Over the past three H-1B cap-subject seasons, we have seen an unprecedented rise in specialty occupation RFEs calling jobs into question that had never run into trouble before.  This trend is echoed across the entire H-1B visa program, with overall approval rates plummeting from over 80% in 2015 to around 60% for FY2019. 
USICS approval trends changing, however, is nothing new.  Before the rise of the specialty occupation RFE, education issues were the big change.  USCIS began issuing RFEs for petitions in which the employee held an advanced degree in a related field, requiring the employee have a degree in the exact field of the H-1B job.  This threw a wrench in the system but we learned how to successfully answer these RFEs with detailed credential evaluations and creative solutions. 
The biggest solution when addressing difficult RFEs of any kind are to go back to the basics and go from there.  It worked with education RFEs, and we have seen widespread success with it when facing specialty occupation RFEs. 
There are two main standards that must be met to qualify for H-1B status.  Although USCIS has raised the burden of proof to meet these standards, these two rules continue to be the guide to overturn an RFE.  The H-1B job must require a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher to perform, and the H-1B employee must hold that degree or its equivalent.  In the recent past, the issue was to prove the employee had a degree in the exact field of the H-1B job, which often required a credential evaluation to fill in the gaps between the employee’s education and the H-1B job.  Now, we have to go several steps further in a similar way to prove that the H-1B job meets specialty occupation requirements.
In the past, jobs that typically required a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher as an industry standard were making the cut.  Now they do not.  One major example of this is the job of computer programmer.  According to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, sometimes employers will hire to this position with just an Associate’s degree.  In the past, the exception was not viewed as the norm, but now USCIS is adjudicating as it is.  To prove specialization, you and your team need to go further to prove why the job in question meets specialty occupation requirements despite the exceptions.
You will need to provide a detailed breakdown of the duties and responsibilities of the job that highlight the ways in which specialized skills and knowledge are applied theoretically and practically.  You will also need to show similar ads for the same job in similar companies in the industry to prove that a US bachelor’s degree or higher is the minimum requirement as a standard, as well as evidence of past employer hiring practices that show this minimum education requirement as a standard for this particular job. 
Along with this documentation, you will need to provide an expert opinion letter.  This expert must have extensive field experience as USCIS has rejected opinion letters from instructors and professors in the field who have not worked directly in the field beyond instructing it.  The expert will look over all of the documentation you have prepared for your RFE response and lend their opinion that this job does meet specialty occupation requirements.  At TheDegreePeople.com we have the right experts on hand in every field, and our experienced staff can help you work through the jargon of even the most difficult RFEs as we work with them every year.
USCIS approval trends change every year, and this challenge is no different.  Start by going back to the basic eligibility requirements and work diligently from there.
Remember, you only have 90 days from when you receive an RFE to respond to it.  Time is of the essence and waiting until the last minute will just hurt your chances of success.  For a free review of your case visit ccifree.com/We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.
 
 

Our readers  have posted several comments and questions about the delay from USCIS in adjudicating H1B petitions after the RFE response has received under normal processing. 
What are the options to notify the USCIS and expedite adjudication of the H1B petition if USCIS has taken longer than 60 days? 
Please note that the following actions can only be performed by your H1B Employer and/or Attorney on record. If you are the beneficiary, please discuss with your H1B Employer. 
Option # 1 (Most Common) 
Upgrade the H1B petition to premium processing by sending the following documents.
Completed Form I-907 by Employer or Attorney A check or Money order for $1410.00 payable to Department of Homeland Security (Please note that USCIS also accepts beneficiary’s personal check or a Money order for Premium Processing, it does not have to be a check from your H1B Employer) A copy of the I-797/H1B Receipt Notice A copy of the RFE Response (Not required, it’s a good idea to include) It is a good idea to include  a letter stating that “We are upgrading to Premium Processing as the adjudication of the H1B petition has taken longer than 60 Days” along with a Mail/Courier delivery proof of the receipt of RFE response over 60 days ago. This may notify USCIS that it has taken longer and they may adjudicate the case without converting to Premium Processing without the fee of $1410.00. If this happens, USCIS will return the I-907 along with the fee.
Please note that USCIS always sends an email to the H1B Employer/Attorney with a new receipt (receipt # will be same) stating that they have received the Premium processing petition. If an email and a new receipt has been sent; USCIS will cash the $1410.00 check or Money Order.
Option # 2 (Best way)
If you or your H1B Employer do not wish to upgrade to premium processing, H1B Employer/Attorney may write a letter to corresponding USCIS Service Center listed above under Option # 1 with the following documents:
Cover Letter Copy of the I-797/H1B Receipt Notice A copy of the RFE Response (Not required, it’s a good idea to include) Mail/Courier delivery proof of the receipt of RFE response over 60 days ago Sample Letter on Letter Head of H1B Employer 
Date:
Service Center Address
Dear Sir or Madam:
Receipt # EAC or WAC or LIN XXXXXXXX
Beneficiary: LAST NAME, First Name
Please be advised that the RFE response was received by the service on {DATE} and adjudication of the H1B petition has taken longer than 60 Days. Kindly provide an update on the status of this H1B petition. Please see enclosed copies of:
Copy of the I-797/H1B Receipt Notice
A copy of the RFE Response (Not required, it’s a good idea to include)
Mail/Courier delivery proof of the receipt of RFE response over 60 days ago
Thank you,
Sincerely,
John Smith 
President 
  
Option # 3
H1B Employer/Attorney can call the USCIS (Only H1B Employer or Attorney can call) and notify them the delay on the H1B petition;
Number to call: (800) 275-5283
There is no email or fax service available from USCIS.
If you are the beneficiary, you may also want to speak to your H1B Employer and check if the case was denied, as sometimes if a case is denied USCIS may not update on their online case status system.

Last year we had countless clients come to us with specialty occupation RFEs.  Some of them came to us with RFEs that they had tried to get overturned with an expert opinion letter, and failed.
One such client came to us with a specialty occupation RFE for computer programmer.  He had submitted an expert opinion letter with the petition, anticipating issues arising.  However, the expert opinion letter he included in his petition was from the WRONG expert.
USCIS only acknowledges expert opinion letters written by experts that have extensive experience WORKING IN their field of expertise.  Simply being a professor or instructor in the field does not cut it, they need to have a wealth of field experience of their own for their opinion to have the weight it takes to sway USCIS.
At TheDegreePeople.com, we only work with experts with extensive field experience.  While many of our experts are instructors, they also either work now, or have very recently worked directly in the field.  When we send USCIS expert opinion letters, RFEs get overturned virtually every time. 
Of course, the expert opinion letter is only as good as the information provided.  The more details you can give our experts the more credible and convincing their letter will be. 
If you, or if your employee or client received an H-1B RFE for specialty occupation, talk to us.  Be sure to have detailed documentation of the duties and responsibilities of the position, the ad for the job as well as ads for the same position in different companies within the field, and proof of past hiring practices to prove that an advanced degree is the norm for minimum required education for entry into the position.  We will advise you on anything else you may need for your, or your employee or client’s specific circumstance.
For a free review of your case visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.
 

Over the past two years, H-1B jobs that had previously been approved as specialty occupations – such as electrical engineer or computer programmer – are now receiving RFEs as responses to initial petitions instead of approval.  This is because USCIS has raised its standards of proof without a new law or regulation, and without notice.
While USCIS approval trends change from year to year – and there are never any guarantees with USCIS – this change was sudden, drastic, and is a threat to STEM industries in the United States.  Already H-1B restrictions are causing major STEM companies from expanding their business to the United States, and deterring international students from enrolling in US undergraduate and graduate schools, as the option to stay in the United States to work under H-1B status is a major impetus for these bright students to come in the first place.  Only 20% of graduate students in US schools studying electrical engineering and computer sciences are US citizens.  We need the other 80% to keep STEM industries in the US alive.
If you have received, or if your employee or client received a specialty occupation RFE this season, it is important to fight it, not just for this individual case, but for the health of the H-1B program and for the survival of STEM industries in the US.  At TheDegreePeople.com, we have answered countless specialty occupation RFEs successfully.  Here is how we do it:
First, we ask the beneficiary and petitioner to provide as much evidence and documentation they can to support the specialization and complexity of the position in question, as well as a breakdown of the factors that went into setting the wage level.  Specialty occupation issues often come hand-in-hand with wage level issues in this double RFE.  We prefer to answer them both at once to save time, and also to prevent a second round of RFEs in the future.  Include the ad for the job that shows a minimum educational requirement of a US bachelor’s degree or higher or its equivalent, different ads for the same position in similar companies showing this minimum educational requirement, and proof of past employer hiring practices that show the petitioner regularly hires employees to the position in question with this minimum educational requirement.  Also include a detailed breakdown of the duties and responsibilities of the job to highlight the theoretical and practical application of specialized skills and knowledge.
Second, we will take what you gave us and pass it over to an expert in the field of the H-1B job.  The expert will write an expert opinion letter explaining why this job meets USCIS specialty occupation requirements.  We work with experts in all H-1B industries, all of whom have extensive experience working IN THE FIELD.  USCIS will not accept expert opinion letters from professionals who are instructors or educators in the field alone.  The expert must have extensive field experience for USCIS to accept their opinion and approve your visa, or your employee or client’s visa.
Let us help you overturn your specialty occupation RFE, or your employee or client’s specialty occupation RFE.  Visit ccifree.com/ for a free review of your case and consultation.   
 

Over the past two years, lawyers, employers, and H-1B beneficiaries have suspected USCIS raised its standard of proof for H-1B visa approval without any new law, regulation, or notice to the public.  This was evidenced anecdotally with jobs that had never before been called into question for meeting H-1B specialty occupation requirements suddenly being hit with an unprecedented rate of RFEs instead of approvals, like computer programmer and engineer.
When USCIS released its H-1B Employer Data Hub, it became clear these suspicions were correct.  The National Foundation for American Policy analyzed the report and found that, “Between FY 2015 and FY 2018 the denial rate for new H-1B petitions quadrupled from 6% to 24%. To put this in perspective, between FY 2010 and FY 2015, the denial rate for initial H-1B petitions never exceeded 8%, while today the rate is 3 to 4 times higher.”
Following the notorious April 2017 executive order, “Buy American, Hire American,” denial rates for initial H-1B petitions nearly doubled from 13% in FY 2017 to 24% in FY 2018, and then climbing to 32% in the first quarter of 2019.  H-1B extensions and transfers saw similar spikes even though these petitions are for workers who had previously been approved and for jobs that had previously been approved.  The same workers and the same jobs that qualified just a few years ago are now being denied at unprecedented rates.  In FY 2017 the denial rate for these petitions was 5%.  The rate more than doubled in FY 2018 to 13%. 
Along with this statistic, the top 27 employers of workers holding H-1B visas all experienced denial increases between FY 2015 and the first quarter of FY 2019 for H-1B extension petitions.  These are petitions for the same job and worker that were previously approved. This shows that the standard of proof has changed without any new law, regulation, or notice to the public.  The same workers and jobs that met H-1B requirements just a few years ago suddenly do not.
USCIS is restricting H-1B visas, as evidenced by their denial trends.  This is beginning to have what may turn into catastrophic effects for STEM industries in the United States.  Already, STEM businesses that are expanding internationally are choosing to open branches elsewhere.  International students are choosing to go to other countries for undergraduate and grad school because job prospects following their education in the US rely on the H-1B program.  At this time, only 20% of all graduate students in US schools studying computer sciences and electrical engineering – fields the STEM industries depend on – are US citizens.  It has been known for a long time that STEM industries in the US depend on the H-1B program to remain globally viable.
If you, or if your employee or client receives an RFE or Denial this H-1B season, it is imperative that it be fought.  The burden of proof is higher now than it has ever been before, and that means we need stronger petitions, and strong RFE responses.  For a free review of your case, visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.

Successful H1B visa renewal stamping interview in Nuevo Laredo Mexico — 2019 Latest and Recent updates
  Info from candidates experience/ updates from who attended Visa interview in Nuevo Laredo Mexico
Click here to join Facebook group US Visa Stamping in Mexico Visa Stamping in Mexico Website   Visa dates Booking process :
US Visa Renewal Stamping Interview Appointment Dates Booking Steps Process in mexico For US Visa fee payment help for Nuevo Laredo, use this link
US Visa Application MRV Fee Payment in Mexico | Mexican Banks | BanAmex | Scotia for all locations Click here to join Facebook group US Visa Stamping in Mexico May 3rd update 2019
Today I attended interview for H1b and below questions asked and approved visa.
Process:
First Day: ASC Appointment 
The process will be completed within 5mins.
Required docs: Passport and DS-160
Note: other docs not required for ASC appointment.
Second Day: Consular Interview
First Check: Passport, DS-160 and H1b petition
Second Check: security scan
Next process:
Window 1: They will check for your employer details and your DOB and your home place details.
Window 2: 
Just they will check again above details in their system.
Window 3: Interview with US Consulate
Questions:
1. Which visa you are applying for and Is it for renewal
2. Which company you are currently working for? And how many years..
3. What is your qualification 
4. Employer letter ( in employer letter they are expecting compensation details)
5. Method of payment (verified pay stubs and bank statements)
6. Job Responsibilities 
7. How many years of experience in IT
Join below facebook support group to see previous H1B, H4, E3, L1A, L1B visa interview questions, Latest 221g, Visa Approvals, Denials information etc.,
US Visa Stamping in Mexico
Check our website for all the information about Visa Stamping in Mexico. https://usvisastampinginmexico.com email us…www.facebook.com May 3rd 2019 :
Hi ,
My visa change of employer approved in Nuevo Laredo.
Questions asked ,
1)job description
2) what do you do for this company as a Technical Architect
3) How long with your previous employer
4) What does your company do ?
5 ) Do you have a client?
6) Asked for Educational Certificate
7) Masters evaluation
8)Employment support letter
9) Asked my wife for marriage certificate
Then scanned my docs for verification.
Said visas are approved and asked to collect passport at 2:15

When USCIS takes issue with one aspect of an H-1B petition, they rarely stop there.  One common example is the Double Nightmare RFE, which is a specialty occupation RFE and a wage level RFE rolled into one. 
Complicated RFEs are answered by going back to the basic approval requirements.  Getting wrapped up in the wording and specific demands of an RFE is a trap.  Read it over with your team, then put it down and go back to the basics.  For H-1B eligibility, a job must meet specialty occupation requirements, the beneficiary must hold the necessary advanced degree in the field of the H-1B job, there must be an employer-employee relationship, and the beneficiary must make the prevailing wage for the job in that industry, in that geographical location, for companies of that size.
The Double Nightmare RFE calls two of these requirements into question.  Beneficiaries making level one wages are especially vulnerable to this RFE because USCIS claims they either are not making the prevailing wage for the job, or the job is not a specialty occupation as evidenced by the low wage.
This RFE can be answered with just one expert opinion letter that addresses both issues as they correlate.  Your job is to provide the expert with as much detail and documentation about the job, its duties and responsibilities, past hiring practices, ads for that job and similar jobs as possible.  The goal is to paint a detailed picture of why this particular position requires a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher in the field to perform.  You must also provide a breakdown of the factors that went into setting the wage level as it is, including the level of training and supervision the employee will need to start, and why this is the case.  Again, providing documentation of past hiring practices and the starting wage for the job is essential.  All of this is needed to provide the expert with the information needed to write the opinion letter your client needs to get that RFE overturned.
The expert must be a professional in the field of the H-1B job with extensive field experience beyond just being an instructor or professor.  USCIS routinely rejects expert opinion letters from experts who only teach the field rather than work in it.  At TheDegreePeople.com we only work with experts with direct field experience to write expert opinion letters, and it works.
If you, or if your employee or client has received a Double Nightmare H-1B RFE, we can help.  Visit ccifree.com/ for a free consultation.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.
 

Keeping in pace with the past two years, specialty occupation RFEs are common this RFE season, and computer programmers have been hit especially hard yet again.
Computer programmers – especially those making level one wages – are especially vulnerable to specialty occupation RFEs because entry level computer programmers can sometimes be hired with only a US associate’s degree.  H-1B specialty occupation requirements state that an occupation must require a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher to enter the position.  For this reason, computer programmers have been running into trouble.
There are two main problems with USCIS’ rationalization for this RFE:
1. When an occupation SOMETIMES only requires an associate’s degree but USUALLY requires a bachelor’s degree, the USUAL should mark the industry standard, not the exception.
2. USCIS wrongly assumers that when a job is set at level one wages it is an entry level position or the wage level is set incorrectly.  H-1B requirements also state that the employee must be paid the prevailing wage for the job.  That is why this RFE so often arrives a double RFE calling both the job specialization and the wage level into question.  However, there are many factors that go into determining a job’s wage level and just because a job is set at level one wages does NOT mean that it is an entry-level position.
We recommend including an expert opinion letter in your initial petition in which an expert in the field of computer sciences with extensive FIELD EXPERIENCE beyond just instructing explains why the job is a specialty occupation requiring application of advanced skills and knowledge.  Unfortunately, not every expert opinion letter is accepted by USCIS.
Sometimes it’s the wrong expert.
 
USCIS will only accept expert opinion letters from professionals with extensive field experience and prestige in the field of computer sciences.  Letters from instructors and professors who do not also work directly in the field don’t cut it. 
Sometimes it’s your fault.
 
It is up to the H-1B employee and employer to provide the expert with enough details about the job for the expert to write a letter USCIS will accept.  That means providing the ad for the job, proof of past hiring practices that show an advanced degree is normally a required minimum, a detailed breakdown of the duties and responsibilities of the job, and the factors that went into setting the wage level.  Many employees fresh out of college require a higher level of training and supervision when they first start, which significantly contributes to a lower starting wage even though an advanced degree is required.
At TheDegreePeople.com, we have experts on hand with field experience to write the evaluation you or your employee or client needs to get that RFE overturned.  We will advise you on what information to provide to make sure your expert gets everything they need for success.  For a free review of your case visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.
 

Every year, a higher percentage of H-1B beneficiaries selected in the lottery receive an RFE this time of year instead of outright visa approval.  If you, or if your employee or client received an H-1B RFE this year, there is a high probability that is was a specialty occupation RFE.
Last year, USCIS bombarded H-1B petitioners with RFEs questioning whether their job met the requirements for “specialty occupation.”  H-1B visas are work visas for foreign employees working jobs that require a minimum of a US bachelor’s degree or higher or its equivalent, and require application of specialized knowledge, skill, and understanding to perform.  Last year, jobs that had never before been called into question were receiving these RFEs.
Here is how to handle them:
1. You will need to provide the ad for the job that shows the degree requirement along with ads for the same position in the industry working for similar companies to show that the degree requirement is an industry standard.
2. You will need to provide evidence of past hiring practices for the company to show a consistent history of hiring employees with these advanced credentials.  If this job is particularly specialized in a way that is not represented by an industry standard, this is especially important.
3. You will need to provide a detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of the job that clearly show application of specialized knowledge, understanding, and skill.
4. You will need to provide an expert opinion letter from a professional with extensive field experience in the industry.  An instructor will NOT cut it unless they are also working in the field.  The strength of this expert opinion letter will depend on how much information you can provide them from the first three points.  The more details you can provide, the stronger case they can write to explain to USCIS why you, or your employee or client has been hired to a specialty occupation.
At TheDegreePeople.com, we have experts in all industries on hand 24/7 to write the opinion letter you need, or your employee or client needs to address that H-1B specialty occupation RFE.  For a free review of your case, visit ccifree.com.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.

A recurring RFE we see every year with H-1B candidates is the education RFE for the Indian three-year bachelor’s degree.  Candidates who do not submit credential evaluations that account for the missing fourth year of education with their initial petition get RFEs about it this time of year.
Graduate schools commonly accept the Indian three-year bachelor’s degree as an acceptable prerequisite to their programs, and employers will hire employees to specialty occupations with this credential.  International trade and labor agreements recognize the Indian three-year bachelor’s degree as the functional equivalency of a US four-year bachelor’s degree.  The number of actual classroom contact hours and college credit hours in an Indian three-year degree is equal to or greater than the 120 college credit hours that make up the US four-year bachelor’s degree.  For all of these reasons, H-1B candidates and their teams overlook the persistent USCIS approval trend of NOT APPROVING beneficiaries with just this credential.
The best way to both prevent and answer this RFE is to include a detailed credential evaluation that accounts for the missing fourth year of education.  Regardless of how many college credit hours this three-year program actually has, USCIS is hung up on that missing fourth year, and USCIS is the gatekeeper of your visa, or your employee or client’s visa.
At CCI TheDegreePeople.com, we rely on the work experience conversion option in these credential evaluations to account for the missing fourth year.  USCIS accepts that three years of progressive work experience in the field of the H-1B job is the equivalent to one year of college credit in that major.  You must prove that you, or your employee or client took on progressively more responsibility as time went on, and that the nature of the work increased in complexity.  Then, one of our professors at TheDegreePeople.com with the authority to issue college credit for work experience, will write this conversion and it will be included in the credential evaluation.  This evaluation will show USCIS that you DO have, or your employee or client DOES have the academic equivalent of a US four-year bachelor’s degree in the field of the H-1B job.
If you have, or if your employee or client has an education RFE for an Indian three-year bachelor’s degree, we can help get it overturned.  For a free consultation, visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.

One of our Supporters has shared his H1B Visa Stamping Experience at Chennai, India. He started the process with Drop-Box and waited to get the details to update under PIMS Database and finally went for an H1B Visa Interview to secure a visa. (Please see links below for more information on PIMS Database and it's Importance)
I have submitted my documents on December 28 at a Drop-Box location in Chennai, India and they have posted my H1B documents to US Consulate on December 29. (Applied with my Spouse for H4 Visa)
I tracked my status through VISA tracker(Refer links below) and It was showing READY from December 29th to January 5th  - I called NVC during these days and found my petition was not updated in PIMS DB and I informed my employer and finally got updated on January 5th with “Administrative processing”.
I got mail from travel docs on January 6th to collect my passport but in CEAC website it was showing “Administrative processing” so I contacted NVC and found its under 221g for asking me to come for VISA interview.
I collected my passport on January 7th and I got a blue slip for VISA interview during Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 8 am to 12 pm and there is no need to schedule a new appointment. 
I went to Chennai consulate on January 8th at 8am with all the necessary documents which we usually carry for H1B visa interview and the interview was simple than I thought, she asked me the below questions,
When did you switched your job? How long are you working with this new employer? Have you changed your job in the US? Who is your end client? What is your annual salary? Show me your pay stubs  Finally, she said my VISA got approved. Status updates by date:
December 28, : Document submitted 
December 29, : Document sent to consulate for processing
January 01,: PIMS updated - called NVC to know this status
January 07, : Passport collected with letter for 221g to attend the interview
January 08 ,: Attended the interview 
January 11, : Passport ready to pickup 
January 11, : Issued 
Reference links
Passport tracking: http://ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-passporttrack.asp  
Visa status tracker: https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx 
NVC helpdesk contact information: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/nvc/nvc-contact-information.html
 
 

We have received several inquiries about PIMS Database updates while applying for an H1B Visa at US Consulates, please read relevant  information and Frequently Asked Questions below:
What is PIMS Database?
The Petition Information Management Service (PIMS) was created to provide consular officers with electronic access to petition information.  The Department of State developed the Petition Information Management Service (PIMS) to provide a method for consular officers to rapidly confirm that individuals requesting an H, L, O, P, Q, or R nonimmigrant visa were, in fact, the beneficiary of a corresponding petition approved by USCIS.  PIMS allows consular officers to access and confirm USCIS petition approval data and supporting documents online; thereby speeding up the issuance of non-immigrant visas while reducing costs and heightening security. 
What is that your H1B Employer must do to ensure that information is updated while filing an H1B/I-129 Petition?
H1B Employers/Attorneys must send a duplicate copy of the I-129 petition package to USCIS if you will be applying for a visa at a US Consulate or propose to apply for an H1B Visa if you would be filing an H1B Extension while in the United States. The duplicate copy should be marked in RED as "Duplicate Copy for KCC (Kentucky Consular Center) 
What is that USCIS will do when a duplicate copy is received from the petitioner?
USCIS service centers will send it to the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for uploading into PIMS; or send the petition package to the KCC, for scanning of documents, data entry; or scan approved petition package at a USCIS facility, so electronic copies are forwarded to the KCC for uploading into PIMS.
What happens if my H1B Employer/Attorney has not sent a duplicate copy?
If your H1B Employer/Attorney has not sent a duplicate copy, your H1B visa stamping process may be delayed as the US consulate can not access your information
My H1B Visa is on hold at a US Consulate and I received notification that US Consulate if verifying PIMS Database or my H1B information is not updated in PIMS database, what does this mean?
This means USCIS has not updated your information with the PIMS Database of Department of State. Unfortunately, there is no way for you to update the PIMS database by you or your H1B Employer or Petitioner directly. 
Is there a way we can update now?
Your H1B Employer may send a duplicate of the petition package along with the I-797 Approval Notice to the USCIS Service Center where the petition was originally filed requesting USCIS to send it to the Kentucky Consular Center for entry into the PIMS database.
This request must be boldly highlighted with a Color Cover page
DUPLICATE PETITION FOR ENTRY INTO KCC-PIMS – PLEASE SEND TO KCC
My H1B visa re-validation is pending at a US Consulate using the drop-box method, and pending PIMS database verification. Can I withdraw and appear for a visa in-person?
No. You may not withdraw and request an in-person interview as drop-box process can NOT be reversed.
How long does it take for the US Consulate to verify the information with the PIMS Database or get updates?
It may take up-to 2-6 weeks, if your information is not available; ask your H1B employer to update immediately.
How do I contact DOS for information on PIMS?
You may contact the National Visa Center at Phone USA (for non-immigrant visa inquiries only):  (603) 334-0888. Customer Service Representatives can speak with you Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight EST, excluding holidays. There is no email support available for this service.
# H1B-PIMS-Database, # H1B-PIMS-US-Consulate
You may download Official Information here
 
 

Recently I had a surprise visit by an Officer from the USCIS on 08-APR, for a random Audit while I am working at the Client Location.
MY CURRENT STATUS:
Recently changed my Employer and filed for H1 extension and got it for 1 year (total 2+ years of validity remaining on H1), Filed for my spouse's H4 extension and waiting on it!
QUESTIONS ASKED BY OFFICER
The overall conversation was smooth. Here is a sequence of our interaction and the questions asked (may not be in the same order asked)
I received a call from an unknown number around 11:00 am and it happened to be from the office front desk informing me that there is a visitor. I went there within few minutes, the officer introduced himself, giving his visiting card to prove his identity. I readily offered to help him by giving all the information required.
Here are the questions...
1) Do you have your Paystubs? If yes show me, otherwise send an email. 
2) What is your Salary? 
3) Who monitors your work? 
4) Who will approve your time sheets 
5) Who will give you the tools to perform your job 
6) Where have you get your degree from? Which University and which year? 
7) Since when have you been working for this Client?8) Who was your previous employer ? 
9) Did you get any hikes? 
10) Who monitors your work at client location 
11) His/Her information viz. phone, email etc... 
12) How do you communicate with your employer  
13) How will you send your time sheets and who approves it 
14) Is the job title given by your employer is same at your client location? 
15) are you performing the same duties specified in LCA?

We all know that drinking and driving is not only dangerous, it’s a crime in the United States. One may get arrested while driving intoxicated with Alcohol or Drugs. 

In this Article, I would like to discuss about the consequences of Arrests and DUI/DWI charges to your H1B, F1, L1 or Green Card Immigration status. 

“Please note that this article is also informational to every person in the United States who is a non-citizen.” 

What is DUI/DWI? 

DUI stands for Driving under Influence and DWI stands for Driving while Intoxicated with Alcohol, Drugs, etc. Driving while Intoxicated is a crime in the United States and may result in criminal charges, suspension of driver license and may result in a jail term in some states if you are involved in an accident and/or are a repeated offender. 

You had few or lot of drinks, what happens when you are pulled over by a cop? 

You may get pulled over for any reason like: Running a red light, Headlights off/not functioning, your vehicle is swaying, speeding, driving too slow in a speed zone, etc. Once you are pulled over, if the cop suspects that you are intoxicated; cop may ask you to step out of the Vehicle “NEVER ARGUE WITH A COP” Please follow police instructions. The cop may ask you to walk in a straight line to assess your ability to walk and soberness. If you are not sober and the cop estimates that you had more drinks than legally permitted, he/she may perform a breath test on the spot or arrest you and bring you to police station based on the State Laws. 

What is the normal procedure police follow when a non-immigrant / non-citizen is arrested? 

DO NOT RESIST AN ARREST, YOU WILL GET INTO SERIOUS TROUBLE RESISTING AN ARREST FROM A POLICE OFFICER! 

You should be aware that when a non-immigrant/non-citizen is arrested, you will only be released after the police complete the following process: 
Perform a breath test to analyze the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content), which may be before or after arrest. Please do not decline a breath test, as you may get into more trouble.  Take your finger prints and photograph you to create an arrest record to charge you with DUI/DWI  Contact USCIS to ensure you are maintaining valid status, USCIS may have to visit the Police Station to give clearance to the police for a release. If arrested during weekends, it is possible that USCIS field officers may not be available, you may be released only on the following work day.  In some states or cases, you may require a bail or may be directly presented to Court while a Judge will sentence you for a suspension of license. 
Please note that first time offence may NOT lead to a jail term, but that judge may order the suspension of your Driver License for 3 Months to 1 year depending on BAC. If your BAC is very high, you will be required to install an “Interlock Device” for several months and up to one year. This device is very embarrassing as you have to blow into the device every time you start your vehicle and continue to blow in specified intervals while driving your car. If you are carpooling or drive with co-workers, you may feel guilty and embarrassed. 

Interlock device is installed on a motor vehicle's dashboard. Before the vehicle's motor can be started, the driver first must blow into the device; if the resultant breath-alcohol concentration analyzed result is greater than the programmed blood alcohol concentration, the device prevents the engine from being started. An ignition interlock interrupts the signal from the ignition to the starter until a valid breath sample is provided that meets minimal alcohol guidelines in that state. At that point, the vehicle can be started as normal. At random times after the engine has been started, the Device will require another breath sample. The purpose of this is to prevent someone other than the driver from providing a breath sample. If the breath sample isn't provided, or the sample exceeds the ignition interlock's preset blood alcohol level, the device will log the event, warn the driver, and then start up an alarm (e.g., lights flashing, horn honking) until the ignition is turned off, or a clean breath sample has been provided. 

Consequences / Impacts to your Wallet, Career, H1B/Green Card! 

If you are arrested and convicted of a DUI/DWI charge while on H1B, you may get into serious trouble with your career as well as present and future immigration status, as the Arrest and conviction record will permanently reside on your records in the United States. 

Wallet will be washed out!
Hiring an Attorney to represent your case may cost you up to $5,000.00 The court may require you to pay a huge fine of up to $2,000.00 based on the sentence by the judge The State DMV may require you to pay penalty/surcharge to State for up to 3 years exceeding $3,000.00 There will be an abnormal increase in Car insurance premiums, up to 3-4 times and some car insurance companies, do not like to insure drivers with DUI/DWI charges If you and your spouse are covered under car insurance, you will be treated like family and the insurance company will increase for both. Your spouse may not buy insurance on his/her own. Utilizing Cab service and other transportation costs during license suspension Loss of job or work hours as the Judge may sentence you to attend counselling sessions and classes along with Community Service Impacts on your Career 

If you apply for a Full-time/Contractual job, which requires a criminal background check, you may not be hired as your background check results show your DUI/DWI Arrest and charges. Most Employers, especially Government Agencies may not like to hire candidates with DUI/Criminal records. Only in some states, there are no arrest records for DUI/DWI Arrests and may still have charges. 

Consequences to H1B/Green Card 

The dangers and consequences of drunken driving are obviously serious, but the consequences of drunken driving convictions for non-citizens of the United States can be grave. Please note that drunken driving convictions may lead to inadmissibility or to deportation of the noncitizen from the United States, denial of adjustment during the green card process, or a finding of bad moral character at a naturalization interview. 
If you apply for an H1B visa stamping, US consulate may refuse a Visa based on your DUI records  If you apply for a Green Card, USCIS may require you to attend an Interview or deny your Green Card based on your DUI/DWI arrest/Conviction and deport you from the United States  If you already have a Green card, you may have trouble in becoming a US Citizen during Naturalization process  If you go out to drink or to a party, and if you drank more than one drink, please let a sober friend drive you back or ride a Taxi. I sincerely suggest everyone out there not to take any risk, you may even end up in an accident, kill someone and/or get killed. 
Have you or someone you know got into trouble with DUI/DWI Conviction? 

What is your opinion about Drinking and Driving? 

Please post in comments to help/save others!

Employers pay a variety of Taxes and incur other expenses when they run your payroll. These taxes are same for everyone in the United States, including US Citizens, Green Card holders. OPT Employees have some exceptions!
Employer pays 6.2% towards Social Security Taxes (May change each year) Employer pays  1.45% toward Medicare Taxes I see the above taxes being deducted on my paycheck, please explain?
 
Apart from Employer paying these taxes, you also pay the above percentage of taxes (Same percentage) which is deducted from your paycheck. It is confusing as the percentages are same. In other words, the total SS deposits will be 12.4% and Medicare is 4.9% 
What are the other expenses?
Apart from above taxes Employers also pay the following: 
State Unemployment (SUI) Tax for the state you work (Some states require even employees to pay) Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax General Liability Insurance and Worker's Compensation premiums My Gross paycheck is $5000.00/Month – What would be Employer’s Cost?
Your employer cost is about $500-$600.00 for each check
Conclusion: The total approximate cost to Employer is about 12%, which does not include the interest expense for cash flow to cover payroll.    

USCIS and employers have a different idea of what qualified an H-1B employee for their specialty occupation.  It is commonplace for employers to hire a candidate with a degree in a field related to the position, given they have proper work experience to master the specialized skills and knowledge necessary to perform it.
It has been years since USCIS has regularly approved H-1B cases in which a beneficiary has the required US Bachelor’s degree in a field RELATED to the specialty occupation.  USCIS will not outright approve an H-1B visa unless the beneficiary has a degree in the exact specialization of the occupation, or a detailed credential evaluation that explains how their educational and field experience background makes the equivalent of the correct degree specialization.
Every year, we have clients come to us in this situation.  The way we overturn these RFEs is to write a detailed evaluation that analyzes the course content of the degree earned to highlight college credit hours earned in the exact field of the H-1B job.  Then, we take progressive work experience into account to bridge the gap between the beneficiary’s education specialization and the field of the H-1B job.  Three years of progressive work experience in the field of the H-1B job in which the beneficiary can prove they took on progressively more responsibility and the nature of their duties and tasks became increasingly complex and specialized can be converted into one year of college credit in the field of the H-1B job.  This conversion must be written by a professor with the authority to grant college credit for work experience.
At TheDegreePeople.com, we work with professors in all fields to write the work experience conversion for the credential evaluation you or your employee or client needs to get that RFE overturned.  There are no cookie cutter solutions to H-1B RFEs because every case is different.  Every job is different, and every educational pathway is different, especially when it comes to highly skilled individuals.  All evaluations are uniquely researched and written with regards to your, or your employee or client’s education, job, work experience, and visa. 
For a free review of your case visit ccifree.com.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.
 

New Zealand Nationals Eligible for E-1 and E-2 Nonimmigrant Classifications
Certain New Zealand nationals can now request a change of status to the E-1 nonimmigrant trader classification and the E-2 nonimmigrant investor classification under Public Law 115-226. Beginning June 10, eligible New Zealand nationals already in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status can file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, to request a change of status to E-1 or E-2 classification, or a qualifying employer can file Form I-129 on their behalf. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age of E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrants, and employees who are already in the United States, may also seek to change status to E-1 or E-2 classification as dependents by filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.
Any Form I-129 and Form I-539 for a New Zealand national requesting a change of status to E-1 or E-2 classification filed prior to June 10, 2019, will be rejected, but may be refiled, together with the required fee, on or after June 10.
The E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant classifications are open to citizens of countries with which the United States has a treaty of commerce and navigation or similar agreement, and in certain other cases, such as here, where Congress has enacted legislation. E-1 status allows citizens of certain countries to be admitted to the United States solely to engage in international trade on their own behalf. E-1 status is also available to certain employees of such traders or qualifying organizations. E-2 status allows citizens of certain countries to be admitted to the United States when they are investing substantial capital in a U.S. business. E-2 status is also available to certain employees of such investors or qualifying organizations.
For more on the E-1 and E-2 classifications, see our E-1 Treaty Traders page and E-2 Treaty Investors page.

The following Questions are being asked by the U.S Consulate in Matamoros, Mexico  to email a response.
For June 4th 2019 : Visa Applicants :  Few candidates are asked to respond below questions to answer by Email The applicant’s travel history over the last 15 years, including source of funding for travel. The names and dates of birth of any siblings; children; current and former spouses/civil or domestic partners. The applicant’s addresses during the last 15 years, if different from the applicant’s current address. Applicant’s phone numbers and email addresses used during the last five years. Applicant’s prior passport numbers and country of issuance. Applicant’s prior occupation(s) and employers (plus a brief description if applicable) looking back 15 years. Public-facing social media platforms and identifiers/handles used during the last five years.  This includes any websites or applications the applicant has used to create or share content (photos, videos, status updates, etc.) as part of a public profile.

Many of our Members have reported that they have attended H4 Bio-Metrics at a different USCIS Application Support Centers including attending early or late, opposed to the original scheduled date/time and the location. They have not had any issues, and the staff was very accommodating.  Locate a service center https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/
As long as the ASC is not overloaded with scheduled appointments, ASCs are accommodating such requests. If you have filed H1B In premium processing along with H4/H4-EAD, go to the nearest ASC as early as possible and give it a try. Again, it all depends on the ASC service center and nothing is guaranteed.
 
What to Bring to Your ASC Appointment
Your notice will provide specific instructions on what you should bring with you to your ASC appointment. You must also bring:
Your ASC appointment notice (Form I-797C), and Valid photo identification (such as your passport, State ID or driver’s license) USCIS recommends that you print or save a photocopy of your completed application, petition, or request to review in the future and for your records. USCIS also recommends that you review your copy of your completed application, petition or request before you come to your ASC appointment. We cannot provide you with a copy at your appointment. What to Expect During Your ASC Appointment
When you appear for your appointment, USCIS will capture your fingerprints, photograph and/or signature with machines designed to collect these bio-metrics. When you provide your digital signature, you will also be attesting that the information in your application, petition, or request was complete, true, and correct at the time of filing.
NOTE: USCIS will only allow you to complete your bio-metric services appointment if you can reaffirm, under penalty of perjury, that all of the information in your application, petition, or request was complete, true and correct at the time of filing.
Age Requirements
If you are 14 years of age or older, you must provide a signature on an application, petition, or request filed with USCIS.
Children under the age of 14 are not required to provide a signature on an application, petition, or request filed with USCIS, but they may choose to sign their name during their ASC appointment if they are capable of signing. A parent or legal guardian may also sign the application, petition, or request on the child’s behalf.

RFE season is now, and when CIS finds one problem with a petition, they tend to find more.  Over the past few years, we have seen a common double RFE involving specialty occupation and education issues.
H-1B eligibility rules state that to qualify for H-1B status the H-1B employee must hold a US Bachelor’s degree or higher or its equivalent in the exact field of the H-1B job.  The job must be a specialty occupation, one that requires a minimum of the H-1B educational requirements for entry into the position.  This job must involve theoretical and practical application of a specialized body of skills and knowledge as evidenced by the advanced degree.
This double RFE calls into question whether the job meets specialty occupation requirements, and whether the H-1B beneficiary meets educational requirements.
Some common issues on the job topic are when an occupation sometimes requires this advanced degree minimum qualification, or when the job is set at a low wage level.
Some common issues on the topic of the beneficiary’s education are incomplete college, a degree earned outside of the United States – particularly the Indian three-year Bachelor’s degree, no college or a degree from an unaccredited institution, and having the right degree but in the wrong specialization.
The first issue can be addressed with evidence showing past hiring practices, the ad for the job and similar jobs that show the minimum requirements meet H-1B specialty occupation requirements, a detailed breakdown of the duties of the job, and an expert opinion letter.  This expert opinion letter validates that the job does require specialized knowledge and skill earned through the education required by H-1B statutes, and the expert must have expansive experience working in the field of the specialization, beyond instructing.
The second issue can be addressed with the right credential evaluation that takes the job and the education into consideration, along with H-1B requirements, CIS approval trends, and any training that took place in a classroom setting or through progressive work experience in the field to fill in any gaps between the beneficiary’s education and H-1B job requirements.
At TheDegreePeople.com, we have experts on hand in all fields ready to write the expert opinion letter CIS needs to get the RFE overturned.  All of our experts have extensive work experience in the field.  All of our credential evaluators have been trained to work with difficult RFEs and have expertise in international education and particular visa requirements.  Every credential evaluation is uniquely researched.
If you or your employee or client receives an RFE this summer, time is of the essence.  Visit ccifree.com/ for a free review of your case and advisement of how to best proceed.
 

On June 10, USCIS will begin premium processing for all remaining FY 2020 H-1B cap-subject petitions. Starting on that date, petitioners may file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, with the USCIS service center that is processing their petition.
On March 19, we announced that we would offer premium processing in a two-phased approach during the FY 2020 cap season to best manage premium processing requests without fully suspending it. In the past few years, we suspended all premium processing for H-1B petitions due to high demand. Based on feedback from the public, we are using this phased approach to benefit petitioners and ensure efficient premium processing. The first phase, which started on May 20, included FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting a change of status and the second phase includes all other FY 2020 cap-subject petitions.
At this time, premium processing for H-1B petitions that are exempt from the cap, such as extension of stay requests, remains available. 
Pre-paid Mailer Temporary Suspension
Starting on June 10 and continuing through the end of June 24, we will not use pre-paid mailers to send out final notices for premium processing for FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B petitions not requesting a change of status. Instead, we will use regular mail. We will be doing this due to resource limitations as we work to process all premium processing petitions in a timely manner.
The process for printing approval notices and sending them by regular mail is fully automated, whereas using pre-paid mailers requires a separate and more time-consuming manual process. As such, and given the initial surge of premium processing requests for H-1B cap petitions and its impact on USCIS resources, using pre-paid mailers may actually delay the issuance of an approval notice compared to the standard process, or otherwise negatively affect our ability to timely process premium processing petitions. After the two-week period, we intend to resume sending out final notices in pre-paid mailers provided by petitioners, when operationally feasible.

USCIS will reject petitions lacking petitioner’s or applicant’s primary U.S. office address
On August 5, USCIS will begin rejecting Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, petitions that do not include the petitioner’s or applicant’s name and primary U.S. office address in Part 1 of Form I-129.
USCIS currently rejects Form I-129 for several reasons. These include, but are not limited to, lack of signature, incorrect fees, or unauthorized third party signing on behalf of the petitioner. 
DHS regulations require every form to be submitted in accordance with the form instructions and allow USCIS to reject any benefit request that is not filed in compliance with the regulations governing the specific benefit request. See 8 CFR 103.2(a)(1) and 8 CFR 103.2(a)(7)(ii)(C).
The petitioner’s or applicant’s primary U.S. office address in Part 1 of Form I-129 must not be the address of the petitioner’s or applicant’s outside counsel or clients. Failure to include the petitioner’s or applicant’s name or providing the address of the petitioner’s or applicant’s outside counsel or clients in Part 1 creates unnecessary delays in the adjudication of Form I-129 and may result in its rejection.
The Instructions for Form I-129 state, in relevant part:
Petitioner Information
Complete the “Legal Name of Petitioner” field (if the petitioner is an individual person or a company or organization). For mailing address, list the address of the petitioner’s primary office within the United States. 
In many instances, the petitioner’s or applicant’s primary U.S. office address will determine the filing jurisdiction. Information about where to file Form I-129 is available on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker page.
Form I-129 petitions that USCIS rejects due to missing information can generally be refiled with the required information and fee. However, there are instances when a refiled petition or application would be rejected, such as when a statutory cap-subject petition is resubmitted after USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions projected as needed to reach the congressionally mandated numerical limit.

If you are going to apply for a US Visa in the future, you are now required to provide Social Media Information to the US Embassy/US Consulates.
There is now a new question now appears on the DS-160 and DS-260 forms used by visa applicants at U.S. consulates. You must provide Social media user names used in the last 5 years. 
The US Department of State had published a notice in the Federal Register last year explaining its plans to add several additional questions for nonimmigrant visa applicants, including a question listing multiple social media platforms and requiring the applicant to provide any identifiers (handles) used by applicants for those platforms during the five years preceding the date of application. 
What is the government's perspective?
This process helps with the rigorous evaluation of applications.  The government also states that failure to collect this information would impede such rigorous evaluation and the national-security purposes for which it was directed when the circumstances of an individual applicant, a review of a visa application, or responses in a visa interview indicate a need for additional information to resolve the applicant’s identity or to vet for terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibility.

What about Privacy?
Consular officers are required not to engage or interact with applicants on social media; not to violate or attempt to violate individual privacy settings; and not to use social media or assess an individual’s social media presence beyond established guidance by the USDOS. This also safeguards a visa applicant’s personal information and will remain in effect for social media identifiers. The collection of social media platforms and identifiers will not be used to deny visas based on the Visa applicants’ race, religion, ethnicity, national origin. US Consular officers will not request any passwords of your accounts.
What is next for US Visa Applicants?
In the future, if you plan to apply for your visa stamp, be prepared to provide a five-year history of the social media platforms you have used and your usernames.
Questions on Groups (Updating as we see them)
Q: I submitted my DS-160 a few weeks ago. Do I need to re-submit new DS-160 with this new social media thing going on?
Answer: It does not affect the application filled in the past, you don't have to re-submit
Q: I am applying for renewal of visitor visa from India, should this question be answered mandatorily by username or just select None
Answer: If you have any Social Media Accounts, please do not lie on the form and be honest. If you lie and the government is able to find an account in your name, your visa may be rejected and you may be barred from coming to America.

Recently a lawsuit was filed against USCIS by ITServe Alliance.  This is a organization of US IT service companies that had previously petitioned USCIS against new changes to H-1B adjudication rules. 
The new rules state that for IT consulting companies that contract H-1B employees to work off-site to meet H-1B requirements, they had to prove the H-1B employee would have “Guaranteed specific and non-speculative work assignments” scheduled for the entire duration of their three-year H-1B visa.  This rule was applied to new employees seeking H-1B status for the first time, and for existing H-1B employees seeking visa renewal.
This new rule has taken a toll on IT consulting firms across the United States. Last fall at the end of FY2018, a study of the 30 top employers that sponsor H-1B employees found that while IT consulting firms saw 20-80% rates of H-1B Denials among their sponsors, non-consulting companies only saw a 1% Denial rate.  Consulting firms were answering RFEs and Denials well into the fiscal year the sponsored employee was hired for, cutting into business productivity and damaging relationships with customers because new hires could not start on time because they were still engulfed in a fight for their right to work.
While USCIS claims that this new rule is simply a reinterpretation of existing statutes, ITServe Alliance disagrees.  Regardless, USCIS is still the gatekeeper of you, or your employee or client’s visa status, and that means you must be prepared to prevent and answer the potential RFE or Denial that is likely to arrive this summer if you or your employee or client works for an IT consulting company.
Here is what you need to do to get this kind of RFE or Denial overturned:
1. Clearly show three years of guaranteed and non-speculative work for the H-1B employee.  This means providing a detailed itinerary of the employee’s next three years on the job bolstered by customer contracts and timelines.
2. Clearly show that the employer-employee relationship will be maintained even when the H-1B employee is working off-site.  This means providing a clear breakdown of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of the employee along with their means of reporting to the employer.  Clearly show avenues of control and accountability as you will need to prove that the employer maintains the ability to hire, fire, promote, and otherwise control the work the H-1B employee does throughout the duration of the H-1B visa, regardless of which site they are working at.
3. Include an expert opinion letter that analyzes, ties together, and lends credibility to the evidence and documentation you provide.  This expert must have extensive experience WORKING IN the IT consulting field, and not simply be an IT instructor or professor.  At TheDegreePeople.com, we have the right experts on hand 24/7 to write the opinion letter you or your employee or client needs to serve a strong case for approval.
4. Make sure all of your bases are covered.  When USCIS finds a red flag in a petition, they look deeper, and they usually find more aspects of a case to take issue with.  Education issues, wage level issues, and specialty occupation issues are common features of the first or second round of RFEs. 
Always take the opportunity to prevent a second round of RFEs when answering the first.  For a free review of your case, visit ccifree.com/.  We will get back to you in 48 hours or less.

H4- EAD Updates - Reps. Eshoo and Lofgren reintroduce H4 EAD work authorization protection bill in House
What's the update on H4 EAD?
The reintroduction of this bill by California Reps. Eshoo and Lofgren may be a bit of a relief for H4 EAD holders fearing  the H4 EAD revocation by the Administration. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is reviewing the rule for over 90 days, and the government has not made any decision as of May 30, 2019.
This week, the Trump Administration announced plans to overturn current DHS regulations that allow H4  EAD spouses of H-1B visa holders. Two influential lawmakers from California have introduced an act in the United States House of Representatives to protect authorization of H-4 visa workers, a visa issued to immediate family members of H-1B visa holders. This development comes after the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) said that it would publish the long-promised law that would prevent work authorization to spouses on H-4 visas in the month of May 2019.
What to expect next?
Although, a bill is introduced the Administration will continue to review every comment, opposition, and bills from the public and the law makers. We need to wait and watch the latest developments.
What are my options, can I still apply for an H4-EAD?
Yes. You may still apply for a fresh H4 EAD or a renewal as nothing changed as of Today, please follow the Article below for more information. 
H4-EAD FAQs | USCIS Accepting H4-EAD Applications?

Here is a Visa Stamping Experience from one of the Whatsapp groups by www.usvisastampinginmexico.com
I had my interview for H1 B and H4 yesterday at MX city location.
I am a full time employee with the company since 2010 and had 3 renewals prior to this one.
The visas were granted and only 3-4 q asked by CO
1. Are you working at client side ? I answered - No. I work on products that we build for ourselves and our customers use them.
2. Employee strength of company ?
3. Annual comp
4. Why are you in Mexico ? I answered for visa renewal
And then CO mentioned your visa is granted and have to wait for email when the passport is ready for pickup.

Step by step process for How to book US Visa Appointments to attend your US visa (H1b, H4, E3, L1A, etc.,) renewal interview in Mexico; US Embassy locations in Mexico.
Join below facebook support group to see previous H1B, H4, E3, L1A, L1B visa interview questions, Latest 221g, Visa Approvals, Denials information, etc.,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/visarenewalstampinginmexico/
Step 1) Fill DS160
Select the location that you want to attend in Mexico.
Fill DS160 1st page; Save that number; Fill again later and submit
(you can submit DS160 within 30 days after you create it; DS160 will be valid for 30 days if you don’t submit, But it will be valid forever if you submit.)
You can submit DS160 even after paying visa fee &booking visa dates.
This is the DS160 Link: https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/
Select the location that you want to go to Mexico.
Below are the US Embassy locations where you can attend visa interviews in Mexico.

Register your account to see Visa dates availability in all locations in Mexico & To Book Visa dates
This is the Link: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-mx/niv
More Detailed information (please refer below link)
Step 3) How to make US Visa Application MRV fee payment in Mexico.
Select pay by cash in 2nd step last stage (the Only option is to make visa fee payment in-person in Mexican Banks — you will get MRV — US Visa Application Fee Payment (pdf form) automatically to your email.
Even if you are going to any US Consulate whether it is Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales, Tijuana, Monterrey, Mexico City, Cuidad Juarez, Guadalajara, etc., You can pay US Visa Application Fee in any locations in Mexico as all banks (Scotia & Banamex) will be in same network in Mexico.
At this stage, you might need help for US Visa Application Fee payment in Mexico. You can use the below link to make visa fee payment in Mexico.
https://usvisastampinginmexico.com/us-h1b-h4-e3-l1-j-o-mrv-csra-visa-application-fee-payment-process-in-mexico/
Step 4) Book ASC (Biometrics) & Consular (Visa) interview dates in Mexico.
Day 1: ASC (Fingerprints) & Digital Photo (In ASC) in Mexico
Day 2: Consular / Visa Interview in Mexico
Join below facebook support group to see previous H1B, H4, E3, L1A, L1B visa interview questions, Latest 221g, Visa Approvals, Denials information, etc.,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/visarenewalstampinginmexico/
Step 5) Plan your travel to Mexico.
If you want to go to Matamoros, Mexico, use this link to take services of accommodation & transportation.
If you want to go to any other location, you can plan your hotel stay & transportation using Uber / local CAB services, etc., in Mexico.
#Mexico City #Matamoros #Tijuana #Nogales #Nuevo Laredo #Cuidad Juarez #Monterrey #Guadalajara #Hermosillo #Cancun
Mostly all locations have CAB services in Mexico in places near US consulates.
Step 6) Attend ASC — Day 1; Attend Visa Interview — Day 2
Day 1: ASC (Fingerprints) & Digital Photo (In ASC) in Mexico
Day 2: Consular / Visa Interview in Mexico
Step 7) Passport Pickup
Though you select any DHL address, mostly you pick up passport in-person (directly) from the US Consulate whether it is Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales, Tijuana, Monterrey, Mexico City, Cuidad Juarez, Guadalajara, etc.,
Passport return might be the same day as visa interview at locations such as Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales, Tijuana, etc.,
some other location like Mexico city — it might be next day after visa interview or within the same week.
Step 8 ) Take I-94 at POE.
After you pick up the passport, you will be coming to the border location to POE(I-94) office to get new paper-based i-9. you pay 6$ & POE officer might ask you a few questions about your address, work, employer, etc., Might take fingerprints, etc.,
Step 9) Enter into the US.
After taking I-94, you are good to enter into the US.
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This article provides you with some tips to help ensure that your H1B visa petition has been sent to USCIS for processing and if it is not picked in the lottery, the process to to obtain proper confirmation(s) from the Employer.
But, the big question. Did the Employer actually file/send the H1B petition for processing?
What if you heard, “Your application has not been picked up and money has been spent towards expenses”
• How to confirm that your H1B application is actually sent by the Employer for processing with the USCIS?
• What happens if the H1B is not picked in the Lottery? 
• If your H1B petition has not been picked in the lottery – Again, did the Employer file the H1B application at all? 
• Employer needs to deduct expenses like Attorney Fee, Mailing, and Academic Evaluation if your application is not picked in the Lottery?
H1B Application Filed by an Attorney :
Unfortunately, Attorney, mailing, and Academic evaluation fee is usually non-refundable from appropriate parties, even if the H1B is not picked in the lottery. 
If the employer uses an Attorney, ask name and contact email and phone number of the Attorney. If an Attorney is used the total cost is around $500.00 to $1000.00 (or more), depending on the Attorney fee 
H1B Application prepared by Employer (No Attorney):
Usually, there is no paperwork/documentation expense except Mailing and Evaluation, which may cost around $100.00 to $200.00 altogether.
Confirm that you’re H1B has been sent by the Employer on required dates between March 31 and April 06 by requesting the following information immediately.
1)Mailing Receipt Proof/Tracking Number "THIS IS YOUR MAILING LABEL UNIQUE TRACKING NUMBER"
2)Copy of the I-129 Petition and LCA
3)Copy of the Cover letter that was sent to USCIS
4) Obtain a Copy of Academic/Foreign Education Evaluation (If foreign degree) and keep in your permanent records, which may be used in future
5)If an Attorney is representing your case, ask Employer to provide a Copy of G-28 signed by the Attorney related to your H1B Petition. Also, obtain contact information of Attorney. Unfortunately, attorneys may not be willing to communicate with you directly.
If the H1B is not picked in the Lottery, in about 45-60 days of filing, the Employer/Attorney receives the entire package back in a Yellow Envelope with the following:
1) Original Mailing Receipt "THE MAILING LABEL WITH YOUR UNIQUE TRACKING NUMBER "
2) Entire H1B Package
3) A Rejection Notice with your Name and a Unique Tracking Number
4) I-129 form that was submitted with a Unique Tracking Bar code ID (This is different from the mailing label Tracking Number)
Please note that they may use any service like USPS, Fedex, UPS to ship the package and all have Tracking Numbers that you can track online. 

On behalf of Immisupport.com, we would like to congratulate all of you, who got the H1B picked in the lottery and received H1B receipt notices. We feel sorry for Aspirants who's petitions are not picked in the lottery, please don’t be depressed, it’s not the END of the world.

H1B petitions that were filed under the Premium Processing Program
USCIS has begun adjudicating the premium processing petitions on May 20, we heard that some Employers already received approval notices for H1B premium processing petitions. See official here
Time Frame: After USCIS begins adjudicating the Premium Processing H1B petitions, USCIS will send a response within 15 calendar days. Yes, calendar days including Saturdays and Sundays. The clock has begun on May 20, 2019, and within 15 Days you should either get approval or an RFE (Request for Evidence).
RFE (Request for Evidence): If an RFE is issued the clock will reset to another 15 calendar days from the date they receive a response from your H1B Employer and/or Attorney on record.
Approval Notices: If your case is approved, your H1B Employer will first receive an email stating that the H1B is approved followed by a physical H1B approval notice.
H1B petitions that were filed under Normal processing
Time Frame: USCIS has begun adjudicating the H1B petitions filed under normal processing program on or after April 25.  Adjudication of petitions may take anywhere between 1 month to 6 months, you may receive an approval notice or an RFE within this time.
RFE (Request for Evidence): If an RFE is issued, USCIS will adjudicate the H1B petition in 60-90 days from the day they receive the response from your H1B Employer/Attorney
Approval Notices: If your case is approved, your H1B Employer will receive a physical H1B approval notice. For normal processing H1B petitions, H1B Employer will NOT receive any email notifications.
YOU MAY CREATE AN ACCOUNT AT USCIS.GOV WEBSITE TO RECEIVE EMAIL AND TEXT ALERTS FOR YOUR CASE, ANY CHANGE IN CASE STATUS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED BY USCIS.
RFE Section
What is an RFE and why USCIS sends an RFE?
RFE stands for Request for Evidence. While adjudicating an H1B petition, if USCIS is not satisfied with the provided documentation and/or information; USCIS will send a letter asking for more information to the H1B Employer/Attorney. USCIS also allows up to 3 months for sending a response. The processing time will then depend on how soon your H1B Employer/Attorney sends a response to the RFE Notice.
While applying for an H1B visa with the USCIS, proper documentation is the key to avoid RFEs. The employer documentation is exhaustive and differs from Employer to Employer. I will post a separate article with an exhaustive list of documents, explaining the importance of each document, please subscribe to this blog or Facebook LIKE to get updates!
What kind of RFEs can I expect?
The most common requests for evidence are as follows and USCIS may ask for one single item or all of the items as listed below:
Specialty Occupation  Education of the beneficiary, foreign equivalency evaluation (if overseas education like India) Availability of a Project or Client with the H1B Employer Employer-Employee Relationship, Client Letters Employer Business Maintenance of Status for beneficiaries in the United States (Filed under Change of Status to H1B) RFEs on Specialty Occupation (This is now a nightmare and most RFEs/Denials are based on the Specialty Occupation)
USICS needs information from the Employer to confirm that the offered job qualifies under specialty occupation.  In other words, the job needs someone with a specialized knowledge possessing at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field. USCIS will specifically request the H1B Employer to explain the nature and complexity of the job and why it requires someone to possess a bachelor’s degree to perform the job. Your H1B Employer should explain the job in detail with examples; time spent for each task/duty on a weekly basis. It is the responsibility of H1B Employer to show evidence to USCIS and provide proper documentation.
Example:
To perform a Job of a Programmer/Analyst one may require a bachelor’s degree and the occupation Programmer/Analyst qualifies under specialty occupation
To perform a job of an Administrative assistant, one does not require a bachelor’s degree and the occupation Administrative Assistant will NOT qualify under specialty occupation
It is very important to note that USCIS will not simply go by the Job title while adjudicating the H1B petitions, they will rely on job duties.
What is a Specialty Occupation?
 In order to perform services in a specialty occupation, you must meet one of the following criteria:
Hold a United States baccalaureate or higher degree as required by the specialty occupation from an accredited college or university Possess a foreign degree determined to be equivalent to a United States baccalaureate or higher degree as required by the specialty occupation from an accredited college or university Have any required license or other official permission to practice the occupation (for example, architect, surveyor, physical therapist) in the state in which employment is sought; or  As determined by USCIS, the equivalent of the degree required by the specialty occupation acquired through a combination of education, training, and/or experience. Specialty occupations may include but are not limited to, computer systems analysts and programmers, physicians, professors, engineers, and accountants. RFEs on Education and Experience
The offered job should be directly related to the field of study. If you have a US Master’s Degree in Chemistry and your H1B job is Programmer/Analyst which not related, it would trigger an RFE. USCIS will send an RFE asking the H1B Employer to show the evidence “How the beneficiary will work as a Programmer/Analyst when his/her field of study in Chemistry”
The educational evaluation for overseas degrees is usually ignored while sending the H1B Petition, you may have a BS degree in Computer Science or an MCA; USCIS must get a document stating the equivalency of your Education in the United States to determine the level of your education. For Indian degrees like IIT, IIM are exempt from this requirement.
What is an Educational Evaluation or Foreign Credentials Evaluation?
Your foreign education and/or experience is evaluated by a Private Agency or a University Professor to determine your educational equivalency when compared to the United States degree. Since your education is from another country, there is no way USCIS can determine that you have a valid degree.
In some cases, where your education is NOT directly related to the job offered, an evaluator may use your experience to determine the equivalency. Every 3 years of work experience is counted towards 1 year of college in a related field.
Example: Bachelor’ in Engineering (Mechanical) + 3 Years of IT Experience = Bachelor’ in Engineering (Information Technology or Computer Science)
My H1B was applied as a Programmer/Analyst and I have a non-related degree with IT Experience, equivalency evaluation has not been submitted, would I get an RFE?
Yes, most likely. USCIS must determine that you qualify for the job and you have related degree and/or experience.
If you have any questions on the Education part, please post in comments, one of our H1B supporters is a professional educational evaluator and she will answer your questions.
RFEs on Availability of a Project or Client
This is the most important item, especially when an H1B is filed by a Consulting Firm. If you’re H1B was applied by a large company with A/K/A full-time basis, you may not worry about an RFE for this item.
But, for IT consulting firms, it is a big problem to show sufficient H1B specialty work for the requested H1B period of Employment.
USCIS wants to confirm that the H1B Employer has sufficient specialty occupation work available with the H1B Petitioner. A petitioner may have good revenue and bank balance to pay the salary, unlike the GC process; ability pay is not required for H1B petitions.  H1B Employer must demonstrate the following:
A viable existing internal/in-house project with Market analysis, customer base, and competitor analysis to employ the beneficiary under H1B basis OR
A contract/client letter from a Client showing that a Specialty occupation work available for the requested H1B period of Employment RFEs on Employer-Employee Relationship
This is a trivial RFE and H1B Employers/Attorneys have a tough time responding RFEs related to Employer-Employee Relationship
What is this Employer-Employee Relationship?
On January 08, 2010, USCIS Director issued a Memo concerning H1B Employment and how the H1B Worker will be controlled by the H1B Employer while working at a third-party client site.  See the official Memorandum. 
The memorandum also discusses examples of evidence the petitioner may submit in order to establish that an employer-employee relationship exists and will continue to exist throughout the duration of the requested H-1B validity period.  Examples of that evidence include a complete itinerary of services or engagements, a signed employment agreement with the beneficiary, and/or relevant portions of valid contracts statements of work, work orders, or service agreements with the end-user client.
Common Law (Internal revenue Service):  Under the common law rules, every individual who performs services that are subject to the will and control of the employer, as to what must be done and how it must be done, is an employee.
However, H1B Employers cannot simply state that we will be paying the beneficiary and he/she is our Employee. There are a number of factors beyond Payroll, benefits, performance reviews to be considered while providing a response to such RFEs. If the H1B Employer is not careful while sending a response for this item, it may end up in your case being denied.
On February 18, the USCIS held a "Collaboration Session" in Washington, D.C., to address the growing concerns about the implications of the Neufeld Memo. Approximately 500 people (400 via teleconference) attended the two-hour session, in which USCIS officials responded to the "unintended consequences" caused by the Neufeld Memo.
H1B Employers must demonstrate how they control the beneficiary’s employment while H1B workers are placed at a third-party client site, it is a common scenario if your H1B Employer is a Consulting firm. see illustration below.  H1B Employers must demonstrate their ability to supervise and control H1B Employee’s Work/Product and the ability to hire/fire the H1B Employee.  Also, demonstrate that only H1B Employer has the right to assign additional duties to beneficiary NOT the Vendor and/or Client.
Citing the H-1B regulations, the Neufeld Memo explains that a U.S. employer that files an H-1B petition must have "an employer-employee relationship with respect to employees under this part, as indicated by the fact that it may hire, pay, fire, supervise or otherwise control the work of any such employee." Adjudicating officers are instructed to weigh the following factors when determining whether a valid employer-employee relationship exists:
Does the petitioner supervise the beneficiary and is such supervision off-site or on-site? If the supervision is off-site, how does the petitioner maintain such supervision, i.e., weekly calls, reporting back to the main office routinely, or site visits by the petitioner? Does the petitioner have the right to control the work of the beneficiary on a day-to-day basis if such control is required? Does the petitioner provide the tools or instrumentalities needed for the beneficiary to perform the duties of employment? Does the petitioner hire, pay, and have the ability to fire the beneficiary? Does the petitioner evaluate the work-product of the beneficiary, i.e., progress/performance reviews? Does the petitioner claim the beneficiary for tax purposes? Does the petitioner provide the beneficiary any employee benefits? Does the beneficiary use proprietary information of the petitioner in order to perform the duties of employment? Does the beneficiary produce an end-product that is directly linked to the petitioner's line of business? Does the petitioner have the ability to control the manner and means in which the work product of the beneficiary is accomplished?  The Memo emphasizes that the determination of whether an employer-employee relationship is valid should hinge on the extent to which the petitioner has the right4 to control the beneficiary's work, i.e., control over when, where, and how the beneficiary performs the job. In addition, adjudicating officers should consider the totality of the circumstances when weighing these factors, including the nature of petitioner's business and an H-1B beneficiary's work. Furthermore, the petitioner must maintain the right to control the beneficiary's work throughout the H-1B validity period in order to constitute a valid employer-employee relationship in the H-1B petition context.
How is this possible, I will be working at the Client site, I may be reporting to the client manager?
Unfortunately, based on the Neufeld Memo and regulations, H1B Employers must demonstrate that your H1B Employers controls your Employment.
What type of evidence can we submit to satisfy this requirement?
In addition to analyzing the parameters of a valid employer-employee relationship, the Neufeld Memo specifically includes the following list of the types of evidence that an H-1B petitioner may submit with an initial petition in order to demonstrate that a valid employer-employee relationship will exist for the duration of the H-1B validity period:
A complete itinerary of services or engagements that specifies the dates of each service or engagement, the names, and addresses of the actual employers, and the names and addresses of the establishment, venues, or locations where the services will be performed for the period of time requested; Copy of signed Employment Agreement between the petitioner and beneficiary detailing the terms and conditions of employment; Copy of an employment offer letter that clearly describes the nature of the employer-employee relationship and the services to be performed by the beneficiary; Copy of relevant portions of valid contracts between the petitioner and a client (in which the petitioner has entered into a business agreement for which the petitioner's employees will be utilized) that establishes that while the petitioner's employees are placed at the third-party worksite, the petitioner will continue to have the right to control its employees; Copies of signed contractual agreements, statements of work, work orders, service agreements, and letters between the petitioner and the authorized officials of the ultimate end-client companies where the work will actually be performed by the beneficiary, which provides information such as a detailed description of the duties the beneficiary will perform, the qualifications that are required to perform the job duties, salary or wages paid, hours worked, benefits, a brief description of who will supervise the beneficiary and their duties, and any other related evidence; Copy of position description or any other documentation that describes the skills required to perform the job offered, the source of the instrumentalities and tools needed to perform the job, the product to be developed or the service to be provided, the location where the beneficiary will perform the duties, the duration of the relationship between the petitioner and beneficiary, whether the petitioner has the right to assign additional duties, the extent of petitioner's discretion over when and how long the beneficiary will work, the method of payment, the petitioner's role in paying and hiring assistants to be utilized by the beneficiary, whether the work to be performed is part of the regular business of the petitioner, the provision of employee benefits, and the tax treatment of the beneficiary in relation to the petitioner; A description of the performance review process; and/or Copy of petitioner's organizational chart, demonstrating the beneficiary's supervisory chain. The evidence that H1B Employers can submit may vary, if you have a particular situation, please comment below and I will provide information.
There is some good news that USCIS has relaxed this regulation with FAQs, by adding that a Client letter may not be required if the following is met. 
Am I required to submit a letter or other documentation from the end-client that identifies the beneficiary to demonstrate that a valid employer-employee relationship will exist between the petitioner and beneficiary if the beneficiary will perform services at an end-client/third-party location?
No. While documents from the end-client may help USCIS determine whether a valid employer-employee relationship will exist, this type of documentation is not required. You may submit a combination of any documents to establish, by a preponderance of the evidence that the required relationship will exist. The types of evidence listed in the memorandum are not exhaustive. Adjudicators will review and weigh all the evidence submitted to determine whether you have met your burden in establishing that a qualifying employer-employee relationship will exist.
RFEs on Employer Business
USCIS must determine that the Employer is in the business and satisfy the requirements of the United States Employer. There are a number of documents your Employer can submit based on the type and size of the Employer
“Under C.F.R. 214.2(h) (4)(ii) “United States employer,” is defined as follows. United State employer means a person, firm, corporation, contractor, or other association, or organization in the United States which:
(1) Engages a person to work within the United States;
(2) Has an employer-employee relationship with respect to employees under this part, as indicated by the fact that it may hire, pay, fire, supervise, or otherwise control the work of any such employee; and
(3) Has an Internal Revenue Service Tax identification number.”
What documents can the H1B Employer submit to satisfy this requirement?
 Tax ID Letter from IRS  Tax Returns  Company registration documents  Office Lease or Ownership  Telephone or utility bills   Website screenshots   Yellow Pages or Google Listings RFEs on Maintenance of Status for beneficiaries in the United States (Filed under Change of Status to H1B)
These items cover RFEs issued only for H1B petitions for beneficiaries who are presently in the United States to seek a change of Status to H1B as of October 01. Based on your present status, you may be required to submit the following information.
         Change of Status from F1/OPT/M1/J1          All forms I-20 and OPT Cards          Confirmation of tuition payments to school          Eligibility of Cap-Gap (if any)          Change of Status from F2/J2          All form I-20s of Spouse          Confirmation of tuition payments to school          Marriage Certificate          Change of Status from L1          Paystubs as of H1B filing date          L1/I-797 validity until September 30 or I-94          Change of Status from L2          Paystubs of the spouse as of H1B filing date          L1/I-797 validity of spouse until September 30 or I-94          L2/I-797 validity until September 30 or I-94          Marriage Certificate          Change of Status from H4          Paystubs of the spouse as of H1B filing date          H4/I-797 validity until September 30 or I-94          Marriage Certificate          Change of Status from B1/B2          I-94 Validity until September 30 Conclusion on RFEs: USCIS may request all the above information or a combination of information based on the documents initially submitted with the H1B petition. I did my best in providing the information on RFEs, please comment if I have missed anything.
NOID (Notice of Intent to denial) – What is this?
On rare occasions, USCIS issues a NOID on particular H1B petitions, when USCIS determines that there has been misrepresentation or fraud while filing the H1B petitions. The NOID may be sent before an RFE or after an RFE response is received. I will not be discussing much about the NOIDs; I will post another Article with respect to NOIDS.
H1B Approval Notices Section
Hooray… The H1B is approved, what are the next steps?
H1Bs with COS (Change of Status as of October 01)
If you are in the United States and your H1B is approved with COS as of October 01, you may begin employment.
Do I require H1B Visa Stamping?
NO. You do not have to stamp an H1B visa to begin work as COS is approved. However, you need a visa if you want to travel.
H1Bs with Consular Processing
Presently in the United States:
Option # 1: Your Employer may file an amendment and change status to H1B at a later point of time when there is a project (usually with consulting firms)
Option # 2: You may go to a US Consulate to get an H1B visa stamping and return on H1B
Presently Overseas:
H1B Employer needs to send an H1B petition package to obtain an H1B visa stamping at your home country.
 

One of our Readers has shared his H1B Visa Stamping Experience at Chennai, India. He started the process with Drop-Box and waited to get the details to update under PIMS Database and finally went for an H1B Visa Interview to secure a visa. Download Template for PIMS Update
I have submitted my documents on December 28 at a Drop-Box location in Chennai, India and they have posted my H1B documents to US Consulate on December 29. (Applied with my Spouse for H4 Visa) I tracked my status through VISA tracker and It was showing READY from December 29th to January 5th  - I called NVC during these days and found my petition was not updated in PIMS DB and I informed my employer and finally got updated on January 5th with “Administrative processing”. I got mail on January 6th to collect my passport but in CEAC website it was showing “Administrative processing” so I contacted NVC and found it's under 221g for asking me to come for VISA interview. I collected my passport on January 7th and I got a blue slip for VISA interview during Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 8 am to 12 pm and there is no need to schedule a new appointment. I went to Chennai consulate on January 8th at 8 am with all the necessary documents which we usually carry for H1B visa interview and the interview was simple than I thought. She asked me the below questions When did you switch your job? How long are you working with this new employer? Have you changed your job in the US? Who is your end client? What is your annual salary? Show me your pay stubs Status updates by date:
December 28: Document submitted December 29: Document sent to the consulate for processing January 01:     PIMS updated - called NVC to know this status January 07: Passport collected with a letter for 221g to attend the interview January 08: Attended the interview January 11: Passport ready for pickup