H1B Visa Stamping Process and Requirements

Every time I have to go through hectic process of checking my archive emails, if someone ask me about H1B Visa stamping process and required documents to be collected. I am going through same pain again, since I have decided to go to Canada for H1B visa stamping this time. Going through all the old email and gathering list of documents to be collected from various sources took good amount of time. On top of that I had gone through lot of forums, official websites to gather all the information I need to know and to be prepared. Because of this tedious time consuming process, I have decided to write down this blog for my reference and benefit of all my friends, who might need to know about this in near future.

This blog will be divided into two parts, H1B visa stamping from Canada and H1B visa stamping from Nepal.

Part one: H1B Visa stamping from Canada

Apart from getting H1B visa stamped from home country, it is common practice to attend visa interview at a U.S. Consulate in Canada for H1B visa stamping. And you need to apply for Temporary Resident Visa for Canada, if you are not a Permanent Resident (PR) of Canada. Once you have received temporary resident visa for Canada, you may start your H1B Visa application process.

Here are steps you need to follow to apply for H1B visa stamping at Canada:

1) Fill up DS-160 form.

Complete the Non-immigrant Visa Electronic Application, and print out the DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number for each applicant. The application can be completed by using this link:

U.S.Departmentof State CONSULAR ELECTRONIC APPLICATION CENTER 

Please make sure you have selected correct location from drop down list, where you will be applying for the visa. Moreover make sure you save and print the DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number after application submission for future reference. This is required to block your H1B slot (visa interview appointment) and you have to present at the time of visa interview as well.

      2)  Pay Machine Readable Visa (MRV) Fee:

Pay the visa application (MRV) fee for each applicant. Click FeePayment Options to view more details about the MRV fees and payment procedures.

The MRV fee is USD$190 for H1B and this fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable regardless of whether a visa is issued or not.

Note: Visa fee can be paid online (please follow step-3 for online payment), over the phone or at one of the branches at Scotiabank

3) Schedule an appointment at the Consular:

To schedule an appointment each applicant must have ready:

                                                              I.      DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number

                                                            II.      MRV fee payment receipt number (See Step 2 above) or credit card, if you want to make a MRV fee payment online.

                                                          III.      The applicant’s passport number

                                                          IV.      Petition Number from the Form I-797 for Temporary Work Visas

Please use below link to pay MRV fee online and schedule an appointment for visa interview.

Schedule an appointment atthe Consular Section through this service.

Please create an account at the above mentioned URL. You can pay the visa fee and schedule a visa interview date after an account creation. Once you book your visa interview date, you will get an email confirmation.

Part two: H1B Visa stamping from Nepal

     1) Fill up DS-160 form.

Complete the Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application, and print out the DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number for each applicant. The application can be completed by using this link:

U.S.Departmentof State CONSULAR ELECTRONIC APPLICATION CENTER 

Please make sure you have selected correct location from drop down list, where you will be applying for the visa. Moreover make sure you save and print the DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number after application submission for future reference. This is required to block your H1B slot (visa interview appointment) and you have to present at the time of visa interview as well.

     2)  Pay Machine Readable Visa (MRV) Fee and Schedule an appointment for Visa Interview:

Nabil Bank (Right in front of U.S. Embassy, Nepal) is responsible for collecting the visa application fee and scheduling visa interviews for the U.S. Embassy. Please do not call the Embassy's consular section for any appointment information. Applicants should bring with them to Nabil Bank the following items:

§  A valid passport.

§  A clear printout of the completed online visa application’s confirmation page

(DS-160 confirmation page with bar code)

§  The Nepali rupee equivalent of the appropriate non-immigrant visa processing fee. (NRs 19,000 as of March 6, 2014)

Please visit below link for current fee schedule and other information:

U.S.Embassy, Nepal

Note: There is no visa issuance fee for H1B Visa; all you need to pay is processing fee. That is nothing other than visa application fee.

List of Documents required:

Here is the list of documents you need to collect and take with you. There is no exclusive list of documents being provided by U.S. Consulate. However these would be good enough to support your visa interview.

1)      Passport

2)      Letter to Consulate from your Employer

3)      Pay Stubs (recent 6 months, if any)

4)      W2 (3 yrs, if any)

5)      Tax Return (3 yrs, if any)

6)      Bank Statement-This must prove that you are getting paid every month/Bi-weekly and should display your monthly/Bi-weekly salary deposit. Better get at least 6 months statement.

7)      DS-160 confirmation (barcode) number

8)      All the university documents (I-20, academic certificates)

9)      H1 B Approval (take all, if any)

10)   Professional Resume (updated)

11)   LCA and H1B petition documents (get this from your employer)

12)   Photo-You have to attach in DS-160(visa application form). Don’t need other than that, but better to have extra photos with you.

13)   Employment verification letter- (This must disclose your salary, job responsibility and your tenure with current employer. This must be in company letter head with your manager’s signature)

*If your employer is consulting company, get few more documents given below:

14)   Client letter- Reference letter from client that must disclose your job responsibility, your contract term and client location currently you are working on, and your tenure with them.

15)   Company tax return documents.

16)   Company Quarterly Reports.

17)    Details about all employees project details/salaries/wages/contracts.

18)   Organization chart.

19)   Salary statements

20)   Employee review (2 quarters, if any)