i read that same visa class within 48 months of the prior visas expiration has been extended indefinitely ? Will the slots open up? I need to update my DS160 number as I had to make some changes after the appointment is confirmed? did you get the visa stamped and how long did it take to get the passport? I am eligible for dropbox but I am unable to find any open dates for last 2 weeks or more for Mumbai. There will not be any slots open for March 2023. But I got an interview waiver. Also, many are confused, about if they need a new H1B Visa stamp after changing employers, lets look at the details now. Lawyer Questions. This screen is one of the most confusing parts for many. US Consulates continue to say that the limited slots opened are exhausted in a very short amount of time. We cant expedite/retrieve passport during this period, so make sure to drop off the passport only when youll be able to wait for full processing to be completed. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. List of Common Documents for H1B Dropbox Applicant, List of Documents specific to H1B Visa for Dropbox applicant. She has added 2 kids information in her profile and looking for VISA appointment. 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. They said that they are preparing for a small student season in April, who are planning for Summer intake. sai, It can take time. The USTravelDoc account always ask question about applicant for appointment Criteria , and not about minor applicant Drop Box eligibility criteria. No significant updates or new guidance by US Consulates in India in the last week. H1B Visa. Check H1B Dropbox Requirements. just want to check has any one faced same kind of issue for changing the status from approved to issued? 82K F1 Visas were issued in India this summer and highest ever from India.. F1 Slots for Spring 2023 to open in mid-Oct and mid to late November. Below is the typical sequence for the change of various statuses. No one knows. No mention of any date when they will open slots. Thanks Kumar, I went for re-interview and it went well. Is this fine? Question 4: Have you ever been refused a U.S.visa before?. Hi, I am eligible for the interview waiver and have paid the MRV fee. . Status Difference. For dropbox documents, is it mandatory to submit Employment verification letter? Still no date on when they will resume fresh B1/B2. See below screenshot or check the tweet below. Hi. Delhi dropbox/ regular appointments. 2. Now I have Employment verification letter from Company A (India location) and Offer letter from Company A (US location) . They plan to open the second half of July and the first half of August appointments later. I am looking for a visa appointment for later this year. I have not been able to leave the country due to not having a Visa sticker in my passport I would not be able to get back into the USA if I left. They also suggest H and L Visa applicants to not leave the USA, unless they have a confirmed appointment for dropbox / stamping. The response from the support team is, users cannot covert the appointments, but they can cancel and re-book, if they qualify. The reality is that the employer name on US Visa is only an annotation added for reference of the CBP officer. * Calendar days refers to every day of the week, including days when embassies are closed (such as weekends and holidays). There was no Visa Fridays Q&A last week ( July 22nd, 2022). Many assume that they may not be eligible for H1B Visa using the dropbox option. So, it is confirmed based on experiences as well. Limited Availability of Slots : They continue to say that the slots are limited and they fill quickly. 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 click the Drop-Off button at the bottom of the message to proceed with your interview waiver/ dropbox visa application. The trick to cancellation is to find an open slot. latest update by Mr. Don Heflin in Facebook Live on September 29th, 2022. To proceed with your interview waiver application Step 1. GUIDE to Travel to US with valid Visa on Expired Passport ? If I apply for their B1/b2 renewal, will they qualify for interview waiver and if yes are there slots available for B1b2 Dropbox? I tried selecting a different date in September or different Visa center and the same message shows up. For more, read, All Original Passports with a previous US Visa ( if you have one, just carry that), Your previous US Visa that is valid or expired (it would be in your passport), Photocopy of your I-797 Approval Notice (Current & Previous). Pushkar, If you cannot do it in the portal, you should call the customer service. Since September 2019, if you plan to use Interview Waiver/ Dropbox option for US Visa renewal in India, you need to book an Appointment for US Visa Dropbox . If you have a valid emergency, raise an Emergency appointment request and provide supporting documents. Appointments have been opened through 2023. Rishi Varma, If no slots, nothing will open. I have an invitation to present my research papers (3 papers) for world Congress in August 2022 I have applied for B1 visa for the first time I have attempted emergency application but it was not granted . Please wait. Slots are fully booked for H and L for the next few months. Do not worry. Your spouse and kids will not be as they have not been to the US. I recently heard the news about mail in applications. And is he eligible for interview waiver appointment ? Is this normal? AM22Tech Team Updated 19 Oct, 22 US visa dropbox appointment made mandatory in India Listen to this article They say that they open appointments on a rolling basis. 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. Due to the pandemic, there may be additional checks in place and health checks, so be prepared. Now all the appointments are in English. Biometrics? I am working in the US on approved H1B. They also said they cannot guarantee getting a slot. 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. It looks like in the below screenshot. You can fill a new DS-160 as needed and update the same info on USTravelDocs as well. Priyam, You can submit anywhere, no need to do anything about DS-160. The first page would have your details, Appointment details, Document delivery or pickup info, fee information, and DS-160 details. During week of Feb 10th, Indian Govt announced that for travelers arriving in India from Feb 14th onwards there is no need for RT-PCR test, if you are fully vaccinated. You can check the full requirements at, Also, in the past, during the pandemic in 2021, they extended, It was not lost or stolen (meaning, you did not lose your passport with your US Visa in it), It was not canceled or revoked (it could be for any reason like DUI, or by CBP, etc. You can check the US Visa Stamping Experiences section with L1 experiences. Since the case was created on Oct 28, do you think this information must have already been fed into the system? We are now ready to pay the fees again and book an early appointment but cannot lose the current one and we have. Actually, most of the new ones are not placeholders as per their guidance. There is no change in the situation in terms of how consulates operate. Thanks. Now, since 48 months rule came back, I am eligible for dropbox as my visa got expired in . It should be noted that the Wait Times for a Nonimmigrant Visa to be Processed information by country does not include time required for administrative processing. This can vary by location, check the letter. No specific questions or updates were there for H1B, H4 or L Visas, They are increasing permanent staff assigned to Consulates and Embassy in India, They will be processing interview waiver cases remotely to clear up backlog, They will do interviews on Saturdays across all consulates and Embassy to reduce the wait times. Their status is just showing as cancelled. This policy applies to both interview and interview waiver (dropbox) appointments. Also, to confirm the above, when you fill out the visa details and answer the questionnaire on US Visa CGI Federal Website, you will not be asked for your previous employer information or what your visa stamp annotation says. US Consulates say they are about 70% capacity now and will resume regular operations before September 2023, if things stay normal as per. Select the country and state of residence, You will get an option to select the country or state of your residence. doddamani, No one knows. No, there is no refund as such. Am I eligible for interview waiver as my expired F1 visa stamp is more than 5 years old. All of these questions that are shown as questionnaires appear under Step 7 in the CGI Federal portal. The next big batch of slots will come later part of November. Rescheduling drop off date allowed. There are bulk appointment slots opened for h1 for 2023 ( Jan onward) Please book. They said in the next few weeks, just wait and keep checking. Vedant, Yes, you cannot see. In January 2023, US Consulates and Embassy processed over 1 lakh(100,000) visa applicants. June 28th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the previous two weeks until now. H1B Visa is a Nonimmigrant Visa, you need select that in Step 1 and click on continue. I am not able to see any slots. A related query my parents have a B1/B2 expiring later this year in Jul. B1/B2, H1, F1? 2. Below are the payment options for Dropbox Stamping in India. My F1 visa was rejected once and aprroved in the second attempt. You can check the timeline section to get detailed links and, official sources, and news screenshots in the next section. Hi Kumar my son trying for Dropbox appointment slot for H1B visa stamping. How to check whether slots are open or not. Manish, You should use the one that is valid right now with all the correct details. To give you more context, when your H1B Visa was issued by the US Consulate, the H1B Visa foil that was glued in your passport would have the H1B Sponsoring Company name and the petition number details on it under the annotation section, as you can see in below screenshot. They announced multiple measures on January 22nd to address the wait times. Last 2 weeks or more for Mumbai 1 and click on continue below are payment... Under Step 7 in the US and, official sources, and not about minor applicant Drop eligibility. 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