Documents submission to VFS in India prior to IR1/CR1 Interview

[newlywed0616 0]

If your interview is at an US embassy in India, just wanted to let everyone know that it is imperative you submit your passport, medical report, copy of beneficiary's birth certificate, copy of marriage certificate, copy of DS 230, US passport size pictures, and pay the courier fee of Rs. 387 to the VFS office at least 4 business days prior to your interview. My wife was scheduled for her interview today. She took all the required documents to the VFS office last week but it was 3 business days prior to the interview. She was also missing a couple of documents. The VFS employee advised her that she is late with her submission and cannot accept these documents. My wife was told she could take it directly to the embassy during her interview and it wouldn't be a big deal. My wife triple checked with the VFS employee and they confirmed it would not be an issue and is not a required step.

Fast forward to today and my wife took her appointment letter, the above documents and supporting evidence that may be required at the interview to the embassy. She checked into the embassy and got her token number. As soon as she entered the embassy, she was called up to the counter within 5 minutes for her initial review. My wife was advised over there that she had not submitted her documents to the VFS and her interview will need to be rescheduled. The gentleman there was very nice and my wife explained the above situation to him. He listened carefully, then told her to wait for a couple of minutes. He went to another room and called the VFS office. He came back with the details that she was there last week and was told by the VFS employee that all these documents could be brought directly to the embassy during the interview. Basically, he confirmed that my wife was telling the truth. He said, unfortunately he still needs to reschedule the interview, as all the documents have to be submitted for review prior to the interview to the VFS facility. So make sure that the above documents are submitted to the VFS facility in Inda at atleast 1 week prior to your interview.

Hope that this helps other people and others can avoid some delays in their interview process.

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

Thank you for sharing this helpful advice!

That's a shame about your wife's interview though. Hope the rest of your process goes smoothly without any more trouble.

[Ryan H 3,790]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to India regional forum.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Ryan H

[Harsh_77 716]

OP is correct only thing that I think is wrong is you don't submit the passport to VFS, you take the passport with you on the day of interview.

Personally I have repeated on this forum over and over I had give as much as I could ahead of time to VFS so on day of interview I dont have to remember and take it.

You can give all the documents you want to VFS they have a checklist which they will give you show all the documents you have sumbitted.

So you have a proof of all the documents one has sumbitted to VFS.

[newlywed0616 0]

OP is correct only thing that I think is wrong is you don't submit the passport to VFS, you take the passport with you on the day of interview.

Personally I have repeated on this forum over and over I had give as much as I could ahead of time to VFS so on day of interview I dont have to remember and take it.

You can give all the documents you want to VFS they have a checklist which they will give you show all the documents you have sumbitted.

So you have a proof of all the documents one has sumbitted to VFS.

Do you know how long the Passport clearance certificate is valid in India? I have seen everything from 3 months to 1 year. My wife got her's in September 2011. Do you think that will be an issue?

[Deep2009 18]

One more cent with "Harsh_77"....

Please submit all the documents and also all the supporting documents (emails / chat logs / phone bills / pictures / letters / greeting cards / and any additional document for your case)

Even with early submission, VFS may tell you take all additional documents to interview (they will only take minimum).

But please submit all of it with VFS.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Deep2009

[newlywed0616 0]

If you submit emails/chat logs/photo albums/letters/greeting cards etc., will they be returned to you at the interview or will the embassy hold on to everything?

One more cent with "Harsh_77"....

Please submit all the documents and also all the supporting documents (emails / chat logs / phone bills / pictures / letters / greeting cards / and any additional document for your case)

Even with early submission, VFS may tell you take all additional documents to interview (they will only take minimum).

But please submit all of it with VFS.

[TimeTravel 78]

One more cent with "Harsh_77"....

Please submit all the documents and also all the supporting documents (emails / chat logs / phone bills / pictures / letters / greeting cards / and any additional document for your case)

Even with early submission, VFS may tell you take all additional documents to interview (they will only take minimum).

But please submit all of it with VFS.

It is not necessary to submit all doc related to phone bill/chat logs/email/greeting card, etc etc. These are just supporting doc, and makes somewhat weight in your case. CO at interview may not even ask for these doc.

It is important to report at VFS to ensure that you are coming for interview. Just submit necessary doc photocopy. That is it! No big deal. At the time of pre-screen, they will be returning all these photocopy stuff.

If you submit emails/chat logs/photo albums/letters/greeting cards etc., will they be returned to you at the interview or will the embassy hold on to everything?

Dont submit these personal stuff at VFS. Just bring with yourself for interview.

I personally didn't submit these stuff at VFS, and neither I was asked by CO at the time of interview.

[Deep2009 18]

I will not take the chance like "iwaiting" has mentioned.

We went to Delhi Embassy and had everything supporting documents with us.

CO does not even want to look at it and clearly mentioned that VFS is the entry point to document submission.

We were issued 221g to submit all to VFS.

We got the visa after submitting... if you want to take a chance, it is up to you.

VFS document submission that I am talking about is for Delhi Embassy.

[matrixIII 0]

hmm.. this is very interesting. The US Consulate site clearly states in the Packet 4 section that it is "recommend" that the documents be submitted to VFS office but alternatively you can take them with you. For the Delhi Consulate my fiancee ONLY paid the courier fee at the VFS office and took ALL of the rest documents with her at the interview. She had no problems at all. They did not even mention VFS and took all the required documents form her.

They did not even see a single picture/chat log or any supporting documents.

Thanks

[Harsh_77 716]

Do you know how long the Passport clearance certificate is valid in India? I have seen everything from 3 months to 1 year. My wife got her's in September 2011. Do you think that will be an issue?

PCC from India are valid for one year as per Consulate website, but police owuld tell you their PCC are only valid for 6 months.

So I would not take a chance where PCC is older than 6 months, since the issuing authority is stating their document is only valid for 6 months.

[VisaJourney2011 14]

Well, what about situation where we have submitted below to the NVC.

1) Original Marriage Certificate and a copy

2) Original birth cert of beneficiary and a copy

3) Copy of Passport bio pages

4) two(2) US passport-sized pictures

5) DS-230 & I-864

etc...etc..

We will still take copies of above and other future doc needed to Interview but NVC should have all the needed above copies, with Originals also.

What do you think?

Medical reports, i believe we have to take it to interview "UNOPENED". not give to VFS.

OP is correct only thing that I think is wrong is you don't submit the passport to VFS, you take the passport with you on the day of interview.

Personally I have repeated on this forum over and over I had give as much as I could ahead of time to VFS so on day of interview I dont have to remember and take it.

You can give all the documents you want to VFS they have a checklist which they will give you show all the documents you have sumbitted.

So you have a proof of all the documents one has sumbitted to VFS.

If your interview is at an US embassy in India, just wanted to let everyone know that it is imperative you submit your passport, medical report, copy of beneficiary's birth certificate, copy of marriage certificate, copy of DS 230, US passport size pictures, and pay the courier fee of Rs. 387 to the VFS office at least 4 business days prior to your interview. My wife was scheduled for her interview today. She took all the required documents to the VFS office last week but it was 3 business days prior to the interview. She was also missing a couple of documents. The VFS employee advised her that she is late with her submission and cannot accept these documents. My wife was told she could take it directly to the embassy during her interview and it wouldn't be a big deal. My wife triple checked with the VFS employee and they confirmed it would not be an issue and is not a required step.

Fast forward to today and my wife took her appointment letter, the above documents and supporting evidence that may be required at the interview to the embassy. She checked into the embassy and got her token number. As soon as she entered the embassy, she was called up to the counter within 5 minutes for her initial review. My wife was advised over there that she had not submitted her documents to the VFS and her interview will need to be rescheduled. The gentleman there was very nice and my wife explained the above situation to him. He listened carefully, then told her to wait for a couple of minutes. He went to another room and called the VFS office. He came back with the details that she was there last week and was told by the VFS employee that all these documents could be brought directly to the embassy during the interview. Basically, he confirmed that my wife was telling the truth. He said, unfortunately he still needs to reschedule the interview, as all the documents have to be submitted for review prior to the interview to the VFS facility. So make sure that the above documents are submitted to the VFS facility in Inda at atleast 1 week prior to your interview.

Hope that this helps other people and others can avoid some delays in their interview process.

Edited March 29, 2012 by VisaJourney2011

[newlywed0616 0]

That is exactly what I thought as well. All of our original documents were submitted to the NVC during the NVC stage. That is why when they told my wife at the VFS office that she can take all the documents with her at the interview, neither of us thought it would be an issue because we submitted all the originals to the NVC. But the process is that you have to submit copies of all the below referenced documents to the VFS, including the DS-230 part 1 and 2. You also have to submit your unopened medical packet to the VFS office. The only part of the medical you take to the interview is the chest x-ray. The rest of the documents have to be submitted to the VFS prior to the interview. The beneficiary has to take their passport too because the VFS makes copies of all the pages of their passport prior to the interview.

Well, what about situation where we have submitted below to the NVC.

1) Original Marriage Certificate and a copy

2) Original birth cert of beneficiary and a copy

3) Copy of Passport bio pages

4) two(2) US passport-sized pictures

5) DS-230 & I-864

etc...etc..

We will still take copies of above and other future doc needed to Interview but NVC should have all the needed above copies, with Originals also.

What do you think?

Medical reports, i believe we have to take it to interview "UNOPENED". not give to VFS.

[TimeTravel 78]

That is exactly what I thought as well. All of our original documents were submitted to the NVC during the NVC stage. That is why when they told my wife at the VFS office that she can take all the documents with her at the interview, neither of us thought it would be an issue because we submitted all the originals to the NVC. But the process is that you have to submit copies of all the below referenced documents to the VFS, including the DS-230 part 1 and 2. You also have to submit your unopened medical packet to the VFS office. The only part of the medical you take to the interview is the chest x-ray. The rest of the documents have to be submitted to the VFS prior to the interview. The beneficiary has to take their passport too because the VFS makes copies of all the pages of their passport prior to the interview.

Seems strange how you experienced the things with VFS. I renewed my passport after NVC marked my case " completed " , and at VFS office, I only submitted front/back copy of my new passport. That is it. There was no issue with Mumbai Consulate either.

Did you have interview in Delhi?

[VisaJourney2011 14]

Yes, very strange, i mean whats the point of giving all copies and originals to NVC if US embassy via VFS will still ask for copies during interview. STRANGE ! :blink: :wacko:

I'm going to make extra copies anyway so, i will try to give to VFS if they want it or not.

if they want it, i will still carry some copies to Interview just incase.

COPIES COPIES Everywhere ! Not taking chance.

But i think Interview Letter (Packet 4) should have all the info to what to do., correct?

Seems strange how you experienced the things with VFS. I renewed my passport after NVC marked my case " completed " , and at VFS office, I only submitted front/back copy of my new passport. That is it. There was no issue with Mumbai Consulate either.

Did you have interview in Delhi?

That is exactly what I thought as well. All of our original documents were submitted to the NVC during the NVC stage. That is why when they told my wife at the VFS office that she can take all the documents with her at the interview, neither of us thought it would be an issue because we submitted all the originals to the NVC. But the process is that you have to submit copies of all the below referenced documents to the VFS, including the DS-230 part 1 and 2. You also have to submit your unopened medical packet to the VFS office. The only part of the medical you take to the interview is the chest x-ray. The rest of the documents have to be submitted to the VFS prior to the interview. The beneficiary has to take their passport too because the VFS makes copies of all the pages of their passport prior to the interview.