US H1B and H4 fingerprinting, scanning: Minor cuts, cracks on the hand

Getting your final stage of US H1B and H4 Visa stamping maybe really scary due to the Interview and OFC process. OFC process is really straightforward, but one thing one needs to take care is that your fingerprinting should be successful. Any major cuts on your fingers can result into rejection/delay in fingerprinting process.
1. Make sure you don't have any major cuts on any fingers on both the hands.
2. Any cuts at the side of the fingers and not on the fingerprinting areas should not be a problem. My wife had a cut on her finger, but it was on side of the finger so it didn't cause any issues.
3. Minor cuts don't cause any problem, but if you have few days before the OFC make sure you treat them and they are healed.
4. Cracks on Fingers due to dryness, or due to winters is not a problem, but keep applying moisturizer till the last moment your outside the Consulate for OFC. No medicines allowed inside the consulate.
5. When you schedule the appointment for OFC from that day take care of hands, especially ladies so they don't end up having major cuts on Hand. If something happens, treat them by taking to doctor.
6. Incase your really fail in fingerprinting, they issue a yellow slip and ask to come back once your cuts are healed.

US H1B and H4 OFC is very simple process, all they do is take fingerprints four fingers on left hand and four fingers of right hand and finally fingerprints of both the thumbs placed together. This is followed by taking a digital photograph.

Mistake in DS-160 after Confirmation: EDIT or Submit new DS-160 for USA H1B Visa

This article address below important questions regarding H1B Stamping process
1. Modifying DS-160 after submission
2. Modifying DS-160 after Appointment confirmation
3. Correct Mistakes in DS-160
4. H1B VISA DS-160 CORRECTION

Important stage of H1B stamping is to submit DS-160 online, few important points of filling DS-160 are
1. DS-160 can be saved and retrieved and modified. any number of times within 30 days of creating the DS-160.
2. Mention all the correct details in DS-160, any mistakes might result in trouble.

Modifying DS-160 after submission before appointment confirmation:
After submission of the DS-160 and generation the Confirmation Page, you realized that there was a mistake, here is what you need to do
1.Retrieve the DS-160 using the security details you provided earlier.
2.Once you retrive it gives you a option to either create a new application or continue existing application.
3.Click create a new applicatioin, it will default most of the information that you filled earlier.
4.Another way is to just ignore the earlier DS-160 and create a new one. Consulate will consider only the DS-160 with which you take the appointment.

Modifying DS-160 after Appointment confirmation:
Once you take a Appointment with your DS-160 and you realize that there was a mistake
1. Submit a new DS-160 with all correct information and generate the confirmation page.
2. At OFC appointment carry old  and new DS-160 Confirmation page. Inform the officer that you have modified the DS-160 and use that for further processing.
3. Officer will confirm that this is correct DS1-60 and use it.

Incase of further confirmation about the process drop a email to support@ustraveldocs.com (US Consulate support services)

H4 Dependent Visa for Child less then 14 years Old

I was applying for H1B Stamping along with H4 stamping for Wife and Kid. As my kid was 6 years old, I checked with US consulate if its required to bring him for the Stamping. Below was the reply from US Consulate support regarding stamping for H4 Dependent less then 14 years old

We understand that you would like to know if you need to bring the child for the OFC and the visa interview.
With regards to your query, we would like to inform you that, children below 14 years are not required to be present for both the interviews. However, parents may submit the below mentioned documents of the child when they appear for their OFC interview.
1. Child's Passport.
2. Child's DS-160 confirmation page.
3. Visa fee receipt.
4. Appointment letter.
5. Photograph taken within last six months. 

Actual process for H4 Dependent stamping at Mumbai consulate for Child less then 14 years old:
Based on my experience for H1B stamping below is the process
OFC:
1. Once security check is done, at the entrance officer requires
        1. Appointment letter
        2. DS-160 for myself, Wife and Child
        3. 1 photograph for Child
        4. Original passports
    On kids DS160 the officer stapled the kids photograph and after verification gave me the
    documents back.
2. Two tokens were issued by security guard at entrance of the waiting room one for wife and other
    for myself.
3. Once my token was called I went to the corresponding window and submitted the DS-160 for
     myself and kid, appointment letter and passports. Officer asked me why I haven't bought the
    child,    I told him that it was not required as he is 6 years old. He asked me the child's name. My
    fingerprinting was done and Photograph was taken. For child the officer took digital photo from
    the Photo stapled on the child DS-160.
4. DS-160 was stamped as proof of fingerprinting, also sticker was pasted on my and child passport.

Interview:
1. Inside the consulate at token window submitted the child passport along with myself and wife's
    passport. A single token is issued for the family.
2. At fingerprint verification submitted all the three passports. Fingerprints verified for me and wife.
3. At the VO windows once my token was called, I submitted passports for all of us to the VO.
4. VO might ask questions related to your child to you/wife and its done.

So all you have to do is submit the child documents along with you at each window.

H1B US Visa and H4 US Visa document list for OFC and Interview

If you are in process of getting H1B US Visa and H4 US Visa stamped, its important that one is aware of the list of documents required for the OFC and Interview. Though this list has been provided at many places, but its mostly states lot of unneccssary documents which are never asked in the process. Below list is based on my own experience of getting H1B and H4 Visa stamped in FEB-2013.

H1B US Visa(no H4 dependents)
OFC:
1. Appointment letter(printout)
2. DS-160 Confirmation page
3. Original passports(Old and new)
4. Payment receipt (Only if not paid online)

Interview:
1.Appointment Letter
2.Same DS-160 Confirmation page the you carried for OFC
3.Original passports (Old and new)
4.I797 (photocopy and Original)
5. Degree certificates (photocopy and Original)
6. Original Mark sheets (photocopy and Original)
7. Experience Letters (photocopy and Original)
8. BEP Letter (Only if your employer provides it)
9. Payment receipt (Only if not paid online)
10. I129S, LCA and Justification letters( printed)

H1B US Visa along with H4 (wife and kid)
OFC:
1. Appointment letter(listing appointments for yourself and dependents)
2. DS-160 Confirmation page for yourself and dependents
3. Original passports(Old and new)
4. 1 Kids photograph(less then 14 years old) and if he is not attending OFC and interview

Interview:
1.Appointment Letter
2.Same DS-160 Confirmation page the you carried for OFC
3.Original passports (Old and new)
4.I797 (photocopy and Original)
5. Degree certificates (photocopy and Original)
6. Original Mark sheets (photocopy and Original)
7. Experience Letters (photocopy and Original)
8. BEP Letter (Only if your employer provides it)
9. Payment receipt (Only if not paid online)
10. I129S, LCA and Justification letters( printed)
11. Marriage certificate (photocopy and Original)
12. Wedding album( only 20-30 photos)
13. Birth Certificate(Kid)
14. Last two pay slips along (IT returns)
15. Resume

H4 dependent( without primary applicant)
OFC:
1. Appointment letter(printout)
2. DS-160 Confirmation page
3. Original passports(Old and new)
4. Payment receipt (Only if not paid online)

Interview:
1.Appointment Letter
2.Same DS-160 Confirmation page the you carried for OFC
3.Original passports (Old and new)
4.Passport photocopy of H1B visa holder
5. I797 (photocopy)
6. BEP Letter (Only if your employer provides it)7. Payment receipt (Only if not paid online)
8. I129S, LCA and Justification letters( printed)
9. Marriage certificate (photocopy and Original)
10. Wedding album( only 20-30 photos)
11. Birth Certificate(Kid)
12. Last two pay slips along (IT returns)

Important points:
1. Kids below 14 are not required to attend the interview and OFC. Carry the required documents for them as per the above list.
2.Photocopies are not required for any document, when officers ask for the doc you can show the original docs. But in this case make sure you get your originals back, as apart from passports you don't have to submit any original document at consulate. 
So its better to carry photocopies along with original and provide the photocopies if requested by the officers. Only if the officer insist provide them with the Original and make sure you get them back before leaving the window, otherwise they are lost.
3.Having all the required documentation is the key for getting your visa approved, any thing officer demands you must be in position to show it. I have seen people not able to answer very basic question, but just they had the required docs visa officer had no option but to approve the Visa.
4. Bind your Old and new passports together.
5. Make separate sets of your documents for yourself and dependents. So your wife carries Wedding ablum, birth certificate and Marriage certificate and you carry all other stuff.
6. Carry docs in Transparent Folders, memorize the sequence. This helps to provide the officer with required docs, as they have only few minutes to complete each applicants process.