H1B visa approved in Chennai consulate on Nov 14, 2012

[luck2u]

Hope this post is too long but I want to share my experience to this forum as I am learning many new things about immigration thru this forum.

OFC is @ Hyderabad location on Nov 11, 2012 @ 4:00 pm. As everyone informed in this forum, it's just 2 mins work. I reached OFC by 3:15 pm, but the staff had informed to wait till 3:30 pm to form a line for those who had appointment @ 4:00 pm.

So, joined in line @ 3:30 pm. There are two persons checking our Appointment confirmation, DS 160 & Passport to make sure we are the right one's had appointment. Then entered into the room where security check will be held. After security check there is a person who will update in their systems by entering our information that we attended the scheduled OFC appointment with attaching a sticker on back of the passport which shows our DS 160 confirmation # with some bar code. Then entered into main room where there are many counters. It's completely empty and hence the security asked me to directly goto particular counter. There handed over DS 160 Confirmation page, Appointment Confirmation & Passport. The person in counter first took photograph and then ten finger prints. I got all the three which I gave in the counter & I was asked to move to another counter where they will stamp the Date & OFC location attended on DS 160 confirmation page which tells that we attended OFC.

Then came out of the building. The whole process right from entering to the building till coming out took hardly 6 minutes. I have seen many parents for their OFC's and seen 3 guyz for H1B.

Visa interview is @ Chennai on Nov 14, 7:30 am.

Reached consulate by 6:30 am, I was surprise to see there 15 persons by the time I reached the consulate @ 6:30 am. Joined the queue. We were allowed into security area around 7:10 am. After security, we're asked to wait for verifying our appointment in system. Here I gave passport, appointment confirmation & DS 160 confirmation in the counter. In return I got passport & DS 160 confirmation tied together.

After that moved to another counter where american is in that counter who verifies finger prints of right hand 4 fingers. Then moved to actual interview building and were asked to wait. At 7:40 am only one counter was opened and observed all visas were getting approved by that VO. Most of the applicants in that counter were H1's & few are visitor visa applicants. After 15 mins 2 more counters were opened. I was asked to join in a queue where I'm second applicant in that counter.

VO whom I faced is young man and he wished everyone "Happy Diwali" when we entered into counter area.

VO & Me: Exchanged greetings & passed on passport, DS 160 confirmation which are tied in very first counter after security check.

VO: Who is your employer?

Me: Answered employer name.

VO: Have you been in US prior on H1B?

Me: Yes (meanwhile VO checked my expired visa in passport & asked your earlier employer is X?)

VO: For which client are you going to work now?

Me: Answered client name & city.

VO: In which client have you worked with employer X?

Me: Answered client name.

VO: What is your highest educational qualification?

Me: Answered.

VO: Your visa is approved. You will get sms in a week when your passport is ready.

Me: Thanks & I wished him advance happy thanks giving.

Here employer X is one of the top Indian outsourcing company whom I worked in USA. So, VO tried to know the client name.

Overall what I observed is almost everyone is getting visa in my observation for around 15 mins in three different counters irrespective of the visa status. There are more H1Bs and few F1 & Visitor visa applicants. And the questions asked by VO are pretty simple i.e., like asked who is your employer and highest educational qualification for many H1B applicants.