My experience was very similar to other successful CPers. Don\'t worry too much about the order of the documents. The order in the Srifx list (updated for changes since his CP experience), or the order in the list provided in the P4 should both be good. As long as the documents are all there, the officer collecting the documents does some arranging of the docs in his own way anyways. A few notes that may be helpful:
1.
Don\'t bother taking photos in the US. Based on my experience, US studios charge a lot and produce poorer quality photos that are not up to spec. Camera Citi (opp. Chola Sheraton) does a professional job and is a lot cheaper. You can get both the immigration style and normal passport photos done there. You will need the normal photos for the Lister documentation and for the doctor\'s documentation.
2.
Take several copies of the appointment letter from your P4 (or the web printout or other e-mails etc. you may have exchanged with Chennai IV confirming your appointment date). This is asked for pretty much at every step along the way (to do the tests at Lister, by the Dr., to enter the consulate, to receive the Blue Dart package etc.)
3.
Make sure to call the number listed in the P4 for the exchange rate to be used for the demand drafts. It was 49 when I went -- so, I made drafts out for Rs.12,740 ($260) for the application fees and Rs. 3,185 ($65) for the visa fees. Please note that the rate the banks use in all likelihood will be different from the rate that they give out at the number listed on the P4. I saw an elderly gentleman who had made drafts out for a slightly higher amount (because he specified $amounts and the bank used a different rate) who was asked to get his drafts re-done. He was planning to plead his case, but I am not sure if he succeeded.
4.
If you organize your documents in one of the nice multi-pouch sheet protecting folders, that\'s all fine, but before you go to submit your documents gather all the required documents in a pile, just clip them and keep them ready for the officer. If you keep them in your sheet protective folders, it is highly likely that you will be asked to go back, pull all the necessary documents out, organize them in a pile and then submit -- saw this happen to a couple of people.
5.
Ran into a fellow CPer whose first name and last name was reversed in the visa page stapled to the package sent via Blue Dart. I am not sure if this actually helps, but I stuck to my passport a yellow sticky that clearly spelt out
First name: _________
Last name: _________
to avoid confusion. The officer that collected my documents did not seem to have a problem with it. In a note they send with the Blue Dart package, they explicitly mention that things like first name, last name swaps will not be corrected, so to avoid the potential of the names getting swapped and the associated hassle of having to explain it to someone in the future, it might be worthwhile to try the sticky for what it is worth.
QUESTION FOR CP GURUS
The visa page that comes with the blue dart package has an occupation code. I work in investment banking, and for whatever reason, they seemed to have picked the occupation code of ASP - Administrative Support, which clearly does not describe my position. For my wife, who also works and was on a H1 before we finished our CP, the occupation code mysteriously came out to be HOU - Housewife/Househusband. I am not sure (a) how important this occupation classification is as I have not seen the occupation classification in any other meaningful document - the I-551 stamp or the plastic card etc. and (b) even if I wanted to get it fixed, where to get it done. As I did not give myself at least one working day\'s cushion, I did not have the chance to go back and ask them about this (lesson for future CPers - give yourself at least one working day after the interview
). Any thoughts from CP gurus would be much appreciated.
1.
Don\'t bother taking photos in the US. Based on my experience, US studios charge a lot and produce poorer quality photos that are not up to spec. Camera Citi (opp. Chola Sheraton) does a professional job and is a lot cheaper. You can get both the immigration style and normal passport photos done there. You will need the normal photos for the Lister documentation and for the doctor\'s documentation.
2.
Take several copies of the appointment letter from your P4 (or the web printout or other e-mails etc. you may have exchanged with Chennai IV confirming your appointment date). This is asked for pretty much at every step along the way (to do the tests at Lister, by the Dr., to enter the consulate, to receive the Blue Dart package etc.)
3.
Make sure to call the number listed in the P4 for the exchange rate to be used for the demand drafts. It was 49 when I went -- so, I made drafts out for Rs.12,740 ($260) for the application fees and Rs. 3,185 ($65) for the visa fees. Please note that the rate the banks use in all likelihood will be different from the rate that they give out at the number listed on the P4. I saw an elderly gentleman who had made drafts out for a slightly higher amount (because he specified $amounts and the bank used a different rate) who was asked to get his drafts re-done. He was planning to plead his case, but I am not sure if he succeeded.
4.
If you organize your documents in one of the nice multi-pouch sheet protecting folders, that\'s all fine, but before you go to submit your documents gather all the required documents in a pile, just clip them and keep them ready for the officer. If you keep them in your sheet protective folders, it is highly likely that you will be asked to go back, pull all the necessary documents out, organize them in a pile and then submit -- saw this happen to a couple of people.
5.
Ran into a fellow CPer whose first name and last name was reversed in the visa page stapled to the package sent via Blue Dart. I am not sure if this actually helps, but I stuck to my passport a yellow sticky that clearly spelt out
First name: _________
Last name: _________
to avoid confusion. The officer that collected my documents did not seem to have a problem with it. In a note they send with the Blue Dart package, they explicitly mention that things like first name, last name swaps will not be corrected, so to avoid the potential of the names getting swapped and the associated hassle of having to explain it to someone in the future, it might be worthwhile to try the sticky for what it is worth.
QUESTION FOR CP GURUS
The visa page that comes with the blue dart package has an occupation code. I work in investment banking, and for whatever reason, they seemed to have picked the occupation code of ASP - Administrative Support, which clearly does not describe my position. For my wife, who also works and was on a H1 before we finished our CP, the occupation code mysteriously came out to be HOU - Housewife/Househusband. I am not sure (a) how important this occupation classification is as I have not seen the occupation classification in any other meaningful document - the I-551 stamp or the plastic card etc. and (b) even if I wanted to get it fixed, where to get it done. As I did not give myself at least one working day\'s cushion, I did not have the chance to go back and ask them about this (lesson for future CPers - give yourself at least one working day after the interview
). Any thoughts from CP gurus would be much appreciated.