Hi folks,
Thanks one and all. This forum has been an invaluable resource in my journey as a CPer.
Here is a somewhat detailed listing of my experience of my successful CP interview on Sept 17, 2002.
Interview appointment date/time: September 17, 2002 / 9:30am
8:30am :
Entered consulate.
The guard guided us to stand in a queue though we insisted we were IV interviewees.
9:00am :
Our turns came after roughly half-an-hour, and were informed that we were in the wrong line, and should have gone straight to counter 10 with our appointment letter. It was apparent that many other people were misdirected in this manner, and made to waste ½ an hour. So off we went to hand over the appointment letter at counter 10, we were asked to seat ourselves in the IV area (in front of counters 10, 11, 12) till our names were called.
10:30am :
After a long wait, our names were announced by the Indian lady at counter 11. She was very polite, professional and courteous. She first confirmed that I had pre-paid the 260$/appl fee to NVC. I was then asked for my papers in the following order: Passport, medical report, 3 photos, DS-230 part II, marriage cert + copy, birth cert + copy, PCC, employment letter. Then I was made to sign my name on the right side of one photo, and change the addr in item 13 of DS-230part-I to a local Indian address. I was also asked to sign an undertaking to the effect that I would continue with the same company on entering the US. I was asked if I had valid H visas, to which I answered ‘yes’. Then it was my wife’s turn to go through the same process, except that she was also asked for the affidavit of support. We were then directed to wait in front of counter 9 till our names were called for the formal interview.
12 Noon :
Precisely at noon, our names were called out by the Indian interpreter at counter 9. Our interviewer was a polite American lady who first greeted us with a smile. I was asked how long I had been working for this company (4yrs) and whether I had been with just one company all the time (yes ma’am). She asked me if I was a software engineer (no – I said I was a mechanical engineer). Then I was asked if I had a valid work visa (yes) – which surprisingly, was NOT cancelled. Then she looked at the marriage cert and asked us when we got married, how many people were at the wedding and asked to see pics. Then my wife was asked if she was working in the US currently and whether she had plans to work in the near future (no plans as of now). The interpreter seemed to know what this was about, and told the consular officer “this is an employment based GC petition, and you *have* to grant it” – it appeared she hadn’t heard of one before. Then she asked the interpreter “should they pay 65$x2” … to which he said ‘yes’.
12:04 pm:
With a big grin the lady announced “Congratulations your visas have been granted”. We were asked to pay the visa issue fee at counter 1. We handed over two drafts each in the amount of Rs.3185 to the cashier at counter 1, who gave us a receipt stub asked us to pick up our papers at 3pm.
12:05pm:
Left for home, had lunch etc., then did some shopping at ‘Westside’ clothing store near Kemp’s Corner – they have great clothes at good deals.
3:00 pm:
We reached the consulate at 3pm and saw a long line already waiting. At about 3:15 this line was split up into two – one for NIV and the other for IV. The NIV folks were called in at 3:30pm and got their visas – all done in 5 min since there weren’t more than about 25-30 of them. IV folks were made to wait another hour.
4:45 pm:
It was almost after 2 hrs of standing on that hot and dusty pavement that I reached the collection window. I handed over the receipt (given by the cashier in the morning) and in return got two brown envelopes (with one corner cut off) along with our passports. The entry permit was stapled on the outside of each brown envelope – this was titled ‘Immigrant Visa Permit’ and had the signed photo stuck to it with an embossed consular seal. Our valid H1s/H4s had not been cancelled.
--**The End**--
Thanks one and all. This forum has been an invaluable resource in my journey as a CPer.
Here is a somewhat detailed listing of my experience of my successful CP interview on Sept 17, 2002.
Interview appointment date/time: September 17, 2002 / 9:30am
8:30am :
Entered consulate.
The guard guided us to stand in a queue though we insisted we were IV interviewees.
9:00am :
Our turns came after roughly half-an-hour, and were informed that we were in the wrong line, and should have gone straight to counter 10 with our appointment letter. It was apparent that many other people were misdirected in this manner, and made to waste ½ an hour. So off we went to hand over the appointment letter at counter 10, we were asked to seat ourselves in the IV area (in front of counters 10, 11, 12) till our names were called.
10:30am :
After a long wait, our names were announced by the Indian lady at counter 11. She was very polite, professional and courteous. She first confirmed that I had pre-paid the 260$/appl fee to NVC. I was then asked for my papers in the following order: Passport, medical report, 3 photos, DS-230 part II, marriage cert + copy, birth cert + copy, PCC, employment letter. Then I was made to sign my name on the right side of one photo, and change the addr in item 13 of DS-230part-I to a local Indian address. I was also asked to sign an undertaking to the effect that I would continue with the same company on entering the US. I was asked if I had valid H visas, to which I answered ‘yes’. Then it was my wife’s turn to go through the same process, except that she was also asked for the affidavit of support. We were then directed to wait in front of counter 9 till our names were called for the formal interview.
12 Noon :
Precisely at noon, our names were called out by the Indian interpreter at counter 9. Our interviewer was a polite American lady who first greeted us with a smile. I was asked how long I had been working for this company (4yrs) and whether I had been with just one company all the time (yes ma’am). She asked me if I was a software engineer (no – I said I was a mechanical engineer). Then I was asked if I had a valid work visa (yes) – which surprisingly, was NOT cancelled. Then she looked at the marriage cert and asked us when we got married, how many people were at the wedding and asked to see pics. Then my wife was asked if she was working in the US currently and whether she had plans to work in the near future (no plans as of now). The interpreter seemed to know what this was about, and told the consular officer “this is an employment based GC petition, and you *have* to grant it” – it appeared she hadn’t heard of one before. Then she asked the interpreter “should they pay 65$x2” … to which he said ‘yes’.
12:04 pm:
With a big grin the lady announced “Congratulations your visas have been granted”. We were asked to pay the visa issue fee at counter 1. We handed over two drafts each in the amount of Rs.3185 to the cashier at counter 1, who gave us a receipt stub asked us to pick up our papers at 3pm.
12:05pm:
Left for home, had lunch etc., then did some shopping at ‘Westside’ clothing store near Kemp’s Corner – they have great clothes at good deals.
3:00 pm:
We reached the consulate at 3pm and saw a long line already waiting. At about 3:15 this line was split up into two – one for NIV and the other for IV. The NIV folks were called in at 3:30pm and got their visas – all done in 5 min since there weren’t more than about 25-30 of them. IV folks were made to wait another hour.
4:45 pm:
It was almost after 2 hrs of standing on that hot and dusty pavement that I reached the collection window. I handed over the receipt (given by the cashier in the morning) and in return got two brown envelopes (with one corner cut off) along with our passports. The entry permit was stapled on the outside of each brown envelope – this was titled ‘Immigrant Visa Permit’ and had the signed photo stuck to it with an embossed consular seal. Our valid H1s/H4s had not been cancelled.
--**The End**--