H1 Visa Experience Chennai Consulate

What is PIMS

I am hearing alot about PIMS, Could anyone explain what does it means? Also When you say Check your name in PIMS, what does it means? And how one can check his name?

Thanks,
 
Appointment date with Chennai consulate - Immediate help needed

Hi,

I am working in USA and planning to visit India in June 2008. I have to go to U.S.Consulate for visa stamping. I could not select the date for appointment in June in the USCIS Website. Calender will be show only available date within one month? I need to get my ticket after getting the appointment date. Please let me know asap.

Thanks

akil
 
My wife got H4 visa stamped 0n 28th December from Chennai.

This is 7th year on H1 B
My H1 visa stamp in passport is expired (2003)

I didn't go for stamping

I was concerned based on some postings that they will ask for Husbands valid H1 stamping. It was not a problem


I checked into chennai US consultate website about the documents needed for H4 visa. They listed out all the years W2 and work experience letters of H1. Some of my W2s fall short of LCA figure and i do not want to use them.

Can you share your experiences on H4 visa.

Thanks
 
2 1/2 years of Visa Journey

Applied in March 2006
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Applied thru a consulting firm in March 2006. Waited until November to get the Approval Notice. Gave 3500 USD to the consulting firm to process the visa based on returning the money minus the lawyer fee and the firm fee.

RFE in Nov 2006
---------------
Got an RFE. Sent more docs in 2006

Got the approval Notice in March 2007

Went to Chennai Consulate in Nov 2007 due to interview date availability with the VISA fees.

Had a satisfying interview

But Chennai sent the approval notice back to USCIS for review

Got the re-approved notice from USCIS in Feb 2008 and asked me to drop box the passport and other papers with current project details from the employer. Employer took some time to prepare the project details as it needed detailed information.

Did the drop box in beginning of May 2008

Got a 221g (AAP - admin processing) the passport to my old address in chennai (though i had given the new address in the DS - 156 form with updated phone numbers).

Went to the drop IFS Global service to enquire the address issue. They said it was sent by Chennai consulate and they said that they submitted all the docs to consulate.

Got the refusal of granting a VISA next days itself stating Employer as the issue (not able or willing to provide employment).

Employer and I have waited from March 2006 - May 2008 to get the refusal status. Employer is shocked and plan to complain USCIS.

Can somebody in the world explain what in the world I have done wrong? Don't you all think that this is just another way of US earning money ?

If Chennai had to refuse so many visas stating various reasons, why they grant the visa in US itself in the first place ?

I am joining the group of sick people having lost all the money and the patience.
 
Applied in March 2006
--------------------
Applied thru a consulting firm in March 2006. Waited until November to get the Approval Notice. Gave 3500 USD to the consulting firm to process the visa based on returning the money minus the lawyer fee and the firm fee.

I know your question is almost a year old, but I figured I'd reply in the hopes it would forewarn other aspirants.

The consulting company is illegally charging you for your visa paperwork. It would appear that the company is a storefront operation, the kind of which get red flagged. Plus, 3500USD is a heck of a lot of money. Anyone should spend a few hundred dollars to talk to a lawyer before they lay out any kind of cash for such things. Besides, if what you want to do is to hire a lawyer, many charge zero fees for the initial consultation.


RFE in Nov 2006
---------------
Got an RFE. Sent more docs in 2006

Got the approval Notice in March 2007

Went to Chennai Consulate in Nov 2007 due to interview date availability with the VISA fees.
I find it hard to believe that you couldn't find one appointment in the interim. Smells shady.

Got the refusal of granting a VISA next days itself stating Employer as the issue (not able or willing to provide employment).
Seems like a shady outfit to me. Likely wouldn't have happened with a reputable employer, plus their in house lawyer would have taken care of it.

If Chennai had to refuse so many visas stating various reasons, why they grant the visa in US itself in the first place ?
I am joining the group of sick people having lost all the money and the patience.

Your frustration is understandable. But they're trying to do their job as well. And fair or not, smaller consulting shops carry a greater presumption of fraud than a large organization such as HP or Microsoft. There is greater scrutiny of applications nowadays due to the prevailing anti H1B sentiment and the recession.
 
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