Visa Stamping at Chennai US Consulate

My husband & I have to travel to India this week due to some urgency. Recently we extended our visa (H1/H4), so will have to appear at Chennai US Consulate for Visa Stamping.

When we appear for visa stamping to return back to US (amidst a vacation, and not directly from the company), how fast is the process? Will we get our passports back on the same day itself? When we went for the stamping initially, there were two options - either stay back till evening and collect the passport, or it would be sent to husband's company address the next day so that we would receive it in 2-3 days. But now when we go for the stamping, my husband will be on vacation. We would prefer to collect the passports on the same day evening, but I heard that option is not available. Any guess? If not, will they be mailing the passports to our home address?

Your comments are very much appreciated.. Thanks in advance

Indu

Originally Posted by writeme

My husband & I have to travel to India this week due to some urgency. Recently we extended our visa (H1/H4), so will have to appear at Chennai US Consulate for Visa Stamping.

Hope everything is fine. God Bless!!

There is only one option if you got the appointment the normal way. And that is attend the appointment. Now consulate will never give the passports at your hands even if you wait till the evening. They all are sent to VFS for courier.

Now, you have 2 options.

(1) Go back home and wait for 2-3 days to get your courier
(2) VFS office is in Gopalapuram. You can go to the office in the evening 2-3 PM and there before they courier it out, you can receive it over the counter - this can be done the same day of your appointment.

Their address:

VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd
U.S. Visa Application Center
Old no. 14, new no. 4, Sadasivam street
Gopalapuram
Chennai – 600 086

Please note that all telephone inquiries for VFS should be directed to the Southern Regional Helpline at: 044-4231-6767.
VFS office working hours: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.



Call VFS before your appointment and find out the timings and day when you can come and get it. Also what you shud be bring along to show to get your passports.


Now this is normal appointment processing. If you had booked for emergency appointments, then you can wait in the consulate for few hrs and get your passport.


hope this helps.

Nandhu..

Thankyou so much for such a detailed description. You made my day!! I am so glad you gave me all the information I needed..

Indu..

Hi,

All H1-B / H4 stamping has to undergo the PIMS verification process so even if your visa is approved they will not return the stamped passport till the verification process has cleared. this may take 3-4 days, but some are taking even upto 2 weeks. so please keep that in mind while visiting chennai. also check out the consulate website for the latest updates on passport return time and process.

have a good trip.

Nandu,

I have another question.. Can we receive passport from VFS on the same day of appointment at the consulate? Or will it be available only on the following day or so? I am not a resident of chennai, so it will help me only if I can collect the passport on the same day from VFS. Otherwise I'll have to wait for the courier. Any idea if it'll be available on the same day?

Hi Mythreyi..

Thanks for the info.. I wasnt aware of this.

I have seen Emergency appointment slots in VFS and it seems H and L visa holders returning to job can avail this. Have any of you used this Emergency Slot? If emergency slots avoid the delay in getting the passports back, I would prefer going for that.. Are we not eligible for that? Are there any issues in using the emergency slot for appointment? Sorry for being ignorant in these matters

Hi,

No, we went for regular stamping only, not emergency. I'm not sure if all H1 cases will qualify for that. We went last year before this PIMS process was put in place (thank God!). you can check out ImmigrationVoice.org - Home - there are lots of discussions on visa stamping at various consulates and the time it is taking.

Thankyou Mythreyi.. I'll check out the site.. This visa stamping seems to be a difficult task :(

Originally Posted by writeme

Nandu,

I have another question.. Can we receive passport from VFS on the same day of appointment at the consulate? Or will it be available only on the following day or so? I am not a resident of chennai, so it will help me only if I can collect the passport on the same day from VFS. Otherwise I'll have to wait for the courier. Any idea if it'll be available on the same day?

It depends, I heard that every passport that they receive that day will be sent back to VFS the same day. So if you can call the representative in VFS before your appointment, they might give you an estimation, when they would receive it from the consulate and when you can go and pick it up.

Originally Posted by writeme

Hi Mythreyi..

Thanks for the info.. I wasnt aware of this.

I have seen Emergency appointment slots in VFS and it seems H and L visa holders returning to job can avail this. Have any of you used this Emergency Slot? If emergency slots avoid the delay in getting the passports back, I would prefer going for that.. Are we not eligible for that? Are there any issues in using the emergency slot for appointment? Sorry for being ignorant in these matters

You are applying for renewal and these are the conditions. I guess you are falling in this one and there should be no issues.

Now coming to emergency appointments, its a 50-50 situation. Now check out if your travel to India satisfies any of the condition specified here. If so, do you have the facts with you to prove that it was an emergency situation when consulate asks? Also, that your hubby has to immediately report back to work? If all these questions have solid answers, yes you can go ahead. Else I would suggest you stick with the normal appointment. If all the papers are correct, they there shouldnt be any problem, since its renewal not a new h1B approval

Finally, even for mythaeryi, please dont get carried away with chats in different forums or places around. Beware, nothing is legal. Whatever you read from the official site - Chennai consulate or VFS only matters at the end of the day :)

Hope this helps.!!!

If you have an unforeseen travel need as per one of the criteria listed below, you may qualify for an out-of-turn emergency appointment slot:

• To obtain emergency medical care, or to accompany a relative or employer for emergency medical care.
• To attend the funeral of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent or grandchild).
• To attend to an urgent business matter where the travel requirement could not be predicted in advance.
• Students or exchange visitors who are within 120 days of their start date of a valid programme and who have not been refused a visa within the last six months.
• H and L visa renewals for applicants who are already working in the U.S and are returning to their jobs.

Before you apply for an emergency appointment, you must ensure that you have documentary evidence to prove the urgency. If it appears during the visa interview that you misrepresented the reasons for travel, such facts will be noted on your case file and may adversely influence the outcome of your visa application. Furthermore, if the consular officer determines that you do not have a genuine emergency -as defined above- then he/she will postpone your interview 90 days from the date you appeared under the emergency provision.
Travel for the purpose of attending weddings, assisting pregnant daughters , or attending graduation ceremonies do not qualify for emergency appointments. For such travel, please request an ordinary appointment well in advance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Visa renewal appointments are available to visa applicants who: Have a U.S. visa that has expired less than 12 months ago. Wish to apply for the same category visa (work, business, tourist, etc.) Are Indian nationals (hold Indian passports) Are resident in the New Delhi, Chennai, or Mumbai consular districts (this category is not available to Kolkata based applicants).

The following applicants do NOT qualify for appointments in the visa renewal category: Applicants who have never had a US visa. Applicants who have a U.S. visa that expired more than 12 months ago. Applicants applying for a different category visa (e.g. had a student visa, now applying for a work visa). Non Indian passport holders Applicants applying at the U.S. Consulate in Kolkata. First time H4 or L2 applicants over 18 years of age. (If you have recently married a H1b or L1 visa holder but have never had a visa interview for a visa in the H/L category, you may not schedule in the renewal category.) Applicants applying for more than one visa at the same time (e.g. F and B1/B2). Applicants applying for entertainment/performance visas(P3 category). Applicants applying for unskilled worker visas (H2b category).

All visa renewal applicants should bring the following documents to the Embassy/Consulate Consular Section on the day of their appointment: Current, valid passport Passports containing previously issued U.S. visas As applicable, I-797 (H and L), I-20 (F & M students), DS-2019 (J visa applicants)

Thanks again Nandhu.. Well written. I too checked the vfs site. I think I'll better stay away from the emergency slots.. to be on the safer side, normal appointments would be better..

Indu