Monday, September 22, 2014

Check The Status of Your H1B Visa Application

Check The Status of Your H1B Visa Application




The H1B Visa Status Tracking System is for H1B applicants or H1B employers who have already completed and filed their H1B visa petition with the US Immigration Bureau (USCIS)
The USCIS has an online automated system for quickly checking and tracking the status of a filed H1B application - which can be used for checking the case status of pending immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications, that are being adjudicated at one of the Service Centers

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/Dashboard.do;jsessionid=bacNQyGIZIHQS5VSVtEIu 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Initial House Setup Checklist

In a new house in US, you need to setup things from the scratch. Here's my checklist!

Kitchen Setup:


  • tava
  • kadai
  • tea pot
  • stirrer
  • mandir  cloth
  • matchbox
  • oil  dispenser
  • tea  strainer
  • Kitchen tissues
  • oven  trays
  • aluminum  foil
  • spoons
  • forks
  • kitchen tablecover
  • kitchen  floor carpet
  • mixie
  • dustbin
  • dustbin  bag
  • Water can
  • dirty jobs Cleaner
  • dishwasher hand liquid
  • dishwasher  liquid
  • dishwasher  soap
  • dishwashing  liquid container
  • kitchen  utensils keeper
  • scotch brite

Kitchen Eatables:
  • Toor daal
  • Moong daal
  • peanuts
  • Channa
  • rajma
  • soya chunks
  • tamarind
  • Salt
  • sugar
  • mirchi powder
  • haldi
  • dhaniya powder
  • Jeera powder
  • aamchur
  • garam  masala
  • hing
  • rasam powder
  • sambhar powder
  • chat  masala
  • channa  masala
  • biryani mix
  • dalchini
  • cardomom
  • tea
  • coffee
  • pepper

Bath Setup:
  • soap
  • shampoo
  • toilet tissues
  • toilet  cleaner
  • toilet  cleaner brush
  • toilet  cleaner mop
  • shower  cleaner brush
  • shower  curtain
  • bathroom  dustbin
  • listerine
  • air  freshener 2
  • Febreeze
  • brush  stands

General:
  • car  tissues
  • Carpet cleaner

Bedroom Setup
  • Comforter
  •  pillow
  •  tide
  • Dryer sheets

Regular Groceries:


some of the below have already been covered earlier:

  • Ginger
  • Onion
  • Potato
  • tomato
  • Milk
  • Roti
  • Green peas
  • Water
  • Apples, Fruits
  • Curd
  • Snacks
  • Mirchi
  • Eggs
  • Juice
  • Veggies - gobi, Capiscum
  • paneer
  • garlic
  • lemon
  • bread
  • Corn flakes
  • Honey
  • paper towels
  • rice
  • soanf
  • sugar
  • salt
  • oil spray
  • haldi
  • jeera
  • rai
  • tea
  • chicken 
  • Fish
  • Black pepper
  • coconut




Saturday, October 26, 2013

India to US - Things to do!

List of Items to carry
This is my list so please change them according to your convenience but most of them
are important so carry them along!

1. Important Docs:

Important Docs to  be carried while travelling to US.

  • Passport
  • Tickets
  • Visa Docs
  • Graduation Certificates
  • Offer Letter (US Invitation)
  • Accommodation details
  • Friends in US - Contact address & Phone Numbers
  • Office ID Cards
  • PAN Card
  • Car Driving License
  • International Credit & Debit cards
  • Business Cards

2. Electronics:

  • Mobile Phone + charger
  • Laptop + Charger
  • US Plug convertor (2 Nos)
  • Pen drive
  • External Harddisk
  • Headphones with Mic
  • Watches
  • Webcam
  • Camera + charger
  • MP3 Player + charger

3. Body Care:
  • Toothbrush , tongue cleaners, Toothpaste.
  • Soaps (2 nos)
  • Shampoo sachets
  • Deodorants (2 nos)
  • Cold Cream/Moisturizer
  • Lip guard
  • Hair Cream (non smelly!)
  • Shaving Kit - Razors, extra pair of blades, Cream, brush
  • Nail cutter

4. Medical:

  • Vicks
  • Vicks inhaler
  • Crocin - Fever
  • Crocin - Pain & Relief
  • Crocin - Cold & Flu
  • Dolapar - headace
  • Pudin Hara
  • Volini (Pain relief spray)
  • Iodex
  • Avil (allergy relief)
  • Eldoper

5. Dressing:

  • Formal Shirts
  • Formal Pants
  • T-shirts
  • Jeans
  • Shorts
  • Party Wear
  • Kurta's
  • Night dress
  • Sweaters/Winter clothes
  • Winter Jacket
  • Rain Jacket
  • Umbrella (small size)
  • Kerchiefs
  • Socks
  • Belts
  • Towels
  • Formal Shoes
  • Sports Shoes
  • Floaters
  • Hawai chappals (inhouse)

6. Kitchen:
  • Knife (2 nos)
  • Cooker Set (stopper, gasket (2nos))
  • Non Stick tava
  • Small Tea Pot
  • Plate
  • Spoons
  • Water Glass
  • Tupperware Lunch Boxes (Microwave safe)

7. Food:

Have powders in small plastic bottles. No seeds/dals , fruits or non veg at any cost!
  • Maggi Noodles
  • Ready to Eat
  • Haldiram Snacks
  • Pickles with double packing
  • Kandi podi (something to eat with rice)
  • Mirchi Powder
  • Garam Masala

8. Misc:

  • Novels
  • Pens & pencils
  • Calendar
  • Sunglasses
  • Diary
  • Screwdriver set


9. Travel Recommendations:

  • Have a copy of the ticket, home & destination address with phone number inside each luggage.
  • No metal, sharp objects , liquids, cream in hand luggage
  • No food items in Hand Luggage
  • Carry some small amounts of dollars bills ($1,5,10,20) for easy transactions
  • Do not keep all clothes in one luggage, split to another luggage (in case one of them is lost)
  • Have a rough checklist of things you are carrying to claim damage if luggage is lost.

10. Hand Luggage:

The following things should be carried in hand luggage.
  • Ticket copy
  • Passport Copy
  • Visa Documents - Petition, LCA, I-129
  • Important Certificates - Graduation.
  • Accommodation confirmation & details
  • Friends in US - Contact address & Phone Numbers
  • Important medicines in small quantities
  • Complete pair of clothes for 1 day emergency

11. Things to do in India before Travel:

Flight Details:
  • Check for lay over time for taking the connecting flight. Should be greater than 2 hours
  • Verify the dates to details the exact times, specially  the 1am time zones.
  • Check the Baggage limitations.

In case you are vacating your apartment, change address for
  • Bank
  • Credit Card
  • Phone
  • Insurance
  • Company documentations
  • Any Subscriptions - magazines etc

Pay pending Bills or make arrangements to pay Bills in months you will be in US
  • House Rent
  • Electricity bills
  • Internet & Cable
  • Paper & Milk
  • Credit cards
  • Phone
  • Loans

Update phone number in case you are carrying your cell phone along with you.
  • Enable International Roaming.
  • Bank - ICICI Bank sends OTP to your mobile number only!  So change it to dad/mom's number
  • Credit Cards
  • Office communications
  • Imp Friends & Family

Maintenance
  • Home - Maintenance of House while you are away. - payment of rent , repairs.
  • Vehicle - Have someone take care of your vehicle while you are away. Or Transport to Parents

Data Backup
  • Take data backup of laptop and have a copy in HDD


Sunday, April 21, 2013

Applying for SSN

Applying for SSN


  • Download and Fill SS-5 Form http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf
  • For Dependents - you need to take Marriage Certificate along!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Immigration Forms - i94 & Custom Forms

The below link has a sample i94 forms which will be given to all passengers who are coming to US.

Sample i94

They also need to fill up a custom's declaration form 
Customs Declaration

Friday, November 16, 2012

Indian Passport Renewal in USA


Steps to Renew Indian Passport while in US

New Passport Provider from May 07,2013 - http://www.cgisf.org/contents/view/189 

Address:

(1)

Washington DC
:
800 K Street NW, Suite # MR-12, Washington DC - 20001
(2)
 
New York
:
28 West 30th Street, Suite 202, New York - 10001
(3)
 
Chicago
:
29 East Madison Street, Suite # 1203, Chicago, IL - 60602
(4)
 
San Francisco
:
4837, Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA- 94118
(5)
 
Houston
:
9800 Northwest Fwy, Suite 602, Houston, TX- 77092
(6)
 
Atlanta
:
5775 Glenridge Drive Northeast,  Building B, Suite #  390, Atlanta, GA - 30328


Steps:

1.Fill online application form here - https://passport.gov.in/nri/OnlineRegistration.jsp?pocode=USAW 

    Sample Form - http://www.blsindia-usa.com/forms/sampleFormUS.pdf

2. For Appointment dates, you can give a date by which you are expecting to submit the documents. you need not be available physically for the Appointment!

3.While completing the form, please type your current US address. Your Current US address will be printed in the passport. Mention your current US address in Column 3(a) and Current Indian address in column 3(b) of the form.

4.Three recent passport-sized colored photographs (2”X2”) with white background. Glue one photo in the space provided on the first page & staple the rest on the last page of the application
http://www.blsindia-usa.com/photo_spec.php

5.Track application using http://www.blsindia-usa.com/postaltracking.php or http://www.blsindia-usa.com/trackapp.php


Documents:

http://www.blsindia-usa.com/pptReissueAfter10Yrs.php 

1.Get Demand draft / money order/ banker’s check

http://www.blsindia-usa.com/pptReissueAfter10Yrs.php 


2.Three recent passport-sized colored photographs (2”X2”) with white background. Glue one photo in the space provided on the first page & staple the rest on the last page of the application

3.Old passport in original. In case old passport is 5 years old or less, please send the previous passport as well.

4.Photocopies of first 5 pages and last two pages of your current passport.

5.Color photocopy of current valid US visa on passport or Green card or Employment Authorization Card or I- 797 approval notice documents. In case documents are being sent by mail, please notarize the visa status photocopy.

6. As this will be the address printed on your passport, please supply proof of address, as well.Photocopy of a residential proof of the applicant (Driver’s License, State ID, Utility bill ( gas, electric or water ) or Rental Lease agreement or Home Mortgage bill.
In case documents are being sent by mail, please notarize residential proof photocopy. All the documents being submitted either in person or via mail have to be notarized.

7.Print checklist http://www.blsindia-usa.com/pptchecklist/BLSUSPassportChecklist.pdf,Print this checklist, tick and arrange your application accordingly before you are ready to submit in person at the application center or sending it by post.

8. Nationality Form

9.  If applying by mail, Photocopy of all the supporting documents should be notarized.
Notarization can be done at Pony Express!




Checklist

To Print
  • application form
  • Nationality verification form
  • checklist
  • Take Photos
  • Money Order


  • Get Demand draft / money order/ banker’s check 
  • Notarization
  • Visa Status photocopy
  • Photocopy of a residential proof of the applicant (Driver’s License, State ID, Utility bill ( gas, electric or water ) or Rental Lease agreement or Home Mortgage bill. Other bills or documents will NOT be accepted as proof.
  • Please Send your prepaid, return envelope with tracking feature if you wish your processed application, is returned to you by post. Please do not send money / money order / include postage cost in the money order, we are not purchasing courier for the applicants on USPS

Address Proof

  • Minol USA(utility bill)
  • State Id


Documents to be sent along:

  • Application form 
  • Photos - Three recent passport-sized colored photographs (2”X2”) with white background. Glue one photo in the space provided on the first page & staple the rest on the last page of the application 
  • Old Passport in Original 
  • Photocopies of first 5 pages and last two pages of your current passport. 
  • Color photocopy of current valid US visa on passport or Green card or Employment Authorization Card or I- 797 approval notice documents. In case documents are being sent by mail, please notarize the visa status photocopy. 
  • Photocopy of a residential proof of the applicant (Driver’s License, State ID, Utility bill ( gas, electric or water ) or Rental Lease agreement or Home Mortgage bill. Other bills or documents will NOT be accepted as proof. 
  • Nationality Verification Form 
  • Checklist with contents checked