DVD of Wedding ceremony as supporting evidence

[ckadam 0]

We were thinking about taking a DVD of Wedding Ceremony as one of the supporting evidence during the interview at US Consulate in Mumbai.

Questions:

1. Is suc DVD considered as valid supporting evidence ?

2. If yes, Does US Consulate in Mumbai or VFS office in Mumbai creates a fuss about carrying DVDs to their offices, due to security reasons ?

[ckadam 0]

We were thinking about taking a DVD of Wedding Ceremony as one of the supporting evidence during the interview at US Consulate in Mumbai.

Questions:

1. Is suc DVD considered as valid supporting evidence ?

2. If yes, Does US Consulate in Mumbai or VFS office in Mumbai creates a fuss about carrying DVDs to their offices, due to security reasons ?

[ckadam 0]

Move to correct forum. Sorry for the mixup.

Moved to the correct forum. Sorry for the mixup.

[Dave and Kinnari 31]

They will not view any videos of any nature don't waste your time on it. Gather pictures and documents for your bonafide evidence.

[jkelly07 120]

many people ask the same question, the answer is NO they don't accept dvd or any electronics.reason virus, and infections, they can't chance it.so show pictures,

[Penguin_ie 6,000]

No electronic media is allows- no CDs, DVDs, videos or similar. If you have no photos, you could print stills off the DVD to bring.

[mounir412 101]

they don't accept dvd's or CD 's

[Ban Hammer 14,293]

duplicate topics have been merged.

[Navyk 78]

We were thinking about taking a DVD of Wedding Ceremony as one of the supporting evidence during the interview at US Consulate in Mumbai.

Questions:

1. Is suc DVD considered as valid supporting evidence ?

2. If yes, Does US Consulate in Mumbai or VFS office in Mumbai creates a fuss about carrying DVDs to their offices, due to security reasons ?

Please note that no electronic devices, including cell phones will be allowed to be taken inside the consulate. Not even hand bags are allowed in. Just the printed evidence only.

[Bec_Dipu 103]

Please note that no electronic devices, including cell phones will be allowed to be taken inside the consulate. Not even hand bags are allowed in. Just the printed evidence only.

I was just there, plenty of people had handbags. You will get through the line much faster though if you don't carry one, just a small wallet. However, NO electronic devices are allowed. Unless you're the petitioner, they won't even allow you to check a cell phone with the guards.

A DVD is not an electronic device, however, no one should EVER expect to show up at the interview with evidence that they haven't submitted to VFS and expect it to be reviewed. So there is no point in bringing a DVD and expecting them to watch it. You can turn it in to VFS with your packet 4 if you want, but the likelihood that they watch it slim to none.

When determining what evidence to bring, it's best to put yourself in the position of the CO. Would you be pleased to receive a DVD that you then had to find some way to watch since it is non-standard evidence or would you be irritated? Would the DVD be easy to catalog and store with the other paper evidence that can easily be scanned in to a PDF for electronic storage? Assuming they recycle, would your file have to be treated in a special way because it has a DVD case in it instead of just paper? Think about this with other evidence too...how would you feel if someone brought you 500 pages of phone bills and expected you to go through them? Do you get my point? Try to make things easier for them, not harder.

Good luck!

[Navyk 78]

I was just there, plenty of people had handbags. You will get through the line much faster though if you don't carry one, just a small wallet. However, NO electronic devices are allowed. Unless you're the petitioner, they won't even allow you to check a cell phone with the guards.

A DVD is not an electronic device, however, no one should EVER expect to show up at the interview with evidence that they haven't submitted to VFS and expect it to be reviewed. So there is no point in bringing a DVD and expecting them to watch it. You can turn it in to VFS with your packet 4 if you want, but the likelihood that they watch it slim to none.

When determining what evidence to bring, it's best to put yourself in the position of the CO. Would you be pleased to receive a DVD that you then had to find some way to watch since it is non-standard evidence or would you be irritated? Would the DVD be easy to catalog and store with the other paper evidence that can easily be scanned in to a PDF for electronic storage? Assuming they recycle, would your file have to be treated in a special way because it has a DVD case in it instead of just paper? Think about this with other evidence too...how would you feel if someone brought you 500 pages of phone bills and expected you to go through them? Do you get my point? Try to make things easier for them, not harder.

Good luck!

Good response. It is always good to hear from someone that had gone through the process.

There is some confusion regarding visiting VFS and paying courier fees. Barring submission of any documents at VFS, do one needs to go to VFS to pay any courier fee - can shed some light on this please.

[Bec_Dipu 103]

Good response. It is always good to hear from someone that had gone through the process.

There is some confusion regarding visiting VFS and paying courier fees. Barring submission of any documents at VFS, do one needs to go to VFS to pay any courier fee - can shed some light on this please.

The passport courier fee is due at VFS with Packet 4.

The $350 (I think) interview fee is due at the embassy at the time of the interview. The conversion rate on the embassy website was different than the conversion rate provided to us in Packet 4, so my fiance got a demand draft at the higher rate. The embassy said he only owed the lower rate, but they didn't make him get a new draft, they just took it and gave him the difference back in INR. I had come prepared with US cash though just in case.

Just a note on arriving at the embassy:

You are not allowed into the line to get into the embassy until they hold the sign up for your interview time. You will have to wait across the street in a large crowd of people. Here are some tips to get in easily without causing delays for yourself or others and without making yourself look like a jerk:

1) Do not get into the line until they announce your interview time. If your interview is at 8:30, do not attempt to get into the line when they announce the 8:00 interview. It just slows things down and you will be kicked out of the line. You would not believe the number of people who try to do this.

2) If you bring friends or family, unless they are supposed to be interviewing with you, leave them across the street. Do not try to let them wait in line with you. Do not try to let them wait with you on the other side of the barricade...make them stay across the street. Once again, it just slows things down and they will be asked to leave anyway. It's OK if you wait in a line by yourself, you're most likely an adult and nothing bad is going to happen to you.

3) Do not bring a cell phone or any other electronic device UNLESS you are the US Petitioner (in which case, they will allow you to check it) or unless you can bring forth a performance that will give Meryl Streep a run for her money. You will be asked to leave the line to dispose of the electronic device or to have you friend/family member waiting across the street to hold it for you. Then, you go to the back of the line again.

4) Think critically about the evidence you bring with you. They almost always refuse to look at anything you've brought with you as you should have submitted it with your Packet 4. Do not expect to be able to give them anything new that you hadn't submitted to VFS. However, do be prepared to point out that they do in fact have a "missing" piece of evidence if you already submitted it and they say they don't have it. My fiance and I brought a duplicate copy of Packet 4 just in case they couldn't find something.

5) Make sure you bring your interview letter and passport with you. Have them easily accessible, preferably in your hand. You will have to show them multiple times. Do not slow things down by having to rifle through a bunch of papers to find them.

A note on being inside the embassy:

1) Finger printing occurs first. There is plenty of seating in this area and the staff will direct you when it is your turn based on your token number. The line is extremely disorganized and there is no easy exit from the line. Once you are done fingerprinting, you will have to fight your way back through the line to get out of it. Ridiculous.

2) The area for the immigrant interviews (where the K1 is also held) has limited seating. It is difficult to hear your name/number if you stay outside the area so you can sit down. It is highly unlikely that people will exhibit proper etiquette by allowing the elderly or infirm or pregnant women/women with small children to have a seat while able-bodied young men and women stand. So if you are in a class of people who would naturally expect to be offered a seat by a young, able-bodied person, get over it. It isn't going to happen. Wear comfortable shoes, you could be standing for hours.

3) I was pretty observant while I was there. The decision always seemed to have been already made prior to the interview. 221g forms and AP letters were already printed and ready to be issued...the interview really seemed to be just to confirm that the CO's decision is correct.

4) If it all possible, the petitioner should accompany the beneficiary. The level of harassment decreases significantly. When my fiance and I stepped up to the interview window, the mandatory AP letter and the 221g letter were already printed. When the CO confirmed that I am the petitioner, he threw away the 221g and seemed lost as to what questions to ask. He just confirmed whether we had met each other's parents and whether we had ever been married before. If you are an interracial couple, it is even more imperitive for the petitioner to attend the interview. From the stories on this website, engaged interracial couples have a significantly harder time in India than married or non-interracial couples. It is very rare for an interracial engaged couple to pass the first time without the petitioner being there.

Some of this information may apply to you, some of it may not...just thought I'd get it all out there.

[Casprd 167]

The handbags/cellphones is entirely dependant on the consulate. Guangzhou allows both but you can't use the cellphone in the consulate. DVDs and videos though are not useful as they have no way to view these during the interview. Screen prints of the DVD will work though.

[Navyk 78]

The passport courier fee is due at VFS with Packet 4.

The $350 (I think) interview fee is due at the embassy at the time of the interview. The conversion rate on the embassy website was different than the conversion rate provided to us in Packet 4, so my fiance got a demand draft at the higher rate. The embassy said he only owed the lower rate, but they didn't make him get a new draft, they just took it and gave him the difference back in INR. I had come prepared with US cash though just in case.

Just a note on arriving at the embassy:

You are not allowed into the line to get into the embassy until they hold the sign up for your interview time. You will have to wait across the street in a large crowd of people. Here are some tips to get in easily without causing delays for yourself or others and without making yourself look like a jerk:

1) Do not get into the line until they announce your interview time. If your interview is at 8:30, do not attempt to get into the line when they announce the 8:00 interview. It just slows things down and you will be kicked out of the line. You would not believe the number of people who try to do this.

2) If you bring friends or family, unless they are supposed to be interviewing with you, leave them across the street. Do not try to let them wait in line with you. Do not try to let them wait with you on the other side of the barricade...make them stay across the street. Once again, it just slows things down and they will be asked to leave anyway. It's OK if you wait in a line by yourself, you're most likely an adult and nothing bad is going to happen to you.

3) Do not bring a cell phone or any other electronic device UNLESS you are the US Petitioner (in which case, they will allow you to check it) or unless you can bring forth a performance that will give Meryl Streep a run for her money. You will be asked to leave the line to dispose of the electronic device or to have you friend/family member waiting across the street to hold it for you. Then, you go to the back of the line again.

4) Think critically about the evidence you bring with you. They almost always refuse to look at anything you've brought with you as you should have submitted it with your Packet 4. Do not expect to be able to give them anything new that you hadn't submitted to VFS. However, do be prepared to point out that they do in fact have a "missing" piece of evidence if you already submitted it and they say they don't have it. My fiance and I brought a duplicate copy of Packet 4 just in case they couldn't find something.

5) Make sure you bring your interview letter and passport with you. Have them easily accessible, preferably in your hand. You will have to show them multiple times. Do not slow things down by having to rifle through a bunch of papers to find them.

A note on being inside the embassy:

1) Finger printing occurs first. There is plenty of seating in this area and the staff will direct you when it is your turn based on your token number. The line is extremely disorganized and there is no easy exit from the line. Once you are done fingerprinting, you will have to fight your way back through the line to get out of it. Ridiculous.

2) The area for the immigrant interviews (where the K1 is also held) has limited seating. It is difficult to hear your name/number if you stay outside the area so you can sit down. It is highly unlikely that people will exhibit proper etiquette by allowing the elderly or infirm or pregnant women/women with small children to have a seat while able-bodied young men and women stand. So if you are in a class of people who would naturally expect to be offered a seat by a young, able-bodied person, get over it. It isn't going to happen. Wear comfortable shoes, you could be standing for hours.

3) I was pretty observant while I was there. The decision always seemed to have been already made prior to the interview. 221g forms and AP letters were already printed and ready to be issued...the interview really seemed to be just to confirm that the CO's decision is correct.

4) If it all possible, the petitioner should accompany the beneficiary. The level of harassment decreases significantly. When my fiance and I stepped up to the interview window, the mandatory AP letter and the 221g letter were already printed. When the CO confirmed that I am the petitioner, he threw away the 221g and seemed lost as to what questions to ask. He just confirmed whether we had met each other's parents and whether we had ever been married before. If you are an interracial couple, it is even more imperitive for the petitioner to attend the interview. From the stories on this website, engaged interracial couples have a significantly harder time in India than married or non-interracial couples. It is very rare for an interracial engaged couple to pass the first time without the petitioner being there.

Some of this information may apply to you, some of it may not...just thought I'd get it all out there.

Thanks for the information. I am sorry for I didn't realise that you went for a K-1 visa. The process for CR1 is different - we pay the AOS and IV fees at NVC and our AOS and IV documents are processed at NVC before those are sent to Consulate for Interview.

I am looking for an answer from someone that had gone for CR1 visa.

[Bec_Dipu 103]

Thanks for the information. I am sorry for I didn't realise that you went for a K-1 visa. The process for CR1 is different - we pay the AOS and IV fees at NVC and our AOS and IV documents are processed at NVC before those are sent to Consulate for Interview.

I am looking for an answer from someone that had gone for CR1 visa.

No big deal...also, I should clarify that my experience at the embassy was specific to the New Delhi embassy although I imagine most of the guidelines still apply