H1b stamping in Santiago, Chile for Indian passport holder living in USAq

Hi, I am living in usa since several years and planning to goto Santigao, Chile and get my new h1 stamped.I am in my 2nd cycle of 3 years and recently started a new job so need to get the new h1b visa stamped. I have an email from the consulate in santiago saying “since you have the 797 document we can issue you a visa”. Is that enough to just go there on a vacation and get it stamped? I have never heard of any Indian do this before. What happens if they refuse to do it when I go there? and can they say no later or is the email enough proof that they have to honor it?

Even though you have the email, they may still refuse the visa and ask you to appear for stamping in your home country.

The good thing is that this is not your first H1 stamping and so they shouldn’t be too much worried about non-Chile based education etc.

The bad thing is that you will be in Chile on tourist visa and only folks who are residents of that third county are encouraged to appear as TCNs.

Thanks Saurabh. Not my 1st stamping but my current company applied for a new visa instead of transferring it. So is that counted as 1st stamping?

If you have already done H1 stamping through any employer then it improves the odds of getting visa stamped in Chile.

Thanks. I am little more confident now!

hey Kunal,

please let me know how your H1B stamping goes in Santiago. I’ll be on a business visa in March 2017 for a week and wondering if i can do my fingerprinting and interview there.
I got an approved I-797 until OCT2017 so want to get my VISA so that i can re-enter US in March.
thanks in advance.

Hi, if this will be your 1st stamping ever people usually recommend doing it from your home country. either way you can contact me mid december or later.

hey Kunal,

Did you went to Chile for H1B visa stamping ? I’m also traveling to south America and just wanted to check the feasibility of getting stamping in Chile.

Sachin.

yes I went and all done succesfully. Fortune favors the brave!

cool. sorry for being sticky but here is my plan.
get the fingerprinting on Mon- appear for the Interview on Tue- Can I collect my passport by Fri to be able to fly back to US ? was that the case with you?
thanks Man!

why do you need to do fingerprinting a day before? Take the appointment for Monday morning. All should be done in 1 appointment. I did the same and the passport was ready to be picked Wednesday evening. Of course, each case is different but you should get your passport by Friday assuming you interview Monday and there are no issues with your case. Also, I hope this is not your 1st h1b stamping ever in which case it would be a riskier.

glad I’m talking to you. In India I hav to appear for finger printing at cgi a day b4 the interview. it will be my 4th visa stamp (same employer). also checking abt the pickup of passport. can I personally get it or I hav to pick It from courier services? other option is I can let the hotel front desk know and they can pick it up. what did you choose?

I chose to pick it up myself, I recommend that since you don’t have much buffer time. Also, they charge $25 for delivery. All this information is on the website. Seems like you havent taken the appt. yet do it asap. you will get instructions there too.

yeah man,i just paid the fee and realized March 6 is not open yet. they have only until Feb. probably i’ll revisit this site next month to see the slots are open. I paid the fees and select the pick up DHL location close to my hotel.

Hello,

I have the same concern, I am from Russia and we don’t even have embassy open (cause of between countries relationship), I need to have my first visa stamped, do you think I have an option of doing it in Santiago? Does anyone has an experience for the first stamp non citizen?
I think as a benefit I have MS degree from US