CP Successfully Done @ Mumbai
- Thread starter harru
- Start date
peter_guest5450
Registered Users (C)
COngrats! Would like to hear about your experience. Enjoy the post-GC life! No more troubles, at least from the visa front anymore 
Successfull CP experience
Here is the complete experience.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Interview Date : 25th may 2005@Mumbai
I did not receive my interview letter so my cousin in mumbai collected this from the general information window.
We (myself,my wife,our sons(2.5 years old and 4 months old) started out travel from US on 17th May.
Landed at Mumbai on the night of 18th may.We stayed at our relatives place in Hiranandani Gardens ,Powai.
Reached home at 1 am 19th May.
I took medical appointment for 19th morning at Lilavati hospital mumbai.Also booked back up appointments for 20th may at Breach Candy
and Hinduja(just in case).
We were very very sleepy and tired during our medicals but thought that once we are done with this we have 3 days gap in between.
--------
Medical:
---------
Reached Lilavati at 6:45 am. Appointment was at 7:30 am . Actually one can reach there at 7:20 am also.
Went to Visa Section and waited there for someone to come. There were close to 20 people for medical on that day.Most of them
Family based category.
Visa section person gave us a form to fill.With form you have to attach 2 photographs. Gave the form,appointment letter,passport ,photos to
the person. He validated that everything is ok and sent us to pay Rs 1600 for each at some other counter nearby.
After that returned back to the visa section and gave the fee receipts to the person there.
First we were called in for Height/weight/BP/Heart Rate test. It was quick.
After that called in for Blood Test. Then sent to a diff section for chest x-ray.
After that there was a basic vision test as well.
At this point all testes were done and told to wait for the panel doctor to come.
We were sent to the doctor office. Carried all our records to the doctor(lady doctor by name Dr. Singha)
We were carrying our immunization record from US(this was the immunization record for our I 485 that we took in US as at one
point I was planning for AOS). Because of this we need not take any extra shots there. Doctor did not even look at my wife's
pregnancy records.
At this point it was already 12 noon.
We were told to come back at 3:30 to collect the reports.
Went to the 2nd floor cafetaria to have some snacks.
At 3:30 I alone came back to collect the report.
They gave us
1.Sealed envelope.
2.Xray in another envelope.
-------------
Visa Photos:
-------------
For visa photo we went to a photo studio(on 20th May) in Hiranandani and he seems to know all the requirements for
US visa. There is no need to go to so called 'My Own Photo Studio' as you can get this done from any studio. Just need to carry the
photo requirements page from consulate.
For visa fee I sent a demand draft to my address in mumbai from the citi bank web site. This I did almost 2 weeks before the travel date.
So this saved me time in mumbai.
---------------
Visa Interview:
---------------
Our interview time was 9:15 am on 25th May.
Reached consulate at 8:15 only . I did'nt knew how much time will be required to reach consulate from powai.Hired an AC taxi for travel.
There was a big line outside the consulate.
There were two lines one for immigrant visa and one for non-immigrant visa. Initially they were calling 15 minutes before the interview
time for example 8:30 people were called at 8:15 am. By 9 am appt things were getting delayed.
For our appt we were called in at 9:50 am. Till that point we have to stand in hot sun outside.Definitely carry a small hanky with you as
it sweats a lot in mumbai.
I have to throw a small stapler outside as nothing is allowed other than your documents and small hand ladies purse.There is no
need to carry stapler etc as they do everything inside.
Have to go through a security to enter the consulate. There is a separate line foe gents and ladies.
You have to take one wooden token with you inside.(I think this to count how many people enterred and how many left).
Once we entered the consulate one person at the enterance took out appointment letter and gave us a printed check list of documents to
arrange in the same order.
For some documents they want photo copy for example in my case I did not have photocopy of the bank lettters and my wife's
birth certificate.
There is a photocopy and photo facility inside the consulate. So need to worry.
I took the photocopies of the above documents inside. They charge Rs 5 for each photocopy.
After that arranged all the documents in the proper order.separate set for my wife.
We were sitting in front of window #10 and 11.
There we calling people for the documents.They will call with your name.
We have to wait alomost till 11:45 when our names were called. One lady at counter number 11 collected only the bank drafts first.
She told us to write our name and case number on the back of the bank draft.
Then told to wait . After 15-20 minutes called again. At this point collected all our documents and asked these questions
to me:
Q.What is this(for birth certificate)
A.As I had given the 'Non Availability Certificate' along with an affidavit so I explained .
Q.Do they issue this in english.
A. I explained that in the state I am born they issue in english.
Q.where is the original employment letter
A. I gave original at that point. Initially I had given only the photo copy.
She asked the following question to my wife:
Q.How many kids do you have
A.2
Q. where are they born
A. In US
After all this she told us to wait again.
At this point at counter 10 and 11 US consulates american employees came and this lady started assisting him.
Our turn came around 12:40 . Went to the counter.
American asked us to give finger print.
Then asked me:
Q.What you do
A.Explained to him
Q. How long are you working for this company?
A. Explained to him
A. Have you lived anywhere other than India and US.
Q. No
He handed over the fee receipt to us.Gave us the DS230 part II to me and my wife to sign. Also gave another paper to me to sign.
This paper said that you will work for the employer who filed for your GC.
Said please come at 3:30 PM to collect the stamped passport.At this point he stamped 'Cancelled without prejudice' on our
current H1/H4 visas.
At last said Have a nice trip.
Thats it. What a feeling it was.End of a long journey.
As there was no point in going back (travelling 1 hour each way) we went to Mahalaxmi temple nearby for 'Darshan' and had
lunch in a restaurant there.
came back to consulate at 3:20 pm. Again long line.
They started distributing stampled passports at 4:30 PM.
Gave us our stamped passports along with the sealed envelope(with a cut corner).
Please make sure all the visa details are correct. Visa is valid for six months.
Also you need to carry this with you(do not pack in your checked in luggage) to the port of entry.
Also do not carry the x-ray report . Consulate only took the sealed medical report and returned us the x-ray. You need not carry this to
port of entry. We just pakced this in our checked in luggage.
---
POE:
---
In the aircraft we just filled in only one custom form(green color) and no need to fill I-94.
At POE stood in Citizens/PR line. Felt great.
Handed over the packet to the officer. He told us to wait near an office after collecing our baggage.
After ten minutes were called inside. One Lady officer inside took our index finger fingerprint and need to sign at two places and
gave our passport with a stamp on that.
Stamp was not 100% readable but she told that its valid for 1 year and before that only you will receive your green card
in the mail.
They told that it will take 6-9 months for the card but people says it normally takes 4-8 weeks.
Now waiting for the plastic card.
Best of luck to all CP'ers out there.
Regards,
Harpal
peter_guest5450 said:COngrats! Would like to hear about your experience. Enjoy the post-GC life! No more troubles, at least from the visa front anymore
Here is the complete experience.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Interview Date : 25th may 2005@Mumbai
I did not receive my interview letter so my cousin in mumbai collected this from the general information window.
We (myself,my wife,our sons(2.5 years old and 4 months old) started out travel from US on 17th May.
Landed at Mumbai on the night of 18th may.We stayed at our relatives place in Hiranandani Gardens ,Powai.
Reached home at 1 am 19th May.
I took medical appointment for 19th morning at Lilavati hospital mumbai.Also booked back up appointments for 20th may at Breach Candy
and Hinduja(just in case).
We were very very sleepy and tired during our medicals but thought that once we are done with this we have 3 days gap in between.
--------
Medical:
---------
Reached Lilavati at 6:45 am. Appointment was at 7:30 am . Actually one can reach there at 7:20 am also.
Went to Visa Section and waited there for someone to come. There were close to 20 people for medical on that day.Most of them
Family based category.
Visa section person gave us a form to fill.With form you have to attach 2 photographs. Gave the form,appointment letter,passport ,photos to
the person. He validated that everything is ok and sent us to pay Rs 1600 for each at some other counter nearby.
After that returned back to the visa section and gave the fee receipts to the person there.
First we were called in for Height/weight/BP/Heart Rate test. It was quick.
After that called in for Blood Test. Then sent to a diff section for chest x-ray.
After that there was a basic vision test as well.
At this point all testes were done and told to wait for the panel doctor to come.
We were sent to the doctor office. Carried all our records to the doctor(lady doctor by name Dr. Singha)
We were carrying our immunization record from US(this was the immunization record for our I 485 that we took in US as at one
point I was planning for AOS). Because of this we need not take any extra shots there. Doctor did not even look at my wife's
pregnancy records.
At this point it was already 12 noon.
We were told to come back at 3:30 to collect the reports.
Went to the 2nd floor cafetaria to have some snacks.
At 3:30 I alone came back to collect the report.
They gave us
1.Sealed envelope.
2.Xray in another envelope.
-------------
Visa Photos:
-------------
For visa photo we went to a photo studio(on 20th May) in Hiranandani and he seems to know all the requirements for
US visa. There is no need to go to so called 'My Own Photo Studio' as you can get this done from any studio. Just need to carry the
photo requirements page from consulate.
For visa fee I sent a demand draft to my address in mumbai from the citi bank web site. This I did almost 2 weeks before the travel date.
So this saved me time in mumbai.
---------------
Visa Interview:
---------------
Our interview time was 9:15 am on 25th May.
Reached consulate at 8:15 only . I did'nt knew how much time will be required to reach consulate from powai.Hired an AC taxi for travel.
There was a big line outside the consulate.
There were two lines one for immigrant visa and one for non-immigrant visa. Initially they were calling 15 minutes before the interview
time for example 8:30 people were called at 8:15 am. By 9 am appt things were getting delayed.
For our appt we were called in at 9:50 am. Till that point we have to stand in hot sun outside.Definitely carry a small hanky with you as
it sweats a lot in mumbai.
I have to throw a small stapler outside as nothing is allowed other than your documents and small hand ladies purse.There is no
need to carry stapler etc as they do everything inside.
Have to go through a security to enter the consulate. There is a separate line foe gents and ladies.
You have to take one wooden token with you inside.(I think this to count how many people enterred and how many left).
Once we entered the consulate one person at the enterance took out appointment letter and gave us a printed check list of documents to
arrange in the same order.
For some documents they want photo copy for example in my case I did not have photocopy of the bank lettters and my wife's
birth certificate.
There is a photocopy and photo facility inside the consulate. So need to worry.
I took the photocopies of the above documents inside. They charge Rs 5 for each photocopy.
After that arranged all the documents in the proper order.separate set for my wife.
We were sitting in front of window #10 and 11.
There we calling people for the documents.They will call with your name.
We have to wait alomost till 11:45 when our names were called. One lady at counter number 11 collected only the bank drafts first.
She told us to write our name and case number on the back of the bank draft.
Then told to wait . After 15-20 minutes called again. At this point collected all our documents and asked these questions
to me:
Q.What is this(for birth certificate)
A.As I had given the 'Non Availability Certificate' along with an affidavit so I explained .
Q.Do they issue this in english.
A. I explained that in the state I am born they issue in english.
Q.where is the original employment letter
A. I gave original at that point. Initially I had given only the photo copy.
She asked the following question to my wife:
Q.How many kids do you have
A.2
Q. where are they born
A. In US
After all this she told us to wait again.
At this point at counter 10 and 11 US consulates american employees came and this lady started assisting him.
Our turn came around 12:40 . Went to the counter.
American asked us to give finger print.
Then asked me:
Q.What you do
A.Explained to him
Q. How long are you working for this company?
A. Explained to him
A. Have you lived anywhere other than India and US.
Q. No
He handed over the fee receipt to us.Gave us the DS230 part II to me and my wife to sign. Also gave another paper to me to sign.
This paper said that you will work for the employer who filed for your GC.
Said please come at 3:30 PM to collect the stamped passport.At this point he stamped 'Cancelled without prejudice' on our
current H1/H4 visas.
At last said Have a nice trip.
Thats it. What a feeling it was.End of a long journey.
As there was no point in going back (travelling 1 hour each way) we went to Mahalaxmi temple nearby for 'Darshan' and had
lunch in a restaurant there.
came back to consulate at 3:20 pm. Again long line.
They started distributing stampled passports at 4:30 PM.
Gave us our stamped passports along with the sealed envelope(with a cut corner).
Please make sure all the visa details are correct. Visa is valid for six months.
Also you need to carry this with you(do not pack in your checked in luggage) to the port of entry.
Also do not carry the x-ray report . Consulate only took the sealed medical report and returned us the x-ray. You need not carry this to
port of entry. We just pakced this in our checked in luggage.
---
POE:
---
In the aircraft we just filled in only one custom form(green color) and no need to fill I-94.
At POE stood in Citizens/PR line. Felt great.
Handed over the packet to the officer. He told us to wait near an office after collecing our baggage.
After ten minutes were called inside. One Lady officer inside took our index finger fingerprint and need to sign at two places and
gave our passport with a stamp on that.
Stamp was not 100% readable but she told that its valid for 1 year and before that only you will receive your green card
in the mail.
They told that it will take 6-9 months for the card but people says it normally takes 4-8 weeks.
Now waiting for the plastic card.
Best of luck to all CP'ers out there.
Regards,
Harpal