An Indian national, whose H-1B visa was near-expiry, took to social media to share that he got his visa renewed in Jamaica instead of India. In a detailed Reddit post, he not only shared reasons behind his decision but also shared the visa application process, listed the documents he prepared, along with travel and stay expenses in Jamaica. He also listed the questions asked by the visa officer during his interview.
“My H-1B visa stamping experience in Jamaica,” read the title of his post in Reddit’s H-1B community.
“I recently completed H1B visa stamping in Jamaica and wanted to share my experience to help others considering this option. My H-1B was expiring in September, and I needed to get it renewed without the hassle of booking appointments in India,” he wrote, before diving into the details.
He explained that Canada had no available slots through 2026, but there were a lot of open slots in Jamaica. He used the website usvisaslots.app to check appointment availability.
H-1B visa: Documents for renewal in Jamaica
To get his H-1B renewed, he filled out and submitted the DS-160 form and booked his appointment for early July. “Your DS-160 must match your appointment location. You can only update your DS-160 in your application for appointment ONCE, so be careful. If you initially filled it for a different location, you can change it to Jamaica later, but you only get one update,” he warned visa applicants.
Next, he listed various documents he prepared for his H-1B visa renewal – current passport, old visa, DS-160 confirmation page, appointment confirmation and instructions, photo, offer letter, Original I-797, LCA copy and employment verification letter.
Stay in Jamaica
He booked a flight from JFK to Kingston on July 27 and returned from Montego Bay on August 2. He mentioned using reward points to cover much of his trip: “Took advantage of the 50% bonus when transferring Chase points to Marriott, and used Chase for JetBlue for flights. In Montego Bay, I used Bilt for a Hyatt transfer.”
It is to be noted that Indians don’t need a visa to travel to Jamaica. They only need to fill out a C5 immigration form online before their arrival.
His stay in Jamaica included a few different accommodations. He rated Courtyard by Marriott Kingston as “average”, and later stayed at Secrets St James Montego Bay, which he described as scenic and less crowded, though not the best resort he had visited.
Talking about his mode of transportation, he said that he preferred Uber over other modes, adding that “Knutsford bus would have been cheaper and convenient” for solo travellers.
The Redditor, who goes by the handle “noobvorld”, described his immigration experience in the Caribbean nation as smooth. When asked by the officer about the purpose of his visit, he mentioned the visa appointment and was quickly allowed entry. “The entire process took about 10 minutes.”
He also shared a safety tip, saying that locals have warned him to avoid Downtown Kingston. He also flagged the area between the waterfront and crossroads, unless one is close to the main roads.
Smoother experience compared to Indian consulates
On the day of his appointment, though it was scheduled for 10:00 AM, he arrived at 9:30 AM and observed that “the line wasn’t time-slotted” and that they “process documents and send people in one by one regardless of appointment time”. He advised others that no lockers were available for electronics at or near the embassy, so he left his devices at his hotel and coordinated with his driver to wait nearby.
Once inside the consulate, security checks and biometrics were processed immediately. Although about 40 people were ahead of him, the line moved quickly. “About 40 people ahead of me in line for the interview, but the line moved relatively quickly. Was out of the consulate about an hour after entering.” He shared a side note saying that the experience was “smoother and better” compared to his past visits to consulates in Mumbai or Delhi.
The visa officer asked him a few generic questions, including details about his employment, university, I-20 and the duration of his stay in Jamaica. The visa officer asked him to present a few documents – current passport, DS-160 confirmation, photo, application form, and original I-797.
Since he was scheduled to return to the US on July 31, the visa officer submitted an expedited request for passport pickup on his behalf.
“Since I was travelling to Montego Bay on July 30th, I went to the embassy first and requested with a lot of conviction to check if my passport was ready,” he shared, before adding, “They asked for my ID and let me pick it up. The pickup process was smooth – they checked my ID, had me go through security and line up at a counter. At my turn, they took the approval ticket, gave me the passport and asked me to verify all the information on the visa.”
“All pickups happen at 1 PM. They won’t let you in before that time,” he noted.
He strongly recommended Jamaica as a third-country national (TCN) stamping location, citing quick processing (passport ready within two days), helpful embassy staff, and a more efficient experience than the consulates in India.
He ended his long Reddit post with the words: “Jamaica proved to be an excellent TCN option for H-1B stamping. The process was efficient, the people were welcoming, and I even got to enjoy some beautiful beaches. I hope this detailed account helps others considering Jamaica for their visa renewal!”
Amid all the immigration hiccups, the Reddit user said that his re-entry into the United States was “smooth”. “Immigration asked what I do in the US. I said I work and live here. They asked where I work, took my picture, and that was it. No questions about the Jamaica trip.”
Social media reactions
When one user asked him if his H-1B visa has expired, can he still go to Jamaica to get it stamped, the Redditor answered: “I don’t think H1B expiry has anything to do with it. The TCN process is exactly like your process in your country of origin. You can apply for an appointment even after expiry.” He, however, mentioned that not every country offers it and that it also makes one ineligible for visa waivers.
“Is OFC and an interview on the same day?” asked another. To this, he responded with a “yes”.
In response to another question, he said that he used his New York driver’s license.
“Also did my stamping in Jamaica — pretty much the same experience,” said another.