Just happy to share the news that my Mom & Dad were both granted a vistor visa in Chennai at their first attempt yesterday (Jan 4th, 2006). We are expecting a baby in April and this relieves a lot of anxiety.
Thanks for path2usa for the step by step instructions as to what needs to be done. We followed exactly the same, plus I also kept an eye for addtional updates on the US consulate website. We had given them all the possible Q&A from various immigration sites including path2usa and had prepared them well. All the questions but one were asked exactly as they were stated in the sites. We had booked the appointment thru TTS and the interview was in English. This is what they shared with us.
My Mom & Dad had their interview scheduled from 11.00 - 11.15 am. They reached the consulate @ 10.30 am. After initial verification of the appoitment, they were let in @ around 11.15 am. They paid the Rs. 441 TTS fee and the DD for Rs. 4600 each and then the staff over there gathered the application and the relevant I134 (Affidavit of support) and were asked to wait in a particular line towards the counter to the consular officer. They did not submit any of the other supporting documents that I had sent or their personal supporting documents at that time. They waited there for an hour or so and when they got to the counter it was 2 pm. It seems like the officer who interviewed them was a elderly man and he talked politely to them. They mentioned that in the next counter there was an arrogant young lady who was rejecting most of the applicants and screaming at them. Thank God, my parents did not have to face here. Following is the conversation between the officer and my parents. All the questions were answered by my Dad and my Mom just accompanied him.
Remember that my parents had not submitted any of the supporting documents (mine and theirs) up until this point.
Officer: When did you see your son last?
Dad : Says the month and year.
Officer: When did you see them before that?
Dad : Probably two years before that.
Officer: When did your son first go to the US?
Dad : Says the month and year.
Officer: So he visits you every two years.
Dad : Ofcourse.
Officer: What is his marriage date?
Dad : Says the exact date.
(At this point my Dad voluntarily shows the employment letter and all other supporting documents that I sent. The officer takes a cursory look, comments that this all belongs to your son and gives them back)
Officer: What is your profession?
Dad : I'm a retired college professor.
Officer: What subject did you teach?
Dad : Physics.
Officer: How much pension do you get?
Dad : Mentions the exact amount upto the last rupee.
Officer: What does your wife do?
Dad : She is a home maker.
Officer: How many children do you have?
Dad : I have two children. My younger son is unmarried and he is living with us.
Officer: Does you son send you money regularly?
(This was the one question that we had not prepared them mentally, but I guess my Dad played it right)
Dad : No Sir. We are self sufficient with the income that we get and we are not in need of his money.
The officer chuckles at this point and says "Your visa is granted. Please go and pay the fees." At no point did they verify the source of income, my parents' property, bank balance etc.
We are very happy now and look forward to their visit. Thanks to path2usa and the rest of the sites for sharing the needed information and also thanks to the rest of the users who took their time to share their experience.
- Jay
Thanks for path2usa for the step by step instructions as to what needs to be done. We followed exactly the same, plus I also kept an eye for addtional updates on the US consulate website. We had given them all the possible Q&A from various immigration sites including path2usa and had prepared them well. All the questions but one were asked exactly as they were stated in the sites. We had booked the appointment thru TTS and the interview was in English. This is what they shared with us.
My Mom & Dad had their interview scheduled from 11.00 - 11.15 am. They reached the consulate @ 10.30 am. After initial verification of the appoitment, they were let in @ around 11.15 am. They paid the Rs. 441 TTS fee and the DD for Rs. 4600 each and then the staff over there gathered the application and the relevant I134 (Affidavit of support) and were asked to wait in a particular line towards the counter to the consular officer. They did not submit any of the other supporting documents that I had sent or their personal supporting documents at that time. They waited there for an hour or so and when they got to the counter it was 2 pm. It seems like the officer who interviewed them was a elderly man and he talked politely to them. They mentioned that in the next counter there was an arrogant young lady who was rejecting most of the applicants and screaming at them. Thank God, my parents did not have to face here. Following is the conversation between the officer and my parents. All the questions were answered by my Dad and my Mom just accompanied him.
Remember that my parents had not submitted any of the supporting documents (mine and theirs) up until this point.
Officer: When did you see your son last?
Dad : Says the month and year.
Officer: When did you see them before that?
Dad : Probably two years before that.
Officer: When did your son first go to the US?
Dad : Says the month and year.
Officer: So he visits you every two years.
Dad : Ofcourse.
Officer: What is his marriage date?
Dad : Says the exact date.
(At this point my Dad voluntarily shows the employment letter and all other supporting documents that I sent. The officer takes a cursory look, comments that this all belongs to your son and gives them back)
Officer: What is your profession?
Dad : I'm a retired college professor.
Officer: What subject did you teach?
Dad : Physics.
Officer: How much pension do you get?
Dad : Mentions the exact amount upto the last rupee.
Officer: What does your wife do?
Dad : She is a home maker.
Officer: How many children do you have?
Dad : I have two children. My younger son is unmarried and he is living with us.
Officer: Does you son send you money regularly?
(This was the one question that we had not prepared them mentally, but I guess my Dad played it right)
Dad : No Sir. We are self sufficient with the income that we get and we are not in need of his money.
The officer chuckles at this point and says "Your visa is granted. Please go and pay the fees." At no point did they verify the source of income, my parents' property, bank balance etc.
We are very happy now and look forward to their visit. Thanks to path2usa and the rest of the sites for sharing the needed information and also thanks to the rest of the users who took their time to share their experience.
- Jay