u/Expert_Substance_204

Hi everyone,

I’m in the process of scheduling my visa appointment (L1A) from India and had a question about how to correctly fill out the petition details section.

The appointment system asks for:

• Petition receipt number
• Petition approval date
• Petition expiry date

Here’s my situation:

• I have my I-797C receipt notice with a filing date of April XX
• My understanding is that the approval (I-797) is still pending (expected by May YY), but I want to book a visa slot in advance due to long wait times
• Receipt number is clear, but I’m unsure about the “petition approval date” field

I’ve come across mixed information online (including Reddit) suggesting:

• Some people use the filing date as a placeholder
• Others say you must wait for the actual I-797 approval notice date

My questions:

1. Has anyone successfully scheduled an appointment before approval? If yes, what did you enter for “petition approval date”?
2. Is using the I-797C filing date (April 13 in my case) generally acceptable?
3. Does this field get validated strictly later, or can it be corrected/updated after booking?

Would really appreciate insights from anyone who’s gone through this recently, especially for L1 visas.

https://preview.redd.it/u3s6pj9kywzg1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=cbe623a9e7222d22695c1a974f6db787632124ef

Thanks in advance!