US Visa Appointments: The United States Releases Over 1 Lakh H and L Work Visa Appointments

The US is one of the most tech-developed and best countries to live in. The immense career opportunities and growth that one experiences in the US are highly commendable. Due to the pandemic, there has been a huge delay in the H and L US visa slots. But recently, the US government has released over 1,00,000 appointments for H and L visas for workers and their families. Also, this bulk opening of visa slots was a great opportunity for many people who had been waiting to meet their families for a very long time. Thousands of applicants have already booked the appointments. Also, the duration for an interview waiver and first-time appointments have been reduced.

The US Embassy in India has also tweeted that this bulk appointment opening reflects their commitment to H&L workers. They also mentioned that their Mission to India had already processed over 160,000 H&L visas, and they will continue to prioritise H&L workers for visa appointments as resources allow. Those who wish to book on US Visa appointment slot are advised to check for 3-4 times a day. Prefer to check in the evening or night-time as there is a high chance of slot opening at this time. However, checking multiple times for the slots may freeze your account for 72 hours.

Generally, the H visa is for those immigrants who wish to work in US for a specific duration. There are various types of H visas.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows highly skilled foreign professionals to apply for jobs in US. To apply for this Visa, one must have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent qualification. Generally, the initial duration of an H-1B visa classification is three years, which may be extended for a maximum of six years.

The H-1 visa attracts foreign workers to fill the gap in the US labour market, particularly in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Also, it is a root for all Indians who wish to seek employment in the US. It helps to expand job opportunities for all. Due to the high demand for H-1 visas, the number of people seeking visas exceeds the number of visas available. Moreover, students who are currently studying in US and wish to seek employment in the US only may apply for this Visa.

The H-1B1 visa is for the ones who work in a speciality occupation. To apply for this Visa, one must have a bachelor’s degree in a specialised field. The ones may apply for specialised occupations in fields including architecture, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, business specialities, accounting, law, theology, and the arts.

This Visa is reserved for the ones who visit the US temporarily to provide exceptional services related to a research and development project governed by the Department of Defence.

It is reserved for the ones who visit the US to perform work related to agriculture or provide services temporarily. It is only granted for one year but can be renewed twice.

The H-2B visa is specifically for those who wish to visit the US to perform work at specific times, like seasonal workers, intermittent workers, and workers hired during peak seasons. Like an H-2A visa, it is only granted for a 1-year duration, but it can be renewed twice.

This Visa is for the person who wishes to move to the US to participate in a training program. It can be granted for a maximum duration of 24 months.

The L-1 is the category in Visas that allows employees to take transfers in the same company but in the US branch/ office. There are two types of the L-1 visa, L-1A and L-1B. The L-1A visa is specifically for employees who work in managerial positions. L-1B visas allow employees to work in a position requiring specialised knowledge. To apply for this Visa, one must immediately have 1 year of work experience in the qualifying organisations (MNC whose office is located in the US) before admission to the United States.

Question: Are the US Visa Appointments Open?

Answer: Yes, the US Visa slots are open, and there are vast chances of bulk opening in recent times.

Question: What is the US visa appointment wait time?

Answer: Earlier, the wait time was for about 300 days. But recently, the slots have been opened.

Moreover, the students who wish to fulfil their dream to study in USA and pursue fantastic jobs may contact our expert counsellors at any branch of Meridean Overseas Education Consultant (MOEC). Our expert counsellors will provide the best guidance and support that you need to move to US. The students also have the option to take online counselling through our website. For more information or any queries, you can mail us at application02@meridean.org or call us at our toll-free no. 1800-1230-00011.