CP in Chennai how long for Parents ?

jyotsnar said:
I finally spoke to an operator this evening and found out that my case was completed today, and will be transferred to Chennai in 2 to 4 weeks. Yay! :D So, visaapp, it looks like they accepted my DS-230.

The automated message still says the same thing about incomplete information.
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Congrats Jyo! Hopefully you all will be scheduled for interview in Chennai soon.
 
Case transferred to consulate

Hi Guys,

I checked the auto msg again today, my wife's case has been transferred to the consulate in Chennai.

I am not sure how this works going forward, do we just wait for the appointment letter package (formerly called packet 4) from the consulate?
 
Our case too!

The auto msg says my Dad's case was completed and transferred to 'Madras' on 13th Sep. And that going forward we should contact the Consulate for any questions.

Az - Yes, the next step is to wait for the appt letter packet from Chennai consulate. That will have instructions to obtain medical clearance and PCC.
 
jenimmi said:
The auto msg says my Dad's case was completed and transferred to 'Madras' on 13th Sep. And that going forward we should contact the Consulate for any questions.

Az - Yes, the next step is to wait for the appt letter packet from Chennai consulate. That will have instructions to obtain medical clearance and PCC.
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Jen and AZ,

Congratulations! You may want to keep checking Chennai consulate website. For Mumbai consulate, here is the info from their website:

We post the immigrant visa appointment schedule for the current month by approximately the 15th of the previous month. Simply click on one of the links below. If you do not find your case now, please check back after we have posted the next month's appointments.

If your appointment appears on the interview schedule but you have not yet received an appointment letter within ten (10) days of your appointment, you may request a duplicate appointment letter by e-mailing us. Applicants need appointment letters to attend medical examinations and to enter the consulate for their interviews. If you are waiting for your appointment letter to arrive, you may begin preparing for your interview by downloading the appropriate appointment packet.

That way you will probably know about when the interview is scheduled before you actually receive the letter.
 
Congrats Jen and Az. That was quick!

Thank you visaapp, for the valuable information.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks, Jyo. You too would see your case transfer very soon.

Thanks visaapp for the info. I checked Chennai's website now.

Chennai seems to be scheduling appointments on the 10th of each month for the following month. So, they have already scheduled appts for Oct and I couldn't find my Dad's case there. I could see the case number before his posted for Oct. I think his appt (and AZ and Jyo's too, if not already scheduled for Oct) will most likely be in the first week of Nov.

http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/appointments.html

In terms of fees, I think our parent/spouse only need to take with them a DD for Rs.350 for Blue Dart (courier fee).
 
Thanks guys for all the info. I checked another site www.cptracker.com where people have posted their processing times for consular processing. Looking at the few cases posted there for Chennai, it seems that the appointment date is about 2-3 months after the case was transferred to the consulate. So, I am guessing a Nov-Dec timeframe for our cases.
 
An update

I called the NVC this morning, and found that my mother's case was transferred to Chennai yesterday. From Jaise's experience, mine, and that of Jen and Az, it looks like the NVC transfers cases to Chennai every Wednesday.
 
Thanks Az.

I have a question - while looking through the interview instructions on the Chennai Consulate website, I found that it repeatedly mentions that the beneficiary must provide the affidavit of support from the petitioner. Since we mailed this document to the NVC, do we need to send a copy to our parent/spouse to take with them to the interview?
 
Jyo,

I recently noticed that the instructions on the website say that the affadavit of support must be original with original signature and notarization. So I prepared another I-864, got it notarized and gave it to my wife, who is leaving for India today. :(

I also gave her my original W-2's, tax returns and transcripts (along with a photocopy) and also my employment letter with recent pay slips. I don't know if all of this is required, but I decided to play it safe.
 
Congratulations Jyotsna!

Regarding I864 at the time of interview, below is what Mumbai Consulate's instructions say. I found this in attachments titled packet 3 and packet 4 instructions. You will have to follow what Chennai consulate says and asks for in the interview letter/package. However, it seems like at a minimum, we will have to provide current supporting documents.

As with the whole process, experience of you all will be very helpful to me.

*******************************************

AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT:
Note: Only U.S. consular officers, DHS officers and U.S. notaries are authorized to notarize forms I-864, I-864A, and I-134.
A) Immediate relative and family preference category
Each immigrant visa applicant needs to satisfy the consular officer that he/she will not become a public charge. In all immediate relative, family preference applicants, and employment-based applications in which a close family member owns 5% or more of the petitioning business, the petitioner must submit a completed affidavit of support (Form I-864) to show that the sponsored applicant(s) will not become a public charge. A form I-864 submitted within six months of the sponsor’s signing the form is valid indefinitely.
i) If form I-864 and its supporting documents have already been submitted to the National Visa Center (NVC), the documents will be forwarded to our office by the NVC and will be reviewed by the consular officer during the visa interview. While the form I-864 submitted to the NVC could be valid indefinitely (see above), the supporting documents submitted with this form are not. Many applicants’ cases are needlessly delayed because their forms I-864 are not accompanied by current supporting documentation. To avoid this problem, we strongly recommend that all applicants needing form I-864 bring to the initial interview a copy of the petitioner’s most recent tax documents, proof of employment, bank letter, and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency.
 
Thank you very much, Visaapp and Az. I will also play it safe, and mail a new I-864 with a set of documents to my mother.
 
Photocopying barcode sheets

Jen, Jyotsna, AZ

A couple of questions for you all:

- Did you photocopy any of the barcode sheets from NVC?
- Does it affect the barcode and cause any problem with NVC trying to use it down the road?

The reason for asking this: when I receive I864, IV fee bill, DS 230 etc. I was going to photocopy all the stuff that I receive (including barcode sheet) before sending them back to NVC. That way I will have a copy just in case.

With I864 fee bill, there was a note in the top portion (with instructions) "do not copy or fax". So I did not copy it and sent it back with the money order. With DS 3032, I did photocopy/scan it before sending it back. Rightnow waiting for next steps.

I think photocopying barcode sheet should not matter. But I wanted to check with you if any of you did that.

Thanks.
 
Hi Visaapp -

I photocopied every one of the docs that I sent back to NVC. No issues so far. In fact one of the forms with barcode, I think DS-3032 - I sent an image attachment via email to my Dad, he actually downloaded and printed that one, signed and sent it back to me, which I forwarded to NVC.
 
Visaapp,
I photocopied only the DS-3032 (which had the barcode) for my records before mailing the original to my mother. She sent the original directly to the NVC, and it was apparently acceptable. I didn't photocopy any other barcode sheet.
 
Visaapp,

I did not photocopy any of the barcode sheets, as I didn't need to.

I don't think photocopying it will have any effect on the original barcode, (unless the document was fed into the copier and somehow got mangled).
 
Jen, Jyotsna, AZ

Thanks very much for replying. It is good to know that photocopying barcode sheets does not seem to create any problems.
 
Updt:

My Dad got his interview packet.
Interview: Nov 21st.
As expected, he got sent DS-230 again (in the interview packet). He's going to fill that out and take it with him.

It's also asking for notarized original I-864 to be taken to interview. I think this applies to those who are getting interviews now, for applications filed many years ago. Since we filed only recently, the I-864 NVC sent to the Consulate must be current.
On the same day I mailed I-864 to NVC, I sent a copy of it with supporting docs to my Dad. I am still wondering if I need to send the original to him. (hmm.. I probably will). But, it just doesn't make sense to prepare another original, when the initial one was sent only in Aug to NVC which I suppose would've been forwarded to the Consulate as part of his file.
 
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