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| Mumbai, India |  Review on September 8, 2012: |
sunshine_84
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Arrived Mumbai Consulate at 6:25am. Security personals were instructing applicants to stand-in immigration or non-immigration queue based on your petition type.
I was about 7th in immigration applicants queue. By 6:40am there were about another 80 to 90 people added in immigration queue.
Officers instructed immigration applicants to enter consulate and complete security check-in at the entrance at 7:15am.
NOTE: Officers instructed to keep only first page of NVC interview letter outside (all other pages are not needed for interview).
I already had all my belongings placed in one bag so completed security check-in quickly and became 3rd in immigration queue.
Entered main interview lounge area for pre-screen interview with Indian Consulate officer (female officer mostly in early 30s). Pre-screen started around 7:25 while other immigrant applicants were still entering consulate.
FYI, they opened around 3 windows initially and within few minutes about 10 windows were opened where Indian officers were doing pre-screen for all immigrant applicants (Window # 1 to 10).
Questions during pre-screen interview:
1. Which language would you prefer to give your interview?
------ She asked my name and went in to search my VFS package. It took her about 5 to 10 minutes and she came back with a big package and returned all VFS submitted documents to me (except Medical Report and Passport Clearance Certificate aka PCC Report) --------
2. Who is calling you?
3. Where does your husband live?
4. Do you have your husband's 2011 Income Tax Return copy with you?
Took finger prints of both hands and then I was asked to wait for an interview to be called with an American CO in few minutes.
Pre-screen completed at around 7:45am and kept monitoring my token number to show up in TV Screen.
I observed that all pre-screen was done by 8:00am and first 10 windows got closed. Within 5 minutes about 5 to 10 windows opened with all American Consulate officers and they were getting ready to start the real interview.
My token number showed up on screen around 8:15am.
American CO (white female in her late 30s) was sitting in front of PC to add her notes in our case.
CO: Good Morning! How are you?
Me: Good Morning! I am doing good.
-------- Asked to raise my right hand to take oath ----------------
CO: Who has filled a petition for you?
Me: My husband [ first and last name ] has filled a petition for me.
CO: Where does he live?
Me: He lives in [ city, state ] in USA
CO: What does he do?
Me: He works as [ job designation ] in [ company name ].
CO: Is this your arrange or love marriage?
Me: [ answer ]
CO: How did you meet each other first time?
Me: We met on [ day, month, year ] at [ location ] [ situation when we met ].
CO: How long are you both in this relationship?
Me: Our relationship is since [ day, month, year ] and we got married on [ day, month, year ].
CO: When did you see your husband last time?
Me: He left India on [ day, month, year ] and that is when I saw him last time.
CO: Do you have any photos of your wedding and other events with both you together in pictures?
Me: Sure (I handed over two small albums one with our wedding photos and another album with our trip photos after wedding)
-------- CO patiently inspecting all photos in wedding album------------------------
CO: [ Smiled and gave overwhelming good comments for our wedding pictures ]
Me: Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
--------- CO looked at another album with our trip photos after wedding ---------------
CO: [ Smiled again and gave some really nice comments ]
Me: Thank you so much!
CO: Which places did you visit in this trip?
Me: We traveled to [ various city names ] during this trip.
CO: [ place name ] looks so beautiful in photos.
Me: Yes, it was gorgeous!
---------- CO gave me back both albums with a smile on her face -------------------
CO: Congrats! Your visa is approved and you should receive your passport with visa thru mail in next few days!!!!!!!!!
Me: Thank you!
Checked with consulate employee (who was helping with any general questions near interview lounge entrance) to make sure if there is any other formalities I need to complete.
That's it! I was out of the consulate at 8:35am.
PS:
1. If both of you are married for the first time and petitioner has good financial situation shown in Affidavit of Support, then there is no need to worry at all. Visa Interview at Mumbai Consulate becomes just a formality for applicant to show up his/her face to American CO and answer some basic questions to prove both of you know each other well.
2. We kept *only* about 5 email/chat logs (1 per month to show continued relationship for past 5 months with one chat log just 1 week old from interview date) and no phone logs for interview, and CO did not ask any other evidence other than wedding/trip photos.
3. There is no need to keep a big marriage album if you can make a small album. Windows are so small that you can pass only small album thru window. Make sure your wedding photos include Indian wedding procedures (such as feras, exchanging flower maala etc.). This is a major evidence to prove that you had a genuine wedding ceremony.
4. DO NOT listen to other people surrounding you (specifically those who have not gone thru actual visa interview procedure but only heard thru their sources with masala gossips added on top of it to scare others).
5. Be yourself during interview and answer honestly. Don't try to make up answers.
6. Keep petitioner's 2011 Income Tax Return photocopy with you for an interview.
(updated on September 11, 2012)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #10351