India VFS inquiry

[yankeesfan 0]

it says that we have to send proof of relationship documents like phone records and such to VFS, and also all of the info that it looked like the consular officer would have looked at for interview to vfs, so i dont understand if we hand in the originals will the consular officer recieve them? like will i have to have two sets of copies for everything?

[jkelly07 120]

send copies of the originals, when you go the interview bring the originals with you if they want to see the oroginals make some copies, don't let them keep the originals at the interview ask for them back. becaues your going to need them again later... to much money and to much trouble and time to get new ones,

[Navyk 78]

Yankeesfan, where did you get the VFS information! If I am right your case will be sent to the Consulate after succssful review at NVC. And the interview will be at the appropriate US consulate in India. The VFS will only deliver/ post the visa/passport after successful interview. All the additional documents like communication records, additional evidences like intermingling of finances.... need to be taken by your spouse in India for the interview (I guess you submitted the communication details till the I-130 filing time along with your I-130).

Please update your timelines.

[Darnell 8,478]

who or what is 'it' ? Thanks in advance !

[sachinky 464]

The Calcutta VFS took my medical, a DS230, and a copy of the I-864, passport size pictures, and the courier fee. That's all, I think. The guy at the desk did ask to see a few pictures of us, I showed him a few that was saved on my phone.

[sachinky 464]

And this is what I was officially asked to bring to the Calcutta VFS:

--DS230 Part I and II

--Medical Report

--Interview Letter

--3 Passport size pictures

--Passport

--Photocopy of all passport pages.

--Photocopy of marriage certificate

--Photocopy of PCCs.

--Photocopy of Birth certificate.

--Rs. 387 for DHL courier fees.

[Navyk 78]

Sachinky, thank for sharing your experience. VFS is supposed to act as a handling/courier agent for the US Consulate and I am surprised that they wanted to see some pictures (may be wanting to make you feel his impotance).

All the additional documents are needed at the time of interview - additional albums/ pictures of subsequent meetings, exchange of emails, other communication, intermingling of finacial asset. However if the US Consulate is asking for specific additional documents to be submitted at VFS (as they act as handling/courier agenst), then those need to be submitted. Yes, we need to pay the courier fee to VFS to send our visa/passport but not if you are going to collect those from them.

Darnell, these are specific to US consulates in India only.

[Dave and Kinnari 31]

It is my understanding that you do not have to submit anything to VFS. You just have to show your interview letter and pay the fees for the courier service so they can deliver the passport after your interview and visa has been approved.

[Navyk 78]

We are expected to submit originals as well as copies of Marraige, Birth & Police Clearance certificates with the intension of the original going to be returned at interview time. And technically, NVC can not send a RFE for those copies, if not submitted along with DS-230, as those are not mandatory. And I guess that US Consulates in India are getting those collected at VFC, if not submitted with DS-230.

I still don't understand why they asked DS-230 from Sachinky - may be they signed part II. Sachinky's can you clarify please!

[Dave and Kinnari 31]

We are expected to submit originals as well as copies of Marraige, Birth & Police Clearance certificates with the intension of the original going to be returned at interview time. And technically, NVC can not send a RFE for those copies, if not submitted along with DS-230, as those are not mandatory. And I guess that US Consulates in India are getting those collected at VFC, if not submitted with DS-230.

I still don't understand why they asked DS-230 from Sachinky - may be they signed part II. Sachinky's can you clarify please!

Most of the items that are submitted with the DS-230 packet are original. I do not understand why they would need to have originals again. Getting some of these orignal documents are NOT easy by any means at all. Some have been downright hell for my wife to obtain. You also submit photocopies of these documents as well to NVC. It makes no sense really at all to me as long as you turned in everything with the DS-230 packet.

Most of us will have to submit the Passport Clearance Cert. at the time of the interview so that is the only original that I know they would need at least in terms of my particular case.

I will be sure that my wife has all the documents listed. I have prepared for all angles imiginable that they might ask of us. But, I do not trust them with anything. I will have my wife demand that she will only submit photocopies for anything. I will NOT turn in the orignal medical, but a photocopy instead. That I am adamant about.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Dave and Kinnari

[Navyk 78]

Dave, Sachinky submitted only copies of those originals at VFS along with Medical Report, Interview Letter, DS-230 & Courier Fee. I mentioned that we need to submit a copy each of the origianls submitted with DS-230 to enable us to get the origianls back at interview (we need the marraige and Birth certficates back).

We don't need to / can't submit origianls twice.

[yankeesfan 0]

And this is what I was officially asked to bring to the Calcutta VFS:

--DS230 Part I and II

--Medical Report

--Interview Letter

--3 Passport size pictures

--Passport

--Photocopy of all passport pages.

--Photocopy of marriage certificate

--Photocopy of PCCs.

--Photocopy of Birth certificate.

--Rs. 387 for DHL courier fees.

even the medical exam needs to be sent to VFS? i thought the interview officer will want the doctory reports.

[yankeesfan 0]

even the medical exam needs to be sent to VFS? i thought the interview officer will want the doctory reports.

will i have to give the proof of relationship to VFS also because i thought that the immigration officer needed them.

[sachinky 464]

Like I mentioned this was only for the Mumbai Consulate General where I interviewed. For Chennai, I remember, most folks just had to pay the courier fee to VFS. They carried the medical to the embassy.

I honestly can't remember the reason why I had to submit a new DS230, they just asked for it and I gave it to them. I had several copies printed out from before (when I sent the packet to NVC) so it wasn't an issue really. I just took one along with me. I still had to sign a new DS230 at the consulate since VFS sent them a photocopied one (despite me telling them that several times) and they needed an original signature on it. Not a problem, I was carrying a fresh form for EVERYTHING. Starting from the I-130. Not that anything was needed despite my 10lb bag of evidence.

I can't stress enough, always carry extra copies/updated forms. It's just paper at the end of the day. All your originals will be returned to you.

I submitted a new I-864 because my husband had a new job after we passed through NVC so we wanted to update the financial sponsorship part.

[sachinky 464]

Sachinky, thank for sharing your experience. VFS is supposed to act as a handling/courier agent for the US Consulate and I am surprised that they wanted to see some pictures (may be wanting to make you feel his importance).

He did say that they were authorized by the Embassy to ask for any evidence. The rationale behind it being that if you are truly in love/committed relationship then chances are you are going to have a picture or two of your beloved/family member with you. I know that my parents still carry a baby-picture of me in their wallets. I said I had a few wedding pictures on my phone and he said that I could turn it on and show it to them. I promptly whipped out my phone and showed them our best lovey-dovey shots.