Prashant Sehgal
Registered Users (C)
Hello everybody,
I was pretty skeptical of going to TT Services to get my own H1 Visa renewed, and on top of that, I was getting married and also needed to apply for my Wife\'s H4 Visa. Since my vacation was limited, and I would have only 1 week left after the weeding, I decided to apply for both the Visas separately. I reached Delhi on the 10th of February (Sunday), and went to apply for my renewal the very next day.
Luckily, these days TT Services isn\'t as crowded as some people had told me it was. First I went to their basement, where they examine your documents. Instead of checking all the documents at once, every time they find a mistake, they will tell you to go and correct it, and then make you stand in line once again. Then finally, they will give you a folder with pockets to arrange all your documents in, and an envelope to write your name and address on. When you\'ve done arranging it, you again get back in the line, they look at it, and give you a token number.
A board above displays the current number in each category (web applicants, general applicants, travel agents, etc.). Once your number comes, you go upstairs, where a guy at the reception again examines (more like scrutinizes) all of your documents. He will then tell you to take a seat, and will call you when your turn comes. You then go to one of the counters where someone will collect all the documents and fees, and print out a receipt for you. You can use the numbers on this receipt to call them up and find the status of your Passport.
All in all, it was a pretty smooth process, and I received my Passport back (along with the Visa stamp) on 15th morning. In case any of you are also planning to go there for your Visa stamping, here are a few tips to help you:
-- Try to take an appointment in advance over their web-site – you can also walk in and apply at any time, but the number of web applicants is much smaller (about one-third), and your token number will be called much before the other this way.
-- If you download the application from the web, make sure you print it back-to-back, an application on 2 different pages is unacceptable (if your printer doesn’t support this kind of printing, you could print it on 2 different pages, and then Xerox one on back of the other one).
-- They are very particular about the picture that accompanies your application – make sure that it is “non-Polaroid”, and taken with a light background (white, light blue or light gray). They are not too choosy about the photograph size – any normal passport sized picture should be okay.
-- Write “N/A” in each and every field in the application where there is no other entry.
-- Write your Passport number, Name, Address and Telephone number on the back of each draft.
-- You will only receive your Passport and the original I-797 back through courier – all other documents will be kept by the Embassy. So, make sure that you include only copies of documents like your degrees and certificates, even though in some cases, the TT Services folders asks you to insert the Originals.
-- Make sure you ask the person at the counter how long it is taking on an average for applications for your type of Visa – mine told me 3-4 days, and I received my Visa on the 4th day.
Also, since this forum doesn’t allow messages beyond a certain length, I am posting details about my Wife’s application below as a reply to this original message.
Hope that helps – Prashant.
I was pretty skeptical of going to TT Services to get my own H1 Visa renewed, and on top of that, I was getting married and also needed to apply for my Wife\'s H4 Visa. Since my vacation was limited, and I would have only 1 week left after the weeding, I decided to apply for both the Visas separately. I reached Delhi on the 10th of February (Sunday), and went to apply for my renewal the very next day.
Luckily, these days TT Services isn\'t as crowded as some people had told me it was. First I went to their basement, where they examine your documents. Instead of checking all the documents at once, every time they find a mistake, they will tell you to go and correct it, and then make you stand in line once again. Then finally, they will give you a folder with pockets to arrange all your documents in, and an envelope to write your name and address on. When you\'ve done arranging it, you again get back in the line, they look at it, and give you a token number.
A board above displays the current number in each category (web applicants, general applicants, travel agents, etc.). Once your number comes, you go upstairs, where a guy at the reception again examines (more like scrutinizes) all of your documents. He will then tell you to take a seat, and will call you when your turn comes. You then go to one of the counters where someone will collect all the documents and fees, and print out a receipt for you. You can use the numbers on this receipt to call them up and find the status of your Passport.
All in all, it was a pretty smooth process, and I received my Passport back (along with the Visa stamp) on 15th morning. In case any of you are also planning to go there for your Visa stamping, here are a few tips to help you:
-- Try to take an appointment in advance over their web-site – you can also walk in and apply at any time, but the number of web applicants is much smaller (about one-third), and your token number will be called much before the other this way.
-- If you download the application from the web, make sure you print it back-to-back, an application on 2 different pages is unacceptable (if your printer doesn’t support this kind of printing, you could print it on 2 different pages, and then Xerox one on back of the other one).
-- They are very particular about the picture that accompanies your application – make sure that it is “non-Polaroid”, and taken with a light background (white, light blue or light gray). They are not too choosy about the photograph size – any normal passport sized picture should be okay.
-- Write “N/A” in each and every field in the application where there is no other entry.
-- Write your Passport number, Name, Address and Telephone number on the back of each draft.
-- You will only receive your Passport and the original I-797 back through courier – all other documents will be kept by the Embassy. So, make sure that you include only copies of documents like your degrees and certificates, even though in some cases, the TT Services folders asks you to insert the Originals.
-- Make sure you ask the person at the counter how long it is taking on an average for applications for your type of Visa – mine told me 3-4 days, and I received my Visa on the 4th day.
Also, since this forum doesn’t allow messages beyond a certain length, I am posting details about my Wife’s application below as a reply to this original message.
Hope that helps – Prashant.
....the basic question would be that what is the intent of the letter that I have to carry?