The US Dept of State modified this in October 2022 and now gives an option like below asking the user to select Interview in case of any emergency and need an emergency appointment. Previous sponsored stamped H1B: Tech Mahindra: Stamping done in 2017 Feb Current Sponsored: A company: Case approved and planning for VISA stamping 1. Does it have a schedule like a specific day/time etc.? B1/B2, H1, F1? February 28th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from February until today. They say that applicants can book Regular B1/B2 Appointments ( not placeholder slots) all the way through 2023. Ever travelled to US. Thoushif, The payments must be valid, yes, you can schedule, if you can find a slot. Hi, While scheduling an appointment for 1st time H1B got drop box option as having earlier B1 visa stamped. So, if you have an appointment, you are good, otherwise, you would need to defer your admission. If you have not got an F1 appointment, they said they will open more slots for the rest of the July and first half of August later. No more placeholders slots, you can book appointments far beyond 6 months up to 1.5 years and use the same. Thanks! One photograph (as per U.S. visa photograph specifications. No appointments for H1 currently . Till now the interview is not scheduled due to unavailability of the slots. In this case, it clearly tells that the applicant has to attend the interview. Any chance can I reschedule it? October 25th, 2022: US Embassy hosted Visa Fridays Q & A on Facebook last Friday, Oct 20th. Qualifications for an Expedited Interview Appointment. In this day and age hard to imagine something so badly developed and always broken. Current passport and any old passports with a U.S. visa. Also for all supporting documents, carry originals and copies of the same. For kids below 14 years to be eligible for dropbox, both parents need to have Visa stamped in their passport. See below screenshot or check the tweet below. See the below screenshot. guidance given by the Head of US Consulates in India for the rest of 2022 and 2023. US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion, with no changes in the overall situation. Anyone in a similar situation successfully did visa stamping? what should I select for Did your most recent application result in you being issued the visa?. Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. Mihir, Usually for kids, both parents must have the stamping done and valid. They say they cannot share exact dates on when they will release dates for October to December. Actual interviews will be post Sep 1. Same for me also I hope they extend the visa fee validity beyond 12 months. This includes any of your recent US visas, including the H1B Visa. As per them, they suggest not to cancel an in-person appointment. more than 300 days for interview waiver appointment in Chennai. US Consulates and Embassy in India have picked up the pace of processing of US Visa applications based on the measures they indicated in January. However, if I leave the US, I will need a new H1B stamp in order to return in Jan (which I must do, for work). They have changed the rules to give interview waiver to H1B applicants if they had any US visa issued in the past. Did anyone face similar situation? Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. Thanks Kumar and I agree, I was just venting out. No date was mentioned when they will open. Please advise. US Embassy has released 3 videos that emphasize the previously announced Dropbox appointments eligibility for anyone with a previous US Visa and details about F1 visa appointments planning. 2) My company says that placeholder appointments are available from March 2023. Gauri, There is no pattern as such. Having the previous company name is the cause of the confusion. Thanks in advance! Also, in general, they do not plan to cancel appointments, if there is no specific local guidance or restriction. Important Notice: Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. However, I only see 1 receipt getting auto-populated in the MRV window and I see a pop-up asking me to pay another 190$. The chance to secure such appointments opens up shortly. Just go ahead and schedule appointment in the portal whenever you find slots. I was issued an F1 visa in the past with no issues. As US Consulates across the globe are operating in a very limited fashion globally due to the COVID pandemic, starting from Jan 1st, 2022 until December 31st, 2023, the US Department of State has given Dropbox Stamping option for certain first-time H1B Visa Applicants, if they meet all the below eligibility criteria. I am trying to schedule an appointment for visa stamping in India. For first-time refused F1 applicants, they said that they will open visa appointment slots toward the end of the season. It has nothing to do with dropbox stamping eligibility. After you submit the documents, you can check your US Visa Status Online on the Consular Electronic Application Center(CEAC) website. My last H1B visa expired in Jan 2018 (more than 48 months). Slots are fully booked for H and L for the next few months. If you need to be in the US by mid-August, you must book a slot now. They are completely different from H1B visa denial. You can fill a new DS-160 as needed and update the same info on USTravelDocs as well. After H1B approval, paid the fee by selecting Toronto as Document Delivery Location, surprisingly current status showing as "send documents", which I believe dropbox. See the below screenshot on how it looks. See below official post on FB page. There are currently no appointments available. In the confirmation letter, only passport is mentioned as the required document to be taken for dropbox. GUIDE to Travel to US with valid Visa on Expired Passport ? Regards. Jump To: My Cases. If you are from other country, you should check your local US Consulate Website for updated information. This policy applies to both interview and interview waiver (dropbox) appointments. I need my visa renewed and was planning to get my visa stamped during my upcoming trip to India in November. Read the latest official news summary at: You can check full updates at the below Facebook Post. It will be listed as Step 6 and looks like in the below screenshot. And is he eligible for interview waiver appointment ? Student visa appointments are available on our website. This has been a big issue for many familes planning to invite their parents to visit them. November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session. or any help you can provide is appreciated. See below screenshot of the response from them. I wish some day they get better. Now, since 48 months rule came back, I am eligible for dropbox as my visa got expired in . Thread starter svcanadapr; Start date Apr 13, 2019 . I am looking for a dropbox date on June/July 2023. what should I select for Did your most recent application result in you being issued the visa? This will be an yes right? To know more on this read What is Clearance Received or Department Authorization annotation? Below are the details, you can check the tweet and video as well below: US Embassy in India processed a record number of 120,000 F1 Visas in 2021. If you are called up to attend graduation for F1 students, you can raise an Emergency appointment. I wanted to understand if there are any considerations for minor dependents. You can click on the use existing receipts button and then it takes you to the screen to book an appointment. 4) Do you think the US Consulate will give priority to those petitions, which were approved earlier, but the interview did not happen? I'm able to see dropbox availability across all sites. dropbox eligibility for H1B holders to 48 months, administrative processing refusal like 221g, US Visa Stamping Dropbox Option for certain H1B Visa applicants, annotation added for reference of the CBP officer, new user profile on CGI Federal Atlas Website, https://atlas.my.salesforce-sites.com/?language=English&country=India, https://atlas.my.salesforce-sites.com/?language=English&country=Germany, new Dropbox Eligibility option for certain first-time H1B Holders, Sample US Visa Annotation section location. But my approved petition (I-797) has A B US LLP. In general, Dropbox stamping does not need Biometrics. After you make the payment and the receipt is activated, you need to enter the Machine Readable Visa(MRV) Fee payment receipt number. When administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the end of the interview. Also, under the Petitioner section, you need to enter the USCIS-approved H1B visa petition details including the H1B Case Receipt Number on the same page. H1B visa appointment availability. So, it is confirmed based on experiences as well. Have been trying since last 1 week. If you are dropbox eligible, you can book an appointment for any city and dropbox it at any other consulate location. In general, you have one year from the day you paid Visa fee to use the same. If you are planning for H1B Dropbox stamping, check, There is an option also now in the online system that allows dropbox applicants to choose for an in-person appointment if there is an emergency. US Embassy opened a lot of appointments on September 27th, 2022 for all visa categories. Till was time the slots are booked already and when we can expect new slots open? Thanks. (2/3). They continue to be operating in a limited fashion. If it is really refused how will I be communicated? When can you Apply for H1B Visa Stamping after Petition Approval? Libin, There is no pattern as such. This is not related to USCIS petition approval or denial. Hi thanks Kumar. Arshi, The rule is valid till end of this year, but the visa issued will be valid for the duration it is issued for. Lets look at each of the steps now. Could you please give more clarity on H1 Dropbox? What is the process now? Thank you! I havent got any communication from the emabssy/consulate. Rishi, This is accurate and in line with guidance given by the US Consulate head few weeks ago. Response: Check your previously issued US Visa annotations section. It is divided into sections with a summary, and timeline for easy review. Latest Visa Bulletin Analysis. H1B Visa is a Nonimmigrant Visa, you need select that in Step 1 and click on continue. If a visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer must refuse that application. While filling out the questionnaire while taking an appointment it drove me to take a dropbox appointment rather than an in-person appointment. When I raised a question to the ustraveldocs team, they suggested that If I am confident that I should be offered Dropbox option, I should CANCEL my current appointment and go through the questionnaire again and answer it to the best of my knowledge and then i might be given the Dropbox option. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kumar. Some of you would have scheduled US Visa interview appointments scheduled in India, due to the unprecedented COVID-19 Situation in India and across the globe, US State Department continues to give news alerts on their website, Twitter, emails, etc. US Visa Stamping India Updates [Feb 2023]: F1 Interviews for Summer to start in April, Summary of all Updates from US Consulates in India as of February 13th, 2023, Timeline, Official Links to Updates from US Consulates in India until February 13th, 2023, History of US Travel Ban for India, NIE (Reference only Not Applicable Now), FAQs US Consulates Updates with COVID-19, Read below articles on the Travel Ban Exceptions, NIE Details, Travel to USA Processes, Samples, How to Guides. However you can also choose the interview instead of Dropbox along with your dependents and can go together but its your choice. Below are the general eligibility criteria for getting an H1B Visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. meaning? Print your appointment letter and follow the instructions on it.Step 3. Dropped off docs at Chennai VAC (for Delhi VAC) on Oct 26. September 12th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from early September until now. US Consulates in India continue to operate in very limited fashion and not open for regular operations yet. The first step to applying for H1B stamping using the interview waiver or dropbox option is to ensure you meet all the general required criteria for a typical interview waiver or dropbox. Now all the appointments are in English. Response: If you did not get any US visa stamping(including H1B Visa) refused at a consulate before, you would answer No. Read below. There are bulk appointment slots opened for h1 for 2023 ( Jan onward) Please book. If you hold a dropbox appointment and need emergency appointment, you need to cancel and book an in-person slot using above option. You can check the timeline section to get detailed links and, official sources, and news screenshots in the next section. We continue to update this page, you may bookmark this page. Hi, I am in the US and got my H1b renewal approved (I-797). My case was created on Oct 28. If you plan to continue with old company then submit the employment verification letter. Consulates in India continue to release very few interview waiver slots and they fill out quickly as per them. It seems like they have been granting non-immigrant tourist visa appointments in recent weeks ( with constantly shifting # of calendar days to get an appointment) but yet this article states that they will not resume accepting those appointments until September of this year Can you please clarify? It will be listed as Step 3 and looks like as shown in the below screenshot. Next, you will get an option to confirm that your visa fees are non-refundable, you need to click on the confirm option as shown in the below screenshot. You will be asked to select a location for the visa stamping or interview when you start the DS-160 form. February 7th, 2023: Below are the updates from starting of February 2023. Is H1B extension denial the same as visa denial? If so, whats the point of dropbox if the delay is almost as consulate interview and if not, how to check for approximate available dates. Since the H1B visa appointment availability is several months out in India, I am planning to come to Canada for availing drop box facility. Pankaj, You should reach out to consulate for the same. They will do Visa interviews on Saturdays across all consulates and embassy, Temporary Staff from Washington DC from Jan to March 2023 to clear the backlogs, Permanent increase in the number of consular officers assigned to India. The updates are accurate and reflect weekly updates from consulate. I have a set of questions regarding my H1B case, my lottery got selected in April 2020 and the petition was approved till Sept 2023. Check. They filed the H1B visa (cap exempt) and it got approved. I got my H1b visa approved in USA in 2022. Regarding slots for other visa types like B1/B2, H1B, L1 and others see below updates from April. It looks like in the below screenshot. Still, all the US Consulates in India continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in previous weeks. US Consulates continue to be operating in full swing to clear the wait times with the recent measures announced in January 2023. You should arrive at the time of your appointment. Anything to panic? Is it possible that H1 is really refused and H4 is issued? Lets now look at the next steps after the submission of documents. Also remember few were asked to attend interview after . As long as you have your I-797 approval valid and I-94 valid, you are fine. US Visa Appointments Slots Availablity in India, Official US Embassy Facebook Page Link of News, Official US Embassy Instagram Link of New, Clearance Received or Department Authorization Annotation, website as part of the top 10 visa questions, Travel to India No need of RT-PCR, if fully vaccinated, How does new Interview Waiver Rule work Screenshots. Share your thoughts and inputs in comments section below. What is the usual processing time for new B1/B2 visas? saw date Oct 17 2022 but when trying to book it showed error.. Now I try to book I dont see any dates in 2022 are all slots for B1/B2 gone.. He is planning to visit in the year end may be November December . Depending on answer to this, we might or might not qualify for drop-box. July 26th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the beginning of July until now. As per the US Visa Dropbox Appointment Letter, below is the screenshot of the list of documents that you need to carry for document submission. Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Next, you need to select the Visa Class, which is H1B Visa. Can someone please help I submitted in Dropbox chennai April 26 th and ceac status shown as application received till now and cgi federal website not showing passport is with us embassy earlier it use to show passport is with us embassy consulate Can someone please let me know Chennai consulate email Id if I can mail and ask them kindly help Im very much worried or any hotline to call ? Hi Im Keerthana My husband is eligible for Dropbox for H1B and me and my son both are added in my husband application we just want to confirm do we need both me and my son need to go in person interview or can we go for Dropbox along with my husband please give me suggestions on this. You need to select the right country or country and state combination as per your residence and click on continue. What is CWOP, how it looks? I cant seem to find a single date across any of the 5 locations. Hi, Has anyone had a Dropbox CoS L1B to H1B appointment after 4 pm, like 4.45 pm? I also got OFC and Consular appointment only even though I am eligible for Dropbox. Earlier, I was told (colleagues) to book whatever available slot and request for emergency might give opportunity to get earlier date. Any idea how to make sure this ? I had got the Dropbox Appointment for 1st September 2022 for the H1B Visa for myself and H4 Visa for my dependents for Spouse and Daughter at the Kolkata VAC. I dont know how to verify this. V, They can file an extension when closer to the expiration. No changes in the situation and consulates continuously say the same message on their official Twitter account saying that they have limited capacity and slots. My document dropbox appointment is on 20th Oct 22. US Visa Appointments in India 2022 updates by Head of Consulates, Guidance by US Head of Consulates in India for appointments, US Visa Interview Waiver for Some visa types, Dropbox Extended, Guide to Apply for US Visa Emergency Appointment in India, Community Group for US Visa Appointments India Discussions, Visa Fridays FAQ Comments on Facebook.com, US Dept of State extends interview waiver for certain nonimmigrant visa holders. All H1 renewals are eligible for dropbox. (checking everyday) 1) Is the Mumbai consulate not processing any dropbox visa? Check below tweet from them. You will need to provide proof of the need for an earlier appointment. Rishi Varma, If no slots, nothing will open. Also, for first-time rejected applicants, they will get a chance to book slots for the second half of August. Thanks Kumar, I went for re-interview and it went well. I had opted for the premium delivery of Passports, so will I be getting the 221(g) in courier or email? The list of documents to be carried will be given on the rest of the pages by Visa type. Question 5: Was your most recent U.S. visa issued after January 1, 2008? USA. Many H1B applicants, who have done a change of employer or transferred to a new employer assume that they are not eligible for dropbox submission. Is this because all appointments until mid-July are filled? I paid the combined fees through NEFT in one transaction. Today even on the OFC appointments page it is saying There are currently no appointments available. Thanks much in advance . They updated their system in October 2022, Due to the extreme amount of demand, they have slowed down the approvals of EA requests . 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