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L1-A Blanket: Approved
Hello all,
First of all, really appreciate everybody sharing their experiences in this forum. It helped me immensely in preparing for the interview.
Well, but then my interview was short and really sweet!! I think the merriment of Christmas has set in a little in advance!! I had a 10am interview at the consulate and I was a little shocked to see the assembly of a large crowd and the multiple queues... Thankfully it was temperate this time of the year, I am not sure what would happen in May heat.
My advice: Stay in a hotel overnight if you can.. you would really want yourself to look nice and fresh (I was wearing business formals with a tie and a jacket) and arriving too early doesn't help at all!!
After the initial document screening and DD submission happened, I was in the line for my final interview. All my effort to look confident/cool went for a toss as the real impulse of that moment got into me.. I was thinking "This is it"; the next 10 minutes would decide the course of my life for the next several years. This is the moment of truth... I tried hard to refrain myself from thinking all these, but the intensity of the moment was too powerful I would imagine.. Well, I know I could still apply for H1 if this doesn't work and I already have a decent enough career here.. so it won't be like back to the naught if my visa got rejected.. I kept telling the same to myself..
Three people ahead of me, I guess all were L1 As, got rejected - That didn't help me either. Anyway, the moment finally came. My token number got displayed and I was there with my wife and my 5year old kid. The interview went something like this:
VO: Hello Sir good morning
Me: Morning.. How are you doing?
VO (a middle-aged white American): [Smiled] I am good and you?
Me: Thanks a lot for asking... not too bad!
VO: Sir, so your are applying for L1 visa?
Me: Yes, indeed. L1-A blanket petition to be precise
VO: [Smiled again] You work for ZZZ... I haven't heard of this firm before... what do you guys do?
Me: [I practiced this really well... spoke for about 40 seconds explaining what we do... The VO's eyes kept on shuttling between the computer screen, my eyes, and my papers; he was typing almost all the while!! Smirks!! Talk about multi-tasking!]
VO: Oh! That's great!! Who would you be reporting into?
Me: [Said]
VO: How many people would report into you in the US?
Me: [Said, it is 10+]
VO: [Started stamping my papers and said with a broad smile] You visa is approved Sir! Wait a moment as I prepare the pares for your dependents as well.
Me and my wife: Thank you.. really appreciate.
My wife: A merry Christmas to you in advance!
VO: Thanks and here you go [gave two copies of the forms].. give one to your HR and the other you'd need at the port of entry.
Me: Thanks
And thus it was over in less than a couple of minutes! I think it is all about your confidence and that comes from preparedness in most of the instances!! Dress well, have a pleasant smile in your face and above all have a genuine case. I think the bottomline is to have a genuine case - For L1-A, your salary number and the org structure in the US would matter the most is what I felt.
Thanks.
First of all, really appreciate everybody sharing their experiences in this forum. It helped me immensely in preparing for the interview.
Well, but then my interview was short and really sweet!! I think the merriment of Christmas has set in a little in advance!! I had a 10am interview at the consulate and I was a little shocked to see the assembly of a large crowd and the multiple queues... Thankfully it was temperate this time of the year, I am not sure what would happen in May heat.
My advice: Stay in a hotel overnight if you can.. you would really want yourself to look nice and fresh (I was wearing business formals with a tie and a jacket) and arriving too early doesn't help at all!!
After the initial document screening and DD submission happened, I was in the line for my final interview. All my effort to look confident/cool went for a toss as the real impulse of that moment got into me.. I was thinking "This is it"; the next 10 minutes would decide the course of my life for the next several years. This is the moment of truth... I tried hard to refrain myself from thinking all these, but the intensity of the moment was too powerful I would imagine.. Well, I know I could still apply for H1 if this doesn't work and I already have a decent enough career here.. so it won't be like back to the naught if my visa got rejected.. I kept telling the same to myself..
Three people ahead of me, I guess all were L1 As, got rejected - That didn't help me either. Anyway, the moment finally came. My token number got displayed and I was there with my wife and my 5year old kid. The interview went something like this:
VO: Hello Sir good morning
Me: Morning.. How are you doing?
VO (a middle-aged white American): [Smiled] I am good and you?
Me: Thanks a lot for asking... not too bad!
VO: Sir, so your are applying for L1 visa?
Me: Yes, indeed. L1-A blanket petition to be precise
VO: [Smiled again] You work for ZZZ... I haven't heard of this firm before... what do you guys do?
Me: [I practiced this really well... spoke for about 40 seconds explaining what we do... The VO's eyes kept on shuttling between the computer screen, my eyes, and my papers; he was typing almost all the while!! Smirks!! Talk about multi-tasking!]
VO: Oh! That's great!! Who would you be reporting into?
Me: [Said]
VO: How many people would report into you in the US?
Me: [Said, it is 10+]
VO: [Started stamping my papers and said with a broad smile] You visa is approved Sir! Wait a moment as I prepare the pares for your dependents as well.
Me and my wife: Thank you.. really appreciate.
My wife: A merry Christmas to you in advance!
VO: Thanks and here you go [gave two copies of the forms].. give one to your HR and the other you'd need at the port of entry.
Me: Thanks
And thus it was over in less than a couple of minutes! I think it is all about your confidence and that comes from preparedness in most of the instances!! Dress well, have a pleasant smile in your face and above all have a genuine case. I think the bottomline is to have a genuine case - For L1-A, your salary number and the org structure in the US would matter the most is what I felt.
Thanks.
