6:30am - Arrived at Consulate
6:40am - VFS asked us to form two queues - Immigrant and Non-Immigrant
7:10am - Began allowing Immigrant interviewees in.
7:15am - Got to the entrance and announcement was made that no electronic devices would be allowed inside. A lot of people (including myself) were escorted out to either give the cell phones to someone or avail of a locker service.
7:20am - Had to go to the back of the Immigrant Interviewee line again
7:30am - Got through security, walked through the quad and joined the line for immigrant interview token numbers
8:00am - Got my token number after submitting a copy of my appointment letter and passport. Proceeded to seating area to await being called
8:20am - VFS employee makes announcement asking if anyone would like to have their interview in English. To my surprise (given that these are people moving to the US!) only 5 out of the 60 people in line raised their hands. The VFS employee then came around and collected our token numbers.
8:50am - Got called to a counter where an Indian VFS employee asked for my medical records and asked a few questions regarding my previous visits to the US as a student and as an employed individual. Then he asked me to have a seat and wait for a Consular Officer to interview me.
9:20am - Get called to a counter number for an interview
The Interview Questions
- Who is calling you to the United States?
- Why did she wait so long to sponsor you for a visa?
- How did you meet?
- How many visas to the US did you have?
- How long were you employed in the US and for which companies?
- Did you lose a passport? (I had lost mine in 2004)
- So that means there was a visa stamp in there as well?
- Are any visas still active? (Last active visa was 2012)
- When did you get married?
- How come the roommate was not at the wedding?
- Can I see some photos?
- Which city did you both stay in India?
- Where does she work now?
- Coming back to India, where do your parents live?
- Was there any resistance to you getting married to her and not through an arranged marriage?
- When he found out we - my parents, wife and I - all lived together in the same house after marriage for a year, he said that was all he needed to hear and I was all set and I would get the visa in 5 days (It came in 3)
9:35am - Walked out of the consulate stopping by the VFS desk to check on pick up/delivery information
9:40am - Went to the Trident for a delicious breakfast buffet to celebrate. I was one of the first few to finish their interview because I spoke English!
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #12976
Review on October 9, 2013:
