realplayer0
Registered Users (C)
Hi All,
Overall, the process was simple and smooth. Details are as follows:
Did my medicals in Chennai on 12th September, the day I reached Chennai from the US. Dr. Vijayalakshmi was very nice. Everything was done on the same day. Stayed in Hotel Palmgrove on Kodambakkam High Road (Rs. 1375+Tax for double AC room, very nice and clean with veg. restaurant inside). Hired the oneday non AC Taxi from the the hotel agency. Rs. 700 for 10hrs and 100km. AC Taxi will run you approximately Rs. 825. On hindsight, I would recommend hiring an AC Taxi to avoid dust and petrol fumes of autorickshaws on crowded Madras roads. We needed an extra hour, that cost us Rs. 50 extra. Very reasonble overall.
Timeline: Went to Lister at 800am, picked up reports by 345pm, seen by Dr. Vijayalakshmi at 430pm, and were dropped at the railway station by 600pm by the same Taxi and we were on our way home down south in TN.
Interview: Came back by Train to Chennai with parents on 17th.
I had booked a two bedroom flat in hotel Ashoka, however the front desk didn't even know that the flats were being painted. This caused us some inconvenience, but we rented two double AC rooms for Rs. 995/- each. Rooms are not as clean or comfortable as in Palmgrove, but not bad. Went to Consulate by Autorickshaw (Rs.30) around 715am. This seems to be the going rate for this distance. No auto driver wants to use meter, which is rather strange. Allowed inside immediately. Salient points:
Opaque Bags: Some people were allowed in with small opaque folders. I even saw a boy carrying a Reebok backpack inside the consulate. However, we only had translucent folder.
On this day, no list was given at the consulate for us to arrange the documents. However, we had arranged the docs according to Pat Srinivas's list posted in this forum.
First, two people at windows 7 and 8 collected documents and give you blue dart stickers. Shortly afterwards, the IV officer came out and administered oath. Although, they made a note of people with small children to call them first, people were called in rather randomly. An Indian called us to counter 7, by about 11am and went through our docs. For some reason, he gave back even the notarized I134 saying that he didn't need it. Not sure why. Collected the blue dart DD for Rs. 350 (Rs.250+2*50 for two passports). This fee can even be paid by cash. Asked us to sit down.
Called us back around 1145am, and asked us to pay the fee ($65*49). Many Family based immigrants had wrong DD amount due to the confusion in packet 4. We paid the fee and got out by 12noon. Took an autorickshaw back to Hotel Ashoka (Rs. 30 again). It may be better to get out of the consulate and walk a few blocks before you hail an auto. I made the mistake of getting into an auto right then and had to get out, when the auto fellow started asking for more after agreeing for Rs.30 initially. Since I speak Tamil, this wasn't a difficulty.
Had given the Hotel Room number and address for blue dart at the consulate. The package was delivered promptly by 11am on the 19th. The courier wants the photocopy of the first page of your passport and also the receipt of the visa fee paid at the consulate. Since I didn't have the copy of the passport, he took me to a nearby copy place and dropped me back.
POE at JFK was smooth. There are only Citizens and Visitors line.
After collecting our docs, the officer directed us to an office where they took our finger prints and affixed the stamp in our passport.
Miscellaneous: We flew Air-India to Madras. The baggage was checked all the way to Madras from Baltimore-Washington International. The service was outstanding and prompt. Landings were so smooth, It was hard to tell when exactly we touched land. Food was excellent and we reached on time all around.
Hotel Website for Ashoka and Palmgrove (gives you phone numbers etc):
http://www.ballalgrouphotels.com/
Please post any questions and I'll be happy to answer them.
Overall, the process was simple and smooth. Details are as follows:
Did my medicals in Chennai on 12th September, the day I reached Chennai from the US. Dr. Vijayalakshmi was very nice. Everything was done on the same day. Stayed in Hotel Palmgrove on Kodambakkam High Road (Rs. 1375+Tax for double AC room, very nice and clean with veg. restaurant inside). Hired the oneday non AC Taxi from the the hotel agency. Rs. 700 for 10hrs and 100km. AC Taxi will run you approximately Rs. 825. On hindsight, I would recommend hiring an AC Taxi to avoid dust and petrol fumes of autorickshaws on crowded Madras roads. We needed an extra hour, that cost us Rs. 50 extra. Very reasonble overall.
Timeline: Went to Lister at 800am, picked up reports by 345pm, seen by Dr. Vijayalakshmi at 430pm, and were dropped at the railway station by 600pm by the same Taxi and we were on our way home down south in TN.
Interview: Came back by Train to Chennai with parents on 17th.
I had booked a two bedroom flat in hotel Ashoka, however the front desk didn't even know that the flats were being painted. This caused us some inconvenience, but we rented two double AC rooms for Rs. 995/- each. Rooms are not as clean or comfortable as in Palmgrove, but not bad. Went to Consulate by Autorickshaw (Rs.30) around 715am. This seems to be the going rate for this distance. No auto driver wants to use meter, which is rather strange. Allowed inside immediately. Salient points:
Opaque Bags: Some people were allowed in with small opaque folders. I even saw a boy carrying a Reebok backpack inside the consulate. However, we only had translucent folder.
On this day, no list was given at the consulate for us to arrange the documents. However, we had arranged the docs according to Pat Srinivas's list posted in this forum.
First, two people at windows 7 and 8 collected documents and give you blue dart stickers. Shortly afterwards, the IV officer came out and administered oath. Although, they made a note of people with small children to call them first, people were called in rather randomly. An Indian called us to counter 7, by about 11am and went through our docs. For some reason, he gave back even the notarized I134 saying that he didn't need it. Not sure why. Collected the blue dart DD for Rs. 350 (Rs.250+2*50 for two passports). This fee can even be paid by cash. Asked us to sit down.
Called us back around 1145am, and asked us to pay the fee ($65*49). Many Family based immigrants had wrong DD amount due to the confusion in packet 4. We paid the fee and got out by 12noon. Took an autorickshaw back to Hotel Ashoka (Rs. 30 again). It may be better to get out of the consulate and walk a few blocks before you hail an auto. I made the mistake of getting into an auto right then and had to get out, when the auto fellow started asking for more after agreeing for Rs.30 initially. Since I speak Tamil, this wasn't a difficulty.
Had given the Hotel Room number and address for blue dart at the consulate. The package was delivered promptly by 11am on the 19th. The courier wants the photocopy of the first page of your passport and also the receipt of the visa fee paid at the consulate. Since I didn't have the copy of the passport, he took me to a nearby copy place and dropped me back.
POE at JFK was smooth. There are only Citizens and Visitors line.
After collecting our docs, the officer directed us to an office where they took our finger prints and affixed the stamp in our passport.
Miscellaneous: We flew Air-India to Madras. The baggage was checked all the way to Madras from Baltimore-Washington International. The service was outstanding and prompt. Landings were so smooth, It was hard to tell when exactly we touched land. Food was excellent and we reached on time all around.
Hotel Website for Ashoka and Palmgrove (gives you phone numbers etc):
http://www.ballalgrouphotels.com/
Please post any questions and I'll be happy to answer them.
,,, there is an old say @ chennai ( chennai auto's run faster than the meter , hence no meter)