Urgent: H1-B Visa

HI,everyone,

This is my first time to go back home. My H1-B has been effective sine 04/2006. Since I've never applied for H1-B visa, there are quite a few question I need help with.

1. I had J-1 Visa in 2001 and stayed for a year as an exchange student. I applied F-1 in 2003 and H1-B in 2006. I know there is a 2-Year rule for J-1 Visa. I don't have the J-1 waiver yet. Will it affect apply visa with H1-B?

2. I'm from Liao Ning so that I think I should go to Sheng Yang for interview. I'd like to schedule an interview around May 10th. Is now too early to schedule?

3. "沈阳领事馆的签证处将会在面谈的当天下午四点钟发还申请人的护照." (http://chinese.shenyang.usconsulate.gov/visa/passback.html). Is this normally the case for H1-B?

If anyone has any tips, please help. Thank you so much.

Rachel