henryh

Congratulations! And thanks for letting us know the dates.

khem180

Hi Everyone,
This is my first time on here - I really wish I'd found this before! My husband and I have been waiting to hear news about his H1B visa application and upon checking the USCIS website earlier, found out that the approval notice has been sent, so we're really happy.
Our time scale is pretty similar to to previous post: application was sent in 1st of April, received receipt number on April 14th. The receipt notice date was also the 20th of April. Our 'approval notice sent' appeared earlier this evening!
My husband also applied with a Bachelors degree and standard processing to the California processing centre.
We'll be moving to the States in September in time for my husband to start work in Irvine October 1st.
Congratulations to everyone else who's received approval and good luck to anyone waiting!
Kate

billthebetterbuilder

Hi Kate,

Congratulations! You are probably aware of this but you can't enter on H1B until September 20th at the earliest. I have heard someone say that most embassies won't issue visas before this date either, apart from London has in the past because of demand. I think five days is the norm for visa printing and courier back to you - and booking a flight before you have got the visa might not be such a good idea (though if the company is paying, what the hell)

The embassy visit is almost a formality but not completely, they can still say no. I don't think this happens very often but I thought I'd point it out.

Congrats again

khem180

Thanks for that info - no, I didn't know that! Really useful to have a date in mind. We haven't actually got any concrete plans as yet - just wanted to be in the states a bit before he starts work so we can settle in a bit (as much as you can do in a week or so!). I guess we'll just wait and see now what happens with the visa stamping - it'd be nice to have everything finally sorted, as it feels like we've been in limbo for ages. Here's hoping it all goes to plan, eh?
Thanks again x

billthebetterbuilder

I know what you mean!

I've been to the embassy in London a couple of times - a couple of tips from this limited experience:

• Get the earliest appointment you can make in the morning - the sooner you are in the door, the sooner you are out.
• Worst case expect to be there most of the day - take a book!

The interview "appointment" is when they will let you in, once you get in you get a ticket number and wait to be called. The first time your number is called (done in order) they just take your documents. Then you sit down and wait - there's no way of knowing when your number will be called after this, though if you see a few numbers around your number being called for a second time you might be coming up soon. If you get in early enough you will also start to see how quickly the numbers start to back-up.

Oh and the "interview" is talking to someone behind a glass screen like at the post office and will probably only last a few minutes.

khem180

Cheers for that - really useful, as we've never been through anything like this before. Doesn't sound too bad though - we're used to waiting around by now!

khem180

So what happens now? Do we wait until the US company/attorney contact us with details of documents needed etc? At what point do we make an appointment at the embassy - do we need to have something come through the post to us first? The attorney hasn't really been in touch much since the application was sent off, so any information on the process would be great, cheers.

billthebetterbuilder

I only have limited experience so I suggest calling the attorney, but you will need the original approved I-797, and whatever else your attorney tells you to take (probably at least degree certificate/transcript) and some other forms you fill in before you go (DS-156 I think it is, and your husband will also have to fill in DS-157). You have to make the appointment yourself by calling the premium rate number (1.20 a minute or something), and you have to book quite a bit in advance, Last time I was lucky and only waited 3 weeks, it can be longer - I think a month is a reasonable guess. Oh and when you make the appointment you pay for the application, 60 quid I think and give them your passport number.

henryh

I think the embassy website mentioned that a copy of the I-797 is okay (since they check the receipt number through some kind of database), so you can get a PDF emailed to you.

I was wondering (though I haven't got my approval yet) whether it's a good idea to wait until ~August to go to the embassy, to make visits on the VWP between now and then a little easier?

billthebetterbuilder

I don't think you'd be able to go to the embassy in August anyway. Has anyone ever had stamping in London before 20th of September?

rwoodfine

My company were going to apply for next year but due to the cap not being reached all hands to the pump and they are sending this Thusday, Anyone got a take on this based on the fact that the figure was still only around 45k on the 11th May?

This is somewhat of a sudden panic for the whole family should we not panic and consider this as very slim odds?

meauxna

Look for a thread this week from user SusanPai for info on the cap.

Ozzidoc

Yes - hubby did. He's the H1B holder out of the two of us. Pretty sure that he went first week in June.

henryh

My completely amateur estimate: The cap will not be reached until at least July. If your application is otherwise strong, you have a decent chance.

Ozzidoc

On what basis do you say this? Certainly this year, past performance is not a predictor when it comes to visas and visa caps.