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India US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 3.9
/ 5
939 Review(s)
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| Chennai, India |  Review #6931 on November 30, 2010: |
KaashParinda
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
(I will be re-doing this in detail...for now, just for a few folks who have their interview coming up in Chennai, here is an abbreviated version).
Questions from pre-screener (9.30 am)
1. Who is your petitioner?
2. What is your husbands name?
3. From where did you get this proposal? (beneficiary's cousin sister is related in a far-off way to petitioner).
3. Is this your first marriage for both of you?
4. How long was your husband married before, and why didn't it work out? (message me,I can answer); but it was a straightforward reason.
5. How many years were they together?
Pre-Screener took album, told her to sign the DS-230 in her native tougue which she couldn't do, so she signed her name in English (this is the part where you sign your name in your native tougue).
Fingerprints taken 10.30.
11.30: Consular Officer interview
First took oath...then questions:
1. Where did you see/meet your husband first? (aunt's house, arranged)
2. Have you seen him before (at a nephew's wedding, mutual far off relatives, answer, no)
3. When did you get married?
4. What does your husband do?
5. Where does he live?
6. What are your qualifications?
7. What are going to do in the US?
8. How many siblings does your husband have?
Looked over the entire album which I had segmented into different sections:
1. Wedding Shopping, 2. Engagement 3. Wedding, 4. Reception 5. With friends, 6. Trip to India - I was there to see my wife, half way between the wedding and an expected interview date) 7.Petitioner's November visit (we had gone to a friends reception a few days ago...added a picture taken there, plus the wedding invitation of that wedding/reception).
Last picture prompted CO to ask if Petitioner is here...to which my wife replied that he was waiting outside.
"tell your husband that your visa is approved."
(more details in a extended review later...I am typing this hours after my wife got her visa).
5 stars for the interview
3 stars for poor petitioner waiting outside 
| | | Chennai, India | Review #6926 on November 29, 2010: |
shdwgrl
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
DH arrived at the Embassy around 8:00. His interview time was 9 a.m. He went inside and was checked thoroughly. He was sent to a room to wait with families and lots of children (for some reason he did not expect that). He was called by an Indian lady for medical report and documents. He was called for Oath and for fingerprints. He waited some more time and then he was called by the CO. He was asked the following questions:
Where does your wife's brother live?
Where does your mother-in-law work?
When did your wife last came to India?
When did your wife become a citizen? (I don't think I have ever told him)
Where does she work?
CO then said congratulations, your visa has been approved and you will get the passport within a week. DH was out of there by 10:30.
He said it was very painless.
Good luck everyone.
| | | Mumbai, India | Review #6919 on November 25, 2010: |
vmm
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Approved
| | | Chennai, India | Review #6907 on November 23, 2010: |
Robin Mateje
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My wife and I went to Chennai the day before the interview. I had some issues with my application because I previously went to the United States on a student visa and had worked using my Social Security. I left the US voluntarily (no deportation/removal...). My lawyer had advised me on answering questions to the tee - and given the fact that my wife (petitioner, sponsor and US Citizen) was with me, I was more confident. I grabbed all the evidence of our marriage - photographs, photographs and more photographs, bank statements, lease, etc. We have been living together in India for the past one year - so we had enough documentation to prove that we were together.
We stayed at the Maris hotel - it is not far from the consulate in Chennai. The morning of the interview, it rained heavily, I had a cup of coffee and we grabbed an auto and got to the consulate. There was a super long line outside the consulate - since I was on a CR1/IR1 Immigrant Visa Appointment, I went to the interview 40 minutes prior to my show up time and gave the clerk in the window my interview letter and passport. He gave me a token number.
THE INTERVIEW TIME DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, GET TO THE CONSULATE EARLY. THE TOKEN NUMBER DETERMINES YOUR TIME FOR THE INTERVIEW.
The guards at the gate thoroughly check you and all the documentation I had was made into a mess. All the envelopes were opened and contents examined - they were all then stamped as being Security Verified. I was angry with the guards, they were pretty ruthless - I had my stuff in order and they totally messed it up.
I then waited in a small lounge, and was told that for Immigrant visas, I would have to run over to the next building.
In the next building (its nice, AC, toilets...) I was waiting with a bunch of children, families, and old people. There were 3 windows designated for Immigrant visas and a bunch more for non-immigrant visas.
Patience is the key here, grab a seat, go through your documentation and watch the monitor for your number. I waited over 1 hour before my number was called. I rushed to the counter. There was an Indian lady who looked at all my documents, opened my Medical report and put all my documents in a folder and asked me to wait. She said that a US visa officer will call me for an interview.
I then sat back at my seat for almost one more hour - time was going by really slow and I was getting impatient and wanted to get done. I then went to the bathroom and as the odds would strike, my number was called then! I ran to the window and it was not the interview.. it was another Indian lady who wanted my fingerprints! I gave her all ten and then she asked me to wait at my seat till my number was called again.
I waited for about 45 minutes. Like I said earlier, there were 3 windows for Immigrant visas - 2 of them manned by male officers and one female. The male officers' interviews were much longer than the female. The female had a bunch of children and families being interview and everyone was giggly and laughing. I prayed that I would get the female officer during the interview.
Suddenly, my number was called! I had the female officer. She was young (early 30's at the most). She said good morning and asked me if the interview could be conducted in English - I was ok with that. Here is what happened -
Jacques: Ma'am, my wife, Lisa is waiting outside. They did not allow her inside the consulate, if you have any questions, just so you know, she's out there.
Officer: oh ok, sorry that they did not let her in. We have limited space here. (the office looked pretty empty by that point).
Jacques: No worries.
Officer: Raise your right arm and take the oath (she held my papers face front).
Oath taken.
Officer: How did you and Lisa meet?
Jacques: In a class on Inter cultural Communication
Officer: Has Lisa been living with you?
Jacques: Yes, Ma'am, she's been here with me for a year.
Officer: Did her family come to the wedding?
Jacques: Yes Ma'am, the core of her family came over, but her grandfather could not.
Officer: oh ok - can i see some pictures
I showed her all the photos - our wedding album would not fit through the window, so I showed her about 150 loose pictures of me, my wife and our families.
Officer: good - do you have any pictures of the marriage being consummated?
Jacques: Yes Ma'am (I showed her a couple)
Officer: Congrats! Your visa is approved.
Jacques: Awesome! Thank you. I don't know what to do now :-)
Officer: Well, first celebrate and then you're going to America!
I thanked her and ran out of there like the wind. Then I paid my VFS Fees and got my visa by courier in 3 days!
Lessons learnt -
1. Get to the consulate early
2. All envelopes are examined, it would be easier if you had all the envelopes in one folder and all the contents in another. Once they are examined, you can put them back in.
3. Eat a breakfast - you will be waiting (I ate some Idli and coffee). The prices for snacks in the consulate are pretty exorbitant - although you will not feel like eating.
4. PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION - Carry almost everything you have - no shame - I printed out all our email conversations, chats, photos, itineraries, hotel receipts and more.
5. Wear formals - wear something formal - I wore a blazer and my lucky blue shirt :-)
6. AT THE INTERVIEW - SMILE, DON'T LOOK NERVOUS. LOOK JOVIAL AND CONFIDENT (no matter how messed up your case is) and it will work in your favor. Look the officer in the eye, have a smile on your face and then answer the question.
Remember - the officers are working to help you succeed - you want to make their job easier, so smile and look pleasant and be confident in your answers.
7. Celebrate when you get the visa! Go get a beer and decompress after you are done.
I had a fantastic visa interview experience (although I never want to go through it again  )
Cheers all!
| | | Mumbai, India | Review #6896 on November 20, 2010: |
ak205
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I reached the consulate at 7:15 A.M.They allowed me in at 7:45 with a wooden token (for immigrant visas).After the security check when i went inside,they told me to go for biometric signature (finger prints). After that i waited till my name was called by a pre-screener. I was called at 8:A.M
He returned all my original documents and asked me the following questions.
Who is calling you to America ?
What does your husband do ?
How long did he stay after the wedding ?
Did you go for honeymoon ?
How long did you stay there ?
Where did you stay there ?
I asked if he wants to see our boarding passes, he said thats not needed thank you. Then he told me to go and wait till I m called for the interview.
I was waiting till 11:40 A.M,Thank God, i had a book to read which killed atleast some of my time. While i was waiting i kept hearing the names being called one by one for different types of interviews.
Finally when my name was called i went inside, the lady CO asked me to take oath.
Then she asked me the following questions (most of the questions asked by pre-screener were asked again)
Who is calling you ?
What does your husband do during his free time ?
Whats his favourite football game ?
How many people stay in the house ?
Who all came to attend the wedding ?
Then i flipped my album and showed her some of the people who came for the wedding
Does he have any sibling ?
What does she do ?
How did he go to America ?
Did you go for honeymoon ?
For how many days ?
Where did you stay there ?
Then she said congratulations! Your visa has been approved.
I asked her if i can collect it today, she told me i can check with the VFS
I went at the VFS office at 5:00 P.M
Got the packet and the passport in hand at 5:30 P.M
It was a fairly smooth interview.
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