H-1B Visa Approved: A Reddit user recently shared a detailed account of their H-1B visa approval at the US consulate, highlighting differences in treatment compared to previous years and shedding light on the consular process for tech professionals. The post, published on September 19, 2025, describes the user’s journey after working remotely for over a year from India under STEM OPT, with their manager fully aware and supportive.
Long Waits, Strict Security Measures
The user arrived at the consulate at 7:45 AM for an 8:15 AM interview. “No phone, bags, or anything allowed just documents in a transparent envelope/folder,” they noted. Facilities opposite the consulate offered storage for 250 rupees, along with printout services. They observed a noticeable increase in visa rejections for H-1B, F1, and B1/B2 categories compared to five years ago. “This is just my personal observation not sure if this is statistically true,” the Redditor added.
Concise Interview, Focused Questions
According to the post, the interview itself lasted just 20 seconds for the successful applicant. “Place your left hand 4 fingers on the scanner your visa is approved,” they wrote. Questions asked included company name, salary, employment status, and highest qualification. “I work for FAANG/BIG Tech company, went to an IVY league university in America,” the user added.
The Redditor also noted the interviewer’s tough approach: candidates who were not full-time employees or described themselves as “client/vendor” faced extended questioning. “She had an approach where if someone said client / Vendor she would dig deep, google that company / client during the interview cross verify with the candidate,” the post said.
Despite the strict process, the user successfully obtained their visa, highlighting both the rigorous nature of modern consular interviews and the potential differences compared to previous years. “Overall I felt few years it was a lot more chill,” they concluded.
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