am now in I-485 stage and have EAD and AP also. But i have never got H1 stamped in my passport.Only I have L1 visa stamping. I am visiting india in janaury and I am not getting H1 stamped due to unavailable of dates. I will be using AP (Advance Parole) to enter USA.
So, is it okay to enter on AP without H1 stamping as I have changed status from L1 to H1?? OR shud I get H1 stamped in passport since i changed from L1 to H1??

PLease throw in yor 2 cents on this issue and I appreicate youe help.

Greenbay
 
Hi guys,
Finally after a long wait I was successful in getting my H1 visa approved in Chennai consulate after a 221(g) query. I got all the new docs that were asked in the query. My wife and me had applied for H1 and we both got 221(g) query and now we both got the Visas.

I was interviewed in Java for a while. Though questions were basic but I could somehow answer few correct and few incorrect.

After checking my certificates in the second round the old lady officer asked few questions about my employer and my experience.

After that she asked to me to go and pay the fee.

Once again thanks for the help extended to me by the people in this site.
 
H1-B Interview at Chennai

Hi Prasad,

Your interview was definately arduous based on the info you provided us. Who would think that they will quiz us on Technical Programming languages? I have one interview coming up soon and am keen to know if this is the case for all H1-B interviews even if they are not the 1st time H1-B visas but new H1-B visas (my last H1-b expired in Aug 2003) and have received a new one recently.

Can you shed info on what was the reason for the 221(g) action? Can you also provide us any useful tips for the interview like the type of qtns they asked you on the 1st and 2nd round of Visa interviews ?

Thanks for your inputs.....
 
H4 Visa a chennai Consulate

Hi,

I have been in US for nearly 4 years and want to get married soon. Recently I heard that chennai consulate is looking for the W2's for previous employers. Though I have w2's none of them actually match the LCA. Ofcourse, I filed a case with Dept. of Labor also. Do any one think that this case would be considered and visa will be issued? What are the options I can use for getting this visa.

Thanks in Advance
tsk
 
Required documents for visa revalidation

Hello all:
I made an appointment with the Chennai consulate for January. I'm wondering if there is any checklist (ESPECIALLY list of document to carry) on this website. I've checked the Chennai consulate website but I'm sure they need more documents than they listed there.

I greatly appreciate your help.


Thanks,
VIsa Raider
 
D156 FORM printout & order of documents

Hello everyone,
1)If I download D156 form from website,in what format I should print out it?
Can I use 'flip on long side page' option? i.e the print out will be on both sides.
Or should we use pre-printed form avaialbel in consulate offices.
What is the standard procedure?
2)In what order the documents should be arranged when one goes to consulate?. I don't find that information in US web site.However I found from this forum that it is suggested to have in order before we go.

Thanks very much in advance !!!!
 
H1 Experience at Chennai Consulate

Hi,
Thanks to all of you who had shared their stories in the forum. It was certainly useful.

1.)I had my appointment at the consulate on Dec 9 at 3:15. But I went there at 1:30 as I wanted to get it done with. They let me in and I had to pay the TTS fee and the visa application fee.
2.) After waiting in the line for close to 30 minutes, it was my turn to hand over the documents. I gave the lady at the counter the applications(156 and 157). She asked me for my Tax returns, pay stubs and experience letters one after the other. She also asked for my Original Masters Degree Certificate.
3.) After waiting for about 45 minutes, it was my turn for the interview. The officer just asked me what I have been doing in the US for the past my MS and then was working at Company A and now Compnay B. He asked me if I was on OPT in company A. I said Yes. He then asked me toplace my index finger for finger printing and asked me to go pay the fees.

He hardly looked at my Tax returns although my tax returns were fine.

The bottom line is that if you have all paystubs/tax for the current year you willbe OK. If you had some problem a few years back(meaning no pay for a couple months) it will most likely go under the radar, as they dont really look at the pay stubs.

This was my experience

Thanks
 
Thanks, tamizhan24, for sharing your expereince.

So, do you mean that you have a couple of months gap ? Please let me know for a sign of relief.

Satya
 
Chennai Visa Rejection for Non-IT Degree

Can anyone share an experience where someone has 5-7 yrs of IT work experience + non-IT Bachelors Degree and computer course certificates, an Education Evaluation and has successfully obtained a visa from the chennai consulate.

They are VERY VERY picky about the educational Degree these days.

12 yrs of IT experience is relevant based on the 3 for 1 Rule but I think we can also have an equivalent of a BS in Computer Science, in terms of combination of work experience + Educational evaluation + Educational Computer certificates.

Thanks.
 
Issuance Fee

Hi,

I have my appointment for H1 visa stamping scheduled in feb. I am taking a dd for Rs.4600 for the application fee and the tts fee (Rs.441) can be paid in cash. How about the visa issuance fee of Rs.2300? Can I pay it in cash or should it be a DD also. Appreciate your response.

Thanks.
 
221 g experience

Dance_dude,
The questions that were asked to me were

1. What's your degree
2. If you have non-IT degree then they will ask how many computer courses did u study in your degree
3. Why did u choose the offer of your xxx company in US.
4. where will you work if your company is a consulting firm. Please tell you will work in some in-house project initially.
5. How many years of experience and where all you worked.
6. How did u come accross this company in US.
7. How much is the offer.

I guess these are main questions they would ask to anyone.

Hope this helps
Regards
Shiva Prasad
 
Need Help!!!

Hi,


I have got H1B approval, but in I-129, the job duties and responsibilities include as a tester. But I am a developer and I all my certificates, experience and present (past) job(s) would show only that. Will this be a problem for stamping?

Earliest reply would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
To Satya

Satya,
I did not have gaps in the past 1 year, but had a gap of 1.5 months earlier...As I said since emphasis is on the past 1 year, as long as everything is OK there you will be fine

Tamizhan24
 
VISA Stamp NON-IT Degree

Hello Dance_dude_007,
I had an interview @ Chennai consulate in the last week on Nov. My case is pretty much similar to what you described. My B.S degree is Non-Computers. In the interview, officer did asked me what my undergrad degree was (Mechanical). He questioned on how is it related to Computers, I answered that we had courses in computers as well.
This was my third stamp and second revalidation @ Chennai.
I had submitted all the documents they mentioned on the notice board(w2, pay stubs, certificates, exp letters, current emp supporting letter). As long as you have all the supported docs I think, you are good to go.

Let me know if you need any further information.

HTH,





dance_dude_007 said:
Can anyone share an experience where someone has 5-7 yrs of IT work experience + non-IT Bachelors Degree and computer course certificates, an Education Evaluation and has successfully obtained a visa from the chennai consulate.

They are VERY VERY picky about the educational Degree these days.

12 yrs of IT experience is relevant based on the 3 for 1 Rule but I think we can also have an equivalent of a BS in Computer Science, in terms of combination of work experience + Educational evaluation + Educational Computer certificates.

Thanks.
 
Non IT Degree holders Experience at Chennai !!

That was good news. Can yo ushare how many years of IT experience you had and Did you have any Educational Evaluation Certificates to back up your your Education equivalence ?

Also what was the Degreee Qualification in the I-129 that your employer had filed ? Was it a Master's in Computer or a Bachelors in Computers ???

It would help to know.

Thanks Tons !!
 
Help please

Hi all,

I am currently working in India and recently I got a job offer in US and my US employer has filed the petition for H1B and I am waiting for approval anytime.

Does any of you see any problems for me in getting the stamping done,as I am in India currently ?

I have travelled to the US before couple of times on B1 with the Indian Company.

People who have had similar situation like mine,please help .

Thanks
Sushma
 
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