H1B Visa Stamping Documents Checklist (for India, Mexico, Canada)
H1B Visa Stamping Documents Checklist - i797 A or B original approval, employment verification letter, Pay stubs, W2, LCA, passport, DS160, form I-129.
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There can be hundreds of documents that can be carried for H-1B stamping as there is no official list.
We have collected an extensive list based on real-life experiences. Visa officers rarely ask for any of these documents to be shown except passport and DS160 as they already have all the information about your application sent to them by USCIS.
This article will discuss:
Documents for H1-B Visa Stamping
- Passport – All original passports including old and expired.
- DS 160 form – No need to carry a copy of DS160. Just fill online and that’s it.
- US embassy Visa interview appointment confirmation copy. i797C is not valid proof of approval.
- Form i797A or B (H1B approval notice) – Original is best. If not possible, then carry a color copy of the i797 approval.
- Form i129 (H1B application) copy – Carry a color or Black and white copy of form i-129.
- H1B LCA copy – Carry a color or black-and-white copy of the LCA posting.
- Employment verification letter – Original – Can be issued by the employer.
- Resume or CV
- Last 3 months Pay stubs / Salary slips – Color or black and white copy.
- Last 3-year W2 (if any) – Color or black and white copy.
- i140 Approval Notice – If you are going for stamping the past 6 years, an i140 approval i797 copy may be asked for by the visa officer in Mexico, Canada, or India.
- H1B approval notice (i797A or B) from your previous employer (if any). i797C is not valid proof of approval.
- Education Degree – Transcripts or mark sheets from your school, university – graduation, post-graduation.
- Original I-20 forms (if any) – if you have an education degree from the US.
- OPT or EAD card (if any).
I recommend carrying all documents in a transparent document bag as other things are not allowed inside the US embassy.
Form 221 (g) Admin Processing
In case the US embassy needs more documents before they can approve your H1B visa, they will issue you form 221(g).
All the extra documents will be mentioned on this form 221g.
The chances of H1B visa stamping are good if your documents are clean.
Your H1B visa may be approved but it may still be sent for Administrative processing to verify employer details and fraud detection.
You can check if you are eligible for the Dropbox Facility using our app here.
You will need to submit the same set of documents for the Dropbox facility as mentioned above.
You may be asked to visit the US embassy for fingerprinting even after you drop documents in Dropbox. This process is commonly called form 221(g) with Green Slip.
You do not need LCA for H1B visa stamping but it is recommended to carry.
The Visa Officer can ask for any document if he has any doubts to clarify.
You can get your H1B visa stamped in Canada or Mexico.
You cannot go to Mexico for F1 to H1B visa stamping. Canada allows F1 to H1B stamping.
You can go to Mexico for H4 to H1B visa stamping. The same applies to H1B to H4 visa stamps too.
How Can I Get H1B Stamping in India?
You have to fill out Form DS-160 and schedule an H1B visa interview appointment with the US embassy to get H1B stamping in India. You can choose any US embassy and we recommend the one that’s closer to your residence.
Once you have filled out DS-160 and paid the visa interview fees, you have to first visit the US visa OFC center for fingerprints and a digital photograph.
Once your picture is taken and you are ten-printed (fingerprints are taken), you can visit the US embassy as per your interview appointment.
H1B Visa Stamping Timeline
H1B Visa stamping can take 1 to 4 weeks.
Processing time varies with each US embassy too. If you are in your home country like India, you can expect to wait up to 4 weeks after a Visa interview to get a stamped Passport in hand.
So, we recommend planning your travel back to the US keeping in mind the delays caused by administrative processing.
