bouerchithi

I downloaded the packet 4 for Mumbai Consulate, and here is what i am finding:

Immigrant Visa Fee is $330 Processing Fee and $74 Surcharge Fee. The total of $404 for each applicant.

The fees must be paid through a rupee bank draft drawn on a nationalized or foreign bank. The bank drafts must be issued in the name of “The American Consulate General, Mumbai” and should be payable in Mumbai.

However, I have already paid for the immigrant Visa Application Fee (The IV fee to NVC). Do I still need to pay the above fee to Mumbai consulate, or am I good on my payments here?

Thanks!

On looking at the VFS website, here is what I found as instructions before the interview:

Procedure:

On receiving the appointment package “Packet 4”

Step 1: Visit the visa application centre no earlier than 10 working days and no less than 7 working days before the scheduled interview appointment. Applicant must submit all the documents to VFS as specified in the “Appointment package” or “ Packet 4” (those which pertain to your case) on any working day and pay in the Courier Fees.

VFS will issue you a fee receipt based on your appointment letter and a receipt for the documents submitted. Click here for list of documents to be submitted to VFS.

Please note: Failure to submit documents to VFS at least 7 working days prior to your interview may result in loss of interview date. Applicants submitting documents to Kolkata application centre must do so at least 15 working days in advance.

Step 2: Report to the Mumbai Consulate on the day and time your interview is scheduled. You need to bring in your original passport, your VFS Logistics fee receipt along with the receipt listing the documents submitted to VFS and your original appointment letter. Please do not bring any prohibited items to the consulate because you will not be allowed to enter. Optionally you may use the services of the Star and Stripes Lounge.

Step 3: All successful applicants will have their passport couriered to them at their residence address as mentioned on the form DS-230. Alternatively you may also collect your passport across the counter

(Counter Passport Collection ) from the Mumbai application center on the day of your interview.

My questions are:

1) After having submitted the requested documents at my local VFS, do I still need to show up at the Mumbai VFS on the day of the interview, or should I go directly to the consulate?

2) Divs mentioned about opting-in for a ride to the consulate from VFS. What's the way to do that?

Thanks!

You can get your medicals done any time you want. All you need to do is call up the hospital and fix up an appointment. On the day of the medicals, carry your original passport, interview letter, and passport-sized photographs.

When you say interview letter, do you mean the one that NVC emailed us letting us know about the interview date, or do we receive another email/letter from Mumbai Consulate as well?

Hi friends,

Wondering if you guys have experience with Xoom, Remit2India, Money2India. Would like to know how their service is? And which one you like the better to send the fund from US to India bank account?

Thank you!

I have used remit2india and they have been ok. Last year I had switched to CitiRemit, service provided by Citi. It worked well too, but unfortunately they have since discontinued the service.

Xoom seems to be the fastest, and if you send more than 1K USD, you pay no fees. Many a time your bank in India will have a tie up with some kind of service or US bank as well (e.g HDFC has a service called quickremit, which is basically operated by Remit2india. I have been using this since the last year or so)

Just stick with the bar-coded cover sheet from the payment portal.

There's a different ATTN on the checklist one as checklists go to a different department (then routed to either AOS or IV).

Thanks Saylin. Will do.

Folks,

I paid the IV bill and downloaded the cover letter from the portal. This was approx. 2 weeks ago. In the meantime, my wife got delayed a bit for her police clearance certificate, so we were planning to send in the IV package sometime around Mar 15.

However, I received an email from NVC with the subject line Case#XXXXXXXXX (CHECKLIST COVER LETTER). The email seemed to just request the beneficiary to send in package IV. However it did contain another bar coded cover letter with slight change in the address.

The address on the bar coded cover letter that I just received in the CHECKLIST COVER LETTER email is:

National Visa Center

ATTN: DR

31 Rochester Avenue, Suite 100

Portsmouth, NH 03801-2914

The address that is on the cover letter on the payment portal

National Visa Center

Attn. CMR

31 Rochester Avenue Suite 100

Portsmouth, NH 03801-2914

Except the ATTN part, everything else is the same. I am assuming these two are basically the same cover letter, with different ATTns. But wanted to run by you guys in case I am missing something.

Thanks!

I already sent my I-864 with just the recent income tax return and W2 (2011) and proof of being in active duty military. Lets see if they will approve it or will ask for more documents e.g Tax Transcript

How does one find out if the AOS package is accepted? Is there an email of some kind?

Thanks!

I put all those links together for a reason

Saylin, I love that first post you made to list the links. I have used them (apart from all the help I receive from the VJ folks) to chart my course through this process. Now that I am putting together the DS-230 packet, I was reading some posts and seems some people have been talking about printing the applicant's name and NVC Case # on the backside of the photographs they send with the IV Package. I recall reading at least one person talking about receiving a RFE for not doing so. However, looking at the guides I did not see any clause asking to do that. Where is this info available? Are there other 'fine print' caveats that we need to be aware of?

Thanks!

My husband had to go back to the Swedish Tax agency for new ones! again..... ship them DHL... and we wait!!!

But what about birth or marriage certificates?

A quick search on here will turn up results. I've been reading about it here since I started posting. I took a look for actual news articles, but it appears visa drama doesn't quite make it to the press, ha.

This also explains it:

http://travel.state....types_2993.html

Hmm.. but I-129F only applies to fiance(e) situations, not for married folks, right?

K-3s are being wiped out. Safest route is CR-1.

Really? Wow. Can you tell me where you got that info from? Thanks!

Hello! I am an American, and my wife is Canadian. We just got married in January in Canada, and now we're starting the CR-1 process. How long can we expect until she's able to move here? It's not so vital to us that she be able to work when she's first here, just that she's here. Is CR-1 the best route to go?

You guys can also look at the K3 visa. The whole purpose of the K3 visa is to let the spouse wait for the green card in the US instead of in the foreign country. Once she gets here, you can then file for Adjustment of Status (I think I-487) to complete the process.

K3 is quicker than IR1/CR1, but it involves some more paperwork when the foreign spouse gets to the US.

They missed our marriage certificate as well... and the Supervisor was quite stern and direct: send a new one!! I told her it would be the same exact document. She again said... "The reviewing officer said it was missing!" AAAGGGGGHHHHHHH

Did you send the original certificates? What happens when they lose the originals like this?

Question #2

Can I assign my father as the agent to receive the documents? Or does it have to be me (petitoner) I am deployed overseas now, so there is no way that I can be the agent.

The fact that you are overseas doesn't by itself prevent you from being the agent. Especially now that most forms are emailed if you provide NVC with the email addresses, your physical location really doesn't matter much.

If you think you shall have to depend on regular mail, it's probably a good idea to make someone in the US your agent.

Can I send the (DS-3032) via email? And can I send it now even if I dont have the NVC case number yet? I will provide them my USCIS case #.

Question #2

Can I assign my father as the agent to receive the documents? Or does it have to be me (petitoner) I am deployed overseas now, so there is no way that I can be the agent.

There is no point in sending the DS-3032 email before your AOS Invoice is generated. Note that even after you have your NVC Case# and IIN, it might take a few more days for the Invoice to be actually generated. The definitive way to find out when you can email your DS-3032 is to try and log on to their online payment system often. The minute you see that you are able to pay the 88$ AOS fee, go ahead and shoot that DS-3032 email. (Note: You DO NOT need to pay the $88 to email DS-3032. It's just to confirm that the system is ready to accept your DS-3032.)

Hi all,

I was searching for DS 230 instructions pdf, like they have with most other forms. Curiously I couldn't find it on the official websites. While there is a lot of info by so many wonderful folks here, I was hoping to have an 'official' reference handy.

Is there not such a document? If not how do folks have a definitive guide to what's necessary and what's not?

Thanks!

1) What documents were you required to submit? (I did some research and it seems like I need the Form 2 filled out, what else?)

Photocopy of current passport front/back. And one address proof if your passport address is different than your current address. That is it.

2) Did they ask to look at any document that mentioned that you needed a PCC? If so, what did you show them?

No, nothing. I just filled the application online on their website, and mentioned that I need PCC for USA. That is it.

Thanks a lot!

1) Have you already obtained the PCC from your local office in India?

I got PCC from Passport Seva Kendra ( PSK ) Chennai.

2) How long did it take?

Filled the application online, then next day, visited PSK with required doc. It took around 4 hours to get the PCC in my hand.

3) Did you get an actual certificate or do they just stamp your passport?

Yes, got actual certificate plus stamped my passport.

Thanks much. Can you please answer one last set of questions:

1) What documents were you required to submit? (I did some research and it seems like I need the Form 2 filled out, what else?)

2) Did they ask to look at any document that mentioned that you needed a PCC? If so, what did you show them?

While doing my routine checking I received this error message when I logged to https://ceac.state.g...ce/signon.aspx:

This case is in the process of termination. Fee payments and online forms can no longer be accepted. If you believe you have received this message in error, or to resume processing of the case, please contact the NVC immediately.

I'm assuming some one has access the database to update it?!

I was getting the same error message as well before the DS-3032 and AOS Invoice was physically generated. Just keep checking..

Depend up to authority.

In PSK, they dont ask anything like this. Just fill the application online, bring the required doc that is mentioned on the site, and pay the fee of Rs 500 INR,and Done!

Hi, a few questions:

1) Have you already obtained the PCC from your local office in India?

2) How long did it take?

3) Did you get an actual certificate or do they just stamp your passport?

Thanks!

For tax transcripts, send the originals. If you ever need them again, you can re-request them from IRS for free.

For the letter of employment, definitely send the original as it has a signature on it. Make a photocopy before sending, so you can have it for your records.

For the pay stubs, I'd suggest sending copies as it might be difficult (possibly impossible) to get original pay stubs back.

Thanks Saylin!

for forms - for an EP case - need:

1. originals with original signatures - her DS-230 - your I-864

2. her original white book notarial translation thingies

3. YOUR income documents

it's a PITA on an EP case - but basically - everything sent out via email? carry it all on both days (document intake day and interview day)

Still no status on the NVC Expedite Request? WOW.

For my I-864 support documents, I have 2 questions:

1) I have ordered and received tax returns transcripts from IRS for 200-2010. Now do I send the originals or can I send photocopies of those transcripts?

2) Same question regarding Letter from Employer & Pay Stubs. Can I send photocopies?

Thanks!

I suggest you obtain detailed information about the extent of validity of your police clearance certificate since you have not yet received your NOA2.

If your certificate will only be valid for say 3 months from issue date, it is very well possible that it might expire before you even receive your NOA2.

Make sure yours is valid for at least 6 months, or better yet 12 months because you never know how long it will take your application to reach the NVC.

I believe the PCC (Police Clearance Certificate) issued in India are valid for 12 months.

No one here knows your financial situation, so no one can tell you what documents will make up your complete tax returns.

You can submit tax transcripts in lieu of all the forms that make up your complete tax returns. The tax transcripts are free, and you should receive them within 2 weeks after submitting your request. Contact the IRS for tax transcripts - Google "IRS free tax transcripts."

I have the tax transcripts from IRS. My question is, can I send a photocopy of those transcripts? Or do I need to send out the originals?

Thanks!

Hi All!

To anyone who has a loved one applying within India, have they already obtained their Police Clearance? The Embassy site for India wasn't much help on who to go to for this (http://mumbai.uscons...rtificates.html).

My husband and I currently live in Pune (about 3 hours away from Mumbai) and I haven't a clue as to where/whom to get this Police Clearance from! Some places say the local police, some say the Passport Office, some say otherwise.

Considering how long it takes the India Government to do ANYTHING, I was thinking that while we are waiting for the I-130 approval we could get started on obtaining his Police Clearance. Good idea or no?

ANY SUGGESTIONS would make my day!

Thanks!

Look here: http://passport.gov.in/pms/Police%20Clearance%20Certificate.htm

I personally am proceeding to obtain one for my wife.