CP Interview Experience
- Thread starter kjagdish_6
- Start date
CP interview at Chennai
We had our interviews on 11th and we are awaiting our passports to arrive (EB3 category PD Jul 2003). Our petition was in Chennai for a long time and I am sure they are glad to get rid of their probably oldest EB petition!
When we arrived at the gates, we saw a huge queue. The guards understood that we were for greencard and they let us get in out of turn. We did not have the appt letter, just the email from the consulate asking us to download the Packet 4 instructions from the web. With that they checked with the IV section and I was allowed in first and then a permission slip was issued for my family to join, all in a matter of 15mins.
Besides the Documents we had submitted at VFS, I handed in the medicals, 3 recent paystubs, IT return of 2006 and Affid of Supporrt. They asked for family photo I did not have one and they did not insist, as we had several H1/H4s togother. They took the latest H1/H4/F1 approvals. After nearly 3 hours we were asked to swear that everything in the application submitted was true. After that we were asked to go home or wherever we were staying and wait for the stamped passports to arrive over the next few days! We were done!
I know this is unbelievable, but now I feel asking us anything would have been a waste of time, even if only a few minutes, considering the enormous workload the Consulate handles. The employment and salary were supported by the IT return and the salary stubs. My experience was supported by documents. My previous employments with the company was reflected in the several H1s. So!
The tons of IT returns I had carried (for nearly a decade), the tons of H1 and H4 I had carried, the bank statements, the mutual funds statements, oh so many of those papers, school papers of kids, and the whole thing was so over in just those few moments, all we could do was congratulate each other. So much we had missed for just this and so much was at stake, at least in terms of kids education etc! My child missed inclusion in the State Scholar List, we were shut out of so many internships, scholarships, options. I am not complaining, in India I would have more to complain....
Also, most of the EB applicants in Chennai seemed to be Nurses, so you wont find many postings here of experiences. Also one guy who did go in prevous day was so tight lipped when we talked to him, my family thought he was pretty tense given the visa numbers fiasco. All we could get out of him was his case was fine. This was before his interview. Another guy walked in to the Mt Road Traffic like a Superman, he was so upset, we could not make out what went wrong. Somebody pulled him out of the rushing traffic before he could get hurt.
Dr Vijayalakshmi had a list of nearly 1600 (applicants & derivatives) names who would require medicals. If you use this number with the interview schedule numbers (EB and family), that gives you fair idea of how much of visa numbers each application take away! And Chennai is just one of the visa issuing consulates.
If any of you need details about CSPA, I would be happy to share my limited knowledge, which is far better than the fee sucking form filling attorneys' can boast of, pl post yr questions and I will be glad to share.
Best Wishes,
H
PS Passports reached us on 18th July & back in US 25th (POE JFK - Nothing much to write abt @JFK)
We had our interviews on 11th and we are awaiting our passports to arrive (EB3 category PD Jul 2003). Our petition was in Chennai for a long time and I am sure they are glad to get rid of their probably oldest EB petition!
When we arrived at the gates, we saw a huge queue. The guards understood that we were for greencard and they let us get in out of turn. We did not have the appt letter, just the email from the consulate asking us to download the Packet 4 instructions from the web. With that they checked with the IV section and I was allowed in first and then a permission slip was issued for my family to join, all in a matter of 15mins.
Besides the Documents we had submitted at VFS, I handed in the medicals, 3 recent paystubs, IT return of 2006 and Affid of Supporrt. They asked for family photo I did not have one and they did not insist, as we had several H1/H4s togother. They took the latest H1/H4/F1 approvals. After nearly 3 hours we were asked to swear that everything in the application submitted was true. After that we were asked to go home or wherever we were staying and wait for the stamped passports to arrive over the next few days! We were done!
I know this is unbelievable, but now I feel asking us anything would have been a waste of time, even if only a few minutes, considering the enormous workload the Consulate handles. The employment and salary were supported by the IT return and the salary stubs. My experience was supported by documents. My previous employments with the company was reflected in the several H1s. So!
The tons of IT returns I had carried (for nearly a decade), the tons of H1 and H4 I had carried, the bank statements, the mutual funds statements, oh so many of those papers, school papers of kids, and the whole thing was so over in just those few moments, all we could do was congratulate each other. So much we had missed for just this and so much was at stake, at least in terms of kids education etc! My child missed inclusion in the State Scholar List, we were shut out of so many internships, scholarships, options. I am not complaining, in India I would have more to complain....
Also, most of the EB applicants in Chennai seemed to be Nurses, so you wont find many postings here of experiences. Also one guy who did go in prevous day was so tight lipped when we talked to him, my family thought he was pretty tense given the visa numbers fiasco. All we could get out of him was his case was fine. This was before his interview. Another guy walked in to the Mt Road Traffic like a Superman, he was so upset, we could not make out what went wrong. Somebody pulled him out of the rushing traffic before he could get hurt.
Dr Vijayalakshmi had a list of nearly 1600 (applicants & derivatives) names who would require medicals. If you use this number with the interview schedule numbers (EB and family), that gives you fair idea of how much of visa numbers each application take away! And Chennai is just one of the visa issuing consulates.
If any of you need details about CSPA, I would be happy to share my limited knowledge, which is far better than the fee sucking form filling attorneys' can boast of, pl post yr questions and I will be glad to share.
Best Wishes,
H
PS Passports reached us on 18th July & back in US 25th (POE JFK - Nothing much to write abt @JFK)
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sudiptabhaskar
Registered Users (C)
Precious and timely post. Thanks a lot. I know what you saying.. I am on the same boat.. well almost.. waiting for my GC for about 10 years now putting life on hold..
Congrats.. hope mine goes that smooth.. but I guess it probably won't as my employer changed it's name after my I140 was approved and although I am bringing the affidavit with me I am not sure if they would grant me a visa..
but either way... thanks for this post..
Sudipta
Congrats.. hope mine goes that smooth.. but I guess it probably won't as my employer changed it's name after my I140 was approved and although I am bringing the affidavit with me I am not sure if they would grant me a visa..
but either way... thanks for this post..
Sudipta
I am little concerned with the process went through for Hanuman. I am not trying to scare beleive me, but it seemed like just document verification only and not an interview. Which is what my attorney was mentioning that if they don't have visa number, then they will perform doc verif. and will issue visa number only when it will be available.
I pray to god this is not true and Hanuman you, including all of us get the visa stamp.
Did they tell anything after doc collection about visa stamping etc or congrats you are PR now or did you ask if your PP will get stamped once you get it.
Wish all good luck.
-vmn
I pray to god this is not true and Hanuman you, including all of us get the visa stamp.
Did they tell anything after doc collection about visa stamping etc or congrats you are PR now or did you ask if your PP will get stamped once you get it.
Wish all good luck.
-vmn
sudiptabhaskar
Registered Users (C)
For me the name change took place after they sent my file to the Mumbai consulate and I didn't find anything on the net telling us what to do in this case. I am leaving it up to my luck and if they don't give me the visa then I will call it a day after 10 years of struggle. 
But nonetheless I will post up my experience for sure for future reference.
But nonetheless I will post up my experience for sure for future reference.
Hello All,
Finally I had my interview @ Chennai consulate today. The whole interview process was seamless and very smooth.
We have been given VIP treatment all along. If you are applying for IV then you don't have to stand in any line, you can walk all the way to the counter without any issues. One VFS attendant had escorted us all the way from the entrance to the counter.
An agent at the Counter had gathered the following documents from us.
1. DS230 I & II. asked us to sign the 230 II in front of her
2. Passport
3. Birth Certificates
4. Marriage Certificate with marriage photos only.
5. Copies of W2 forms for the last 3 yrs
6. Copies of 1040 for the last 3 yrs
7. Most recent Pay stubs, only 3
8. Original H1 approval notice.
9. DD's for the Visa issuance fee
10. Employment letter
Gave us a token number and asked us to have a seat.
After an hour a consular had called us. We greeted her, she took oath, fingerprints and then...
Consular: When did you arrive?
We : On XXXX Day
Consular: Did you just come for the status adjustment
We : Yes
Now she asked my wife the following questions:
When did you get married?
Were you in US since you got married?
What do you do?
Now she asked me the following questions:
When are you planning to go back to US?
Are you going to spend the time here with your family?
What do you do? Describe your work?
How long have you been in US?
Did you study in US?
Who is your employer?
How long have you been with your employer?
All along the consular was very friendly and been cracking jokes with us.
She mentioned that she was very much impressed with the attention to detail that I presented in preparing the documentation.
Finally she said that our documents are in proper order and good, we should be expecting our passports within a week through VFS. You are done and can go home and enjoy. Good Luck!!
Thanks guys, for all the information and support. Its been a crazy week for me to go through the documents and get through this.
Well, Alls well that ends well.
Regards,
-DR.
Finally I had my interview @ Chennai consulate today. The whole interview process was seamless and very smooth.
We have been given VIP treatment all along. If you are applying for IV then you don't have to stand in any line, you can walk all the way to the counter without any issues. One VFS attendant had escorted us all the way from the entrance to the counter.
An agent at the Counter had gathered the following documents from us.
1. DS230 I & II. asked us to sign the 230 II in front of her
2. Passport
3. Birth Certificates
4. Marriage Certificate with marriage photos only.
5. Copies of W2 forms for the last 3 yrs
6. Copies of 1040 for the last 3 yrs
7. Most recent Pay stubs, only 3
8. Original H1 approval notice.
9. DD's for the Visa issuance fee
10. Employment letter
Gave us a token number and asked us to have a seat.
After an hour a consular had called us. We greeted her, she took oath, fingerprints and then...
Consular: When did you arrive?
We : On XXXX Day
Consular: Did you just come for the status adjustment
We : Yes
Now she asked my wife the following questions:
When did you get married?
Were you in US since you got married?
What do you do?
Now she asked me the following questions:
When are you planning to go back to US?
Are you going to spend the time here with your family?
What do you do? Describe your work?
How long have you been in US?
Did you study in US?
Who is your employer?
How long have you been with your employer?
All along the consular was very friendly and been cracking jokes with us.
She mentioned that she was very much impressed with the attention to detail that I presented in preparing the documentation.
Finally she said that our documents are in proper order and good, we should be expecting our passports within a week through VFS. You are done and can go home and enjoy. Good Luck!!
Thanks guys, for all the information and support. Its been a crazy week for me to go through the documents and get through this.
Well, Alls well that ends well.
Regards,
-DR.
sudiptabhaskar
Registered Users (C)
Update:
It wasn’t an issue in my case.. they didn’t ask me anything.. but for another guy from my company whose interview was scheduled a day before mine was asked questions but after he told them with documents that it was a mere name (brand name) change and nothing else they didn’t ask him anything else.
Thanks
Sudipta
It wasn’t an issue in my case.. they didn’t ask me anything.. but for another guy from my company whose interview was scheduled a day before mine was asked questions but after he told them with documents that it was a mere name (brand name) change and nothing else they didn’t ask him anything else.
Thanks
Sudipta