H1B/H4 Dropbox Slots: They say that these slots are pretty much full for the next few months. All US Visa Dropbox Submissions . Hello, Can we reschedule B2 appointments that were cancelled in 2020 because of covid? Do you have a sense of when new appointments might become available? Processing Time 7-10 days. Hi, I am eligible for the interview waiver and have paid the MRV fee. FYI. Just go ahead and schedule appointment in the portal whenever you find slots. We need to wait and see, if this would change in the upcoming days as there are more cases reported now. Our capacity will continue to increase as our team grows this spring. hi, Looks like this article is not latest as per the the latest visa renewal guidelines https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/renew-visa. Please advise. You may add your H1B Dropbox details anonymously at US Visa Dropbox Stamping Tracker to get details on current processing time trends and for community benefit. US Consulates to issue about 800K visas in India in next 12 months. My wife is in the same boat! Now, there is no country restriction as such. as I understood. Any input will be greatly appreciated. This is not fully clear, but thats the meaning of their reply. Any guidance/suggestions are appreciated. No appointments for H1 currently . Do not worry, sometimes, it can take time. Am I eligible for interview waiver now ? See the below screenshot on how it looks, 3. Hi Sir I have a question regarding H1B stamping for Dropbox. See below screenshot or check the tweet below. The response from the support team is, users cannot covert the appointments, but they can cancel and re-book, if they qualify. Ajith, Sometimes, it can take time. US Embassy organized Visa Fridays on May 6th. Rishi Varma, If no slots, nothing will open. Kindly suggest. It has nothing to do with dropbox stamping eligibility. Overall, the process to renew an H1B visa, using an interview waiver/ dropbox option, is very straightforward and should not have any complications. In general, Dropbox stamping does not need Biometrics. For first-time refused F1 applicants, they said that they will open visa appointment slots toward the end of the season. Read below. 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. You can check more at Sample US Visa Dropbox Confirmation Letter India. Limited H1B Slots, but they are filling up fast. Here are some of our Consular officers providing updates and information on current consular services. Sometimes, it can take up to 3 weeks as well. In the next step, you will be asked a few questions related to your H1B Visa Stamping status to check, if you are eligible for dropbox or not. US Consulates to release 100K Appointments for H/L visa dropbox applicants for 2023. They plan to open some more slots for Fall and winter as resources allow. Now, since 48 months rule came back, I am eligible for dropbox as my visa got expired in . Is this universal or a worst case scenario? September 29th, 2022: US Consulates organized a Facebook Live today with Mr. Don Heflin. DS-160 form is a very lengthy form and asks for a lot of information. No new updates in terms of slots for other visa types. Latest Visa Bulletin Analysis. Did anyone face similar situation? Yes, they are the most available slots. How long can I receive passport back after VAC appointment? Is this normal? US Visa Appointments Slots Availablity in India, Official US Embassy Facebook Page Link of News, Official US Embassy Instagram Link of New, Clearance Received or Department Authorization Annotation, website as part of the top 10 visa questions, Travel to India No need of RT-PCR, if fully vaccinated, How does new Interview Waiver Rule work Screenshots. Anything to panic? Manish, You should use the one that is valid right now with all the correct details. 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). This is one of the highest monthly totals ever since July 2019 as per them. My F1 visa was rejected and aprroved in the next attempt. Do you have a previous U.S. visa in any visa class issued on or after your 14th birthday? I have been looking for Visa Dropbox slots for almost 2 months now with no luck. This changed to VAC for dropbox/interview waiver appointments after Nov 28th, 2021. more than 300 days for interview waiver appointment in Chennai. See the below screenshot on how it looks on CGI Federal Atlas website. US Consulates in India continue to be operating normally despite the recent COVID-19 cases increase in the country. They are opening more H1B Slots, but due to the demand, they fill up quickly. October 17th, 2022: Below are the updates from the beginning of October until today. I have submitted my USA B2 visa application.. Will this be an issue? Still no date on when they will resume fresh B1/B2. All Cases. Has this happened in January when there were rising cases? Check US Consulates contact info. Rohit, If you are eligible for dropbox, you cannot go for an interview as the system will not let you do that. Raj, There is no way to escalate. In general, dropbox does not require an interview, but in case, they want to interview you, you need to select that and click on continue. Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. Below are the payment options for Dropbox Stamping in India. For ex: when I login to schedule an appointment, the website says "First available appointment is December 20, 2016". But, it is just general information for your background. If you are called up to attend graduation for F1 students, you can raise an Emergency appointment. Microsoft k5a78gy. It will be listed as Step 6 and looks like in the below screenshot. You can check the US Visa Stamping Experiences section with L1 experiences. Worried if I take appointment in India and getting my passport in time without delay and not effecting my return travel to Singapore. US Embassy opened a lot of appointments on September 27th, 2022 for all visa categories. 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. August 10th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the end of July until now in August. I was expecting to book an interview as my Son I below 14 years. If you click on the Add by Name option in the above screenshot, then you will get an option to add the spouse or child-related DS-160 and all their personal details here. . The July 26, 2022 update referred in the above post mentions Under new Guidance If you are dropbox eligible and still need an emergency appointment, you need to answer the question Whether you held a previous US visa to No to book an in-person appointment and then submit an Emergency appointment request How can I verify this guidance? (Yes/no), My Kid is 5 years old, and he has visa stamped on his passport twice in the past. Read US Visa vs. I am in the same situation. Aug 20, 2021 1. Yes, slots are opening on a rolling basis for B1/B2 now. Does anyone know what are the approximate dates available for dropbox? Response: If you had any US Visa issued in the past after you turned 14 years old, you would answer Yes. How to Check US Visa Status Online? Trying to book B2 Visa Interview appointments for my parents for Chennai Consulate for few weeks now and all I see are 2024 Dates, which is insane and tells me that the software is broken! I know these are commonly listed on this website but Im looking for experience from folks who got it approved. There is no change in the guidance. The reason is it says Schedule OFC Appointment and many think it is for giving your Biometrics (fingerprints, photo). Pankaj, You should reach out to consulate for the same. Yes or No 2. Beware that you can reschedule an appointment only 4 times. 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? For e.g. They say that H1B and L visas are treated the same in their system, with exception of Blanket L visas processed only at Chennai. Good news! You need to wait. YouTube Video on where & how to check for US Consulates openings, wait times. He is likely eligible, if he meets other requirements. Below is the summary of key takeaways from their responses. So, you would answer based on most recent one, which is from 2022 and approved. Below is the summary of the key updates from them. Also, in the first nine months, they processed over 160,000 H & L Visas in India and they continue to prioritize H1B and L visa holders. Got married in 2019. But, this changed in mid-2021. . Check the. Thanks Kumar. See the below screenshot and links for the official update. I am working in the US on approved H1B. Like before, you can take any available appointment on the calendar and request that it be expedited. Many H1B applicants, who have done a change of employer or transferred to a new employer assume that they are not eligible for dropbox submission. Everything you read online is their own theory based on their experience. This policy applies to both interview and interview waiver (dropbox) appointments. Add your Dropbox Submission. It is mostly the documents you submit and your eligibility criteria that matter. They are also getting more visa officers from Washington DC to temporarily from January to March 2023 to address the backlog of cases. They said they are finalizing their schedules and they will open slots for November and December 2022 as well. I have all my H1B paperwork, but no visa in my passport for travel. It is better to carry the required documents, than scramble for the same in last minute. From the article you linked, it is clear that the H category visa is no longer bound by the 48 month rule. The next big batch of slots will come later part of November. They plan to open the second half of July and the first half of August appointments later. Am I still eligible for a dropbox appointment? US Embassy in India had Visa Friday Q&A Session on July 29th, 2022. What was your experience ? Hi, My son is eligible for drop box. May 30th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the previous week, until today. November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session. If you do not have any annotations in the visa stamp such as Clearance Received or Department Authorization, you would answer No. See below screenshot of the response. Not just the recent one. 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.. US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on December 2nd, below are the updates from the same session. It will usually be 6 pages. Can I still do it as my previous DS160 is expired? They say some people cancel appointments and you may get lucky in rescheduling. US Visa Appointment Slots Availability Tracker Beta You are entering data in America/Los_Angeles time zone. US Consulates and Embassy in India have picked up the pace of processing of US Visa applications based on the measures they indicated in January. If my H1-B visa renewal start date is 29 October, can I take any appointment after July 29 which satisfies the rule that I can get my H1-B stamping done 90 days prior to my start date? You can check VisaGrader to understand some trends. But how can it be done for a dropbox appointment. They suggest to attend the interview, if they have a slot confirmed. 2. bala, they do not mention the dates on when they will release it. Previous sponsored stamped H1B: Tech Mahindra: Stamping done in 2017 Feb Current Sponsored: A company: Case approved and planning for VISA stamping 1. On Jan 1st, 2022, CGI Federal/UStravelDocs website got updated with new questions that implements the new interview waiver rule. Please press the Back button and choose a new OFC appointment Date.. Thanks. we dropped the docs in the Bangalore VFS center. This is very sad my kid was so excited to meet his grandparents this summer. Or only H1B letters are necessary? And we arent done yet. But I cannot access any dates for a dropbox appointment at the US consulate in Kolkata, India (this is for a routine H1B renewal: I have confirmed interview waiver qualification, my DS 160 filed, all fees paid). For background, you can read How to apply for a US Visa for general guidance on the US Visa stamping process. The consulates have not done any drastic changes due to the increase in cases in India with the new Omicron variant spread, except closing the F1 slots for Spring 2022. The above was confirmed by our user community. 4) Do you think the US Consulate will give priority to those petitions, which were approved earlier, but the interview did not happen? They are misguided by the fact that their previous H1B visa foil glued in their passport has their previous employers name and they may not be eligible for dropbox. Is it fine with USA consulate to allow visa stamping on a passport which is going to expire in 6 months 10 days? They suggest checking the website for the availability of the slots. Its letting me select an OFC appointment for June 2022 but then when I try scheduling a consular appointment the system shows a message that no appointments available at this time. Today the status changed from Application received to refused.. is this a 221 g? Im planning to renew my passport by Jan or Feb 2023, so do I need to cancel my existing appointment and redo the whole process with a new passport OR carrying old + new passport at VAC should be fine. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. The situation is same as previous week. But there are no Consular Appointments available and I keep seeing the error- No Appointments available. 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. This includes H1B Visa as well. you can check https://visagrader.com/us-visa-time-slots-availability/india-ind/ to see some trends. July 26th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the beginning of July until now. One photograph (as per U.S. visa photograph specifications. My document dropbox appointment is on 20th Oct 22. Are dependent also eligible for drop box? In the past, there was no option for someone, who qualified for dropbox, to attend an in-person interview, in case of an emergency. After that you will need to complete personal data like passport, address info, contact info, mailing address, DS-160 info, etc. 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. However, I only see 1 receipt getting auto-populated in the MRV window and I see a pop-up asking me to pay another 190$. They suggest keeping checking the CGI Federal website. Thank you. H and L Visas Dropbox Slots fully booked for Summer, There are many more updates, read complete details at, Watch the Official Video Recording of the same below. key updates, December 15th, 2022: Below are the updates from the start of December until today. Again, on timing, they say keep checking. Below are the key updates: Nothing new in terms of news, just a re-iteration of previous guidance. About Visa Processing Wait Times Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants. They have opened slots for 2023 so that people can plan ahead their travel. F1 Appointments for Fall 2022: US Embassy mentioned that they will give slots to students who did not interview before, instead of giving more slots for someone rejected. Congratulations! Hi All, Ive booked my dropbox appointment for May 2023 with my existing passport details but my current passport is expiring in October 2023. If you give the I-797 approval notice original, you may not get it back. See the below screenshot on how it looks. doddamani, No one knows. Looking for visa appointments for b1/b2 for my parents . h1b. They are usually tweets or website updates from the US Consulate/ US Embassy. If you need to be in the US by mid-August, you must book a slot now. 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. Also, to add, we have many users on our blog and social media channels, who have got stamping done after the H1B transfer. In this article, we will cover the step-by-step process for H1B visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. US Consulates are giving 221(g) Administrative Processing slip for pending visa processing applications or if someone does not fall under NIE. What is the usual processing time for new B1/B2 visas? Have a few questions from DS-160 perspective. 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. You can check. The calendar app does not even open. Verify the details and click on continue. F1 Slots to open in mid-May for June and beyond. Ajau, The online status can be very misleading at times. Do you know the estimate next available dates for H1B visa stamping (drop box) if i want to schedule? You need to click the Drop-Off button at the bottom of the message to proceed with your interview waiver/ dropbox visa application. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date. Friend, relative, agent can drop. H1B Visa. They updated in late September 2022 saying that, previous rules of 365 days to book apply now and everyone should book an appointment within 365 days from the issuance of the MRV receipt. All they ask for are questions about your visa expiration date and general criteria. Email traveldocs support with copies of both passport and they will assist. Confirmation on H1B Dropbox Eligibility, Option to pick Interview for Emergency. Visa Fridays: Below are the key updates from Visa Fridays organized by US Embassy in India on Jun 17th, 2022. No specific date or week was stated by them. Response: Check your previously issued US Visa annotations section. They said that they canceled all previous B1/B2 placeholder appointments that users had until now. You can check complete details about this change at US Visa Dropbox / Renewal VAC vs. IW Confusion, New Change. US Embassy had Visa Fridays on May 20th, 2022. Cant understand how h4 stamping is done when h1 is refused. 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. The USTravelDoc account always ask question about applicant for appointment Criteria , and not about minor applicant Drop Box eligibility criteria. This sounds like you can only apply if youre applying first time or renewing? You should refer to the instructions on the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will interview, or on their online appointment scheduling site. (need to book my return accordingly) 2) Did anyone else face this situation of no dropbox? Can I get stamping for my dependants using my approved I797? Just wait and follow up with embassy in a week or so. This has come when there are scores of eligible visa applicants hesitating to travel to India for a lack of available appointments. See the below screenshot. They will do Visa interviews on Saturdays across all consulates and embassy, Temporary Staff from Washington DC from Jan to March 2023 to clear the backlogs, Permanent increase in the number of consular officers assigned to India. They try to release bulk slots now and then so that they do not disappear immediatelyand again suggest to keep checking. sai, It can take time. In 2021 Jan, her H4 visa got converted to H1B using Change of Status and she changed the employer in 2021 September. You would get another screen that shows the below text with the next steps to follow, as shown in the below screenshot. its always same OFC appointment i can select/pick some dates, when navigated to next screen for consular in-person appointment there are no dates available message Im missing anything ? It is divided into sections with a summary, and timeline for easy review. Thanks. Below is the confirmation screen with the next steps for the process in India. So, the appointment you book on this screen is for dropping off your H1B Dropbox Stamping Document and not Biometrics. Ravi, You need to keep looking, they open slots almost daily on rolling basis. If you plan to apply for a nonimmigrant visa to come to the United States as a temporary visitor, please review the current wait time for an interview using the tool below. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. Weve opened a number of B1/B2 interview waiver appointments for the coming month in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The below history information is not applicable now ( after Nov 8, 2021). 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. Its been more than 24 hours since I made the payment. Sometimes, even if your application is all good, they may call you for a random interview, so do not panic and handle it with confidence. I am looking for a dropbox date on June/July 2023. No new changes in terms of consulate operation status or opening of appointments since the last update on April 19th, 2022. Many assume that they may not be eligible for H1B Visa using the dropbox option. It has been showing this message from 1 week. 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. Do not worry, it is common thing. If a visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer must refuse that application. 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. H-1B Holders in the U.S. H1B stamping availability Ottawa aninanda Feb 16, 2022 1 2 Next A aninanda Full Member Jul 12, 2021 41 4 Feb 16, 2022 #1 Whats the current wait-time for Ottawa for H1B stamping for folks living in Canada? Its for H1B Visa stamping in India. I havent got any communication from the emabssy/consulate. 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. Below is a short summary of all updates from the US Consulates and Embassy in India from February 2022 until February 13th, 2023. Below are the general eligibility criteria for getting an H1B Visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. New, Renewal? why it is stamped? Should I wait till Sept 2022 for the further development of this or should I go ahead book that place holder appointment? Schedule an appointment to submit your documents.Step 2. Best is to split, get the parents appointments done and approved, then apply for kids. Not easy to get a date. The verbiage in the posts is accurate. If your H1B visa was not approved by the US Consulate for some reason with the dropbox option, then you will be notified that your visa was not approved. You just need to carry your both passport. They say they cannot share exact dates on when they will release dates for October to December. Did you go for Visa appointment or Dropbox ? See the below screenshot. My wife and son never had a US Visa before. You will get a chance to review and confirm the details you have entered until now as a summary. Also for all supporting documents, carry originals and copies of the same. 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. Regarding slots for first-time refused F1 applicants, they said it will vary by availability and have not confirmed and suggested checking the website. 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. Till now the interview is not scheduled due to unavailability of the slots. April 19th, 2022: On April 18th, 2022, US Consulate in Chennai hosted a Facebook Live Q & A session with Mr. Don Heflin, who is the head of the US Consulates in India. It looks like in the below screenshot. 3. Student Appointments for Fall 2022 will be opened later in the spring. Read Sample US Visa Annotation section location for more info. US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in the previous month. In the past, the above question used to have question specific to H1B, but that is not relevant anymore until the end of 2023.