ronnyaggr

Hi,

Anybody has attended H-1B visa interview at Brussels, US consulate. I have heard that there are few applicants who apply for H-1B visa and it is easy to get approval as well as processing time is less.

Any suggestions or experience at the Brussels consulate will be really helpful.

Thanks,
Ronny

ian-mstm

Are you eligible to file in Brussels?

Ian

ronnyaggr

I already have H-1B issued to me. I just need to get it stamped on my passport. Does it require any eligibility?
Important: I am from India not from Belgium and visiting Belgium for some time.

SarahG

When you say getting 'stamped' do you mean getting the actual visa stuck in your passport? (I'm easily confused and some terminology baffles me!) If you've already had H1B issued to you why is it not in your passport already? Maybe I am missing something?!

ronnyaggr

Hmm.. I guess I didn't explain my situation properly. I meant to say that my H-1B is approved and I can work in the USA on that visa till it is valid. However, if I travel out of USA then for returning back I will need a valid visa stamp on my passport and for that I will need to fix an appointment for an interview with the immigration officer. As I am traveling out of USA on H-1B visa, I can only return back when my passport reflects the new visa status.

Ray

Be careful not to assume too much ..the consulate can still deny the visa ...

meauxna

Do you mean that you applied for H-1B STATUS inside the US, with USCIS? Have you been working in the US with that documentation?

Your posts suggests that you have not yet applied for a visa at a Consulate. In most cases, you need to be a resident of the Consular District to use that Consulate. Many of the Consulates have a note regarding "third country nationals" applying with them. In the case of India, where you're likely to have a mandatory Administrative Processing, you are strongly encouraged to apply through your home Consulate.

You are NOT traveling out of the US with an H-1B visa. You may currently have H-1B status, but that is not the same thing.

ronnyaggr

Thanks a lot everyone for your feedback on this issue. Yes, I am in USA working on H-1B visa. I have not yet scheduled the appointment with the US consulate at Brussels, however, I intend to schedule an appointment within a week. I called up the consulate and spoke with the counselor and she didn't tell me that if their consulate do not entertain a request for Non-immigration visa from the non-nationals. She just told me that it normally takes 2-3 days for processing the request but in some cases it may take some more time.
For an instance, the US consulate at Canada strictly mentions on their website that they do not entertain request for non-immigration visa from non-nationals.

If anyone is aware of any source from where it can be confirmed that which US consulate accept the request for non-immi. visa for non-nationals then it will be really helpful.

ian-mstm

Which US consulate in Canada? There are 8 of them... and each one - despite what the web site may say - does H-1B stamping for TCNs. You're a TCN - a Third Country National.

Ian

ronnyaggr

Hi,
I am referring to US consulate at Toronto.

ian-mstm

Okay. I should note from one of your earlier comments that you are NOT applying for an H-1B visa as a TCN... you already have one. You're looking to validate (= stamp) that visa. Any of the 8 US Consulates in Canada will do that for you.

Ian

ronnyaggr

Thanks Ian for the reply. I did read it somewhere on the website that they do not entertain the request for H-1B stamping from non-nationals anymore. However, I am traveling to Brussels, Belgium and need some suggestions about the US consulate their.
Does any one have any experience with the US consulate at Brussels.
Has anyone applied for H-1B stamping from a non-native country? If yes. then how was the experience?

AdobePinon

I did, three times from two different 3rd country consulates. But it was a long time ago. In all cases, I was questioned about why I chose not to get a visa from London.

Your case is different though. India is considered a sensitive country in certain areas of the US government and you run a real risk of some combination of petition non-acceptance, petition denial, referral to home country, or significant hold for 'administrative processing'. And by 'significant', I mean days or weeks to >6 months. Consider your options carefully.