Arrived in Bombay on 17th July, on Alitalia, 11:50pm. (1 hr late). No problems in clearing customs, long wait, about 45 mins. but line kept moving, 2 other international flights had arrived about the same time. Got our luggage and proceeded to Green channel. They asked if I had a laptop, which I confirmed and then they asked if I had a return ticket, also confirmed for following month, so they had no problem. Checked into hotel, kids played till 4 am, no sleep, got ready at 5:30 am and out the door by 6:15, headed for Lilavati Hospital.
Arrived at the Visa section at 7:28 am on 18th July and waited. The visa section administrator arrived at 7:30:35 and got himself set up. He asked for the Consulate interview letter. I had only a fax copy of the letter. He didn't accept it, he wanted original. If the fax number was not on the top of the page it would have looked exactly like the original and he wouldn't have known the difference. I kept the original with all other papers ready for the interview and did not bring it with me to the hospital. So I had to
go and get it from the hotel, an hour's delay, but I got it and he accepted it after that and we went through the motions of giving blood samples, X-rays, physical (all of which are mandatory and cost us around Rs. 1190.00 per person.) and since we did not have any vaccinations in the US, we had to get them as well, DTP, two shots, if you didn't have chicken pox already you'll be given that vaccine as well, we didn't get it. The cost was around Rs. 185/= pp, excluding chicken pox vaccine. You'll pay more if you
get this. More than 30 applicants on that day, which means family applicants had more than one person, in our case it was 2, so be prepared. We didn't finish till 1:30 pm., same as others.
Retuned to Bombay on Monday July 22nd, showed up at consulate at 8:15 am., although appt. was at 9:30am. Had breakfast/tea outside adjacent to the consulate, where there was parking space too. Left the kids with their grandfather and we went in at 8:45 am. Go past sand bags, behind which a Mumbai policeman stood with a machine gun, to get to the ntrance where a private security guard was shouting instructions like he was herding cattle. My wife had a word with him and he was polite after that, so be prepared to be shouted at, I guess that's how they behave as a norm to get things done here. They don't allow traffic to stop in front of the consulate. NO electronic gadgets allowed inside, no cell phones, organizers, pda's, etc.. The security asked that the moisturizing cream be used before
he'd let us take it in. So take a plastic bag with all your papers only.
Showed interview letter at entrance to waiting hall, we were advised to go to window 10. The lady asked us for the interview letter and passports. She took them and asked us to wait. Waited till 9:50 to get called; to window number 3. Asked for DS230 Part II for self and spouse followed by birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. Provided copies and showed the
originals which were checked. PCC's and employer letter (notarized) are originals. Then came the Affidavit of Support for my wife filled and signed by me and notarized. They accepted my wife's immigration photographs, but did not accept mine (both taken in the US), saying there was a very slight shadow. This finished our paper collection session. The lady (an Indian, most are) indicated that I could get photos at the rear of the waiting room. The "photo-shop" guy has a little corner with a camera and
computer/printer set up (same guy has a photocopy machine also) where I went and got my photographs taken. Got the photos in about 5 minutes, 5 for Rs. 200/- and went and gave 3 to the lady while she was taking papers from another couple.
Adjacent to the photo guy is a little snack shop too. Everything, photos, copies and coffee is a rip-off by Indian standards but I guess that's the price you pay for captive service. The same 5 photos at his studio, I'm told, costs Rs. 100/-.
The whole session took all of 50 minutes. I'd say the lady was quite new to the task as she went off a couple of times to verify some of the documents, the photos for instance and such like. She wasn't very friendly either, spoke good English but wasn't too polite. About an hour later she called us back and indicated that they were going to do a name check on me and that we
would have to come back for the packets. We would have to continue to wait to attend the interview and take oath at which point our passports would be handed back to us with a note indicating pending status and that we officially had one year to collect our packets.
One of the 3 photos had to signed by us along the right edge.
More waiting and finally at 1:45 pm we were called again to window 6, where an American gentleman was seated, assisted by an Indian lady. We were asked if we understood English and when we answered in the affirmative, he asked us to raise our right hand and say "yes" to indicate that whatever we said
was the truth and we would be liable under law, etc., etc., etc. We were then asked to sign the DS230 Part II forms. He asked about my company and indicated that this particular industry had experienced significant market slowdown of late. I indicated that I happened to be in support and that the existing equipment had to be supported and that this division was the only money making division and he acknowledged that explanation and counter signed the DS230 forms straight away. Our passports were handed back to us along with a pending notice and we were told of the name check for me again and that a notice would be mailed to us as our local address was Bangalore when the name check returned positively. Also, only one of us needs to
return with the passports and the notice at 7:45 am.
Earlier the other lady had indicated to us to return in a week and not wait for the letter. We could also call to find out if we wished and I got the consulate number from her. If we were local to Mumbai, then they would have called us up and notified us when the name check had returned.
There were two other people who's GC was denied that day indicating name check as the reason. One of the gentleman was returning to the US the coming Saturday and they had asked him to return on Thursday, July 25th. I suppose they gave him his packet on that day itself. So be advised that you might not receive your packets the same day if they happen to choose you for this "name-check" process.
We boarded our flight to Bangalore that same evening. Following Monday, July 29th I returned to Bombay, alone. I did not wait for the notice from the consulate. Arrived at the consulate at 7:30 am and went straight to the entrance. Went through the same security procedure and on showing the pending case notice,
was asked to go to window 9, where several others were already in the Q. I handed over the notice and the passports to the lady and she indicated that my case may not have returned after the name-check, but she asked me to wait anyway and this lady was quite polite.
Finally at 11:45 am was called to the window and the lady asked me to go and pay the visa issuance fees (US$ 65/- per person) and bring the receipt to collect the passports and packets at 3:30 pm. Went to window 13 and submitted the DD for Rs. 6, 370/= for both of us. Exchange rate is Rs. 49/= per USD. (US$ 260/- pp was already paid in the US along with DS230Part I.). I indicated to the lady that although I had indicated in DS230 Part I that my wife would accompany me to the US, our plans had changed and that she would be returning separately and I would like to get two separate packets. She assured me that there would be two separate packets anyway and that my wife's packet would indicate "to accompany or follow".
Walked around Bhulabhai Desai road, got some lunch, and sat by the sea-front for about an hour and a half till 3:15 pm. Returned to the consulate and found that a line had already formed. This time, non-immigrant visas, like student visa's, the line was in front of the entrance, while immigrant visas (family/empl., etc.) the line was separate and further away to the side. The non-immigrant visas were issued first. We waited till 4:30 before
our line was ushered forward and I received our passports and packets. The packets were sealed with a sheet pasted on the front of each packet indicating our name, address, passport number, and other such data, along with our photographs, the one that we had signed. My wife's packet had a stamp indicating "Valid only if accompanying or following to join spouse."
Overall the process was quite straight forward, except for the name-check, which appears to be a new requirement and I suspect they choose the applicants at random. So my advice would be to not schedule your return straight away, well you can schedule the return straight away but be prepared to change if necessary.
Hope this helps and wish all those awaiting their interviews a smooth and eventless experience.
Finally, my thanks to those who've gone before and have provided tremendous "mental peace" in getting a lot of doubts cleared.
Arrived at the Visa section at 7:28 am on 18th July and waited. The visa section administrator arrived at 7:30:35 and got himself set up. He asked for the Consulate interview letter. I had only a fax copy of the letter. He didn't accept it, he wanted original. If the fax number was not on the top of the page it would have looked exactly like the original and he wouldn't have known the difference. I kept the original with all other papers ready for the interview and did not bring it with me to the hospital. So I had to
go and get it from the hotel, an hour's delay, but I got it and he accepted it after that and we went through the motions of giving blood samples, X-rays, physical (all of which are mandatory and cost us around Rs. 1190.00 per person.) and since we did not have any vaccinations in the US, we had to get them as well, DTP, two shots, if you didn't have chicken pox already you'll be given that vaccine as well, we didn't get it. The cost was around Rs. 185/= pp, excluding chicken pox vaccine. You'll pay more if you
get this. More than 30 applicants on that day, which means family applicants had more than one person, in our case it was 2, so be prepared. We didn't finish till 1:30 pm., same as others.
Retuned to Bombay on Monday July 22nd, showed up at consulate at 8:15 am., although appt. was at 9:30am. Had breakfast/tea outside adjacent to the consulate, where there was parking space too. Left the kids with their grandfather and we went in at 8:45 am. Go past sand bags, behind which a Mumbai policeman stood with a machine gun, to get to the ntrance where a private security guard was shouting instructions like he was herding cattle. My wife had a word with him and he was polite after that, so be prepared to be shouted at, I guess that's how they behave as a norm to get things done here. They don't allow traffic to stop in front of the consulate. NO electronic gadgets allowed inside, no cell phones, organizers, pda's, etc.. The security asked that the moisturizing cream be used before
he'd let us take it in. So take a plastic bag with all your papers only.
Showed interview letter at entrance to waiting hall, we were advised to go to window 10. The lady asked us for the interview letter and passports. She took them and asked us to wait. Waited till 9:50 to get called; to window number 3. Asked for DS230 Part II for self and spouse followed by birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. Provided copies and showed the
originals which were checked. PCC's and employer letter (notarized) are originals. Then came the Affidavit of Support for my wife filled and signed by me and notarized. They accepted my wife's immigration photographs, but did not accept mine (both taken in the US), saying there was a very slight shadow. This finished our paper collection session. The lady (an Indian, most are) indicated that I could get photos at the rear of the waiting room. The "photo-shop" guy has a little corner with a camera and
computer/printer set up (same guy has a photocopy machine also) where I went and got my photographs taken. Got the photos in about 5 minutes, 5 for Rs. 200/- and went and gave 3 to the lady while she was taking papers from another couple.
Adjacent to the photo guy is a little snack shop too. Everything, photos, copies and coffee is a rip-off by Indian standards but I guess that's the price you pay for captive service. The same 5 photos at his studio, I'm told, costs Rs. 100/-.
The whole session took all of 50 minutes. I'd say the lady was quite new to the task as she went off a couple of times to verify some of the documents, the photos for instance and such like. She wasn't very friendly either, spoke good English but wasn't too polite. About an hour later she called us back and indicated that they were going to do a name check on me and that we
would have to come back for the packets. We would have to continue to wait to attend the interview and take oath at which point our passports would be handed back to us with a note indicating pending status and that we officially had one year to collect our packets.
One of the 3 photos had to signed by us along the right edge.
More waiting and finally at 1:45 pm we were called again to window 6, where an American gentleman was seated, assisted by an Indian lady. We were asked if we understood English and when we answered in the affirmative, he asked us to raise our right hand and say "yes" to indicate that whatever we said
was the truth and we would be liable under law, etc., etc., etc. We were then asked to sign the DS230 Part II forms. He asked about my company and indicated that this particular industry had experienced significant market slowdown of late. I indicated that I happened to be in support and that the existing equipment had to be supported and that this division was the only money making division and he acknowledged that explanation and counter signed the DS230 forms straight away. Our passports were handed back to us along with a pending notice and we were told of the name check for me again and that a notice would be mailed to us as our local address was Bangalore when the name check returned positively. Also, only one of us needs to
return with the passports and the notice at 7:45 am.
Earlier the other lady had indicated to us to return in a week and not wait for the letter. We could also call to find out if we wished and I got the consulate number from her. If we were local to Mumbai, then they would have called us up and notified us when the name check had returned.
There were two other people who's GC was denied that day indicating name check as the reason. One of the gentleman was returning to the US the coming Saturday and they had asked him to return on Thursday, July 25th. I suppose they gave him his packet on that day itself. So be advised that you might not receive your packets the same day if they happen to choose you for this "name-check" process.
We boarded our flight to Bangalore that same evening. Following Monday, July 29th I returned to Bombay, alone. I did not wait for the notice from the consulate. Arrived at the consulate at 7:30 am and went straight to the entrance. Went through the same security procedure and on showing the pending case notice,
was asked to go to window 9, where several others were already in the Q. I handed over the notice and the passports to the lady and she indicated that my case may not have returned after the name-check, but she asked me to wait anyway and this lady was quite polite.
Finally at 11:45 am was called to the window and the lady asked me to go and pay the visa issuance fees (US$ 65/- per person) and bring the receipt to collect the passports and packets at 3:30 pm. Went to window 13 and submitted the DD for Rs. 6, 370/= for both of us. Exchange rate is Rs. 49/= per USD. (US$ 260/- pp was already paid in the US along with DS230Part I.). I indicated to the lady that although I had indicated in DS230 Part I that my wife would accompany me to the US, our plans had changed and that she would be returning separately and I would like to get two separate packets. She assured me that there would be two separate packets anyway and that my wife's packet would indicate "to accompany or follow".
Walked around Bhulabhai Desai road, got some lunch, and sat by the sea-front for about an hour and a half till 3:15 pm. Returned to the consulate and found that a line had already formed. This time, non-immigrant visas, like student visa's, the line was in front of the entrance, while immigrant visas (family/empl., etc.) the line was separate and further away to the side. The non-immigrant visas were issued first. We waited till 4:30 before
our line was ushered forward and I received our passports and packets. The packets were sealed with a sheet pasted on the front of each packet indicating our name, address, passport number, and other such data, along with our photographs, the one that we had signed. My wife's packet had a stamp indicating "Valid only if accompanying or following to join spouse."
Overall the process was quite straight forward, except for the name-check, which appears to be a new requirement and I suspect they choose the applicants at random. So my advice would be to not schedule your return straight away, well you can schedule the return straight away but be prepared to change if necessary.
Hope this helps and wish all those awaiting their interviews a smooth and eventless experience.
Finally, my thanks to those who've gone before and have provided tremendous "mental peace" in getting a lot of doubts cleared.