How to obtain L visa at the US Consulate General in Chennai, India

Obtain L Visa at US Embassy in Chennai

The L-1 visa allows for the transfer of certain employees to the US office of your business. It can be an existing US office or we can set a new US office up for you. Click here to find out more about the L-1 Visa.

This page briefly outlines the L-1 visa application process at the US consulate in Chennai, India. However, generally, you can apply for the L-1 visa from any country. Our team is happy to consult with you and you may click here to contact us to arrange a free consultation to discuss your business’ needs, personal circumstances and plans.

In order to obtain an L-1 visa an applicant must complete the following steps detailed on this page.

Please note that all Blanket L1 visa petitions filed in India are adjudicated in Chennai.

Steps Notes/Remarks
1. Obtain an approval of the L-1 petition (filed with the USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) This page addresses the post-L1 petition process of applying for the L1 Visa. For guidance on processing an L1 visa petition for an Indian business please follow this link.
2. Complete the Online Non-Immigrant Visa Application, Form D-160.

Follow this link to complete Form D- 160:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-ds160complete.asp

For any inquiries on completing the DS-160, you may visit this website:
DS-160 Faqs.

3. Pay the visa application fee of $190.

Although fees are listed in U.S. dollars, payment must be made using local currency.

Follow this link to check the visa fee for L visa
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-visafeeinfo.asp

Learn about bank and payment options through this link:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-paymentinfo.asp

4. Schedule your personal interview with the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai, India.

You may schedule your personal interview at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but note that it may be difficult to qualify for a visa outside of your place of permanent residence. In general, you must schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live.

You will need to provide the receipt number that is printed on your approved L-1 petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, or Notice of Action, Form I-797, to schedule an interview.

You may make an appointment through the call center:
Callers in India: Call +91 120 4844644 or +91 40 46258222.
Callers in the United States: Call +1 703 520 2239.

You may also schedule your appointment online through this link:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-appointmentschedule.asp

The approximate wait time is for a Dropbox appointment (visa interview waiver) is a few weeks to a few months and the wait time for interview appointments is anywhere between 7 months to 1 year at this time (Dec 2022) (owing to backlog as a result of Covid)

5. Sit down with our team to prepare for your visa interview.

We, at Davies and Associates, are ideally positioned to assist you in your preparation for the interview though our team in India. We can answer all your questions about the interview process, give you valuable tips and conduct mock interviews.

For over 15 years, we have worked with many Indian nationals and gained a deep understanding of their needs and culture. We tailor our services to meet our Indian clients’ specific needs and endevor to produce the very best immigration solutions possible.

While there can be no guarantees, none of the visa applications we have prepared have ever been denied given our personalized approach and close interaction with our clients and detail to attention.

6. Attend your visa interview and bring all required documentation.

Required documentation includes:

  • Your passport (and your old passports)
  • Your passport photo
  • The DS-160 barcode page (you will not need the full application)
  • The HDFC visa application fee receipts

PLUS

  • I-797 - the original notice of approval
  • The complete I-129 (I-129S for Blanket Petition) and I-129L petition (3 copies)
  • Evidence of with the Indian enemployment tity
  • Offer Letter from the US entity

The Embassy will not accept documents received directly from the company by mail or fax.

7. After your visa interview, if you are approved, you will be informed how your passport with visa will be returned to you.

The approximate processing time visa issuance is 7 to 14 working days (as of November, 2022).

In some cases, the consular officer will inform you if further administrative processing is necessary for your application.

*All Blanket L Visas are processed at the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai.

The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai is the sole acceptance center in India for all applications for intra-company transfers under the blanket L category . The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad no longer accept or process applications for this visa category. The blanket L category includes specialized knowledge professionals, executives and managers.

Please note that L-2 dependent visa (for spouse and children under 21 years) and individual L visas (L1B and L1A individuals) may be processed at all posts in India Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

Address/Location:
U.S. Consulate General, Chennai
Gemini Circle
Chennai 600 006
Phone: 044-2857-4000
Fax: 044-2811-2020

U.S. Consulate General Chennai - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India (usembassy.gov)

Email address:
Nonimmigrant visas [email protected]

Call Center:
Callers in India: Call +91 120 4844644 or +91 40 46258222.
Callers in the United States: Call +1 703 520 2239.

Skype: To use Skype to speak to a customer service representative Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., India Standard Time (IST), and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., IST, please add a new contact to your Skype account with the Skype name ustraveldocsindia


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