From: rf@earth.sarnoff.com (Rajamani Ganesh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Multiple entry H-1 in India
Keywords: H-1
Date: 23 Sep 92 22:43:33 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: David Sarnoff Research Center


In article <1992Sep22.144624.15381@nova.sarnoff.com>, rg@earth.sarnoff.com (Rajamani Ganesh) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> Hello folks - Just to let everyone know, that I got a multiple-entry H-1 Visa 
|> from the US consulate in Bombay, about a month ago without ANY problems, 
|> whatsover. Whoever, is still thinking of going to Mexico/Canada, should probably 
|> think again - because the risk factor of applying for a multiple-entry H1 visa 
|> from India, is extremely LOW.
|> 
|> Good Luck
|> Ganesh
|> 
|> (rg@earth.sarnoff.com)
|> 


Hello folks - Since my last post (reproduced above), I have been flooded with
e-mails requesting more details. So here's a brief summary:

Documents required for multiple-entry H-1 visa:

* Passport
* H-1 forms
- approval and change of status (you get these with your H-1 ; the BLUE forms)

* Company Letter
- A letter from the DIrector of Personnel/Employment giving details about the
kind of technical work that you do, how much money you make, how long have you 
been employed and a request to the INS folks, to grant you a multiple-entry H-1 visa.

* $100 for Visa fees
- Make sure you have cash (Indian rupees) - they do NOT accept checks/credit cards.

* Proof of Employment
- If asked for, you may show your pay-stubs from the company.

* Photo 
- Very very picky; 2 x 2; No sunglasses/hats/caps; Less then 6 mths old, 
WHITE background, face/hair must be very prominent - On request 
the INS folks will send you a 1 page description (yes - it's one full 
page) of the type of photo acceptable. (They didn't accept the photo that I had -
had to go the 1 hour photo center nearby and pay a fortune)

* Copy of I-94 and all degree/certificates/original H1 petitions
(optional - they didn't ask me for it, but I had it nevertheless).



The Consul officer wanted to see the H-1 forms and the letter from 
my company. She asked me - why I was visiting India (I replied :
meeting family/relatives). 
She was later joking with me about life in Princeton vs life in Boston
(she told me that she was from Boston and I had told her, how
beautiful Princeton is). The whole "interview" lasted about 3 minutes 
and I was asked to pay the $100 visa fees (there's usually a LONG line 
at the cashier) and come back at 4 PM to collect the Visa. 

Some Observations:

1) If you have ALL documents (incl. the PHOTO) ready - there's no 
need to go very early. (The line, outside the consulate 
starts pretty early, around 5 AM). Since I had to go and get a duplicate 
photo, I entered the consulate ONLY at 10:45 AM; Ofcourse I had to 
wait a long time before I was called, finally around 1:30 PM.

2) Make sure the application forms (I think, they are called Optional 
form) are the latest. My lawyer had given me an older version 
and they didn't accept that - so I had to fill out another one. It's 
probably not a bad idea, to fill out an extra one - just in case. 

3) They do NOT allow any bags, luggage, calculators, batteries (yes - 
that includes calculators/walkman etc.) inside the building. 
(I guess they are paranoid, after they had a harmless bomb explode 
in the consulate's compound, recently) 


Thanks to all the folks who e-mailed me some of this information, 
before I went to Bombay to apply. 

Well,  Good Luck and Be Happy
Ganesh

(rg@earth.sarnoff.com)

 


From UNAUTHENTICATED Fri Oct 30 12:32:01 CST 1992
Article: 32160 of soc.culture.indian
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA