No changes in the US Consulates situation or the way they are operating in the last week or so. The representative needs to carry a photo id to submit documents. Consular sections overseas may be able to expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, medical emergency, or school start date. The wait time estimate does not account for the time required for a consular officer to adjudicate the application nor mailing time of passports or other documents. But dropbox results take anywhere between 4-6 weeks as per few folks here in this forum. This sounds like you can only apply if youre applying first time or renewing? No significant updates or new guidance by US Consulates in India in the last week. Dear Mr Kumar , You have been very helpful to everyone . The US Consulates have not opened fully for regular operations, they continue to operate in a very limited fashion with limited slots. Thanks Kumar, I went for re-interview and it went well. Till was time the slots are booked already and when we can expect new slots open? They did confirm that renewals for B1/B2 slots are opened on a rolling basis. Application Final Action Date. . Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. The would be the actual name of the country which you were applying for a visa from. 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. Rishi, Yes, they can apply for interview waiver and apply for renewal now. H1B Visa 2023 Tracker US Visa Stamping Trackers US Visa Appointments USCIS Processing Times Visa Approvals Rates Login What's New on VisaGrader? See below tweets. The appointment letter would have all the details related to the representative submission process. Please wait. How about my wife and son, will they be eligible for drop box? May 2nd, 2022: Below are the latest updates from last week, until today. My last H1B visa stamp expired more than 48 months ago. Limited H1B Slots, but they are filling up fast. Hi Archana, I am looking for drop box but I dont see any appointments. I had opted for the premium delivery of Passports, so will I be getting the 221(g) in courier or email? Check timeline below for more info. The situation is same as previous week. They try to release bulk slots now and then so that they do not disappear immediatelyand again suggest to keep checking. Student visa appointments are available on our website. There was an outage as well for the appointment booking website due to high traffic over the weekend. Not sure. Check below for full details and actual Q&A responses. I am not seeing any slots mostly. You need to select the option that says H-1B Temporary worker in specialty occupation and then click on continue at the bottom. You would get another screen that shows the below text with the next steps to follow, as shown in the below screenshot. The Visa Status shows as Refused for all 3 of us on the CEAC Website and have received the Passports for mine and Spouse with the 221G letter stating that we need to appear for the In-person Interview at the Kolkata Consulate office. Latest Visa Bulletin Analysis. Read below: September 27th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from mid-September until now. This is for Mumbai consulate. At present, working in Singapore on Employment pass. The estimated wait time to receive a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate and is based on workload and staffing and can vary from week to week. Regards. Some sites like Delhi only have availability in 2023, but most others are showing availability in 2022. Please let me know if you have any update on this. 2. Overall Current Status Summary: US Consulates in India continue to be closed for regular operations as of February 13th, 2023. sai, It can take time. Below is the summary of the key updates from them. Dropped off docs at Chennai VAC (for Delhi VAC) on Oct 26. hi, Looks like this article is not latest as per the the latest visa renewal guidelines https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/renew-visa. The USTravelDoc account always ask question about applicant for appointment Criteria , and not about minor applicant Drop Box eligibility criteria. You can check the timeline section to get detailed links and, official sources, and news screenshots in the next section. Cant understand how h4 stamping is done when h1 is refused. Only the rule fo 48-month got extended beyond Dec 2021, that is what they mean by indefinitely. US Consulates in India continue to be operating normally despite the recent COVID-19 cases increase in the country. Am I eligible for interview waiver now ? 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. The verbiage in the posts is accurate. I know this is a million dollar question but did anyone have any luck for any slots opening till this Dec 2022 ? You are not missing, it is just that slots are not there. Thank you! Im looking for a H1B In person Interview slot availability for the month of September 2022, but I only see slots open from Jan 2023. US Embassy Confirmed on May 18th that they opened slots for June and the first half of July for F, M and J visa applicants. How to Check US Visa Status Online? This is to prevent agents and avoid lockouts in CGI Federal. US Embassy Updated on June 9th, 2022 that for Dropbox Stamping submissions, it can take anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks for the processing and they cannot expedite the processing of the same. At some sites its mentioned its till end of 2022 only but some sites say otherwise. Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. 4) Do you think the US Consulate will give priority to those petitions, which were approved earlier, but the interview did not happen? 20,000 New Dropbox Appointments Available In India In a welcome move, The US State Department has announced an additional 20,000 dropbox interview waiver appointment slots in various US consulates in India. Also, the current receipt fee is valid until Sep 30th 2023 (approx 1 year from date of purchase etc.) It looks like the below screenshot. To check US Visa Slots available in India from Community in a crowdsourced platform, register at www.VisaJar.com, download their extension, activate, and contribute. I have got the appointment at 4:45 pm for drop box. If you are not eligible, then you call the customer service and split the profile to avoid issues. See the below screenshot. Earlier in March, as part of the Visa Fridays Q&A, US Embassy stated the below on. All the slots in 2023 and beyond are not placeholder slots. Gauri, Very hard to get a slot. I have changed employer and continued to work here in usa. Your spouse and kids will not be as they have not been to the US. I have a previous H4 visa stamped in India and expired. In the past, you used to get the question that is tailored to H1B asking about previous H1B visa but now it does appear now with the new option of Dropbox for certain first-time H1B applicants with any US Visa issued in the past. This can vary by location, check the letter. US Consulates in India processed about 130,000 Immigrant and Non-immigrant visas in February and March 2022. I am trying to schedule an appointment for visa stamping in India. 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. Applicants whose placeholder appointments were cancelled may now reenter the scheduling system to book regular appointments. I was able to get their B1/B2 Dropbox slot for sep 2022. January 1st, 2022 : Below are the latest updates from today. No new updates on the regular visa operations situation in India, they continue to be like in previous weeks. The appointments for such first-time B1/B2 applicants would be starting from September 2022. In the past, the above question used to say in the same class for which you are applying, now it does not show that anymore due to certain exceptions until the end of 2023. Currently, they are processing interview waivers and limited in-person slots. They updated that over 1 lakh (100,000) visa applicants were processed in January 2023. Today even on the OFC appointments page it is saying There are currently no appointments available. No change in the overall situation of consulates, they all are operating in limited fashion. You can carry either color printout or a black-and-white printout of your appointment letter/ confirmation page. There are new provisions that make more people leverage the interview waiver/dropbox option. H1B Visa Interview waived if the applicant meets certain conditions. Thoushif, The payments must be valid, yes, you can schedule, if you can find a slot. Response: Check, if your most recently issued US Visa meets all the below conditions: If your answer is Yes to all the above 3 points, then you would answer No to this question. Please advise. 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. Hi Kumar my son trying for Dropbox appointment slot for H1B visa stamping. New, Renewal? Their previous 10yr B1/B2 visa got expired in April 2016? You can make a Visa fee payment using that option. Confirmation on H1B Dropbox Eligibility, Option to pick Interview for Emergency. Not all visa applications can be completed on the day of the interview; please read the information below for more details. Rohit, If you are eligible for dropbox, you cannot go for an interview as the system will not let you do that. as I understood. They say that applicants can book Regular B1/B2 Appointments ( not placeholder slots) all the way through 2023. They plan to open more in-person and dropbox slots. Those who are attending the interviews now, could someone tell when they booked it and if they have been waiting for several months or more than a year? Question 3: Was your most recent U.S. visa lost, stolen, canceled, revoked, or marked CWOP?. July 26th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the beginning of July until now. . H1B primary uses dropbox and H4 dependent appears for the visa interview. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date. When I filled out DS-160, my approved i797 was till Sep 2023 but later my company filed H1B amendment, and now I have approval i797 till 06 Jan 2024. H1B/H4 Dropbox Slots: They say that these slots are pretty much full for the next few months. (need to book my return accordingly) 2) Did anyone else face this situation of no dropbox? They are also getting more visa officers from Washington DC to temporarily from January to March 2023 to address the backlog of cases. Below is the sample for India and it does not show any US Consulates/Embassy-related information. Please visit our website to determine whether you are eligible for drop box processing and schedule an appointment for document drop-off. May 23rd, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the previous week, until today. Myself and my husband have valid US visa and after our son was born we have booked Dropbox interview waiver appointment for him. Read full details at No Need of Negative COVID Test to Travel to the US. Schedule an appointment to submit your documents.Step 2. Ajau, The online status can be very misleading at times. See below official post on FB page. Slots are fully booked for H and L for the next few months. It can take time to complete this form. Thanks Kumar and I agree, I was just venting out. For background, you can read How to apply for a US Visa for general guidance on the US Visa stamping process. This is Mihir having H1B Visa approved and working in USA now. This is not related to USCIS petition approval or denial. pic.twitter.com/BBv8LZT7oo. Is that Ok to use the latest approved i797 with less than 6 months of validity while H1b Visa stamping? When you apply for a US Visa renewal and you meet certain criteria, you can get it stamped in your passport without attending an in-person visa interview. They also suggest H and L Visa applicants to not leave the USA, unless they have a confirmed appointment for dropbox / stamping. F1 Slots to open in mid-May for June and beyond. Now that you understand the general requirements for H1B stamping using dropbox, lets look at the step-by-step process. But I have not received the Passport of our Daughter and not able to trace the same at the Bluedart Courier Website as well. Check the above article, it has the full list of documents as well. US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in the previous month. If any issues, call support. They suggest emailing ahead of time with the specific appointment information and language requirements so that they can work it out. The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. I have appointment for July mid for dropbox. The status for my wifes application (H4) is issued and the passport tracking says Origination scan. In general, Dropbox stamping does not need Biometrics. Soumya, This is a million-dollar question, no one knows. I booked an appointment in Delhi and it went through without any issues at all. It looks like in the below screenshot. So, it is confirmed based on experiences as well. But my approved petition (I-797) has A B US LLP. Due to the overwhelming demand, there are a limited number of daily interview waiver appointments, and they generally fill shortly after they become available. Refer to the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will apply to determine your eligibility for Interview Waiver and for instructions for submitting a nonimmigrant visa application. In 2021 my status changed from F1 to H1B with COS application. Check H1B Dropbox Requirements. All H1 renewals are eligible for dropbox. You also do not need to make any appointments. Pranay, It is the case for everyone. J, It clearly tells that the B1/B2 interviews will be from Sep 1st, I dont understand what is wrong. US Embassy opened a lot of appointments on September 27th, 2022 for all visa categories. You can check. did they ask additional documents? This will reduce and some hassle and we may see more people traveling to India. For example, India, if you are applying from any consulate in India. Do not worry, it is common thing. If you are dropbox eligible, you can book an appointment for any city and dropbox it at any other consulate location. Thanks. In this day and age hard to imagine something so badly developed and always broken. Hi. H1B Visa Tracker (FY 2023) US Visa Stamping Dropbox (Interview Waiver) Tracker; Here are the key updates: They repeated what was said in the previous weeks updates. I am wondering if doing our dropbox first and then scheduling kids dropbox will take too much time and instead should I do appointment for all 3 together even if the delay is > 300 days. Alternatively, if you go to www.USTravelDocs.com website, select the relevant country, where you plan to get stamping, they will have relevant parameters at the end of the URL that set the country and language automatically. There are some exceptions applicable from now until Dec 31st, 2023, where the US Dept of State has waived in-person appointments for H1B holders if they meet requirements such as having a valid US Visa issued in any category in the past and applying from the country of residence. Question 2 has also changed with the new interview waiver option for certain new H1B visa interview applicants. November 8th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A last week, below are the key updates from the same, including regular updates. Please suggest. No one knows if and when this issue may get fixed. balaji, Yes, you can. Most of it not available at least until September. This is not new, all you need to know is to factor in 4 weeks time to be safe when you arrive in India for Dropbox stamping. 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. September 12th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from early September until now. If not, you can enter the receipt number in the receipt number box and click continue, then it will show the below pop-up. Just note that youll need to leave us your passport for up to 3-4 weeks while the application is being processed. Hi Kumar, I am trying to look for visa dates in India for dropbox and it says No OFC dates available. In the past, this question used to have an H1B visa in the question. 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.. Is this dooable please advise. My appointment is at Chennai consulate and in my ds160 I entered the location for submitting documents as Chennai. Any tips will be helpful. It may sometimes not allow some character, use something that is close to that or use another character or words. This question applies to your most recent US Visa, it could be H1-B Visa or any other visa. I am the primary H1B applicant and married, having 2 Kids. How did you get the appointments at two different locations? Weve opened a number of B1/B2 interview waiver appointments for the coming month in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion, with no changes in the overall situation. If you plan to renew your H1B Visa, you may be eligible for Dropbox / Interview Waiver option. No changes in the functioning of the US Consulates and US Embassy in India, they all continue to be still in limited operations with focus on more dropbox and limited in-person slots. Hi, I am in the US and got my H1b renewal approved (I-797). Also, they said you cannot get the passport back during these 3 to 4 weeks period if you really want to for any reason. In addition, it is important to thoroughly review all information on the specificEmbassy or Consulate Visa Section websitefor local procedures and instructions, such as how to make an interview appointment. You need to select the option Employment-based visas option and click on continue. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. They have opened slots for 2023 so that people can plan ahead their travel. Yes, they have opened slots for first time B1/B2 applicants and started interview from September 1st week of 2022. November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session. US Embassy updated that as mentioned in Facebook live previously, they released 100,000 H and L Visa appointments and thousands have booked appointments. Rishi Varma, If no slots, nothing will open. H1B gives up his option of dropbox and combines his application with H4 to appear for an interview along with H4. Sometimes, the Consulate would ask you to appear in person on any day by visiting the consulate at a certain time and sometimes, they may tell you wait as it needs more processing. i cant see the us visa appointment date until i pay the fee at the US VISA APPOINTMENT CGI FEDERAL website. H1B Visa is a Nonimmigrant Visa, you need select that in Step 1 and click on continue. Date for Filing Visa Application. They also said they cannot guarantee getting a slot. You should have H1B Visa Stamping done before and have, Your H1B Visa was stamped in your passport after Jan 1, 2008, Your H1B visa stamp in your passport should not have, Your H1B visa stamping in your passport should be issued after your 14. Does first h1b visa stamping also qualifies for Interview Waiver. They said in the next few weeks, just wait and keep checking. Pankaj, You should reach out to consulate for the same. All US Visa Dropbox Submissions . The officer may also conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa. 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? U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country. MHim. H1B visa denial and extension denial are not the same. Raj, There is no way to escalate. 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