Just finished my US H1B Visa interview, phewww…. what a hassle…. But luckily all went well. 
This is the 3rd times I visited US Embassy. The first time was my B1 Visa on 2006, successfully got it with 10 years duration. 2nd times for the H1B Visa on 2007 with 3 years duration and now again H1B visa after I finished the 3 years duration.
Since it is almost several years, my memory of the interview process started to fade and hazy… I had try to Google/Bing for some useful info but seems most info was irrelevant or outdated. So I decided to put down a note here for myself just in case I need it for the future.
Before that, let’s clarify some H1B visa 101:
When a US company wish to hire a foreign worker, the company need to file a petition called Form I-129 Nonimmigrant Worker Petition. Once the petition is approved, the employer will received a document called Notice of Approval I-797 [link]. Do note that, Approval of a petition does NOT guarantee visa issuance to an applicant. Yeap, later you need to attend the Visa interview at Kuala Lumpur and depends on how well the outcome, you will or will not get a visa. Are you still with me?
To make it simple, the I-129 is a formal process to let the US government to know that the company need to hire you for (fill in the blank) reason. I-797 means the government received and approved the request. But in order to “enter” US, you need a visa. This is same like you need a movie ticket/pass to enter a cinema.
Here come the fun part, after you got the visa, you are not necessary will automatically granted to “enter” the US. Confuse yet? Imagine, you got the movie ticket to enter the cinema, then you bring some video camera together with you, will you be allowed to enter the cinema (Although you have a valid movie pass)? I know this is not a good metaphor but you get my point 
. After you’ve reach the US port of entry, the officer there will try to look at your visa and again depends on how well the outcome, you might or might not be allowed to enter the US soil. If NOT, you got deported and your visa will be canceled with some reason. If YES, the officer will attached a form I-94 in your passport. The I-94 is like a pass that how long you can stay “inside” US. DO NOT ever lost your I-94.
So using hotel metaphor: I-129 means you let hotel know that you want to make a reservation to stay in their hotel. The hotel let you know your booking is successful by sending you the I-797. Then you need to bring your booking confirmation (read Visa) to let the receptionist check you in and let you “enter” the hotel room. The receptionist will let you know how long before you need check out (read stay in US) and giving you the hotel room key (read I-94).
Ok, now let me explain a little bit of my case:
I got my H1B visa for Company A on 2007. Entered the US on 2008. The visa expired on 2010. Before the visa expired, I transferred my H1B visa to Company B while I am still inside US. So at this point, my work status still valid (got new I-797 and new extended I-94), but my visa is expired. Everything is good as long as I stay inside US. On 2011, I travelled back to Malaysia, so this time I need to get a new visa in order to go back to US. The rest is history…
Where is Kuala Lumpur US Embassy
The address of Kuala Lumpur US Embassy :-
U.S. Embassy, Kuala Lumpur
376 Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Phone: 60-3-2168-5000 [link]
How to go to Kuala Lumpur US Embassy :-
I am Penangite. So I have to fly to Kuala Lumpur. So here what I did:
1. Get a flight + hotel deals from airasia [link]. Then fly to LCCT low cost airport.
2. At the airport, take a bus to KL Sentral. You can choose aero bus (RM 8) or sky bus (RM9), there is no different on both buses just choose whichever you like. The bus ride will be around 1 hour depends on the traffic condition (But not less than 1 hour).
3. Once you reach the KL Sentral, Go up the escalator (Just follow the crowd). then find the RapidKL ticket vending machine. On the Vending machine, choose “[KJ9] Ampang Park” on the touch screen. It will cost you RM2 and you will get a plastic token (like the casino chip). Use that token to get pass autogate and goto platform which indicate going to “Gombak”. The LRT ride will be around 20 minutes. [link]
4. Then later go down the Ampang Park LRT. Once you reach there, you can goto KLCC or Ampang Park mall to have your meal.
For the hotel, I choose the Corus hotel since it was recommended by my friend last time. I choose to stay in the hotel 2 nights. My interview date was 12/28 7:40 AM, so I reach at 12/27 to familiar the location there. I check out at 12/29, normally you will get your passport back the next day after your interview.
What is the process to schedule the interview
Before you start the process, do remember to check whether your passport expired date is longer than 6 months. For my case, even though my passport still not expired, I still renew it for 5 more years. Do remember your passport number is change after you renew it. So do make sure you complete this before start any below steps.
1. Goto any Standard Chartered Bank and paid a fee of RM480 [link]. Remember to bring your passport, your will need to put the correct passport number when you make the payment. You will be given a receipt, do keep the receipt as you will need to key in the Unique ID (A.K.A serial no) when you schedule the interview.
2. Goto take photo. The photo must be white background. [link]. Remember, this is not your IC or passport photo, the photo is square with white background. Do ask the shop to give you a digital copy else you will need to scan it yourself. The digital photo will be needed to upload when you fill up the application form.
3. Once you got the digital photo, goto this web site [link], or goto this web site [link] and click the”start photo tool” button, this will fired up a flash application to let you crop the digital photo to the exact size which required by the US Embassy. Do remember, if the tool unable to crop your digital photo, you will not able to upload it. [Tip: Try enlarge your photo 1000px to make it easy to crop]. Save the cropped version of your digital photo.
3. Goto this web site [link] to fill up the form DS-160, choose your region “Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur” with language English then click the Start application button [link]. Then click again “start a New Application”. This is the ONLY form you need to fill up. When you start the new application, do remember to keep your ”application id”, your security question answer. You will need these info to “Retrieve Application” if your internet connection is lost. Do try to save every time you finished fill up some info. Also try to complete the form in one shot. The reason is the application itself is not really stable, I lost my form even though I have my application id. sigh! BTW, you can create as many new DS-160 as you like as long as you haven’t “submit” the form yet.
4. Once your completed your form, do remember to double check all info is correct. If you are 100% sure, then click the submit button. This will bring you to a confirmation page with bar code. Do email the confirmation page to yourself (did I mentioned that the application is not really stable? ) to keep as a copy. Also print out the confirmation page using a good printer. You need to bring this confirmation page when you are attending the Visa interview.
5. Then goto this website [link] to schedule your interview. You have to create an account if you don’t have one (BTW, you can create as many account as you like ).You will need the Standard Chartered Bank receipt “Uniuqe ID” and DS-160 application id in order to complete the interview schedule. Do remember to check whether you have place to stay and flight (if you outside from Kuala Lumpur) before scheduling the interview. Once you schedule the interview, do print out the appointment confirmation page. You need to bring this appointment confirmation page when you are attending the visa interview.
[Side note: the Home delivery for passport is discontinued starting from 12/26/2011 (Same day I schedule my interview), I didn’t aware of this so I didn’t pickup my passport after I left KL since I thought they will send to my home. Anyway, it’s a long story… sigh!]
What Happen on the interview day
Before you attending the interview, do remember to bring these documents:
- DS-160 confirmation printout (Must bring).
- Appointment confirmation printout (Must bring).
- Standard Chartered bank receipt (Must bring).
- I-129 copy (Must bring)
- I-797 approval notice (Must bring)
- 1 photo (Must bring. They just need one but do bring more just in case)
- Latest passport. (Must bring). If you have other visa in your old passport (before renew), do remember to bring it too.
- USD 9 (Must bring)
- Supporting documents (2 months of latest paystubs, W2 if your already work for the US company, your education certifications, your employee badge if your already work for the US company). [Note: It is no harm to bring more documents, you never know what will the officer ask for ].
1. Go early 1 hour to the US Embassy (From Corus hotel, it is almost 15 minutes walk). I know the US Embassy web site mentioned to go there 30 minutes earlier before the interview, but trust me there will be many people already queuing at there by the time you got there.
2. Once you got there, go directly to the guard and ask for info. He will tell you to line up or where to wait. When they started to operate, you have to show them your IC and Appointment Confirmation print out.
3. Then you will goto a security check (just like what they did in airport). You need to switch off your cellphone and give it to the officer and check in. He will give you a number plate to claim back your phone.
4. Go directly inside and get a wait number in the machine (just like the one used in bank). Goto visitor room and wait there until you’re number is call.
5. Once your number is call, you need to go out from the visitor room and goto another room (the room behind where you got your wait number). Then pass all the “red” color documents I highlighted at above to the counter. Then just sit there and wait for your number to be call again.
6. You will be call again to pay the USD 9 fee. Then after that wait for your number to be call again.
7. Next you will be call to get the 10 fingers scan. Again, after that wait for your number to be call again.
8. This time is the real interview once your number is call. Be confident and greet the officer with smile. Answer his questions correctly and present the correct document when asked. If you don’t understand do ask them. If they approved your visa, he will give you a card “visa pick-up ticket”. You will need this card to pickup your visa and passport. You can find passport pickup location at here [link]. This is the document delivery option you choose when you schedule the interview. (I’m not sure whether this will be still available after 12/26/2011).
[Side note: I always wear a tie when I attending the interview (But I am not wearing a coat since it is too hot ). Although there is no dressing code for the interview, but do remember the interviewer is American, it is no harm to wear professionally. First impression sometimes do count]
Although a lot did happen in the process, but everything still went well at the end. This sure matches my blog theme “trial and error”!
That’s all. I wish all of you best of luck in your Visa interview!
Useful Links:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/my/
http://malaysia.usembassy.gov/niv.html
http://www.faireweb.com/blog/2011/applying-b1b2-us-visitor-visa-kuala-lumpur/
http://www.travelific.my/traveltips_full.php?tid=18
Other notes:
The online chat in their web site is also very flaky. It will not recognize IE9, so you have to intall firefox. Then install addon user agent switcher then choose IE 8 user agent.
Questions being asked:
What’s your annual salary?
What will you do in US?
How long you’ve been working with the company?
Do you have your previous visa?
Do you have W2?
