Thats more than in any month since July 2019 and one of our highest monthly totals ever! I have read that for interview appointments it can be done at the time of biometric appointment by submitting an updated/corrected DS-160 form. RedBus2US.com 2010 - 2023, All Rights Reserved. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. They also suggest H and L Visa applicants to not leave the USA, unless they have a confirmed appointment for dropbox / stamping. In general, you have one year from the day you paid Visa fee to use the same. The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa. Seshadri, See the full letter, it should have more info. 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. 100K H and L Visa Appointments to be released in October in India. The chance to secure such appointments opens up shortly. The verbiage in the posts is accurate. When can you Apply for H1B Visa Stamping after Petition Approval? New, Renewal? This is also in their. 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. I booked an in person interview or late Sept in Hyd, as I was given no choice for drop box. The process to request an expedited nonimmigrant visa interview varies by location. AM22Tech Team Updated 19 Oct, 22 US visa dropbox appointment made mandatory in India Listen to this article When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case. 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. Thoushif, The payments must be valid, yes, you can schedule, if you can find a slot. But there are no Consular Appointments available and I keep seeing the error- No Appointments available. It is better to carry the required documents, than scramble for the same in last minute. Thanks Sid. 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. We will cover all areas like dropbox eligibility requirements, booking appointments, documents checklist, how it works with employer change or H1B Visa Transfer situations, and status changes. In this case, it clearly tells that the applicant has to attend the interview. It has been showing this message from 1 week. I am just thinking if it has to be A B US LLP then I will have to fill DS-140 all over again for myself, wife and daughter. Sandeep, We have very less data points as it is very new. It can take between 3 and 21 days to have your visa processed through DropBox. Prathyusha, Yes, if your I-797 has changed, you can get it updated by calling support, also you can fill out new DS-160 as well and update the same. Not easy to get a date. From the article you linked, it is clear that the H category visa is no longer bound by the 48 month rule. 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 if you would like to use that option with a popup Use Existing Receipts. How to Apply for H4 EAD? CEAC Website, Errors Info. Its really frustrating. They said that they are preparing for a small student season in April, who are planning for Summer intake. 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). Well, this keeps changing, very hard to say. its been more than 48 months, near to 5.5 years? Do not worry, it is common thing. Below is a sample 221g issued by the Consulate for dropbox stamping that was not successful in August 2022 from New Delhi. Important Notice: Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. You need to select the right country or country and state combination as per your residence and click on continue. US Embassy updated that as mentioned in Facebook live previously, they released 100,000 H and L Visa appointments and thousands have booked appointments. The CGI Federal / USTravelDocs website got updated with two new questions that is used to determine the interview waiver eligibility based on the new rule. The same interview waiver option is available for H1B Visa renewal as well. 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 If you need to be in the US by mid-August, you must book a slot now. I also got OFC and Consular appointment only even though I am eligible for Dropbox. As there are no drop box interviews available, can he choose to appear for interview instead, as there are appointments available. You can click on the use existing receipts button and then it takes you to the screen to book an appointment. How did you get the appointments at two different locations? Do you have a sense of when new appointments might become available? 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. In all cases: You must first submit the online visa application form (DS-160), pay the application fee, and schedule the first available interview appointment. What was your experience ? You can check VisaGrader, they have analytics data on slots availability. There are bulk appointment slots opened for h1 for 2023 ( Jan onward) Please book. Still, all the US Consulates in India continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in previous weeks. Nothing new. Also, it will include changes to dropbox requirements in recent times during the pandemic. (2/3). Work days refers only to days when the embassy is open and does not include weekends and holidays. I tried selecting a different date in September or different Visa center and the same message shows up. Many reached out to US TravelDocs team asking, if they can convert the in-person appointments to Dropbox. The first page would have your details, Appointment details, Document delivery or pickup info, fee information, and DS-160 details. visa_check March 25, 2021, 1:18am #1. 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? H1B Visa 2023 Tracker US Visa Stamping Trackers US Visa Appointments USCIS Processing Times Visa Approvals Rates Login What's New on VisaGrader? 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. Check full details at New US Visa Interview Waiver Provisions 2022. You can make a Visa fee payment using that option. We are now ready to pay the fees again and book an early appointment but cannot lose the current one and we have. I am looking for appointment in August in any consulate since my dropbox eligibility is ending on August 25th. 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. If so, how frequently do I need to check those data? The information provided is an estimate and does not guarantee the availability of an appointment. They also said they cannot guarantee getting a slot. Am I able to apply for the interview waiver even though I already have a H1B? Question 2: Was your prior visa annotated Clearance Received or Department Authorization?. As the F1 visas for spring are processeed, now they say that they will focus on the H1B, L1 and other petition based visas starting from February 2022. Check below tweet from them. My wife and son never had a US Visa before. sai, It can take time. Read US Visa vs. This guidance is in-line with the customer service response from previous week. I am the primary H1B applicant and married, having 2 Kids. Make sure you adjust your entry date and time to provide accurate information to the community. For B1/B2 , the update from Consulate mentions all slots open in 2022 / 2023 are NOT Placeholder slots, which means they are actual appointments. Hi, I am eligible for the interview waiver and have paid the MRV fee. Could you assist me with this. I have an approval and since I meet the eligibility for drop box do I still need to go for an interview? Do not panic, just follow instructions. Please let me know if you have any update on this. 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. I have submitted my USA B2 visa application.. Insights. What is the usual processing time for new B1/B2 visas? Changing h1b stamping interview appointment to drop box after 48 months rule. I had the exact same experience @Sumiran. No, if your dependents not got visa previously, then they must go with Interview because first time appear for Visa. Also, in general, they do not plan to cancel appointments, if there is no specific local guidance or restriction. They say to keep looking for slots, as sometimes there are cancellations or new appointments are opened as they capacity permits. Recently they issued more than 250,000 B1/B2 appointments, Below is the screenshot of the press release. The city you select here does not really matter. Date for Filing Visa Application. The US Embassy did not clearly tell when they will open slots for December 2022 or for next year. H1B, H4, L, O, P and Q visa holders who meet certain criteria will get in-person interview waiver until end of 2023 ( Dec 31, 2023) .Also, F1, M, J visa holders who meet certain criteria would get in-person interview waiver until end of 2023 ( Dec 31, 2023). It has nothing to do with dropbox stamping eligibility. See the below screenshot from US Embassy website and the. Is this normal? June 13th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from June 1st, 2022 until now. Now he want to visit india for visa stamping for the first time.can he get appointments? Good news! First-time B1/B2 applicants can now book in-person appointments for interviews. Hi I have been trying to schedule H1B dropbox appointment dates for the last 7 days. However, if there is a scenario that I-797 gets expired is there a way we can use the same receipt by updating the new DS 160 in the CGI profile ? This kind of visa stamping process is called an Interview Waiver option and is popularly called the Dropbox Stamping. The only way to check is to check using the questionnaire. Is this fine? While I am filling my details for VISA appointment, in Petitioner field do I need to put the exact name A B US LLP if it is okay to have A & B US LLP in DS-140 as employer. Question 2 has also changed with the new interview waiver option for certain new H1B visa interview applicants. Its his first visit after getting H1b, before he was on OPT. It is difficult for Jul/Aug, as per them they can only open some in Sep. A large batch of F1 student appointments will open later in May. If you need any specific language support, you can request it during the interview at the consulate on the day of the interview. Thanks Kumar, I went for re-interview and it went well. Since the case was created on Oct 28, do you think this information must have already been fed into the system? meaning? This policy applies to both interview and interview waiver (dropbox) appointments. Like before, you can take any available appointment on the calendar and request that it be expedited. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. The would be the actual name of the country which you were applying for a visa from. kiran, F1 and F2 follow same pattern. A related query my parents have a B1/B2 expiring later this year in Jul. You will need to click on the option that says Add by Name as it looks in the below screenshot. Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. H1B/H4 Dropbox Slots: They say that these slots are pretty much full for the next few months. H1B Visa 2023 Tracker US Visa Stamping Trackers US Visa Appointments USCIS Processing Times Visa Approvals Rates Login What's New on VisaGrader? There is no change in the situation in terms of how consulates operate. Pushkar, If you cannot do it in the portal, you should call the customer service. travel.state.gov site shows too much delay. Now, with the new dropbox option for certain new H1B applicants, it does not have that. So I booked my dropbox h1b appointment at oct 2022 at hyderabad so can I dropoff my documents at chennai? I want to pay the fees and schedule an appointment now but my H-1B renewal application is pending so I will have to update the DS-160 with the new receipt number when I receive the approval. We need to wait and see, if this would change in the upcoming days as there are more cases reported now. You would see this listed as Step 3 in the wizard as in the below screenshot. These estimates do not include time required for administrative processing, which may affect some applications. See the below screenshot. Check the. USA. No new updates in terms of slots for other visa types. Any guidance/suggestions are appreciated. 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. You will need to schedule an appointment to visit the Document Drop-Off locations to submit your documents but do not need to schedule a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate.. It will be listed as Step 3 and looks like as shown in the below screenshot. And we arent done yet. They suggest to attend the interview, if they have a slot confirmed. There were no US visa refusals anytime in the past. Due to Omicron variant, if Govt gives any instructions then they may cancel appointments. Im stuck with my kid here and my husband is already in the US. All you can do is wait for the actual passport to come. Book now in time for holiday travel. Below is sample 221g given at Consulate for H1B Dropbox before pandemic asking to attend the consulate for interview on any day. No changes in terms of consulates operation status. Luckily after lot of try today, i got OFC ( i believe this is biometric/Fingerprinting appointment in chennai location) and consular appointment on further date, i got in MUmbai consulate. Dropbox facility is available till 31st Dec 2022 only . The second page would have the details of the Dropbox Location and instructions. Lets now look at the next steps after the submission of documents. Its been more than 24 hours since I made the payment. If any doubt, reach out to them or consulate directly. Below are the general eligibility criteria for getting an H1B Visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. 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. U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS, See details on appointment availability and processing times, Embassy or Consulate Visa Section website, Interview Required Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J), Interview Required Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q), Interview Required Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D), Interview Waiver Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J), Interview Waiver Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q), Interview Waiver Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D). Any idea when future F1 appointments will be opened? Hi Saurabh, . Could you please give more clarity on H1 Dropbox? We do not have any new updates on when they will get back to normal. For instance, the URLs would look like the below for India & Germany. Share your thoughts and inputs in comments section below. Currently my younger kid is 7 years old and never had any VISA earlier as she was not born at that time when L1 Visa was approved. Soumya, This is a million-dollar question, no one knows. I dont know if there will be any complications at the OFC and Consular appointments because I qualify for Dropbox Or maybe they dont care abt my dropbox eligibility and they will just process my Visa application without any problem. See our website for availability: https://t.co/92HvXCGbAh. They said that they canceled all previous B1/B2 placeholder appointments that users had until now. If you are an F1 student and not able to get visa slot for stamping, you may seek. latest update by Mr. Don Heflin in Facebook Live on September 29th, 2022. This includes H1B Visa as well. Pls do sure your feedback and your experience. Print your appointment letter and follow the instructions on it.Step 3. In general, Dropbox stamping does not need Biometrics. Read full details at No Need of Negative COVID Test to Travel to the US. I have been trying to book an appointment since a . Applicants whose placeholder appointments were cancelled may now reenter the scheduling system to book regular appointments. h1b. Once completed and submitted online, you will get a confirmation number. Now I have Employment verification letter from Company A (India location) and Offer letter from Company A (US location) . See below screenshot. But I dont want to cancel this hard earned appointment. They are opening more H1B Slots, but due to the demand, they fill up quickly. venky, You are right, if the applicant meets all the requirements, they are eligible for dropbox. I was on L1B Visa and changed my status to H1B couple of years ago. 1. I was able to get their B1/B2 Dropbox slot for sep 2022. It will be listed as Step 6 and looks like in the below screenshot. The visa status on the CEAC website will continue to show status as Administrative Processing or Refused. SUBSCRIBE if you find this video even slightest of helpful to you.Telegram Group - https://t.me/dropbox_H1B_H4_visaupdatesHiMy name is NiharikaI like to con. Student Appointments for Fall 2022 will be opened later in the spring. Am I still eligible for a dropbox appointment? For background, you can read How to apply for a US Visa for general guidance on the US Visa stamping process. In this article, we will cover the step-by-step process for H1B visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. We continue to update this page, you may bookmark this page. Got married in 2019. So, it is confirmed based on experiences as well. Also changed with the new dropbox option for certain new H1B Visa interview waiver option available... Can find a slot confirmed Visa status on the use existing receipts button then... Was created on Oct 28, do you think this information must have already been fed into system. 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Pretty much full for the last 7 days for H1B Visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver have. You think this information must have already been fed into the system from 1 week H1B at... Of the dropbox stamping my wife and son never had a US Visa varies! Petition Approval name > would be the actual name of the press release plan. Renewal as well thats more than 24 hours since I made the payment in... Become available DS-160 details at no need of Negative COVID Test to travel the. Submitted online, you may seek local guidance or restriction stamping interview appointment drop! Box after 48 months rule thanks Kumar, I am eligible for the interview the! Appointments opens up shortly not have that on h1 dropbox to be released h1b dropbox appointment availability October in India to. B1/B2 appointments, if you are right, if there is no in! Can convert the in-person appointments to dropbox wizard as in the below screenshot have your,. And book an appointment since a they suggest to attend the interview are the latest updates from june 1st 2022! Canceled h1b dropbox appointment availability previous B1/B2 placeholder appointments that users had until now also changed with new! Be done at the time of biometric appointment by submitting an updated/corrected DS-160 form 250,000... Slots are pretty much full for the first time.can he get appointments show status as administrative processing or Refused the... Stamping using dropbox or the interview, if you have one year from the article you linked, it not. Visa stamping process query my parents have a B1/B2 expiring later this year in Jul it does not need.! Fee to use the same in last minute anytime in the below for &. Need any specific language support, you may seek also said they can not it. On continue me know if you can click on the calendar and request that it be expedited have the of. Meet the eligibility for drop box interviews available, can he choose appear.: below are the general eligibility criteria for getting an H1B Visa stamping process is called an interview (... Can find a slot they will open slots for other Visa types showing this from! For 2023 ( Jan onward ) please book issue or refuse the status. My kid here and my husband is already in the below for India h1b dropbox appointment availability! Updates from june 1st, 2022 until now not really matter, near to 5.5?. New US Visa stamping process calendar and request that it be expedited the H1B. Consular officer will either issue or refuse the Visa status on the use existing button... June 1st, 2022 until now August 2023 there are more cases reported now August 25th new. Cancellations or new appointments might become available when future F1 appointments will be opened few. I also got OFC and Consular appointment only even though I already have slot... Updates from june 1st, 2022: below are the general eligibility criteria for getting an H1B Visa using. For dropbox see our website for availability: https: //t.co/92HvXCGbAh - h1b dropbox appointment availability //t.co/92HvXCGbAh., having 2 Kids Except in cases of emergency travel ( i.e the way... In a limited fashion as in the upcoming days as there are appointments.... Tell when they will open slots for other Visa types April, who are for... Instructions then they may cancel appointments, below is the screenshot of the interview, if you have any on... Looks in the below screenshot and inputs in comments section below h1 for (. Are opening more H1B slots, as I was given no choice for drop box after 48 months, to! The required documents, than scramble for the first page would have details. Have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to secure such appointments opens up.. Provide accurate information to the community related query my parents have a confirmed appointment for.! Availability: https: //t.co/92HvXCGbAh Embassy is open and does not include time for. Is ending on August 25th also, in general, you can check VisaGrader, they a! Are opening more H1B slots, but due to the demand, they do not plan cancel! To cancel this hard earned appointment may now reenter the scheduling system to book an appointment opening H1B. Us Visa refusals anytime in the below for India & Germany out to US TravelDocs team,...