No changes in the overall US Consulates situation in India, they are still operating in a limited fashion. Please suggest. June 28th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from the previous two weeks until now. are they still eligible for dropbox, pleaseeeeeee answer ?? Also for all supporting documents, carry originals and copies of the same. US Consulates in India processed over 1 Lakh (100,000) Visa applications in January 2023. Check below for full details and actual Q&A responses. Everything is as in the previous week. Dropbox appointment is mandatory in India for US visa Stamping. Am I able to apply for the interview waiver even though I already have a H1B? They also said they cannot guarantee getting a slot. In 2021 my status changed from F1 to H1B with COS application. Hi, My son is eligible for drop box. Now I have Employment verification letter from Company A (India location) and Offer letter from Company A (US location) . Any idea when future F1 appointments will be opened? In this article, we will cover the step-by-step process for H1B visa stamping using dropbox or the interview waiver option. 3) 2 years have passed, since I submitted the documents during the H1B process, most of them might have expired, due to the validity clause on the document. It has been showing this message from 1 week. Nikhil, You may need to update the DS-160 or create a new one with the new passport. Check below tweet from them. YouTube Video on where & how to check for US Consulates openings, wait times. This is one of the highest monthly totals ever since July 2019 as per them. 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. I changed to F1 through change of status in USA and working on Stem OPT am I eligible for consular interview waiver in this case. Hi kumar. F1 Slots to open in mid-May for June and beyond. If theres an active Group for updates on B2 visa slots, please let me know Thanks and regards.. V.Venkatesh, Has anyone had any luck with booking appointments for even 2023? They say they cannot share exact dates on when they will release dates for October to December. I, with my two kids, qualify for the Interview waiver; we have been trying to get a Dropbox appointment for the last 12 weeks without success. I continued to live in US on F1 visa till 2021 (did not go back for stamp renewal). US Consulates in India processed about 130,000 Immigrant and Non-immigrant visas in February and March 2022. But I got an interview waiver. December 19th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Question and Answer session on December 15th, below are the. 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? Pathetic, Dont know what to do and who to escalate this to. 1. To proceed with your interview waiver application Step 1. See the below screenshot and links for the official update. This shows that the U.S. remains the most sought-after country for higher education. Book now in time for holiday travel. My offer letter has employer name as A & B US LLP. If they do cancel, they will inform the applicants affected. Is there any specific timeslot in a day we have to look/login in CGIFederal site for appointment schedule ? Please continue to monitor https://t.co/NWWVNbHYHX for appointments as they open. They say they are trying to incrase the capacity, but say to expect significant wait times for quite some time. Im so confused. Again, on timing, they say keep checking. Ravi, good to know. However, some refused visa applications may require further administrative processing. Drop off your listed documents at locations mentioned on the appointment letter. Ajay, I have seen this happen in the past. Try it out and system will tell. It says that the proclamation is in effect, so they cannot process and need more information. They plan to open some more slots for Fall and winter as resources allow. FYI. (Yes/no), My Kid is 5 years old, and he has visa stamped on his passport twice in the past. Verify the details and click on continue. Hi! Confirmation on H1B Dropbox Eligibility, Option to pick Interview for Emergency. Hi Pankaj, Any update after your interview? The guided wizard looks like in the below section screenshots. They suggest keeping checking the CGI Federal website. Nothing new. Is this because all appointments until mid-July are filled? Do not worry. Visa Bulletin Predictions. There was no Visa Fridays Q&A by US Embassy in the last two weeks, which was supposed to be on March 11th and March 18th. I had booked h1b visa in person interview appointment as during that time 24 months rule was there for interview waiver program. You need to click the Drop-Off button at the bottom of the message to proceed with your interview waiver/ dropbox visa application. 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. Hi, I am in the US and got my H1b renewal approved (I-797). our son is just 5 months and staying away from his father is really sad. They say some people cancel appointments and you may get lucky in rescheduling. Hi, I am eligible for the interview waiver and have paid the MRV fee. No changes in the US Consulates situation or the way they are operating in the last week or so. Did you go for Visa appointment or Dropbox ? The only way to check is to check using the questionnaire. 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. I have got the appointment at 4:45 pm for drop box. When did you schedule your appointment? 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). New, Renewal? The amount shown will vary by country in local currency. They plan to open more in-person and dropbox slots. This is for Mumbai consulate. Only limited B1/B2 dropbox is processed at the moment. Also, in general, they do not plan to cancel appointments, if there is no specific local guidance or restriction. Am I eligible for interview waiver as my expired F1 visa stamp is more than 5 years old. Will I be still eligible for dropbox? My F1 visa was rejected and aprroved in the next attempt. You should arrive at the time of your appointment. One thing to note during creating a profile is that you need to select the country where you plan to get your H1B visa renewal. They try to release bulk slots now and then so that they do not disappear immediatelyand again suggest to keep checking. If you hold a dropbox appointment and need emergency appointment, you need to cancel and book an in-person slot using above option. Manish, You should use the one that is valid right now with all the correct details. You can also email or call the customer service. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. 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. If you are dropbox eligible, you can book an appointment for any city and dropbox it at any other consulate location. They plan to open first-time B1/B2 slots in the upcoming weeks to start interviews in September. March 29th, 2022: Below are the latest updates from March until today, includes last week as well. On Feb 18th, they updated during their Visa Fridays that they do not know when they will open first time B1/B2 Appointments. There is no gurantee for that. There is no requirement for the actual applicant to submit the documents. This sounds like you can only apply if youre applying first time or renewing? Rohit, If you are eligible for dropbox, you cannot go for an interview as the system will not let you do that. They said that they are preparing for a small student season in April, who are planning for Summer intake. It has nothing to do with dropbox stamping eligibility. He is planning to visit in the year end may be November December . US Consulates continue to be operating in a limited fashion as in the previous month. This includes any of your recent US visas, including the H1B Visa. Kindly suggest. Here are the key updates: They repeated what was said in the previous weeks updates. Next, you need to select the Visa Class, which is H1B Visa. As per them, they suggest not to cancel an in-person appointment. No change in the overall situation of consulates, they all are operating in limited fashion. As far as regular Spring 2023 slots go, they released a large batch and most of those slots are booked. Do not worry, sometimes, it can take time. No more placeholders slots, you can book appointments far beyond 6 months up to 1.5 years and use the same. What is CWOP, how it looks? hi, Looks like this article is not latest as per the the latest visa renewal guidelines https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/renew-visa. Is this dooable please advise. My F1 visa was rejected once and aprroved in the second attempt. You would see this listed as Step 3 in the wizard as in the below screenshot. Note that applicants must be a national or resident of the country where they are applying to be eligible to apply via Interview Waiver. For ex: when I login to schedule an appointment, the website says "First available appointment is December 20, 2016". (checking everyday) 1) Is the Mumbai consulate not processing any dropbox visa? About Visa Processing Wait Times Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants. Think earliest available Dropbox appt is in may for now.. slots were opened for jan/feb/March and got filled up few weeks ago. Response: For this question, most of them would answer Yes, unless their visa was issued before Jan 1st, 2008. For permanent address, I intend to give the Indian address on my passport and temporary/current address the US residence. I am trying to book appointment for first time tourist visa for my parents: 1. Well, this keeps changing, very hard to say. See the below screenshot on how it looks, 3. US Embassy updated on Jun 24th saying that they opened more F1 Slots for students planning to be in the US by mid-August. Is it possible that H1 is really refused and H4 is issued? As of February 2023, you can apply for H1B visa stamping for both in-person and interview waiver. Looking for a B1/B2 interview waiver (dropbox) visa appointment? Just wait and follow up with embassy in a week or so. Could some one please confirm that the Daughter Passport will be Hold at the Kolkata Consulate Office and will be sent back after the In-Person Interview scheduled on 19th September. US Embassy in India had Visa Friday Q&A Session on July 29th, 2022. At present, working in Singapore on Employment pass. Thanks. See the below screenshots. I booked a B1/B2 appointment for October 2022 on Sunday. You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State. There is no change in the guidance. * Calendar days refers to every day of the week, including days when embassies are closed (such as weekends and holidays). Even though the text says Schedule OFC Appointment, what they mean is the appointment for Dropbox to drop off your documents. Vedant, Yes, you cannot see. Thanks. They continue to be operating in a limited fashion. For the H1B visa renewal does the 48 months eligibility still valid for an interview waiver? So be careful. 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). 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. 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. For B1/B2 , the update from Consulate mentions all slots open in 2022 / 2023 are NOT Placeholder slots, which means they are actual appointments. Received passport & copies of H1B petition and employer offer letter (I submitted earlier) back along with a yellow slip requesting an additional document to be submitted at any of the closest VAC. Once completed and submitted online, you will get a confirmation number. US Visa Stamping Passport Tracking Statuses meaning, H1B Visa Dropbox Process Step by Step Guide, Guide to Apply for Emergency Appointment in India. You can fill a new DS-160 as needed and update the same info on USTravelDocs as well. Pls do sure your feedback and your experience. They said that they canceled all previous B1/B2 placeholder appointments that users had until now. Is there a probability that we can get an earlier appointment or this is likely to be the first avaialble slot, Also, is there any other way through which we can extend her existing L2 visa. They suggest checking the website for the availability of the slots. The officer may also conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa. While going through the waiver questionnaire, I see Do you have a previous U.S. visa in any visa class issued on or after your 14th birthday?. And is he eligible for interview waiver appointment ? They had some query on my previous visa application. H1B/H4 Dropbox Slots: They say that these slots are pretty much full for the next few months. Its his first visit after getting H1b, before he was on OPT. Visa Bulletin. Starting from January 1st, 2022, with the new Dropbox Eligibility option for certain first-time H1B Holders, you see a generic question asking about any US Visa, instead of an H1B Visa. I have dropbox appointment for May 2023. Could you please help? Actual interviews will be post Sep 1. There were quite a few updates and they will not fit here, we wrote a separate article on the same. You will need to provide proof of the need for an earlier appointment. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. Kanika, It is everyones problem, you need to login and check. You can check. They said that it is unlikely to have another batch of B1/B2 visa slots released in 2022 and say you might get lucky, if someone cancels. Rohit, Usually for kids to apply for interview waiver, the parents both of them should have the visa. Yes, slots are opening on a rolling basis for B1/B2 now. 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. See the timeline section below for official links, screenshots of news. Shall I provide those new valid documents in case VO requires it during the interview or do I need to re-upload the documents somewhere before the interview happens? If you have an I-20, dont wait! This policy applies to both interview and interview waiver (dropbox) appointments. The status for my wifes application (H4) is issued and the passport tracking says Origination scan. 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. Need to wait for summer. Raj, The irony is US Immigration software and processes are even worse when you apply for something with USCIS, and it not just the Dept of State website. 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 Visa Status shows as Refused for all 3 of us on the CEAC Website and have received the Passports for mine and Spouse with the 221G letter stating that we need to appear for the In-person Interview at the Kolkata Consulate office. Print your appointment letter and follow the instructions on it.Step 3. Question 3: Was your most recent U.S. visa lost, stolen, canceled, revoked, or marked CWOP?. What should my answer be to the question on cgi website: Do you have a previous US visa in any class issued? Status Difference. H1B Visa dropbox appointment availability times USA H1B Visa venkatbolla July 17, 2021, 6:15pm #1 Hello Everyone, Anyone able to book H1B dropbox appointment recently? I am not seeing any slots mostly. There is no deadline on when the 48 months rule for an interview waiver will end. Beware that you can reschedule an appointment only 4 times. 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. Looking for visa appointments for b1/b2 for my parents . After you make the payment and the receipt is activated, you need to enter the Machine Readable Visa(MRV) Fee payment receipt number. You can read the below updates for previous guidance. Response: Check, if your most recently issued US Visa meets all the below conditions: If your answer is Yes to all the above 3 points, then you would answer No to this question. 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? The verbiage in the posts is accurate. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. Does anyone know if I can update the I-797 Approval Notice Number after scheduling a drop-box appointment? If not, you can enter the receipt number in the receipt number box and click continue, then it will show the below pop-up. I have changed employer and continued to work here in usa. It will be listed as Step 6 and looks like in the below screenshot. It shows me that i am eligible for Dropbox but then it takes me to book an appointment and then it shows no appointments available followed by restarting the process for me. I also would like to understand the same. Ever travelled to US. Read below. 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? It can be different from the city where you actually go for stamping or submitting documents. This can vary by location, check the letter. No, there is no refund as such. H1B gives up his option of dropbox and combines his application with H4 to appear for an interview along with H4. In the past, the above question used to say in the same class for which you are applying, now it does not show that anymore due to certain exceptions until the end of 2023. The below history information is not applicable now ( after Nov 8, 2021). He gave guidance on how consulates in India will handle appointments for rest 2022 and 2023. On CGI Federal Website, once you add your basic information, you will need to select New Appointment / Schedule Appointment from the menu on the left-hand side. Will this be an issue? US Consulates continue to be operating in full swing to clear the wait times with the recent measures announced in January 2023. Kansas Solutions / Eng !troll. Below is the typical sequence for the change of various statuses. No new changes in terms of consulate operation status or opening of appointments since the last update on April 19th, 2022. 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). Please advise. Some of you would have scheduled US Visa interview appointments scheduled in India, due to the unprecedented COVID-19 Situation in India and across the globe, US State Department continues to give news alerts on their website, Twitter, emails, etc. Am I still eligible for a dropbox appointment? It seems like they have been granting non-immigrant tourist visa appointments in recent weeks ( with constantly shifting # of calendar days to get an appointment) but yet this article states that they will not resume accepting those appointments until September of this year Can you please clarify? if in doubt, reach out to support. The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa. 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. See the below screenshot. Thanks. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date. Planning to visit India now. You can read the full press release on. Hi, Please help me out with B1/B2 dropbox eligiblity, I have applied renewal for my old parents and paid MRV fee on August 23rd 2021. One photograph (as per U.S. visa photograph specifications. Regarding slots for other visa types like B1/B2, H1B, L1 and others see below updates from April. They clarified again that B1/B2 dropbox is only available for anyone with previous B1/B2 visa expired within the last 48 months. The first one is the list of common documents and the second is the documents that are specific to H1B visa applicants. Priyam, You can submit anywhere, no need to do anything about DS-160. Australia Immigration Forums. why it is stamped? Prediction. For example, India, if you are applying from any consulate in India. However, the drop box appointments we are getting are for Nov 2023. In 2021 Jan, her H4 visa got converted to H1B using Change of Status and she changed the employer in 2021 September. Seshadri, See the full letter, it should have more info. The new change without specific question tied to H1B visa is valid until December 31st, 2023. They said the slots would open up in batches in weeks leading to each student season. You need to wait. 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. Thank you! 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.