For thousands of Indians who are looking forward to availing H1B and H4 visa Dropbox appointments, the process has turned out to be a nightmare.
It is no more about form filling; it is about the race against time. Agents are dominating most of the process by exploiting the desperation of the lot.
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“I paid but got nothing.” Many are paying agents large sums in the hope of a smoother process for getting visas.
Reality is harsh: “I paid the agent because I urgently needed the slot,” this applicant said, frustrated.
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“He promised me a confirmed date, but when I arrived, the appointment did not exist. I lost money and lost trust.”
The worst? It is not an isolated incident.
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Every day, more people report similar experiences. Some of the agents charge big and offer no guarantee, while others sell the same appointment slot to several different people and just take your money.
Once you get to the embassy, you are surprised that your spot never existed in the first place.
Meanwhile, people join Telegram and WhatsApp groups in the hope of a miracle or an agent who will actually get the job done.
Unfortunately, many such groups are riddled with fake profiles posing as authentic agents.
“I almost got scammed twice in these groups,” said an applicant for an H4 visa. “You join the group in the hope of seeking help, and then you feel like you have just walked into another trap.”
To add insult to the injury, some agents are resorting to bots—automated software booking appointments faster than humanly possible.
Their agents book slots in advance to resell at sky-high prices. Genuine applicants are made to wait longer or pay exorbitant fees.
“It’s become a black market,” he said. “The agents have taken over the system. If you can’t afford to pay them, you’re left with nothing.”
It is almost a Catch-22 kind of situation.
There does exist some protection against this, though. The best protection out there is not to use agents unless you have to.
Always go through official channels like the US Travel Docs website.
If you’re going to use an agent, be very leery. Look for some verification reviews, and don’t send large sums of money until confirmation.
Many are hopeful that this already broken system would be mended by the US Embassy and Indian authorities.
Till then, it would remain at applicants’ discretion to remain alert, avoid these scams, and support each other through genuine networks.
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