Detailed Experience
Here it goes ......
BACKGROUND:
I am from Calcutta and I was interviewed by Mumbai Consulate.
Our interview was on 01/29/03. We started from Chicago on 01/17/03. We travelled in Air India. The flight was supposed to reach to Mumbai at 5:45 Am on 01/19/03 via Delhi, but arrived Mumbai at 2:00 AM, as Delhi's Weather was bad.Went to brother's place at Panvel and took rest for the whole day.
Medical was scheduled at 7:00 AM on 01/20/03 at Hinduja.
MEDICAL 1st half:
Reached Hinduja at 7:15 AM(15 min delay). Entered the Ground floor of the OP dept. Filled up the registration form. Deposited the form and fees at one of the counters(there are 6 or 7 counters) - Only CITIBANK Diners club card or cash is accepted. No cheque please. The pleasant lady at the counter directed us to first floor and asked to meet the nurse. We waited there for a while and then entered into nurse office, Asked for original appointment letter,passport photo(2 copies) and copy of 1st page of passport.The attendant took some basic physical metrics - b.p, weight, height. Asked for vaccination record which we didn't but our kid had, submitted the kid's record and we(me and my spouse) were given one shot each. The nurse gave us a doc detailing the list of tests that we need to go thorugh and asked us to wait outside. After a few minutes we were called in for blood collection - two tubes of blood for each of us was taken. We were then sent to X-ray dept where the x-ray was taken and was asked to wait for a while. After the development of the plate, they gave permission to leave.Some of the candidates went for the second round of x-ray as their plate was not properly developed. I think the timing of inhale and exhale during x-ray was wrong with them. Anyway, we were asked to come back for doctor's checkup after 1:30 AM.
Persons below 15 yrs. are exmpted from blood collection and X-ray.
PHOTOGRAPHS for the Interview:
We went to My studio near consulate for the snaps.We reached there around 10:15AM. The same day service costs Rs200 per head for 4 snaps.
You can have more copies with extra expenses. The old man at the counter was very nice and experienced. Got the photo at 6:00 PM.
We went for lunch after the snaps and went back to hospital at around 12:30 AM.
MEDICAL 2nd Phase:
We were called in for doctor's checkup at around 3:30 PM.They won't even allow you to accompany your kid for the test - so, stricty one at a time. Dr. Dastur was very nice gentleman. Asked a few questions - like Chicago's weather,my profession etc...
I went through test for eye-sight. and then was asked to lie down on the test bed some very basic physical - checked the glands near throat,the nose,the throat from inside and liver etc... And I'm done in 2 minutes!! Asked the doctor - "Is everything ok ?" - got a thumbs up, in response !!!
Got the report around 4:15 PM. And went back to Panvel.
Please try to register as early as posible.Otherwise u need to wait long for the doctor's checkup and report.It's boring mann!!!
INTERVIEW:
We went back to Calcutta on 01/21/03 and were back to Mumbai on 01/28/03 morning to attend for the interview on 01/29/03.We had reservation at Hotel Royal Castle. It's a small but a clean hotel. Some attendants came to pick us up from the airport.Reached hotel and took rest for the whole day. Reviewed the documents for the interview. We had 4 files in total. One for each 3 of us(original of all the basic docs + 1 photocopy). And one file for the extra copies and some supporting docs - tax transcripts,pay-slips etc.
Reached consulate by 9:15AM, as the interview was on 9:30AM. The security checked the interview letter and asked us to go through security check. We were then asked to go inside the consulate office, a lady will be at the gate to attend you and she directed us to Counter#1, the cashier's counter. The cashier took the interview letter and mentioned that since we submitted the fees at US, we need to attend the interview only and was asked us to wait near counter #10.
There were only two EB cases on that day, rest were family based.
And we were called in last. The other EB case was a cook for some hotel and was interviewed before us.We were rather scared as they didn't call us till the end, so I stepped out and asked the gentleman at counter#11, he mentioned not to worry and called us immediately.So, the document collection and prelim round of interview was started at around 1:00 PM. Asked for passports and all documents. I asked what does "all" means. The gentleman's reply help me to figure out "all" means the basic docs mentioned in pkt-4. Notarised Employment letter, passport and medical reports were taken in original and for the rest(birth certificates,marriage certificates etc.) photocopies only.He didn't bother about viewing the originals even!! He didn't even ask for the I-134, affidavit of support for my wife and kid. So I asked him, he mentioned not needed and told for EB cases the employment letter is good enough. Later on after a pause, he mentioned - ok, you can submit I-134. So submitted. Next he asked whether we take fish(we're bengali) and then some silly talks on fish and was then asked to wait near counter 9. Within 10 minutes we were called in for the final interview. There were two nice ladies - an american and another indian. I wished for "Good Day", they responded - "Same to you".
And then asked us to take oath.The american lady was smiling at my kid's way of taking oath. Then I was asked the following questions -
- Which company u r working for ?
- How long u r working there ?
- Do you work on H1-B ?
- What's your qualification ?
- are ur kids american ? (my twins r americans but the one attending the interview is Indian). The american lady looked at my wife and mentioned - "wow !! ur handsfull."
The indian lady then mentioened that our VISA has been approved. The american lady then wanted to go for another check in her PC, and that was my wife's date of birth. After that, she congratulated us and asked to collect the papers at 3:30PM.
Went back to Hotel where my sister-in-law were taking care of the kids and had a quick lunch.Make a quick call to my parents at Cal updating the status of interview etc.Called my dost Reddy in Chicago(he was waiting for my call - couldn't sleep) to convey the good news and then went for VISA collection. Found some typo in the VISA(One of the digits of my passport was wrong, my wife and kid's last name was mis-spelled.).Told the man at the counter(the same man who collected my documents), he mentioned to come on 02/03/2003 as on 01/30/03 and 01/31/03 consulate will not do any EB VISA processing. Our flight to Cal was booked on 01/30/03 so I requested if it can be done on the next day, he took a moment and asked us to wait. He then went inside the consulate and send a message via security that I should come by 7:45AM of the following day i.e. 01/30/03 -this was special favor from him. Accordingly, I went there after offering puja at Siddhi Vinayak Temple and lastly we were given the corrected VISAs at about 11:50AM. Initially they mentioned me to collect the VISa at 3:30PM. I requested for an earlier schedule as my flight was around 4:30PM.
IMPORTANT:
- PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CHECK EACH AND EVERYTHING OF THE VISA.
- If applicable, I-134 for EB cases does not need to declare the bank balance, shares/stocks, life insurance and other assets/properties etc... The salary is good enough. I requested my attorney for several time to put those figures, but finally he gave me doc saying N/A for each of them which I submitted during interview.
POE:
Yesterday(02/09/03), we reached Chicago. The Immigrant officer asked us whether we are bengalee or not ? I answered - Yes. I asked him why(he is a white old man and I was surprised) ? He said he reads Bengali literatures!!
I asked whether we need to fill up I-94, he answered in negative.
He mentioned us to wait aside and within a few minutes a lady came and took us in another part of the immigration hall.Where we were asked to wait. After 10 minutes or so, another gentleman(with beard) called us and asked us to sign on two places of a paper(we didn't go through the detail of it,just follow his instructions) and took the finger print of the index finger and then our passport was returned with RED STAMP - temporary Green Card and we were all set!! Collected luggage, cleared customs(ON CUSTOMS declaration form, immigration officer should put a stamp - if not they might want to see your Green Card stamp on ur passport).
That's my detailed experience. If you have any query,I will be more than happy to reply.
Lastly, I like to convey my thanks to Mr. khanna and all the members of this portal.
CHEERS!!
Ranen
