Visitor Visa interview and help

[Mohansekhar]

Hello All, We are appearing for our Visitor visa interview in US Consulate Chennai in three weeks. I am applying with my wife and my two sons. We are visiting my brother and his family in USA and for tourism for three weeks. 

I used to work in US on H1B visa with my family members holding H4 visas. We returned to India permanently and now we want to visit US temporarily on visitors visa. What are the chances getting visitors visa from US Consulate Chennai (Our H1B and H4 visa was issued in US Consulate Chennai)? Most of the forums which I am reading is showing that visitor visas are mostly denied. 

Also, I want to know do the consular office know if we had H1B/H4 visa issued to us in the past? Our passports expired and the visa stamp is in the older passport. Of course, we have to list the US visit dates in the DS-160 forms but I want to know if the officer do not ask our older passport then they will be able to know if we visited US in the past or not. 

Please help me provide your feedback on this topic. Thank you all!!

[pontevecchio]

Most Visitors visas are approved. Only a small minority are denied for whatever reason. It troubles me that you have to ask about what the consulate knows? It is not relevant to you. Your chances of getting the visa are very good specially if you are visiting during the boys summer vacation. Do not listen to "agents" and be cool. You will get your visa.

[JoeF]

In this age of databases, the consulate of course has access to your whole history of stays in the US. Why is that even a question??? Do you really think the US government doesn't know what databases are???

If you didn't violate the rules, there is no issue.

 

[Mohansekhar]

Thank you JoeF and pontevecchio. We attended our interview at US Consulate Chennai and it was a very smooth experience. Our visitors visas are approved. Visa Officer did not even ask us anything. They just asked me what is our purpose of visit, when I worked in the US and for which company and said that our Visas are approved and will get the passports in 3 days. It was just a 5 minutes interview.

Thanks for your support!!