H1B approved @chennai....EC model, earlier rejections

[varv]

Dear all,

After a long wait finally my visa got approved and I am posting to share my experience with my back ground.

I got my first H1 petition valid from Oct,2008 to Sept,2011, I was on F1 and finished MS form US university.

I attended first H1 stamping in Oct-2009 @HYD and didn't approved be's of EVVC model and my non CS degree.

Later I started working for the same client from India with the middle vendor, the model turned into E-V-C. And my vendor applied B1 first time in June-2010 @HYD, it didn't approved be's of an error in DS-160 and re-applied in Sept-2010 @Chennai and this time also B1 not approved be's of VO didn't convinced that I am going for work rather a visit.

So my employer(vendor) agreed to go with the new H1 in premium processing and went for stamping in March-2011 @HYD and it went into admin processing (petition was valid only one yr).

After a long wait in Oct-2011 I got an mail from consulate that its rejected due to the EVC and at the same time the project got over by June-2011 unfortunately my client didn't start the next phase of the project due to the budget and recession hit after June-2011.

After June, 2011 continued to work in India for a different company and started looking for an H1 sponsor and found an employer….since I am cap exempted filed a new H1 in Dec and got approved in premium processing….

I went for stamping on Feb 15 @Chennai consulate…this time I wanted to go to Chennai since earlier stampings I went to Hyderabad had nothing worked well.

The interview was delayed as my token number was not appeared until 11:30 (actual interview time 8:45 AM), I was tensed since my number never appearing on call screen and just waiting and all thoughts going in mind in regard to previous rejections (was thinking like, may be they reviewing my previous cases and might assign me to a senior VO..) and nervous all….

Finally I saw my token number on screen….and went to the window, VO was lean white lady with eye glasses

VO: Hi, how are you

Me: I am fine, thanks

VO: can I get that packet

Me: handed over the pre screened docs at the first counter.

VO: Ok, what is your role

Me: will be working as Sr……

VO: Where it is going to be

Me: city name

VO: what you do currently

Me: mentioned abt my current job in india

VO: is the H1 petitioner and your current company is the same?

Me: no its new job offer from a different company and mentioned the company name

VO: what is your job

Me: Sr…& also mentioned its very same job responsibility that what I am working as in india

VO: do you work for any client

Me: yes

VO: and where they are?

Me: mentioned the city name

VO: whos the client?

Me: mentioned client name

VO: whom do you report ?

Me: project manager from the petitioner

VO: how do you report?

Me: the project manager is on site, available at client location and its daily basis

VO: is there any other company or vendor in bet’n the petitioner and client

Me: no nobody in bet’n

VO: how far is the client place from petitioner?

Me: gave approximate miles provided by my employer earlier, both are in the same city

VO: can I see the letter that your petitioner wrote to USCIS

Me: handed over the letter and she gave a quick glance over the content of this (also showed the letter that my employer wrote to consulate -she mentioned that’s not needed)

VO: whats your salary?

Me: $K

VO: what is the highest level of education you have?

Me: Masters degree and mentioned from the university I graduated

VO: now how does this related to your work.

Me: gave a brief that the major helps to understand the domain knowledge and the system tool that I am going to work is relevant to run such businesses.(she gave look of convinced)

VO: why in your application you mentioned visa revoked and refused (there were two different questions in DS 160)

Me: due my earlier H1 was not approved and other business visa was refused and I checked through online forums, also during my previous stamping at consulate visa officer mentioned abt it…so checked it YES.

VO: hhmm hmmm….(she was not in line that needed to be mentioned)

VO: She returned all other document by keeping the passport and DS160 confirmation page

Me: got a guess that’s she will be approving visa

VO: all set to be good

VO: I am approving your visa and you will receive your passport in one week

Me: one week

VO: one week by courier

Me: thank you very much

VO: good luck to you in (city name where I am going to work)

Me: thanks

I believe the change what made approval is EC model, even though I had rejections for different visa types of multiple…its an approval this time. Here is some of questions which I got put together while preparing apart from general questions can help you …(since there is no middle vendor in my case those related questions are not here). Pls have your answers prompt, no lies, without any pause or murmuring for me it helped …just be frank and clear…don’t try to hide anything

VO: What business does your employer does?

VO: Do your employer visit client place?

VO: Who manages your day to day activities at client place?

VO: Does your project manager available at client site?

VO: How do you communicate to your project manager? Whats the frequency? How many times? And what are the discussions?

VO: How far is your employer/ petitioner from client?

VO: How many employees working with your employer?

VO: Do they have the business presence in other countries? if, what countries?

VO: How many total employees working for this client from employer? And how many on this project specific?

VO: How long is your employer in business with the client? Do you have any reference docs for this?

VO: Does employer/petitioner needs client permission to see you?

VO: Who will take care of your logistics (laptop and other work related equipments)?

VO: Does employer/petitioner has right to install any software, without client interference?

VO: Do you have contract document between your employer and client?

VO: Why you appearing Chennai? earlier Hyderabad?

[florida225]

Congratulations Varv finally u got it with great effort :)

[sp4h1b]

Hi Varv,

congratulations.

Q: what is the consulate mentioned in your I-797 ? can we attend consulate other than the one mentioned in I797 ?

Thanks

[varv]

@sp4h1b

I mentioned Chennai in my I-129 application as I wanted to and the same it will be printed in I-797 by USCIS.

Yes, you can attend consulate other than that mentioned in I-797, but have a suitable answer ready why you attending at a different consulate than what you mentioned in I-129.

[AxialTilt]

WOW! Congrats @varv, have a nice trip

@JoeF and @rajvis16, that's the perfect answer to all the unnecessary things you said here:

http://forum.murthy.com/index.php?/topic/28330-h1b1-refused-earlier-and-f1-chances/page__p__100662#entry100662

[varv]

Hey

northwest.bobby

thanks for pointing out..ya its all just unnecessary.

The fact is people are attending for stamping only because they have a valid petition (fall under EC or EVC or FT) that approved by USCIS...... the problem all about with the consulate stamping an approved petition ...its just horrible with unknown admin reviews.

[sp4h1b]

Thanks Varv

[satyab.2002]

Hi Varv,

congratulations.

Q: what is the consulate mentioned in your I-797 ? can we attend consulate other than the one mentioned in I797 ?

Thanks

Hi

sp4h1b,

Even my petition has Hyderabad Consulate.

Which Consulate did you attended?

[sp4h1b]

Hi H1breject

I have not attended consulate yet.

[satyab.2002]

Hi sp4h1b,

I asked my lawyer, he is asking me to attend in Hyd consulate

[sp4h1b]

Hi H1breject,

As far as i heard you can attend any consulate.

[skotrik]

Huh...That was a great relief..finally got my visa at Chennai

I was in EVC, got 221g at Hyd in Nov '11

Now I am in EC, visa approved at Chennai last week.

[rahamat_234]

@ skotrik :

Congrats for ur visa stamping.

can you please post your visa experience here, i am also in the same boat. My H1 is send back to uscis and now i have filed a new H1 with the prime vendor and will get my H1 approved in a week or so.

Just wanted to know what questions i can expect with a new petition ?

[skotrik]

Not many questions.

Highest level of education ?

In which field ?

employer ?

do you work for a client ?

where are you going to work ?

how does your employer supervise you ?

[rahamat_234]

@ skotrik : thankyou very much.

[rohit666]

Finally got my visa at Chennai

I was in EVC, got 221g at Hyd in Dec 2011

Now I am in EC, visa approved at Chennai this week.

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[itsmylife1980]

Hi Friends,

I have couple of questions and I am in the same like you..

In Jan I attended the interview, got 221g white slip for futher admin ver, in feb got mail from VFS that my case sent back to uscis and refusal letter has been mailed.

But i havent received any refusal letter and neither do my employer. Do we need to know the reason for refusal when applying a new H1?

I see you have a gap of 2-3 months between the 2 visa interviews( one which got rejected and later with new h1 ), were you working any where in India in those period? if visa officer will ask what were you doing since last 2-3 months what would be the best answer?

If i wish to go to chennai and if VO asks why you came here , can i say i wasnt getting visa dates available at Hyd so came here?

Do i need to drop documents at VFS 3 days before visa day at chennai?

sorry 3-4 questions but please reply.... I am trying to apply a new h1 too.