H4 Interview Waiver Experience

[smap.windy]

This forum has been extremely helpful in sharing much required information about sailing through the H1 / PR waters.

I stay in Canada on PR with family and commute to the US. With offices reopening, we applied for my wife's H4 Visa so she can relocate to the US with me and we can stay together as family. For this stamping, we requested expedited appointment in Canada. Though the earlier stamping was not done in Canada, she got interview waiver. They requested necessary documents by post and issued Visa within 2 weeks of time.

Hope this information proves helpful to other members. Hence posting.

 

[4RyL]

Thanks for sharing. I’m planning to use waiver for b1/b2 visa. Initial stamping was not done in Canada

 

[swan0206]

This forum has been extremely helpful in sharing much required information about sailing through the H1 / PR waters.

I stay in Canada on PR with family and commute to the US. With offices reopening, we applied for my wife's H4 Visa so she can relocate to the US with me and we can stay together as family. For this stamping, we requested expedited appointment in Canada. Though the earlier stamping was not done in Canada, she got interview waiver. They requested necessary documents by post and issued Visa within 2 weeks of time.

Hope this information proves helpful to other members. Hence posting.

Wow, thats nice to hear. Congrats on your spouse's Visa. Bdw, did you move off to US for good? How did you support the reason that you/your wife would be moving to US when you were still staying in Canada.? can you please elaborate . Also how about your Visa? did you apply for expedite or you were commuting using AVR? your info will be really helpful

Thanks.

 

[smap.windy]

Wow, thats nice to hear. Congrats on your spouse's Visa. Bdw, did you move off to US for good? How did you support the reason that you/your wife would be moving to US when you were still staying in Canada.? can you please elaborate . Also how about your Visa? did you apply for expedite or you were commuting using AVR? your info will be really helpful

Thanks.

We are expecting baby early next year. I emphasized family separation as primary reason for expedited visa interview appointment. My physical office location is in Midwest and not commutable daily, so we did highlight this fact and explained the need to relocate. I did not apply for Visa as I could travel on AVR. I was not sure if I don't get early visa appointment, my AVR may get jeopardized.

 

[harirajmohan]

How did you support the reason that you/your wife would be moving to US when you were still staying in Canada.? can you please elaborate .

I dont think any reason to be given. Not all people move to that country where we got visa which they also know that. So i dont think we need more than the employment at destination country to get visa for dependents.
They dont question why we move now even if our cases are like we moved from US few years ago.
I moved to US, no questions asked for my dependent visas.

 

[swan0206]

We are expecting baby early next year. I emphasized family separation as primary reason for expedited visa interview appointment. My physical office location is in Midwest and not commutable daily, so we did highlight this fact and explained the need to relocate. I did not apply for Visa as I could travel on AVR. I was not sure if I don't get early visa appointment, my AVR may get jeopardized.

Thanks for explanation . Appreciate it.

I dont think any reason to be given. Not all people move to that country where we got visa which they also know that. So i dont think we need more than the employment at destination country to get visa for dependents.
They dont question why we move now even if our cases are like we moved from US few years ago.
I moved to US, no questions asked for my dependent visas.

Thats true, but i had these questions as the Visa has been approved without an actual appointment which is really a good sign.

 

[4RyL]

Got my B1/B2 visa via interview waiver. thanks @smap.windy my experience are similar just that mine is b1/B2 and was not first issued in Canada. I did not request for premium processing but it was issued 2 weeks after they opened my application.

 

[swan0206]

Got my B1/B2 visa via interview waiver. thanks @smap.windy my experience are similar just that mine is b1/B2 and was not first issued in Canada. I did not request for premium processing but it was issued 2 weeks after they opened my application.

Hi, congrats on that. When you say you got waiver. Did it prompted when you started the application or you already had some B1/B2 date already booked and tried to expediate or wrote an email?

 

[4RyL]

Hi, congrats on that. When you say you got waiver. Did it prompted when you started the application or you already had some B1/B2 date already booked and tried to expediate or wrote an email?

You will know the status of the waiver when scheduling for the appointment. It is based on 5 or 6 questions. After those questions, you will be asked to send your passport and the required documents only. There is nothing in the main application to determine your eligibility for the interview waiver. I had no dates book but I had previous expired b1/B2 visa. Did not expedite anything. Timelines: Application received 4 sep; application opened 9 sep; Administrative processing 22; Visa issued 23 sep; passport received 27 sep.

 

[swan0206]

You will know the status of the waiver when scheduling for the appointment. It is based on 5 or 6 questions. After those questions, you will be asked to send your passport and the required documents only. There is nothing in the main application to determine your eligibility for the interview waiver. I had no dates book but I had previous expired b1/B2 visa. Did not expedite anything. Timelines: Application received 4 sep; application opened 9 sep; Administrative processing 22; Visa issued 23 sep; passport received 27 sep.

Perfect. Thanks for the clear steps. You get to land on those 5 or 6 questions after paying the fees? or before? Because we are waiting for B1/b2 which has been scheduled for March 2022 and if that is the case we can try creating one more account and try if eligible for B1/B2 and ready to pay fees.

 

[4RyL]

Perfect. Thanks for the clear steps. You get to land on those 5 or 6 questions after paying the fees? or before? Because we are waiting for B1/b2 which has been scheduled for March 2022 and if that is the case we can try creating one more account and try if eligible for B1/B2 and ready to pay fees.

I think after payment of the fees. All the best

 

[swan0206]

You will know the status of the waiver when scheduling for the appointment. It is based on 5 or 6 questions. After those questions, you will be asked to send your passport and the required documents only. There is nothing in the main application to determine your eligibility for the interview waiver. I had no dates book but I had previous expired b1/B2 visa. Did not expedite anything. Timelines: Application received 4 sep; application opened 9 sep; Administrative processing 22; Visa issued 23 sep; passport received 27 sep.

Hey,

Are these the questions that were asked to you? I am literally not sure when did these questions came up during my account creation( i have created my account in March) or it got pulled from Ds-160 or they themselves defaulted these answers for everyone? But i have answered two of the questions wrong. 2nd and 5th. May be due to this the appointments getting cancelled or i am not sure.

NAME OF THE PERSON is a citizen of Cuba, Iran, Sudan, or Syria No
NAME OF THE PERSON legally resides in Canada. Applicants with Canadian student permits, Canadian work permits, or Canadian permanent residency shall be considered as residing in Canada. Applicants with Canadian visitor permits shall not be considered residents No
The previous visa that NAME OF THE PERSON is renewing was issued when NAME OF THE PERSON was 14 years of age or older. No
NAME OF THE PERSON is in possession of the previous visa that is being renewed. No
NAME OF THE PERSON is applying for the same visa type as the previous visa. No
The visa that NAME OF THE PERSON is renewing has the word "clearance," "blanket," or "waiver" printed on it. No

 

[4RyL]

Hey,

Are these the questions that were asked to you? I am literally not sure when did these questions came up during my account creation( i have created my account in March) or it got pulled from Ds-160 or they themselves defaulted these answers for everyone? But i have answered two of the questions wrong. 2nd and 5th. May be due to this the appointments getting cancelled or i am not sure.

NAME OF THE PERSON is a citizen of Cuba, Iran, Sudan, or Syria No
NAME OF THE PERSON legally resides in Canada. Applicants with Canadian student permits, Canadian work permits, or Canadian permanent residency shall be considered as residing in Canada. Applicants with Canadian visitor permits shall not be considered residents No
The previous visa that NAME OF THE PERSON is renewing was issued when NAME OF THE PERSON was 14 years of age or older. No
NAME OF THE PERSON is in possession of the previous visa that is being renewed. No
NAME OF THE PERSON is applying for the same visa type as the previous visa. No
The visa that NAME OF THE PERSON is renewing has the word "clearance," "blanket," or "waiver" printed on it. No

Yes these are the questions.
It was not pulled from the DS-160.
I filled in the answers myself when I was about to schedule. For me, only the first and last questions were ‘No’. All others were Yes.
Thank you

 

[Anpman]

Got my B1/B2 visa via interview waiver. thanks @smap.windy my experience are similar just that mine is b1/B2 and was not first issued in Canada. I did not request for premium processing but it was issued 2 weeks after they opened my application.

Hi !! I am Canadian PR..want to apply for US tourist visa ..can I get interview waiver for that? I was on H4 2yrs back and stamping is from india..

 

[4RyL]

Hi !! I am Canadian PR..want to apply for US tourist visa ..can I get interview waiver for that? I was on H4 2yrs back and stamping is from india..

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/expansion-of-interview-waiver-eligibility.html