Going for the H1B VISA

[sanereddy]

Got my VISA papers!


**These details may not be accurate, please consult your attorney to get the latest details. we take no resposibility of any errors.**

Your employer has sent you the VISA papers. Now it is time to go for the VISA. There are a few simple steps to take to make the process fairly straightforward and easy. If the documents, credentials and references you produce are easily verifiable, the process is a cake-walk. Otherwise, it may take a little bit of homework and attitude at the consulate to get you through.

1. Collect your documents
Collect the following documents (originals and copies):
(1) Passport
(2) All the papers that the employer sends
These include:
I-94 -- Employee\'s copy
(This is the H1 Approval notification given by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the US. It is by far the most important of the bunch of documents you receive. Its significance is: The others are mostly of a supporting nature.)
LCA -- Labor Certification Approval
Appointment letter by your Employer
Tax Returns of the company (Sometimes Employers send these to establish credibility of their company with the Consulate)
Copy of letter to the Department of Justice applying for your H1, on your behalf
Copy of letter to the Consular General of the consulate requesting for a VISA of a particular duration (for example, 3 years or so)
A copy of the official evaluation of your degrees as being equivalent to the corresponding degrees in the US (optional)

(3) Your certificates:
Degree certificate
PG certificate (if applicable)
Appointment and Relieving certificates for all the companies where you claim employment
OR Service certificates from the company giving dates and duration of your service
(4) A copy of your resume, any additional diploma or supporting certificates, just for good measure

2. Do your Homework
In addition to these documents, you will need to do some homework about the company you will be joining.
Read through the application of the Employer to the Department of Justice and other documents sent by the Employer. In that there will be info about
- the address of the Employer,
- its main business areas, main clients,
- it annual turnover,
- the number of employess in the company
- an idea about the nature of the job you are being taken for.

If you do not know the answers of these, ask your Employer about them. These are all potential questions that the Consulate people can ask you.

One additional question is: How long will you stay there? As long as my employer wants or as long as my VISA remains valid. That is the standard answer.


Please add any other details from your experiance.

Post edited by: sanereddy, at: 2004/10/24 16:04

[asreeni]

General req
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1.An individual passport valid for travel to the U.S. for at least six months after your date of entry in to the U.S.
2.A fully completed and signed Visa Application Form - DS-156
3.All male applicants between the ages of 16 and 45 must also submit a fully completed and signed Supplemental Application Form DS-157
4. In addition to the above forms, if you are applying for a F-1, J-1 or M-1 visa, you need to submit a fully completed and signed Application form DS-158
5.One recent (within the past six months) passport size photograph, 50mm X 50mm with a white or off-white background. Click here for details.

Docs from USA(Employer)
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1.I-797 -- the original notice of approval,
2.The complete I-129 petition submitted by your prospective employer including the Labor Condition Application

Mark lists
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3.The originals of your university diplomas, mark sheets and any certificates you may have. (Secondary school information is not required)
4.Letter from petitioning employer confirming employer\'s intent to hire the applicant
5.Your work experience letters from your previous employers


First time applicants:
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1.Pay slips from current or most recent place of employment
2.Names and current phone numbers of the personnel managers at the applicant\'s present and past jobs
3.Photographs of the inside and outside of current or most recent employer\'s place of business
4.Names and contact information of two co-workers from your current or most recent place of employment
5.Names and contact information of two co-workers from past jobs
6.A complete resume/bio-data and cover letter describing current job duties in detail
7.Personal bank records for the last six months
8.US company information: photographs of the inside and outside of the company\'s offices, prospectus, brochures, and annual report
9.The Consulate will not accept documents received directly from the company by mail or fax.
10.If you are currently working in the US on an H1B visa, please submit your pay slips for the current calendar year and your federal tax returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2) for all years in which you were employed in the US.
11.All H-1B applicants are requested to bring one extra photocopy of any original documents they presented with their application package that they wish to be returned

Note:
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Any visa which has lapsed for more than 6 months . U fall under new application cadre.