On Dec 4th 2018. H1B Visa Renewal Stamping; Been along with 2 other friends. Oct 2015, Hyderabad – India Visa expired and have I-797B valid till jun 2020. I agree with you, there are two options that suit my case 1) I am a Non Canadian Citizen residing in the U.S. And want to apply for a visa. 2) I am a Non Canadian Citizen residing in Canada who has completed the U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160) form and want to apply for a visa. Hi @AnilGupta Hope you are doing good and thank you for helping out the immigration community. My H1B approved this year and travelling to India (Hyderabad) in December for visa stamping. I am thinking to fill DS-160 and book time slot now. I am planning to change employer (H1B transfer completion) by mid Nov. Can I change Petitioner name, Receipt no in 1st DS-160 (which has old employer). First Consulate will open the slots after 10 am. Once all of them gets over they will release Slots from 9.45. This way in High demand time Visa Appointments can be at 7.45 am. Facts about US Visa Dates in Hyderabad.
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US consulate in India has made the dropbox appointment mandatory starting Sep 1, 2019. Earlier, you could submit your visa paperwork any day and any time as per your choice.
This article will discuss:Dropbox At VAC Location Based on US Embassy
You have to choose your preferred US embassy to take appointment and then drop your documents to the corresponding drop-off location:
- New Delhi Embassy– drop at New Delhi, Chandigarh, or Jalandhar processing centers.
- Mumbai – drop off at Mumbai, Pune or Ahmedabad processing centers.
- Chennai – drop off at Chennai, Bangalore, or Kochi.
- Hyderabad – Can only drop documents at Hyderabad.
- Kolkata – should drop off documents at Kolkata.
A visa application center (ASC) employee will review the document checklist before accepting the application for delivery to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
The ASC (Application Service Center) is also called OFC location and is also used for taking your fingerprints.
What if I Miss My Scheduled Drop-off Date? If you miss your drop-off date, you are allowed to reschedule. After missing the appointment, your receipt will be marked as “unused” within 24 hours.You will be allowed to select a new drop-off date and print a new drop-off letter once your receipt is marked “unused”.Can I Change my Dropbox Location?You can change the drop-off location by re-scheduling your appointment.Can I Change US Embassy After Dropbox Appointment? You will not be allowed to change your US embassy selection if you have been asked to come for visa interview after dropping your documents.Can I send my Documents by International Courier to India Drop Off?You should be physically present in India to apply for a visa from a U.S. Embassy in India.
You are allowed to schedule your documents drop-off even when you are outside India but would need to be physically present to drop them.
As a matter of fact, your passport is needed to be dropped off too.Can my Friend, Relative or Agent Drop the Documents?Your friend, relative or an agent can drop the documents on your behalf on the date and time of your appointment.
Appointment is mandatory.Is Paper Photo Required for Dropbox in India?Yes, you need to carry a paper based photo which is as per US visa requirements for dropbox.
Dropbox Processing Time 7-10 Days
US embassy has mentioned that you will receive a decision on your case within seven to ten business days of submission.
This should help speed up total processing time for people working in US on H1B and L visa and visiting India for their stamping.
Note that this timeline will not be honored if you are issued form 221g. These are part of administrative processing and there is no fixed timeline especially in case of DS 5535 security checks which are taking 14 days to 8+ months for security clearance.
Dropbox Appointment Dates Not Available?
It is possible that you may not see the available dates for future months as has been reported by many users.
Example, If current month is Dec, then you may only see dropbox availability for Dec only.
If you want an appointment next month, then you should wait till the next month dropbox slots are opened by usaTravelDocs.
Missing Documents on Dropbox Day
The ASC employee will review your application package to make sure you have
submitted all required documents for your visa class. If any documents are missing, you will be asked to provide them that same day.
If you do not provide all the required documentation, you might not qualify for interview waiver and will be asked to schedule interview appointment.
Official US Consulate Notification
You can read the full text of US Consulate Notification for Dropbox appointments:
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Update Dec 7, 2020 – US embassy in India says that interview appointments in Feb and Mar 2021 will be canceled as they have not yet opened for regular visa processing due to the COVID-19 situation.
#1 Only 1 Request for Emergency Appointment Allowed
US embassy in India is only allowing only 1 request for emergency appointment per one visa application fee. Do not use this chance if you are just giving it a try without a real emergency.
#2 Visa application fee validity increased to Dec 2021
The US embassy will allow the extension of visa application till the end of Dec 2021 keeping in view the limited appointment available due to COVID-19. This is more than the normal 1-year validity.
#3 F1 Visa Emergency Criteria
Many people and immigration lawyer Murthy have reported that even though the US embassy officially said to allow emergency appointments when a student’s session start date is less than 60 days from the date of appointment, the reality is that they are rarely allowing anyone with more than 3 weeks time.
#4 H1B, H4 – First time visa appointment after lottery
You are eligible to get an interview appointment only if you have an emergency until Mar 2021 end. This is different than the H1B travel ban.
The travel ban criteria are analyzed only once you have got a visa interview appointment and at the time of your actual interview.
#5 H1B, H4 Dropbox
H1B, H4, L1, L2 can get visa stamp processed if they are eligible for Dropbox even without proving emergency.
Dropbox Appointments are available earlier than Feb/Mar 2021 for all types of visa applications.
#6 B2 Emergency Appointment
You can request and get approval for an emergency appointment only if you have a life and death situation or medical emergencies.
All other types of visitor visa emergency requests are being denied straightaway.
#4 Other Points
- Only emergency visa appointments are available till Feb and March of 2021 for F, M, J, H, and L visas. The regularly scheduled appointments will be canceled unless the COVID-19 situation improves.
- Form 221g applications are being processed but at a slow pace due to a shortage of staff.
Earlier on Oct 20, 2020, the US embassy had clearly advised to not make any travel plans in winter if you will need a US visa stamp to return.
They are expecting long delays and non-availability of interview appointments.
Earliest US Visa Appointment Date Available?
There is no expected regular visa processing reopening date available due to the ever-increasing number of Coronavirus cases in India.
Earlier, on Aug 17, 2020, the US embassy in India had announced reopening with very limited appointments. Appointments were to be made available for the US embassy in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
But, it seems that they have closed again and there is no date available in near future.
This article will discuss:How to Apply Emergency Appointment Request- Experience 1
- Experience 2
How to Apply Emergency Appointment Request
Experience 1
I am sharing this if any of your family member/or yourself who is stuck in India and wants to reunite. This will be helpful for them.
My case is that I got married in the month of February and was unable to travel to the USA because of the COVID.
Finally, after a lot of thought, I decided to Opt for the Emergency appointment at the Mumbai Consulate for getting my visa. Normal visa processing is still shut.
My Case: Newly Married
Applied for: H4 Visa
What is an emergency situation?
They consider family separation as an emergency situation for getting a visa.
My case is a pure example of that and I have seen cases where they have denied also if they don’t find your reason genuine.
My case was from Mumbai and most of the cases of family separation have been considered from (Mumbai and Delhi consulate ). It is important to select the consulate wisely.
Hyderabad Consulates are denying EA based on family separation.
I followed the steps as:
- Select the first available appointment.
- As soon as you schedule your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email from the consulate stating your new scheduled appointment. (In my case I could see the nearest date as Feb 17th, 2021)
- You will notice that there is an additional tab named Emergency request added on the left side of your screen.
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- Once you click on EA, you need 4 things to fill in
- Your tentative date to travel (closest to the present month, I selected 20th August)
- Reason for Emergency – I selected Medical needs, as this caused me and my partner mental stress and anxiety.
- A brief explanation of Emergency. I mentioned details of me getting married recently and this distance causing me mental stress and anxiety. Try writing it crisp, small, and to the point. I did not write anything about the doctor or medical condition.
- Attachments: you can submit up to 5 attachments. (I submitted my husband’s passport, i-797, H1B visa, i94, Marriage certificate)
- H4 visa stamping documents checklist.
- Submit and wait for their decision. I submitted my EA request on the 31st of July and got my EA approved on the 3rd of August. Give them 24-48 hrs to reply back.
- Log back into your profile when your EA is approved And select the closest OFC and consular date.
- NOTE: they take a Biometric and visa interview on the same date even if the OFC date is different, so please go on the date of your consular appointment.
- Schedule the EA appointment.
- Print the appointment confirmation page.
Interview date: 7th August 2020
Time: 8:30 am
Place: Mumbai Consulate
I reached there before time but they started the visa interview late. They asked me to submit for husbands I-797, my photograph 2*2 white background, Ds -160 confirmation page, my passport at the very beginning before the interview.
Questions asked:
- Is this your first time for H4 or a renewal
- Show your marriage certificate and wedding album
- When did you get married
- Where does your husband live
- What company does he work for
- Brief details of spouse work
- What did I do in turkey (I visited there in 2019, so details about that)
- Did I travel anywhere in 2020
- Where do I work here
- How do I plan to quarantine in the US
- Since how long do you know him
- Details about my Work profile
I got my visa approved. These 6 months of being separated from my family have been the worst time of my life, especially after my wedding. I hope that this write-up will help many to reunite with their families during these uncertain times.
My VO was very friendly and sweet.
Experience 2
The sequence of events as shared by our guest:
- He sent an email on June first week to the Hyderabad US embassy asking for help.
- Embassy reply: Embassy closed. Cannot process applications.
- Follow up email in July first week requesting help for H4 dependents.
- Embassy reply (July first week): Embassy cannot process H4 visa applications due to Travel ban EO signed by trump.
- Embassy reply (July 15): Send documents to prove emergency for H4 visa.
Can you request emergency Appointment?
If your H4 family is stuck in India, you can give it a try and try requesting an expedited visa processing by sharing details such as:
- Your kid (H4) is missing school and has never attended school in India.
- Your H4 spouse does not work in the USA – so there is no chance of affecting American worker jobs. Chances are good in this case but not guaranteed.
Travel Ban Restrictions
If you are trying to apply for a visa category that currently has travel restrictions like H1B, L1, J1, or their dependents, then you may not be issued a visa.
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FAQ
Will dropbox appointment be allowed after Embassy Reopening?Dropbox appointments are available but in limited numbers due to COVID distancing rules.Note that you may be called for an in-person visa interview even if you are eligible for dropbox.
There is no guarantee that you will be given a faster interview appointment if they issue the form 221g after the dropbox.Will my Visa interview fees be refunded?US visa fees are non-refundable.
It is valid for 1 year from the date of payment. As far as we know, the US embassy has not announced an extension of this fee payment validity.
US embassy will give you a chance to reschedule your visa appointment later without paying fees again.Can I visit any other country for my US visa stamp outside India?You can visit any other country for your US visa stamp if you can and the embassy is open there.
Some people are trying to visit Canada or Mexico to get a US visa stamp if the US embassy is open there.
You should carefully check the travel restrictions before buying any flight tickets or booking an interview appointment with the US embassy.