CP completed at Mumbai on Feb 25th

S

shri ganesh

Registered Users (C)
Thanks to this forum and everybody else for all the help they provided during this trying times. literally, the whole GC experience was a nightmare...not because of complications but simply because of the length of the process.

anyway, the details of my interview:
my cousin dropped me at the consulate at around 10:15 am for 10:30 am interview. having been advised, i had already put my folders in \'Shoppers Stop\' polythene bags. the guy did ask us to remove the folders from the duffle bag we were carrying as it was not allowed.

we gave our bags to my cousin and went in. security was a joke. i seriously think they need to improve the checking. our folders never passed through the scanner and they simply glanced in the polythene bag...that\'s it. anyway, we went through it without any problem.

went to counter 1 but then a lady approached us and re-directed us to window #13 (cashier for IVs). there were quite a few in line ahead of us. we paid the visa applications fees (2 DDs of Rs. 12740, $260 each with our name and case number written on the back in pencil). we then waited for about 20 minutes and were called to window #10. an old and nice fellow (with specs) greeted us. he collected the documents. i took my own sweet times and gave him the documents in the following order. i never gave or showed him any originals. simply submitted the photocopies. and he did not even ask to see any original.

1) For primary:
receipt for visa fees payment
passport original
photos (3, he asked me to sign one photo which i did.)
PCC (from Indian Consulate in the US, original not asked for)
Marriage certificate( copy only)
DS230 Part I & II (he made me change address in item #13 to indian address)
IRS 9003 (original)
Employment letter notarized original (1)
birth certificate (he did notice a difference in spelling of my name but accepted it as is. i told him that i have an affidavit for the discrepancy but he said he understands that my name could be spelt either way and no problem)
OF 169 Not asked for.

2) Secondary applicant
DS230 Part I & II (i had taken DS230 page 1 printout with item #13 with US and indian address. so this time I gave the page with indian address and he was happy, "Oh, this one has the correct indian address". and i told him what i did and we laughed a little)
Photos (3, was asked to sign one photo)
IRS 9003
PCC (from Indian consulate, never showed the original)
I-134 affidavit of support
marriage certificate (again a copy)
birth certificate (english translation asked for and submitted)

cool. there is ample time to search and hand over the document. no need to hurry and i didn\'t even arrange the document in any order. take your own sweet time. and relax.

infact, of all the people there our document collected went quick and smooth. many people were asked to re-take their photos (photo service is available right there but it\'s just a hassle. so avoid it by going to My Own Studio).

then we waited about 35 minutes and were called to window 9. the guy asked us to raise our hands which we did. took the oath (it would make more sense for us to put our hands on Geeta instead of raising the oath, i felt). signed DS230 part II. answered some questions as which employer, how long, etc.

paid the $65 by 2 DDs (Rs 3185 each). went at 4pm instead of 3pm and collected the packet in less than 10 minutes. cool. everything was correct and so no hassle. started eating at rekdis and hawkers and all the fun in India.

i will answer any questions next week, if not earlier.

good luck to you all.
 
Congrats Shri Ganesh! Where did you do your medicals?

Where did you do your medicals? When did you do it? How many days in advance did you have to take an appointment?
Thanks in advance for your response.
 
Questions about IRS 9003

Congratulations Shri Ganesh!

I have few questions. Hope you can answer them.

1) Where/how did you get your IRS 9003 done?
2) Did you get sailing permit also before you left US?

Thanks!
 
Congraculations ...shri ganesh Plz reply issue with Birth certificate as i am leaving for india in

I have the same problem (my last name is mispelled in my birth certificate )can u tell me the format of affidavit for the discrepancy and how and where to get it....
 
Congratulations Buddy... Can you please tell how long it took for entire Procedure After your 140 wa

Congratulations Buddy... Can you please tell how long it took for entire Procedure After your 140 was approved ???
 
answers to questions...

this cyber cafe has just opened after the stupid Maha Bandh. mumbai is quite and peaceful and no problem. after a long time, i have had a chance to experience a Bandh.

anyway, to answer some of the questions in this discussion:
1) i did my medicals at Hinduja (i have a separate discussion). medicals were on feb 18 and interview on feb 25. keep 3 working days between the two for eventualities.\
2) IRS9003 is definitely required. you get it in packet 4 which you can fill up after arriving here in mumbai. i printed it out on a YELLOW paper (the shade of my paper was much darker than packet 4 but no questions or objections). download from immihelp.com
3) i am leaving for US on sunday and should be able to answer more questions on tuesday.

good luck to all march CPers. i don\'t know what happened to those having interview today...
 
New Social Security Card applied, I9 form submitted.

Hopefully the cards will arrive soon and the whole process ends. good luck to Future GC seekers, CP or AOS.
 
Procedures after CP

Did you have to go to the SS office to apply for the new SSN card? Any other procedures to be followed after CP or is that it?
 
Congrats Shree Ganesh! How/where did you prepare your DDs?

1) Did you pay the bank in Dollors or in Rupees to get the DD\'s?
2) If in Rupees, do they accept check or currency only? I want to clarify this as it is a matter of about Rs 35,000.00, not easy to carry around!
3) Moreover, I\'m in a different city \'B\' and would be in Mumbai only 2 days in advance. Can I get the DDs prepared from City \'B\'?
4) What conversion rate should be used from $ to Rs?
5) One more last thing:
With the Pk 4, I have received a letter from the US Consulate in Mumbai, advicing to get one combined DD for the family for Visa Application Fee (so 2 times $260 for me) and one combined DD for the family for Visa Issuance Fee (2 times $65 for me). Did you also do it this way? If not then what is the correct way of preparing the DDs?
Thanks in Advance.
 
DDs and Medical

just two questions:

1. I also would like to know details about how and where to get the DDs. can we get it from any bank in any city ?

2. were the medicals all done in a day ? if everything else is the same which hospitals is considered the most convenient and hassle free in terms of the medical ?

Regards.
 
No Title

My P3 was delieverd at mumbai consulate today. I have requested interview date prior to May 15 and if that is not possible after July 5.
1. What do you guys think? will I get a date before May 15?
2. Also I am thinking of sending my passport for PCC to CGNY. My passport was issued in US - so it will take only 2 days right? Should I get it done now or wait a bit incase I don\'t get May interview?? Please advice.
3. When should I call consulate to inquire about interview date?
thanks
 
mm123

We had to go to the Social Security office to apply for the change. They took away our current SS cards and gave receipts. these receipts can be used till we get our new cards mailed to us.

Also, you can go to any Social Security office, not necessarily close to your address. My address is on the east coast but I am currently on the west coast. so I went to the nearest SS office and they didn\'t object. I will receive my new card on the east coast, though. that you cannot AND shouldn\'t change.

We have not checked our mailbox on the east coast yet so don\'t know if we have even received our Green Cards. but SS office accepted the temp I-551 stamp on the passports.
 
To Sanjay K. Jain

1) Did you pay the bank in Dollors or in Rupees to get the DD\'s?

Ans: In Rupees. used my NRE account. you can probably give Traveller\'s Cheques. but avoid giving Dollars in cash for such a huge sum. I also know that there are different rules when the per person (person in whose name the DD is issued, not necessarily same as "Payable to" name) amount crosses Rs. 20,000. so in my case, we divided our 4 DDs into two. i.e. two people went to get the drafts - my father and my cousin.

    2) If in Rupees, do they accept check or currency only? I want to clarify this as it is a matter of about Rs 35,000.00, not easy to carry around!
 
Ans: I paid cash. carrying Rs. 35,000 is not easy. but not that difficult too.

    3) Moreover, I\'m in a different city \'B\' and would be in Mumbai only 2 days in advance. Can I get the DDs prepared from City \'B\'?
Ans: You can get DDs prepared in any city and any bank as long as the bank is nationalised. do not get DD from a co-operative bank. go for SBI, Dena Bank, Bank of Baroda, CItibank, ICICI, etc. or other famous one. The only problem is if you reach Mumbai and discover some problems with DD, you can\'t run back to City B. in that case, get new ones from Mumbai and then return to City B and cancel. you\'ll lose some service charges.

    4) What conversion rate should be used from $ to Rs?

Ans: one that\'s on the consulate website. i used Rs. 49/USD. but you can pay in cash if there is minor difference. Try to avoid that if you can. check mumbai consulate website from cyber cafe on the day you go for getting DD.
    5) One more last thing:
    With the Pk 4, I have received a letter from the US Consulate in Mumbai, advicing to get one combined DD for the family for Visa Application Fee (so 2
    times $260 for me) and one combined DD for the family for Visa Issuance Fee (2 times $65 for me). Did you also do it this way? If not then what is the
    correct way of preparing the DDs?

Ans: the bottom line is they want money. how you pay it is not that big a deal. I paid using 4 DDs. I know many people who followed P4 instructions. It does not matter. But you definitely want to have separate DDs for each applicant for the issuance fees ($65). This is because issuance fees is payable by only successful applicants. although it is a rarity that one gets GC and the other is denied, it can happen.
 
To Daffy & Bluegrass

1. I also would like to know details about how and where to get the DDs. can we get it from any bank in any city ?

Ans: answered in previous posting.

2. were the medicals all done in a day ? if everything else is the same which hospitals is considered the most convenient and hassle free in terms of the medical ?

Ans: medicals done in a day. all hospitals are equally good. i guess lilavati and hinduja are the only two remaining now. i am not quite sure but i thought i didn\'t see Breach Candy listed in my Packet 4. but in general, all are good. take appointments for two different days at two different hospitals...just in case of a strike or bandh or riot. you can then cancel the second appt. if everything goes smooth on the first day. this is not required but under current circumstances, you don\'t want to leave it to Karsevaks.

      
    My P3 was delieverd at mumbai consulate today. I have requested interview date prior to May 15 and if that is not possible after July 5.
    1. What do you guys think? will I get a date before May 15?

Ans: hard to tell. you can request a date before May 15 but normally they schedule it in the 2nd half of the month.

    2. Also I am thinking of sending my passport for PCC to CGNY. My passport was issued in US - so it will take only 2 days right? Should I get it done now or wait a bit incase I don\'t get May interview?? Please advice.

Ans: i think you should get PCC in 2 days. unless they changed the rules or something. GET IT DONE. even if you don\'t get May interview, the PCC will be valid for June interview so you don\'t have to worry.

    3. When should I call consulate to inquire about interview date?

Ans: normally they post it on their website around 15th of the month. but you can call on 3rd or 4th and they should be able to tell you your interview date. this is because that\'s when they mail you your packet 4. so it\'s confirmed by that time.
 
Re: To Daffy & Bluegrass

> Ans: medicals done in a day. all hospitals are equally good. i
> guess lilavati and hinduja are the only two remaining now. i am not > quite sure but i thought i didn\'t see Breach Candy listed in my
> Packet 4. but in general, all are good. take appointments for two
> different days at two different hospitals...just in case of a
> strike or bandh or riot. you can then cancel the second appt. if
> everything goes smooth on the first day. this is not required but
> under current circumstances, you don\'t want to leave it to
> Karsevaks.

hi shri ganesh. that was very helpful. thank you. a couple of more questions.

1. did u take two different appointment for two different days ?
2. Can we (and did you ?) cancel the second appointment just one day before ?
3. Do we feel uncomfortable or fall sick after the immunization shots ?

Regards
 
To Daffy...medicals

You can take two appointments for two different day at different hospitals. I didn\'t try to take it at the same hospital. you can cancel your appointment one day before - no fees, nothing.

Secondly, don\'t think that you will eat up a spot that could have been used by somebody else since there are ample appointments available and hospitals have excess capacity - so it didn\'t hurt my conscience. it\'s not like a seat in engineering college where you would normally feel guilty to keep admission at two colleges.

and we had all the vaccines from the US (health insurance zindabaad) and so didn\'t take any injection during medicals in India. so can\'t comment on the post-vaccination sickness syndrome, haha.
 
Re: Medical - immunization

ok, good for you.
what are the diffrent shots required. will try to get them done here too ?

Regards,
 
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