Rahul Kumar
Registered Users (C)
Folks,
Yes its true. Ever since I met my wife to be in Sept 03, I was waiting for this day. The day she could join me in the US. Today is the day this dream becomes a reality. Today is the first day of the rest of my life!
My wife's CR1 interview experience on 2/22/05 at Chennai,India - in her own words
The interview was scheduled for 8 a.m. and I dint want to be late. I started from home at 7.10 a.m. and reached the consulate at 7.20 a.m. there was a long queue as usual and applicants of all categories of visa were standing together.
After about 5 min a security guard called us all and made us stand in separate lines (immigrant visas and non immigrant visas). I had a huge bag with me containing all the documents and another huge luggage… u must have guessed it… my wedding photo album.
I waited there till 8.15 a.m till we were all called inside. Well… there was a hurdle here, I had my perfume and a calculator in my purse, and cosmetics are not allowed inside the consulate, so I had to call my driver (who was waiting nearby) to come and take it from me, as I was not allowed to trash it anywhere near the entrance, there was no dustbin too. Moreover no one had a cell phone from which we could call and ask someone to come and pick up the things. Lucky there was a passerby and I asked him if I could borrow his phone. I called my driver and handed the things to him.
Then I entered and there was another security check, the lady there opened my bag and started handling my papers roughly. I got so irritated I asked her to be careful with the papers and told her not to mess up my papers. What an idiot she was.
Then I entered and was directed towards the non immigrant visa queue without any further questions asked to me, after about a min I asked a lady in charge there if this was the line for immigrant visas too and she said “sorry” and directed me to the other building.
As I was waiting there, my name was called and an Indian told me that she would ask me for my papers and that I should hand it over to her in the same order in which she asks me.
She asked for all the papers specified in Packet 4 (but not in the order that they have printed). As she was checking the papers these were the questions she asked me.
1. When did you get married?
2. Where did u meet your husband?
3. How old are you?
4. Is this your first marriage?
5. Is this your husband’s first marriage?
6. Have you ever stayed outside India for more than a year?
Then she noticed the demand draft (DD) that I had taken was not of the correct amount, she gave me a gate pass and asked me to get the DD and come back as soon as possible or if it was not possible she would give me another date when I could come for the interview. I told her I would come back soon and left the place with all my documents and entire luggage.
FYI : the amount specified in the Packet 4 letter and the DD that I had taken was the same but since there was a change in the exchange rate they expected me to have brought a DD with the present exchange rate. Most of them wouldn’t have done it as the original amount specified was Rs. 15410/- but the actual amount that she wanted me to give her was Rs. 14,740/-
Well since the interview was in the morning hours I was able to get to the bank and get another draft.
After I came back I was asked to pay the fee in Counter No 1 and then give the receipt to her. I was also asked to write my name behind the DD.
I waited for a while and my name was called. One has to really pay attention while the names are being called. The American officer was unable to pronounce my name properly and I was not able to make out if it was my name. I got it only in the second announcement.
The Officer was a good guy and he was quite pleasant. He greeted me with all smiles and asked me how I was etc… then he moved on to asking me the following.
1. Where would you stay in USA after immigration?
2. Have you visited the place before?
3. Do you have anyone else (relations) other than your husband staying at US?
4. What are you doing now? Are you working?
He then exchanged a few words with me regarding the climate in VT and mentioned about my husband’s company too as he wanted to show that he had read my papers and knew that my husband was working there.
After a little waiting he called me once again and asked me for my fingerprints. Once this was over he asked me to promise that all information I have given is correct. He then asked me to wait again.
Within a few min he called me to say that everything was fine and that I would get my papers within 2 working days and said that I could leave. He also wished me luck.
I was so happy that everything went on smoothly. All our waiting was over. As soon as I came out I had a feeling of accomplishment. God was on our side.
Points to be noted.
1.When I was waiting in the line, I noticed that no one except me had at least 3 files with me. I had a file which had documents in the order specified in Packet 4. and I had another file which was a duplicate of all those documents. A third file, which had all my educational documents and a fourth file which had all the miscellaneous papers like a copy of my passport, copy of the paper advertisement (matrimony) which was the way I got to meet my husband, copies of all my educational documents, a copy of my husband’s Passport Bio page a copy of the demand draft, to name a few.
This itself made me confident that all my papers were in order, yes they were in order as I had checked it at least 25 times.
2.The DD amount, please do verify from the consulate about the exact amount to be taken. Please do this as the last step in getting the papers organized, as the exchange rates have to be monitored. Moreover, this does not get updated in the website. Only the visitor visa section had published the change in rates in the website.
3.People having interviews in the evening please be more careful in taking your DD as u have no option to even go to a bank in the evening as it would be closed.
4.Be as confident as possible ( I think that would be automatic when u have all papers in order).
5.Answers only if a question is posed to you, do not unnecessarily give out information thinking you are helping them.
6.Don’t be over confident, check your papers again and again. I used to do it every morning and night 2 weeks before the interview.
7.Pray to God and Trust in him
I got my visa today(Feb 23) by courier and it was just 28 hours from the time of the interview. I’m all excited now!
Timeline!
12/16/2004 - > Filed I-130 at New Delhi Embassy. Priority date is 12/20/2004
01/03/2005 - > Packet 3 received from Chennai consulate
01/06/2005 - > Packet 3 sent back to Chennai consulate (DS230 Part 1 & Checklist)
01/10/2005 - > Interview appointment listed online in Embassy website!!!
01/12/2005 - > Packet 4 received (Nothing to return)
02/22/2005 - > Interview
02/23/2005 - > Immigrant Visa in hand!
03/05/2005 - > Wife joins me!!!
START to FINISH = Approx 2 months. SEE THE POWER OF DCF FOR YOURSELF! If this option is available to you - take it
All the best!
Mrs. Rahul Kumar
Yes its true. Ever since I met my wife to be in Sept 03, I was waiting for this day. The day she could join me in the US. Today is the day this dream becomes a reality. Today is the first day of the rest of my life!
My wife's CR1 interview experience on 2/22/05 at Chennai,India - in her own words
The interview was scheduled for 8 a.m. and I dint want to be late. I started from home at 7.10 a.m. and reached the consulate at 7.20 a.m. there was a long queue as usual and applicants of all categories of visa were standing together.
After about 5 min a security guard called us all and made us stand in separate lines (immigrant visas and non immigrant visas). I had a huge bag with me containing all the documents and another huge luggage… u must have guessed it… my wedding photo album.
I waited there till 8.15 a.m till we were all called inside. Well… there was a hurdle here, I had my perfume and a calculator in my purse, and cosmetics are not allowed inside the consulate, so I had to call my driver (who was waiting nearby) to come and take it from me, as I was not allowed to trash it anywhere near the entrance, there was no dustbin too. Moreover no one had a cell phone from which we could call and ask someone to come and pick up the things. Lucky there was a passerby and I asked him if I could borrow his phone. I called my driver and handed the things to him.
Then I entered and there was another security check, the lady there opened my bag and started handling my papers roughly. I got so irritated I asked her to be careful with the papers and told her not to mess up my papers. What an idiot she was.
Then I entered and was directed towards the non immigrant visa queue without any further questions asked to me, after about a min I asked a lady in charge there if this was the line for immigrant visas too and she said “sorry” and directed me to the other building.
As I was waiting there, my name was called and an Indian told me that she would ask me for my papers and that I should hand it over to her in the same order in which she asks me.
She asked for all the papers specified in Packet 4 (but not in the order that they have printed). As she was checking the papers these were the questions she asked me.
1. When did you get married?
2. Where did u meet your husband?
3. How old are you?
4. Is this your first marriage?
5. Is this your husband’s first marriage?
6. Have you ever stayed outside India for more than a year?
Then she noticed the demand draft (DD) that I had taken was not of the correct amount, she gave me a gate pass and asked me to get the DD and come back as soon as possible or if it was not possible she would give me another date when I could come for the interview. I told her I would come back soon and left the place with all my documents and entire luggage.
FYI : the amount specified in the Packet 4 letter and the DD that I had taken was the same but since there was a change in the exchange rate they expected me to have brought a DD with the present exchange rate. Most of them wouldn’t have done it as the original amount specified was Rs. 15410/- but the actual amount that she wanted me to give her was Rs. 14,740/-
Well since the interview was in the morning hours I was able to get to the bank and get another draft.
After I came back I was asked to pay the fee in Counter No 1 and then give the receipt to her. I was also asked to write my name behind the DD.
I waited for a while and my name was called. One has to really pay attention while the names are being called. The American officer was unable to pronounce my name properly and I was not able to make out if it was my name. I got it only in the second announcement.
The Officer was a good guy and he was quite pleasant. He greeted me with all smiles and asked me how I was etc… then he moved on to asking me the following.
1. Where would you stay in USA after immigration?
2. Have you visited the place before?
3. Do you have anyone else (relations) other than your husband staying at US?
4. What are you doing now? Are you working?
He then exchanged a few words with me regarding the climate in VT and mentioned about my husband’s company too as he wanted to show that he had read my papers and knew that my husband was working there.
After a little waiting he called me once again and asked me for my fingerprints. Once this was over he asked me to promise that all information I have given is correct. He then asked me to wait again.
Within a few min he called me to say that everything was fine and that I would get my papers within 2 working days and said that I could leave. He also wished me luck.
I was so happy that everything went on smoothly. All our waiting was over. As soon as I came out I had a feeling of accomplishment. God was on our side.
Points to be noted.
1.When I was waiting in the line, I noticed that no one except me had at least 3 files with me. I had a file which had documents in the order specified in Packet 4. and I had another file which was a duplicate of all those documents. A third file, which had all my educational documents and a fourth file which had all the miscellaneous papers like a copy of my passport, copy of the paper advertisement (matrimony) which was the way I got to meet my husband, copies of all my educational documents, a copy of my husband’s Passport Bio page a copy of the demand draft, to name a few.
This itself made me confident that all my papers were in order, yes they were in order as I had checked it at least 25 times.
2.The DD amount, please do verify from the consulate about the exact amount to be taken. Please do this as the last step in getting the papers organized, as the exchange rates have to be monitored. Moreover, this does not get updated in the website. Only the visitor visa section had published the change in rates in the website.
3.People having interviews in the evening please be more careful in taking your DD as u have no option to even go to a bank in the evening as it would be closed.
4.Be as confident as possible ( I think that would be automatic when u have all papers in order).
5.Answers only if a question is posed to you, do not unnecessarily give out information thinking you are helping them.
6.Don’t be over confident, check your papers again and again. I used to do it every morning and night 2 weeks before the interview.
7.Pray to God and Trust in him
I got my visa today(Feb 23) by courier and it was just 28 hours from the time of the interview. I’m all excited now!
Timeline!
12/16/2004 - > Filed I-130 at New Delhi Embassy. Priority date is 12/20/2004
01/03/2005 - > Packet 3 received from Chennai consulate
01/06/2005 - > Packet 3 sent back to Chennai consulate (DS230 Part 1 & Checklist)
01/10/2005 - > Interview appointment listed online in Embassy website!!!
01/12/2005 - > Packet 4 received (Nothing to return)
02/22/2005 - > Interview
02/23/2005 - > Immigrant Visa in hand!
03/05/2005 - > Wife joins me!!!
START to FINISH = Approx 2 months. SEE THE POWER OF DCF FOR YOURSELF! If this option is available to you - take it
All the best!
Mrs. Rahul Kumar
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