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. I see my kids passport will expire on 20-Feb-23. They said that they are preparing for a small student season in April, who are planning for Summer intake. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But dropbox results take anywhere between 4-6 weeks as per few folks here in this forum. There will not be any slots open for March 2023. For example, India, if you are applying from any consulate in India. This is to prevent agents and avoid lockouts in CGI Federal. The process to apply for H1B Visa stamping using the dropbox or interview waiver option is not very different from the general visa renewal for other types of visas. Just go ahead and schedule appointment in the portal whenever you find slots. Did anyone book an H1B Visa stamping via the cgifederal website. Do share your inputs here on what they asked for community benefit. Arshi, The rule is valid till end of this year, but the visa issued will be valid for the duration it is issued for. Below is sample 221g given at Consulate for H1B Dropbox before pandemic asking to attend the consulate for interview on any day. November 30th, 2022: US Embassy had Visa Fridays Q&A on Nov 17th, below are the updates from the same session. I also would like to understand the same. Hey Sidx, Even I got the earliest dropbox appointment for May 2023 and seems like no earlier than this month is open for now. When do they add new slots to the system? Vedant, Yes, you cannot see. Hi Im applying for a new h1b through interview waiver.I would like to get my spouse on h4.My spouse has had rejection in the past but no rejection since last visa.Will she be eligible for waiver ?can I book in same appointment ? from the date i paid MRV, i am trying for their regular appointment slots, i see some dates for OFC when i proceed to next screen there are no dates available ( i tried for 4 consulate locations mumbai, hydrabad, chennai and also delhi), but i see same above response ofc dates i am able to slect and later screen no in-person appointment dates. US Visa Dropbox Appointment Experiences Tracker. Nothing new. US Embassy Confirmed on May 18th that they opened slots for June and the first half of July for F, M and J visa applicants. One photograph (as per U.S. visa photograph specifications. 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. 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. Do not be worried or confused, if you see this. Call the customer service and ask them to update after the new passport to ensure it is up to date. I keep getting the same message below. So be careful. (Yes/no), My Kid is 5 years old, and he has visa stamped on his passport twice in the past. Below is the sample for India and it does not show any US Consulates/Embassy-related information. US Consulates in India continue to be operating normally despite the recent COVID-19 cases increase in the country. In general, the dropbox processing time SLA is about 7 to 10 working days, but due to the higher load, it seems they are taking more than that time. Libin, There is no pattern as such. They say that they open appointments on a rolling basis. It is difficult for Jul/Aug, as per them they can only open some in Sep. 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 ? They said they are finalizing their schedules and they will open slots for November and December 2022 as well. I have been trying to book an appointment since a . So I booked my dropbox h1b appointment at oct 2022 at hyderabad so can I dropoff my documents at chennai? See the below screenshot on how it looks on CGI Federal Atlas website. They said the slots would open up in batches in weeks leading to each student season. Vicky, it is a common issue. why it is stamped? Aug 20, 2021 0 1. This is for Mumbai consulate. If you give the I-797 approval notice original, you may not get it back. You can make a Visa fee payment using that option. Have been trying since last 1 week. Check. Manish, You should use the one that is valid right now with all the correct details. In general, Dropbox stamping does not need Biometrics. 1. 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). 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. Dropped off docs at Chennai VAC (for Delhi VAC) on Oct 26. Hi, I have my H1B petition approved and in I-797B form with validity till August 2023. I got email from us travel docs on 28 Dec 22 that i need to appear for Re-Interview at any working day. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Looking for visa appointments for b1/b2 for my parents . In the confirmation letter, only passport is mentioned as the required document to be taken for dropbox. See below post, US Embassy had Visa Fridays on October 6th, 2022. Is it true that one can login and reschedule only twice ? First-time B1/B2 applicants can now book in-person appointments for interviews. meaning? Is H1B extension denial the same as visa denial? After you make the payment and the receipt is activated, you need to enter the Machine Readable Visa(MRV) Fee payment receipt number. The lifting of the travel ban to the US does not mean that you can get an appointment to get visa stamping. It is very normal. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. Can I get stamping for my dependants using my approved I797? See below screenshot from their website. We need to wait and see, if this would change in the upcoming days as there are more cases reported now. Appreciate any help here. It looks like in the below screenshot for India. If any issues, call support. Do you have a previous U.S. visa in any visa class issued on or after your 14th birthday? If it is really refused how will I be communicated? Hyd dropbox slots - h1/h4. This includes H1B Visa as well. Insights. If it is an emergency, you can request for an Emergency appointment by giving justification. As long as you satisfy all the general eligibility criteria for H1B Visa Dropbox, as listed in the above section, you are eligible for H1B visa stamping using the dropbox option. Thanks Kumar. DS-160 form is a very lengthy form and asks for a lot of information. 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. How to Check US Visa Status Online? US Consulates in India continue to operate in very limited fashion and not open for regular operations yet. Is this universal or a worst case scenario? * Calendar days refers to every day of the week, including days when embassies are closed (such as weekends and holidays). I was able to get their B1/B2 Dropbox slot for sep 2022. Came back to India in June 2018. There was no Visa Fridays Q&A last week. Hi Kumar It will be my sons first time visa stamping. Have not traveled since got the H1. In January 2023, US Consulates and Embassy processed over 1 lakh(100,000) visa applicants. On December 23rd, 2022, the US Dept of State extended the Interview Waiver Options until Dec 31st, 2023. Thats more than in any month since July 2019 and one of our highest monthly totals ever! That is just few days after 6 months of drop box appointment date. Pranay, It is the case for everyone. 2. 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. Ashwini, She maybe eligible. Ravi, It is not very common to attend interview twice. I am going to schedule mine and I wanted to get an estimate on the wait time for dropbox appoitments. No changes in the US Consulates situation or the way they are operating in the last week or so. 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. This is for Mumbai consulate. It looks like this, as in the below screenshot. US Visa Stamping Passport Tracking Statuses meaning, H1B Visa Dropbox Process Step by Step Guide, Guide to Apply for Emergency Appointment in India. 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. You are not missing, it is just that slots are not there. V, They can file an extension when closer to the expiration. US Embassy in India had Visa Friday Q&A Session on July 29th, 2022. My wife got her passport back with the H4 stamping. You need to select the right country or country and state combination as per your residence and click on continue. 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. Slots are fully booked for H and L for the next few months. 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? I have an invitation to present my research papers (3 papers) for world Congress in August 2022 I have applied for B1 visa for the first time I have attempted emergency application but it was not granted . Below is the summary. How did you get the appointments at two different locations? 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