I completed my CP interview on April 2 at the Mumbai Consulate with no problems. The procedure was very smooth and similar to other\'s experiences.
Here are some additional notes:
1) Me and my wife did our medicals at Hinduja on April 28th and received the results the same day. They were waiving the vaccination and X-ray requirements for women who were pregnant.
2) We went to the Standard Chartered bank across the Consulate on Bhulabhai Desai Rd to prepare the bank drafts. The immigration visa application fee for two people is over Rs.20,000 (i.e $265/applicant). The lady at the counter refused to create a draft for us, saying that we need a certain PAN no. or an account with the bank, to create drafts for over Rs.20,000. I argued that international travelers might have neither of this and what will they do. She did not budge and said that her argument was according to RBI rules.Her supervisor did not help either. Anyway, this was a nasty surprize for us on a hot and tiring day. We had already spent half an hour at the bank cashing out traveler\'s checks.
This experience tells me that families who want to create drafts would waste their time at the Standard Chartered Bank. We went to the Bank of India adjoining the consulate, and there were no hiccups there. They took the cash and gave us drafts in 20 minutes. We also went to My Own Studio, took the pictures and later collected them at 6.30 PM.
3) Since I had four more days left before the Interview, I went to my hometown in central Maharashtra and tried my luck in getting a local PCC. I went to the Police Commissioner\'s office and somebody there directed me to a Dy CP who deals with foreigners and passports. I had created a written request, which he read, asked me some questions and agreed to give me the PCC. However, from that point onwards started an endless cycle of visits to various officials, memoes and corrections and ultimately I did not get the local PCC in time. It is possible to get this PCC if you have a lot of patience and time to pursue the various officials. They do send a constable to your home to make sure you live at that address. The PCC is a computer printout, with your photo pasted on it (you have to provide two copies) and states some general info about you. This is the same PCC which the police provide to the passport officials. My recommendation is not to go through this hassle, since we were not asked for it at all, during the interview. However, they were asking for the local PCCs for family-based applicants from India. One lady was turned back for not having this.
4) Finally, the interview was a breeze. Our appt. was at 9.30, we went in at 9 AM and paid the application fee. Our names were called at 11.10 AM. Only the documents specified in the packet 4 were asked, nothing else. Since mine was an EB1 application, they paid some extra attention to the employment letter. For spouse, the form I-134 is important. They were satisfied with the PCCs from Indian Embassy in Washington DC. The second interview with the oath lasted for 2 minutes. She asked me if I will join the same company after returning to US.
5) They asked us to come back at 3 pm. The windows actually opened at 4pm, NIVs were called first and then the IVs.
6) POE was JFK. We went in the permanent resident line, an officer took the finger prints and signatures and that was it. He didn\'t say anything. That\'s it! It was thankfully a smooth process. This forum was very helpful. I can answer any questions.
Here are some additional notes:
1) Me and my wife did our medicals at Hinduja on April 28th and received the results the same day. They were waiving the vaccination and X-ray requirements for women who were pregnant.
2) We went to the Standard Chartered bank across the Consulate on Bhulabhai Desai Rd to prepare the bank drafts. The immigration visa application fee for two people is over Rs.20,000 (i.e $265/applicant). The lady at the counter refused to create a draft for us, saying that we need a certain PAN no. or an account with the bank, to create drafts for over Rs.20,000. I argued that international travelers might have neither of this and what will they do. She did not budge and said that her argument was according to RBI rules.Her supervisor did not help either. Anyway, this was a nasty surprize for us on a hot and tiring day. We had already spent half an hour at the bank cashing out traveler\'s checks.
This experience tells me that families who want to create drafts would waste their time at the Standard Chartered Bank. We went to the Bank of India adjoining the consulate, and there were no hiccups there. They took the cash and gave us drafts in 20 minutes. We also went to My Own Studio, took the pictures and later collected them at 6.30 PM.
3) Since I had four more days left before the Interview, I went to my hometown in central Maharashtra and tried my luck in getting a local PCC. I went to the Police Commissioner\'s office and somebody there directed me to a Dy CP who deals with foreigners and passports. I had created a written request, which he read, asked me some questions and agreed to give me the PCC. However, from that point onwards started an endless cycle of visits to various officials, memoes and corrections and ultimately I did not get the local PCC in time. It is possible to get this PCC if you have a lot of patience and time to pursue the various officials. They do send a constable to your home to make sure you live at that address. The PCC is a computer printout, with your photo pasted on it (you have to provide two copies) and states some general info about you. This is the same PCC which the police provide to the passport officials. My recommendation is not to go through this hassle, since we were not asked for it at all, during the interview. However, they were asking for the local PCCs for family-based applicants from India. One lady was turned back for not having this.
4) Finally, the interview was a breeze. Our appt. was at 9.30, we went in at 9 AM and paid the application fee. Our names were called at 11.10 AM. Only the documents specified in the packet 4 were asked, nothing else. Since mine was an EB1 application, they paid some extra attention to the employment letter. For spouse, the form I-134 is important. They were satisfied with the PCCs from Indian Embassy in Washington DC. The second interview with the oath lasted for 2 minutes. She asked me if I will join the same company after returning to US.
5) They asked us to come back at 3 pm. The windows actually opened at 4pm, NIVs were called first and then the IVs.
6) POE was JFK. We went in the permanent resident line, an officer took the finger prints and signatures and that was it. He didn\'t say anything. That\'s it! It was thankfully a smooth process. This forum was very helpful. I can answer any questions.