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Hi,
Few details:
On H1-B for past 4+ years. With current employer for past 3 years, I-797 valid until Dec 2022 (renewed in Oct 2020). Visa stamping valid until Dec 18th 2020.
I recently traveled to India for a family emergency and applied for visa stamping renewal through dropbox at Chennai consulate. (Applied on Nov 12th) and I received 221g with passports and no visa is stamped (Passport returned on Nov 19th). The letter asks me to attend in-person interview after visa consulates resume normal services (which were shut due to covid since March). I called ustraveldocs and they said that my case can't be expedited through an emergency appointment and I can only walk-in once consulates fully open. So, I think there are two options for me going forward:
1. Return to US before Dec 18th with my current visa stamp and valid I-797 and come back to India when visa consulates are open sometime in 2021 to attend the interview. This will help me continue my job in US without having to work from India.
2. Stay here in India and wait out for the consulates to open, which could be months and I might have to work from here for few months (which is logistically problematic).
It seems clear that option 1 is safer from the career point of view, but I have a personal family health emergency which makes me feel that I should stay here with family during the holidays and return when I can get the visa stamping. I was initially planning to stay until Jan 2021 with my family to support them, hoping that dropbox would succeed (I had successfully done it last time).
Are there any other options for me that will help me stay in India to support my family and return to US in Jan/Feb 2021?
Any other suggestions or any info on when consulate might open with new US administration starting in Jan 2021?
Thank you all in advance.
Few details:
On H1-B for past 4+ years. With current employer for past 3 years, I-797 valid until Dec 2022 (renewed in Oct 2020). Visa stamping valid until Dec 18th 2020.
I recently traveled to India for a family emergency and applied for visa stamping renewal through dropbox at Chennai consulate. (Applied on Nov 12th) and I received 221g with passports and no visa is stamped (Passport returned on Nov 19th). The letter asks me to attend in-person interview after visa consulates resume normal services (which were shut due to covid since March). I called ustraveldocs and they said that my case can't be expedited through an emergency appointment and I can only walk-in once consulates fully open. So, I think there are two options for me going forward:
1. Return to US before Dec 18th with my current visa stamp and valid I-797 and come back to India when visa consulates are open sometime in 2021 to attend the interview. This will help me continue my job in US without having to work from India.
2. Stay here in India and wait out for the consulates to open, which could be months and I might have to work from here for few months (which is logistically problematic).
It seems clear that option 1 is safer from the career point of view, but I have a personal family health emergency which makes me feel that I should stay here with family during the holidays and return when I can get the visa stamping. I was initially planning to stay until Jan 2021 with my family to support them, hoping that dropbox would succeed (I had successfully done it last time).
Are there any other options for me that will help me stay in India to support my family and return to US in Jan/Feb 2021?
Any other suggestions or any info on when consulate might open with new US administration starting in Jan 2021?
Thank you all in advance.
