May not qualify for NIE but have a H1B Dropbox appointment scheduled for early August

Hi - I have an approved I797, qualified for an interview waiver, and made an appointment at the New Delhi VAC in April before the Presidential Proclamation. My appointment is scheduled for August.

My original Visa Appointment Confirmation document does not ask for an employment letter specifying why I qualify for a National Interest Exception (NIE), but the version online says I need one. I’m not certain whether I qualify for NIE and am in the process of working with my employer to figure this out.

But I would also like to know what happens to people who may have had appointments booked prior to the travel restrictions and don’t qualify for NIE. Has anyone had a similar experience? What did you do and what happened?

Thank you for the reply. I have read both of these but they primarily address cases that already have an H1B visa stamped in their passport. I was looking for examples like mine where people made the visa appointment at the VAC prior to the ban but only had their appointment once the ban was in place.

If you work for any of the sectors in below link you should qualify for NIE.

You may get a letter from your employer or simply create one on your own explaining your job profile.

People who dont qualify will get 221g and will be given their passport back without stamping. They will have to wait until after the PP is withdrawn and travel ban lifted. The consulates will then start sending out emails to people with 221g to submit their passports for stamping.

That’s useful. Are you basing this off experience? I can’t find it in the article you have linked to. If it is there, can you point me to the right section? Thanks again.

Thank you. This helps.