Question 5: Was your most recent U.S. visa issued after January 1, 2008? Do not panic, just follow instructions. There most recent Visa Fridays Q&A on July 15th, below is the summary of the responses from US Embassy, Visa Appointments are now open for all visa types, Only in-person appointments are eligible for Emergency, If you are dropbox eligible and still need an emergency appointment, you need to answer the question . YouTube Video on where & how to check for US Consulates openings, wait times. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. After you complete the DS-160 form, you need to create a new user profile on CGI Federal Atlas Website and complete basic information about yourself. If you plan to continue with old company then submit the employment verification letter. Many reached out to US TravelDocs team asking, if they can convert the in-person appointments to Dropbox. There are currently no appointments available. visa_check March 25, 2021, 1:18am #1. Verify the details and click on continue. The city you select here does not really matter. I was wondering if there is any possibility that embassy will cancel appointment due to rising covid cases? They say they are trying to incrase the capacity, but say to expect significant wait times for quite some time. This January, the U.S. Mission to India processed over 1 Lakh visa applications. Pushkar, If you cannot do it in the portal, you should call the customer service. Please suggest. Hello, Can we reschedule B2 appointments that were cancelled in 2020 because of covid? They are not opening slots for fresh B1/B2 stampings yet and do not know when they will open B1/B2 Stamping slots for first time B1/B2 applicants. You qualify for the Interview Waiver. To proceed with your interview waiver application Step 1. I am a first-timer for a US visa, but considering the current slots scenario. Do not worry too much, there is nothing you can do. You should arrive at the time of your appointment. US Visa Appointments in India 2022 updates by Head of Consulates, Guidance by US Head of Consulates in India for appointments, US Visa Interview Waiver for Some visa types, Dropbox Extended, Guide to Apply for US Visa Emergency Appointment in India, Community Group for US Visa Appointments India Discussions, Visa Fridays FAQ Comments on Facebook.com, US Dept of State extends interview waiver for certain nonimmigrant visa holders. At present, working in Singapore on Employment pass. 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. For dropbox documents, is it mandatory to submit Employment verification letter? It will change to issued. Pls do sure your feedback and your experience. Work (H1b, L-1) - H and L visas . I had booked h1b visa in person interview appointment as during that time 24 months rule was there for interview waiver program. 20,000 New Dropbox Appointments Available In India In a welcome move, The US State Department has announced an additional 20,000 dropbox interview waiver appointment slots in various US consulates in India. See below timeline for a sample form that is given for 221g. For kids below 14 years to be eligible for dropbox, both parents need to have Visa stamped in their passport. Have a safe 2022! dropbox eligibility for H1B holders to 48 months, administrative processing refusal like 221g, US Visa Stamping Dropbox Option for certain H1B Visa applicants, annotation added for reference of the CBP officer, new user profile on CGI Federal Atlas Website, https://atlas.my.salesforce-sites.com/?language=English&country=India, https://atlas.my.salesforce-sites.com/?language=English&country=Germany, new Dropbox Eligibility option for certain first-time H1B Holders, Sample US Visa Annotation section location. Hyderabad drop box updates. My last H1B visa expired in Jan 2018 (more than 48 months). The reality is that the employer name on US Visa is only an annotation added for reference of the CBP officer. My F1 visa was rejected and aprroved in the next attempt. Also, when you submit the DS-160 form, you will get a confirmation number. Its for H1B Visa stamping in India. Last petition expired in Jan 2021. To know more on this read What is Clearance Received or Department Authorization annotation? Also, they do not plan to cancel existing appointments. Ever travelled to US. I recently submitted my documents for H1B and H4 visa (for my wife) at the US Visa Application Centre in Chennai and wanted to help others who have appointments at . All you need to do is take your passport and go to the Embassy on any day before 10 AM. If any issues, call support. There are only two possible outcomes for U.S. visa applications. The passport status you see on the USTravelDocs website is only for tracking of the passport, it will not have any info on the actual status of your visa. Check. On Feb 18th, they updated during their Visa Fridays that they do not know when they will open first time B1/B2 Appointments. I am looking for a visa appointment for later this year. Ajau, The online status can be very misleading at times. Do not worry, it is common thing. This kind of visa stamping process is called an Interview Waiver option and is popularly called the Dropbox Stamping. You need to go only during the appointment date and allowed times to the dropbox location in the appointment confirmation letter. The chance to secure such appointments opens up shortly. US Visa Dropbox Appointment Experiences Tracker. My previous h1b visa got expired in March 2018. As of February 2023, you can apply for H1B visa stamping for both in-person and interview waiver. I have a set of questions regarding my H1B case, my lottery got selected in April 2020 and the petition was approved till Sept 2023. Raj, There is no way to escalate. Please continue to monitor https://t.co/NWWVNbHYHX for appointments as they open. Nikhil, You may need to update the DS-160 or create a new one with the new passport. 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. Thanks. They say they cannot share exact dates on when they will release dates for October to December. They clarified again that B1/B2 dropbox is only available for anyone with previous B1/B2 visa expired within the last 48 months. At some sites its mentioned its till end of 2022 only but some sites say otherwise. 3) Anyone with recent dropbox experience? Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times. The lifting of the travel ban to the US does not mean that you can get an appointment to get visa stamping. Question 2: Was your prior visa annotated Clearance Received or Department Authorization?. I dont know how to verify this. The amount shown will vary by country in local currency. First-time B1/B2 applicants can now book in-person appointments for interviews. 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. Also remember few were asked to attend interview after . How about my wife and son, will they be eligible for drop box? You will get an option to specify the Document Delivery Option if you would pick up or choose the premium delivery option. Book now in time for holiday travel. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How long can I receive passport back after VAC appointment? Is there any specific timeslot in a day we have to look/login in CGIFederal site for appointment schedule ? The response from the support team is, users cannot covert the appointments, but they can cancel and re-book, if they qualify. Now, since 48 months rule came back, I am eligible for dropbox as my visa got expired in . 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 only looking to get the visa sticker in my passport so I can travel back home to England and see family. 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 Still, all the US Consulates in India continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in previous weeks. B1/B2, H1, F1? They are completely different from H1B visa denial. February 13th, 2023: Below are the updates from from February 7th, 2023 until now. Below is screenshot of the info from their. After you submit the documents, you can check your US Visa Status Online on the Consular Electronic Application Center(CEAC) website. You must carry both old and new to avoid confusion too. My last H1B visa stamp expired more than 48 months ago. Also, if you are over 80 years of age and applying for an H1B Visa renewal, then you need to only meet one condition, which is your most recent US Visa application was not refused. Latest Visa Bulletin Analysis. 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. Enter Your Personal info, Passport details, contact info, mailing address, Petitioner info. US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion, with no changes in the overall situation. Planning to visit India now. There are limited slots that are open for in-person and they fill quickly. They have also extended the hours in Mumbai during weekdays to address more cases. You need to select the right country or country and state combination as per your residence and click on continue. This changed to VAC for dropbox/interview waiver appointments after Nov 28th, 2021. No changes in the situation and consulates continuously say the same message on their official Twitter account saying that they have limited capacity and slots. But I dont want to cancel this hard earned appointment. No, there is no refund as such. Also if you are eligible for dropbox then what is the wait time in that case? Hi Kumar, My spouse was on H4 visa starting from 2017 and we did the visa extension in 2019. The trick to cancellation is to find an open slot. It says I am eligible for interview waiver but since its my first h1b visa stamping, i think i need to give the interview. Thanks. Or do I have to take an appointment after 29 October? Just note that youll need to leave us your passport for up to 3-4 weeks while the application is being processed. You do not need a new US Visa if you are already in the US. Check the previous weeks update. The new change without specific question tied to H1B visa is valid until December 31st, 2023. I havent got any communication from the emabssy/consulate. Manish, You should use the one that is valid right now with all the correct details. Appreciate you for the valid help. After that you will need to complete personal data like passport, address info, contact info, mailing address, DS-160 info, etc. Did you all get a new appointment slot before Feb 2023? If I apply for their B1/b2 renewal, will they qualify for interview waiver and if yes are there slots available for B1b2 Dropbox? At the conclusion of the administrative processing period, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. There were no US visa refusals anytime in the past. they might be call for in-person interview or administrative process (221g). hi, Looks like this article is not latest as per the the latest visa renewal guidelines https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/renew-visa. Want to know if there is a way to book an interview so that I can go with my family and get the stamping with my approved I797. Response: For this question, most of them would answer Yes, unless their visa was issued before Jan 1st, 2008. US Visa Stamping Passport Tracking Statuses meaning, H1B Visa Dropbox Process Step by Step Guide, Guide to Apply for Emergency Appointment in India. The above was confirmed by our user community. Ajay, I have seen this happen in the past. Also for all supporting documents, carry originals and copies of the same. Select the country and state of residence, You will get an option to select the country or state of your residence. If any doubt, reach out to them or consulate directly. A related query my parents have a B1/B2 expiring later this year in Jul. If you plan to renew your H1B Visa, you may be eligible for Dropbox / Interview Waiver option. . Gauri, Very hard to get a slot. The verbiage in the posts is accurate. For ex: when I login to schedule an appointment, the website says "First available appointment is December 20, 2016". This is very sad my kid was so excited to meet his grandparents this summer. 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. Again, in December 2022, they confirmed the availability of the 48-month dropbox rule for 2023 and beyond as well. When can you Apply for H1B Visa Stamping after Petition Approval? Email traveldocs support with copies of both passport and they will assist. There are limited ones that came in earlier and we dont know how this works on how many they open or plan to open. Everything is as in the previous week. I booked a B1/B2 appointment for October 2022 on Sunday. Keerthana, You both have to be eligible for dropbox as well to go with him. Processing wait time also does not include the time required to return the passport to applicants, by either courier services or the local mail system. Is this universal or a worst case scenario? See the below screenshots. It can take between 3 and 21 days to have your visa processed through DropBox. 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. or do we need to pay again to schedule? Check the previous week updates. US Consulates in India Appointments for 2023, Fee, How it would work. Please visit our website to determine whether you are eligible for drop box processing and schedule an appointment for document drop-off. I will be traveling to India in June for H1B visa stamping and my H1B visa appointment date is 24 July 2023 (interview waived). Looking for a B1/B2 interview waiver (dropbox) visa appointment? Hey Sidx, Even I got the earliest dropbox appointment for May 2023 and seems like no earlier than this month is open for now. Lawyer Questions. just want to check has any one faced same kind of issue for changing the status from approved to issued? Below are the key steps from the announcement, US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A session on Jan 13th, 2022. There is no change in the guidance. I have seen only 2 week ends after that never seen any slots availability. I am very confused, are there no visa appointments for first time B1/B2 visa applicants in the year 2022? No other new updates. Currently we have April 2023 appointment which was last chance to book in the 5 th attempt. As per them, they suggest not to cancel an in-person appointment. Weve opened a number of B1/B2 interview waiver appointments for the coming month in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Thanks in advance! Hi Sir I have a question regarding H1B stamping for Dropbox. Thanks Kumar and I agree, I was just venting out. Thank you! 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. Gauri, There is no pattern as such. Dear Mr Kumar , You have been very helpful to everyone . I need to update my DS160 number as I had to make some changes after the appointment is confirmed? They had some query on my previous visa application. Do not panic. Below is the summary of key takeaways from their responses. Pranay, It is the case for everyone. RedBus2US.com 2010 - 2023, All Rights Reserved. How did you get the appointments at two different locations? The appointments for such first-time B1/B2 applicants would be starting from September 2022. Ok, so dropbox appointments are immediate they ask you to send documents as soon as you fill up questionnaire. Do you have a sense of when new appointments might become available? The would be the actual name of the country which you were applying for a visa from. Soumya, This is a million-dollar question, no one knows. They said it can take anywhere from 10 to 30 days to get a passport with a US visa after the submission of documents for B1/B2 renewal. Only at this point will a consular section consider your request for an expedited appointment. Hope it goes well. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. US Embassy India updated their website saying that travelers to the US do not need to show a negative COVID test anymore starting from June 12th, 12:01 AM. What should my answer be to the question on cgi website: Do you have a previous US visa in any class issued? why it is stamped? Archana, No one knows. 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The overall situation Authorization annotation h1b dropbox appointment availability as they open as in the below screenshot on how they... Venting out in that case and see family recent U.S. visa issued after January 1, 2008 Authorization.. Petitioner info you get the appointments at two different locations in person interview appointment as during that time months. Is confirmed you may need to select the option Employment-based visas option and click continue... Originals and copies of the same our website to determine whether you are eligible dropbox! That is valid right now with all the correct details new appointment slot before Feb 2023 was. Have your visa processed through dropbox but can not lose the current slots scenario ones that came in earlier we... Hello, can we reschedule B2 appointments that were cancelled in 2020 because covid... Them, they do not plan to continue with old company then submit the Employment verification?.