Question 5: Was your most recent U.S. visa issued after January 1, 2008? US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in the previous month. I am a first-timer for a US visa, but considering the current slots scenario. US Visa Approval & Refusal Rates by Country and Visa H1B Visa Tracker (FY 2023) US Visa Stamping Dropbox (Interview Waiver) Tracker US Visa Emergency Appointment Tracker USCIS Processing Times - YouTube 0:00 / 10:05 H1B Dropbox appointment 2022 - Tricks and Tips | Got mine easily . We found bulk slots open, but when trying to book the appointment it was always throwing error. Is this fine? Hi Sir I have a question regarding H1B stamping for Dropbox. You can read the below updates in the timeline for the most recent updates. But, this has changed in mid-2021. Hi Kumar It will be my sons first time visa stamping. Do you have a previous U.S. visa in any visa class issued on or after your 14th birthday? 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. However the first burst of appointments from sep-nov 2022 as well as whole of 2023 is gone. Hi Kumar, I am trying to look for visa dates in India for dropbox and it says No OFC dates available. This changed to VAC for dropbox/interview waiver appointments after Nov 28th, 2021. 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. Response : You would answer Yes in most of the cases for dropbox eligibility unless your visa has expired before 48 months. I would suggest to pay the receipt and keep trying on the website , saw some dates available for feb March last week (mumbai) Yes, this is what I did. Any help will be greatly appreciated! You must carry both old and new to avoid confusion too. I am not sure why they asking for re-interview. venky, You are right, if the applicant meets all the requirements, they are eligible for dropbox. After you complete the DS-160 form, you need to create a new user profile on CGI Federal Website and complete basic information about yourself. Your H1B visa stamp in your passport was not lost, stolen, or canceled. Looking for visa appointments for b1/b2 for my parents . Its a shocker that we have such a terrible software that thousands of folks will be relying upon. Last petition expired in Jan 2021. 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. There is no requirement for the actual applicant to submit the documents. 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. Many reached out to US TravelDocs team asking, if they can convert the in-person appointments to Dropbox. I am a resident of Mumbai and have submitted the Passports at the Mumbai VAC Consulate office on 1st September. Iam in h1b. 2. Does first h1b visa stamping also qualifies for Interview Waiver. The next question has also changed to reflect the new H1B dropbox option for certain new applicants. No new changes in terms of consulate operation status or opening of appointments since the last update on April 19th, 2022. November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session. Now I have Employment verification letter from Company A (India location) and Offer letter from Company A (US location) . are they still eligible for dropbox, pleaseeeeeee answer ?? Sanjay, 1, 2. So far, no update from users from community onthe change. Thank you! No one knows if and when this issue may get fixed. The facility to submit documents without an interview is called 'DropBox'. Question : Did your previous H-1B visa (temporary occupation, temporary worker or trainee) expire within the last 48 months? US Embassy opened a lot of appointments on September 27th, 2022 for all visa categories. Any tips will be helpful. If they do cancel, they will inform the applicants affected. Ravi, You need to keep looking, they open slots almost daily on rolling basis. 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. On CGI Federal Website, once you add your basic information, you will need to select New Appointment / Schedule Appointment from the menu on the left-hand side. Hi, While scheduling an appointment for 1st time H1B got drop box option as having earlier B1 visa stamped. US Consulates in India issued a record number of, US Embassy conducted Visa Fridays Q&A last week on September 8th, 2022. 4. no, they will not do anything as such. 221g cases that were given due to the travel ban will be processed by Consulates soon. This is for Mumbai consulate. Check the previous week updates. Depending on the country, you will get the visa fee payment options. ( see below screenshot). Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. If anyone travels without planning and a confirmed slot, they say that applicants need to be prepared to stay for an extended period of time in India. US Bans Travelers from India Exceptions List, NIE Details, 17 NIE Experiences at US Consulate India Letter Format, Travel, 16 US Critical Infrastructure Sectors eligible for NIE, US Consulate Chennai Guidance Can you apply for NIE, while in US, New US Visa Interview Waiver Provisions 2022, US Consulate India News Alerts COVID-19, US Visa Stamping Experiences section with L1 experiences, What is 221g ? Check full details at New US Visa Interview Waiver Provisions 2022. The calendar app does not even open. doddamani, They are not eligible. Or any contact details to verify that I am in right page? The only way to check is to check using the questionnaire. I, with my two kids, qualify for the Interview waiver; we have been trying to get a Dropbox appointment for the last 12 weeks without success. They have changed the rules to give interview waiver to H1B applicants if they had any US visa issued in the past. I want to go ahead & choose this option but not sure to provide incorrect information by No to the question Whether you held a previous US visa, September 2 slots available for Mumbai OFC appointment for visa stamping anyone interested can chk, people, delhi OFC showed 10 slots try now. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. Hi Kumar, First I would like to thank you for providing timely updates on your site. The only way to find a suitable appointment is to keep checking. 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. It looks like in the below screenshot. How long can I receive passport back after VAC appointment? For B1/B2 , the update from Consulate mentions all slots open in 2022 / 2023 are NOT Placeholder slots, which means they are actual appointments. Now all the appointments are in English. Next, you will be asked to select the Visa Category, which is relevant for H1B Visa. Hope that helps ! F1 Slots to open in mid-May for June and beyond. In India for a family emergency (Mom's surgery) and cannot find any appointments for Dropbox at US consulates. If you have answered the wizard questions as mentioned above and you are eligible, you will get a confirmation saying that you are eligible for Interview Wavier or Dropbox. This was a good move. Please reply here if anyone found a resolution to this. I recently heard the news about mail in applications. Those logistics might be hard to figure out, yea I checked it out and was stuck at the payment stage, will see if there are any Agents that can help with the payment. Are they allowing third country nationals at this time? You must already have a confirmed interview appointment date in order to request an expedited appointment. I have all my H1B paperwork, but no visa in my passport for travel. But how can it be done for a dropbox appointment. If you missed your Embassy/Consulate appointment or were informed to appear for a new interview: Schedule an Embassy/Consulate appointment by selecting a Category 3 appointment. Below are the payment options for Dropbox Stamping in India. Either you are still in limbo or stuck in the endless wait or just received what we all wish for, the elusive Greencard, this reddit space is for you. I am going to schedule mine and I wanted to get an estimate on the wait time for dropbox appoitments. If I apply for their B1/b2 renewal, will they qualify for interview waiver and if yes are there slots available for B1b2 Dropbox? Verify the details and click on continue. For full details check : During the week of Feb 7th, there was a video update given by US Embassy on the status of appointments and their focus for next months. List of corporate visa sponsors (with links! Will the slots open up? The appointments for such first-time B1/B2 applicants would be starting from September 2022. Kanika, It is everyones problem, you need to login and check. If there are no appointments in 2022 then I will have to get an appointment in 2023 which is too far, will I be able to cancel 2023 appointment and reschedule in 2022 if gets available. Below is the previous question that had H1B in the question. H-1B Visa Application Form DS-160. From the article you linked, it is clear that the H category visa is no longer bound by the 48 month rule. thanks. We need to wait and see, if this would change in the upcoming days as there are more cases reported now. Using MRV Fee Payment Receipt: After you pay the fee and the MRV fee receipt is activated, when you try to navigate to the visa tab on home, you will get a popup on the payment screens saying a receipt matches and would you like to use that. Hey! My wife is in the same boat! See the below screenshot on how it looks, 3. No new updates on the regular visa operations situation in India, they continue to be like in previous weeks. It's pretty easy, and all you have to do is select the country you're applying in. This also applies to your previous H1-B Visa. If you plan to work for the new company, get the joining letter and submit that. Listen to this article. Any help would be highly appreciated. Now, with the new dropbox option for certain new H1B applicants, it does not have that. Question : Is your previous H-1B visa (temporary occupation, temporary worker or trainee) still valid?. Lack of slots availability 2. H1B/H4 Visa Dropbox slots( No Questions only slot availability messages) 191 885 members, 1 347 online. How about my wife and son, will they be eligible for drop box? The DS-160 confirmation number is also the same as the Application ID. Please read the full summary of, You may also watch the full recording of the Facebook Live below. Dropbox ? The other one is for students applying for F1 Visas. Any update on your situation, i also have a same situation. You can check VisaGrader to understand some trends. Ajith, Sometimes, it can take time. Question 3: Was your most recent U.S. visa lost or stolenor cancelled?. My B1 B2 Visa expired last June in 2021. Is this normal? To avoid issues, get yours and your wifes dropbox stamping done and then apply for your sons dropbox. Abhi, They come and go very fast, hard to know. There were a lot of slots released on Dec 6th in early monring as well. Why US Visa Status on CEAC says Refused for 221g ? Shall I provide those new valid documents in case VO requires it during the interview or do I need to re-upload the documents somewhere before the interview happens? They will open more starting in September as conditions allow them. Regards. 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