Tips for H1B Visa application Documentation

Hi All,

It's been long since I posted any helpful material here.

One thing which people rarely share and speak about is what all documentation is required before you land in this country. Once you reach here and you don't have any helpful relatives who would be supportive and with you across this journey of settling down, finding a job in this country, you can terribly get stuck in the rut of being out of job and financially unstable.

So here is a complete and consolidated list of documents that you need to prepare before you reach USA.  Please share it with as many people who plan to immigrate here, helping them to be truly independent while being on a dependent visa :)

• Latest Resume  and it's copy.
• Latest Cover letter  and it's copy.
• All of your Marksheets and Degree certificates from your educational institutes. I recommend having every marksheet from schools, colleges- bachelors degree and post graduation or doctorate documents you might have.  Mostly the main graduation years are very important, but if you have been documenting right from your childhood, that would just be great and it's copy. :)
• Transcripts - these are 'highly' Important documents and here are the two institutes from where I did my credential evaluations -  "Foreign Credential Service of America" (FCSA) this institute shows a very good comparison of your educational institute's marks with their competitive institutes in America and clearly mentions if your degree is equivalent to American degree or not. Other very good evaluation organisation is -"World Education Services" (WES). Again this is a very good evaluation organisation, but in my personal experience FCSA really helped me in my process and Again its copy. :)
• Recommendation letters from your current employer / Managers  and it's copy.
• Experience letters from current employers. (Include even your Internship letters)  and it's copy.
• Relieving Letters from every organisation you have been associated with  and it's copy.
• Experience letters or any Volunteer letters from Institutes or organizations with whom you would work once you reach America and think of spending any fruitful time, doing good in your communities   :) and it's copy.
• Passports and copies of every page in your passport.
• Your spouse's passport and copies of every page in their passport.
• Your and your spouse's I94 and copies of the same.
• Copy of your spouse's I20 if your husband is a student or else any H1B documents of your spouse would be required. I heard letter from their managers etc, stating you are dependents also helps a lot, while you go for stamping in your home country.
• Identity documents / card - like PAN card or Aadhar card (related to India)  as a proof of your citizenship in homeland apart from Passport.
• Original Birth Certificate and its copy.
• Photos - These are generally not required in your application but my few cents so that you have all those things which can be needed. :)

Later once you are in USA and are able to find an employer who is willing to sponsor your H1, below given documents are extremely important while you are in the process of H1 Visa application and later on.

• Offer Letter from the employer who would be sponsoring you the H1Visa and it's copy.
• Once H1 processing is started. Get the petition application receipt copy from your employer. You also get a petition number - which is ideally the Receipt number. This is a very important petition application number which would help you to track your H1B application status on the USCIS website. (Again I recommend telling your Org or employer to do Premium H1B Visa as it would help you to be stress free and get your H1 Lottery selection result as soon as possible.
• Get the copy of Entire Petition from your lawyer and employer.
• Once approved you would then need an Approval Notice from your employer. Please note there is an 'employees copy' which the organisations/ employers are supposed to share with the employee. You should try and get it from the employer.

These are all the documents I could think of. 

If i have missed anything, please include the same within the comments section and I would rectify my post. :) :)

Hope you will come well prepared in this country and my post would help you to get started even before you immigrate to a new land - USA!!! :)

Thanks for reading.