4 October 2026
H-1B visa stamping documents checklist for India
What to carry to your H-1B stamping appointment in India, for first-time stamping, renewals, consulting roles and change of employer.
H-1B interviews are about one thing: is the job in the petition real, and is it the job you’ll actually do? Your documents should prove the employer, the role, the salary and the work location, and they must all match the petition. This checklist covers first-time stamping and renewals.
Your employer’s immigration attorney will usually send you a document list. Follow it first; use this as a cross-check. See the US Embassy in India’s visa pages for current rules.
Mandatory: carry these to biometrics and the interview
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least six months beyond your intended stay, plus old passports with previous US visas. |
| Form I-797 approval notice | The original approval notice for your current H-1B petition. |
| DS-160 confirmation page | Stamped at biometrics. The employer and job details must match the petition. |
| Appointment confirmation | From the scheduling portal. |
Strongly recommended: employment documents
- Employment verification letter from the petitioning employer, dated recently. It should state your title, duties, salary and work location.
- Copy of the I-129 petition and the Labor Condition Application (LCA), as filed by your employer.
- Offer letter (first-time stamping) or a recent promotion or role letter.
- Recent pay stubs (renewals: the last 3 to 6 months of US pay stubs).
- W-2 forms for the last 2 to 3 years (renewals).
If you work at a client site (consulting or vendor roles)
This is where most H-1B interviews get detailed. Bring:
- A client letter from the end client confirming your project, role, duration and location.
- A vendor letter, if there’s a vendor between your employer and the client.
- The purchase order or statement of work, if your attorney provides it.
- Be ready to name the end client, describe your project in plain words, and say who supervises you.
Qualifications
- Degree certificates and transcripts: bachelor’s and master’s, plus any credential evaluation used in the petition.
- Experience letters from previous employers, if your degree alone doesn’t cover the role’s requirements.
- An updated résumé, consistent with the petition.
If you changed employers
- The I-797 for your new employer (and the old one).
- Pay stubs from the new employer, if you’ve already started under portability.
- A short explanation of why you moved, if asked.
How to organise them
- One clear folder: passport, I-797, DS-160 confirmation and appointment confirmation in front, then employment documents, then qualifications.
- Printouts only: phones aren’t allowed inside.
- Know your salary, title, client and work address without looking. A mismatch with the petition is the most common source of trouble.
Related checklists
Practise the interview
VisaPrep runs a realistic H-1B mock interview by voice. The AI officer asks about your employer, duties, salary and client chain the way a real officer does, and shows you where your answers didn’t match your documents. Your first interview is free.