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Chennai GC Interview Experience ( IR5 ).
Our Appt was scheduled at the Chennai US consulate 8:00 am on 06/11/2010
I arrived at the Chennai consulate at approx 7:30 a.m. on a rainy morning to a line that was 50 people long and quickly getting longer.
Even though the security guard (guard gate at the end of the line) said everyone has to join the half mile long line I said sorry I wasn’t going too especially in the rain.. so I asked my mother to wait and approached the Officer who has checking interview letters and informed him that I was the sponsor who was going to accompany my mother into the interview and that my mother is 68 years old and will not be able to stand in the ½ mile lone line in the rain.
The officer said please call your mother and come directly to me and you don’t have to join the line, when I walked up one of the guards was trying to stop me and said please clarify with the officer, who concurred with what I said and I got in to the line right there.
My interview letter was checked and we proceeded to enter the consulate, here as they were doing metal detector as well as body checks I had to have my mother join the ladies line with the letter when I was in the men’s line with my US passport. The security guy said ‘ONLY INTERVIEW PERSONEL’ I said please clarify with the officer and who concurred with what I said and I was allowed in.
As soon as I got in the security guy began to shake down my large mountain of documents on by ones as though I had stuff hidden between the sheets, it took him 15+ minutes, by which time my mother had already entered the consulate.
The Metal detector guy said “WHATS THAT A CELL PHONE” its not allowed. I explained to him it was an insulin pump that I should wear at all times, he again had to walk out and get clarification from the officer that this was an approved device.
On entering the consulate I was blindly directed to join the line on my left and go to counter X (don’t remember the number), my mother was waiting for me and she joined me.. After about 10 minutes when I got to the counter the lady said “ OH you have to go to the other building as yours is a “IMMIGRANT CASE” “Who send you here” to which I said the lady managing the line,
Anyway I was asked to walk to the end on my right walk along a corridor where there was a water fountain and cross over in a rain and climb few steps to a couple of heavy doors that seemed blast proof and I had to give it all my strength to open.
As soon as I entered I saw a set of chairs on my left and counters on my right. I was going to sit on the last chair when a lady said. Sir, please come here so I walked up with my mother and she said what you are here for to which I said for an “IR5 – Interview for my mother”. She said please give me the letter… she read the letter and handed it into the counter #4 I think (not sure about the number) and asked us to sit on right. After few minutes I noticed that all Immigrant interview candidates where asked to sit on the right and all other interview cases on the left.
The lines on the left were constantly in motion, mostly where H1, F1 & business visas. They were mostly paying the difference in fees as well as had to go to get pictures as the pictures were not correct... some were even give passed to go out and get additional docs before 1:00 PM.
Finally around 8:30 we were called my last name by a later that began reviewing my GC documents, she first asked for my most recent W2 & Tax filing for 2009. Then she asked for my birth certificate for which I said that all I had was a non availability with two affidavits, she said “Oh we do not accept those” to which I said... 10 years ago I got my green card at the same consulate with the same letter from the municipality and affidavits. She said do you have any other document that shows you and your mother relationship such as “Old Indian Passport”, “School Leaving certificate”, “OIC”.
I told her sorry none, I have my OCI as the hotel room and if you need it I can get it for you, my old Indian passports are in the US. To this she said it’s not necessary I just asked so that I can attach as secondary proof to your birth certificate.
She then asked me to write my mothers name in native alphabet on the DS230 form. I said sorry my second language is French in school & collage so I will get my mother to come and write it. She also asked my mother to sign the DS230 form that was it the document verification was complete and she asked us to return to our seat.
After about another half hour we were called as asked to go the counter C (don’t remember the number) for finger printing. After the prints were done we were asked to return to or original seat and wait.
At this time I noticed that one of the immigrant visa applicant was about to leave thinking he was done… the lady explained that he still had a final interview with American officer.
At around 9:30 am an officer showed up and I saw him start to review the first case which was my mothers, I was sitting on the first row and recognized her picture when he flipped the pages... he spent about 10 minutes going thru all the pages then called us by last name.
So I approached the counter and said
Me - Good Morning office this is my mother and I am the sponsored and this is my mother, she does not speak English so I am here with her.
Officer – Good morning how are you doing?
Office – I speak little tamil – “Amma Vanakam, Nalla illikinga la”
My mother – Vanakkam – ”Nalla irrikanga”
Me – That is very good ‘ Your tamil is good”
Office – I am working on it.
Office – When did you come to India ?
Me- This Tuesday via the Continetal direct from Newark
Officer – I will they had some direct to “Chennai”
Officer – I see you got married in New York
Me – Yes, at St. Marys
Officer – Did you wife come too
Me – No, we are expecting a baby so she cannot travel right now.
Office – Congrats..
Me – Thank you.
Officer – I see that you wife is Hispanic do you speak Spanish
Me – No I am still learning.
Officer – Remember to teach your child Spanish.
Officer – My wife is Hispanic and I speak English to my children and my wife speaks only Spanish to my children, to by bilingual in a US so important now a days.
Officer – OK here is how we will do the interview, first I will ask you some questions and your mother can sit, then I will call your mother and ask her some questions after that I will call and speak to you and we will conclude the interview.
Next I asked my mother to go back and sit down.
Officer – Where do you work?
Me – I work for Xxx and consulate at client Xxxx.
Officer – Oh you work for this Xxxx Bank.
Me – Yes I was an employee for 7 years and left.
Officer – How did you get you GC?
Me – Employee sponsored.
Office – How did you first go to the US – Student?
Me – No I went on a H1.
Officer – Did you see your mother’s medical report?
Me – yes
Officer – how many children
Me – Me and my 2 sisters
Officer – Have you sponsored any of your sisters?
Me – No, My one sister has already an EU citizen and lives in Country Xxxx
My other sister lives here in India and is not interested in immigrate.
Officer – They said you should check something out..
Me – yes my doctor is aware I have detailed report/analysis do you want to see it.
Officer – You have a small family and make a lot of money and have no issue but I was just suggesting that you take look as such medical procedures as they are cheaper to take care in India.
Me – Our family physician has advised Xxxx and that’s what we propose to do now.
Officer – returned all the originals that were collected...
Officer - Ok Mr. Xxxx you can now sit down and please call you mother.
My mother’s interview:-
Officer & Tamil translator – Please raise you right had and swear that everything that you have mentioned here is true and that you are telling the truth.
My mother – Yes, I swear.
Officer & Tamil translator – Are you Mrs. Xxxxxx
My mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – have you been to the US before
My mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – Do you remember how long?
My Mother – About 4 months.
Officer & Tamil translator – When did you son first go to the US
My Mother – I do not remember
Officer & Tamil translator – That is fine.
Officer & Tamil translator – When did your son last come to India
My Mother – This Tuesday
Officer & Tamil translator – When did he last come to India
My Mother – Last year
Officer & Tamil translator – how often does you son call you from the US
My Mother – Everyday
Officer & Tamil translator – Looks like he is a very good son and loves you a lot
My Mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – Oh you will enjoy living with Him, I am granting you the VISA “Welcome to United Stated”
My Mother – Thank you.
Then the Officer called me
Officer – Mr. Xxxxx we are done I have granted you mother the Visa, you should have it in the next 3 to 4 days.
Me – Thank you officer have a nice day.
Office – Bye you have a good one too.
I was not given nothing the lady clarified all I needed was a VFS receipt to collect the passport & Packet.
I was done and walked out of the consulate by 09:50 Am approx 2 hrs in total.
The VFS site is horrendous and was not giving any status and threw a system error whenever I check status… however when I got to the VFS office at 4:00 PM they claimed that it was updated since 1:00 PM and I collected the passport and check everything
Sorry for the Long Post but I made it as informative as possible as some of you may benefit from the details
Our Appt was scheduled at the Chennai US consulate 8:00 am on 06/11/2010
I arrived at the Chennai consulate at approx 7:30 a.m. on a rainy morning to a line that was 50 people long and quickly getting longer.
Even though the security guard (guard gate at the end of the line) said everyone has to join the half mile long line I said sorry I wasn’t going too especially in the rain.. so I asked my mother to wait and approached the Officer who has checking interview letters and informed him that I was the sponsor who was going to accompany my mother into the interview and that my mother is 68 years old and will not be able to stand in the ½ mile lone line in the rain.
The officer said please call your mother and come directly to me and you don’t have to join the line, when I walked up one of the guards was trying to stop me and said please clarify with the officer, who concurred with what I said and I got in to the line right there.
My interview letter was checked and we proceeded to enter the consulate, here as they were doing metal detector as well as body checks I had to have my mother join the ladies line with the letter when I was in the men’s line with my US passport. The security guy said ‘ONLY INTERVIEW PERSONEL’ I said please clarify with the officer and who concurred with what I said and I was allowed in.
As soon as I got in the security guy began to shake down my large mountain of documents on by ones as though I had stuff hidden between the sheets, it took him 15+ minutes, by which time my mother had already entered the consulate.
The Metal detector guy said “WHATS THAT A CELL PHONE” its not allowed. I explained to him it was an insulin pump that I should wear at all times, he again had to walk out and get clarification from the officer that this was an approved device.
On entering the consulate I was blindly directed to join the line on my left and go to counter X (don’t remember the number), my mother was waiting for me and she joined me.. After about 10 minutes when I got to the counter the lady said “ OH you have to go to the other building as yours is a “IMMIGRANT CASE” “Who send you here” to which I said the lady managing the line,
Anyway I was asked to walk to the end on my right walk along a corridor where there was a water fountain and cross over in a rain and climb few steps to a couple of heavy doors that seemed blast proof and I had to give it all my strength to open.
As soon as I entered I saw a set of chairs on my left and counters on my right. I was going to sit on the last chair when a lady said. Sir, please come here so I walked up with my mother and she said what you are here for to which I said for an “IR5 – Interview for my mother”. She said please give me the letter… she read the letter and handed it into the counter #4 I think (not sure about the number) and asked us to sit on right. After few minutes I noticed that all Immigrant interview candidates where asked to sit on the right and all other interview cases on the left.
The lines on the left were constantly in motion, mostly where H1, F1 & business visas. They were mostly paying the difference in fees as well as had to go to get pictures as the pictures were not correct... some were even give passed to go out and get additional docs before 1:00 PM.
Finally around 8:30 we were called my last name by a later that began reviewing my GC documents, she first asked for my most recent W2 & Tax filing for 2009. Then she asked for my birth certificate for which I said that all I had was a non availability with two affidavits, she said “Oh we do not accept those” to which I said... 10 years ago I got my green card at the same consulate with the same letter from the municipality and affidavits. She said do you have any other document that shows you and your mother relationship such as “Old Indian Passport”, “School Leaving certificate”, “OIC”.
I told her sorry none, I have my OCI as the hotel room and if you need it I can get it for you, my old Indian passports are in the US. To this she said it’s not necessary I just asked so that I can attach as secondary proof to your birth certificate.
She then asked me to write my mothers name in native alphabet on the DS230 form. I said sorry my second language is French in school & collage so I will get my mother to come and write it. She also asked my mother to sign the DS230 form that was it the document verification was complete and she asked us to return to our seat.
After about another half hour we were called as asked to go the counter C (don’t remember the number) for finger printing. After the prints were done we were asked to return to or original seat and wait.
At this time I noticed that one of the immigrant visa applicant was about to leave thinking he was done… the lady explained that he still had a final interview with American officer.
At around 9:30 am an officer showed up and I saw him start to review the first case which was my mothers, I was sitting on the first row and recognized her picture when he flipped the pages... he spent about 10 minutes going thru all the pages then called us by last name.
So I approached the counter and said
Me - Good Morning office this is my mother and I am the sponsored and this is my mother, she does not speak English so I am here with her.
Officer – Good morning how are you doing?
Office – I speak little tamil – “Amma Vanakam, Nalla illikinga la”
My mother – Vanakkam – ”Nalla irrikanga”
Me – That is very good ‘ Your tamil is good”
Office – I am working on it.
Office – When did you come to India ?
Me- This Tuesday via the Continetal direct from Newark
Officer – I will they had some direct to “Chennai”
Officer – I see you got married in New York
Me – Yes, at St. Marys
Officer – Did you wife come too
Me – No, we are expecting a baby so she cannot travel right now.
Office – Congrats..
Me – Thank you.
Officer – I see that you wife is Hispanic do you speak Spanish
Me – No I am still learning.
Officer – Remember to teach your child Spanish.
Officer – My wife is Hispanic and I speak English to my children and my wife speaks only Spanish to my children, to by bilingual in a US so important now a days.
Officer – OK here is how we will do the interview, first I will ask you some questions and your mother can sit, then I will call your mother and ask her some questions after that I will call and speak to you and we will conclude the interview.
Next I asked my mother to go back and sit down.
Officer – Where do you work?
Me – I work for Xxx and consulate at client Xxxx.
Officer – Oh you work for this Xxxx Bank.
Me – Yes I was an employee for 7 years and left.
Officer – How did you get you GC?
Me – Employee sponsored.
Office – How did you first go to the US – Student?
Me – No I went on a H1.
Officer – Did you see your mother’s medical report?
Me – yes
Officer – how many children
Me – Me and my 2 sisters
Officer – Have you sponsored any of your sisters?
Me – No, My one sister has already an EU citizen and lives in Country Xxxx
My other sister lives here in India and is not interested in immigrate.
Officer – They said you should check something out..
Me – yes my doctor is aware I have detailed report/analysis do you want to see it.
Officer – You have a small family and make a lot of money and have no issue but I was just suggesting that you take look as such medical procedures as they are cheaper to take care in India.
Me – Our family physician has advised Xxxx and that’s what we propose to do now.
Officer – returned all the originals that were collected...
Officer - Ok Mr. Xxxx you can now sit down and please call you mother.
My mother’s interview:-
Officer & Tamil translator – Please raise you right had and swear that everything that you have mentioned here is true and that you are telling the truth.
My mother – Yes, I swear.
Officer & Tamil translator – Are you Mrs. Xxxxxx
My mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – have you been to the US before
My mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – Do you remember how long?
My Mother – About 4 months.
Officer & Tamil translator – When did you son first go to the US
My Mother – I do not remember
Officer & Tamil translator – That is fine.
Officer & Tamil translator – When did your son last come to India
My Mother – This Tuesday
Officer & Tamil translator – When did he last come to India
My Mother – Last year
Officer & Tamil translator – how often does you son call you from the US
My Mother – Everyday
Officer & Tamil translator – Looks like he is a very good son and loves you a lot
My Mother – Yes
Officer & Tamil translator – Oh you will enjoy living with Him, I am granting you the VISA “Welcome to United Stated”
My Mother – Thank you.
Then the Officer called me
Officer – Mr. Xxxxx we are done I have granted you mother the Visa, you should have it in the next 3 to 4 days.
Me – Thank you officer have a nice day.
Office – Bye you have a good one too.
I was not given nothing the lady clarified all I needed was a VFS receipt to collect the passport & Packet.
I was done and walked out of the consulate by 09:50 Am approx 2 hrs in total.
The VFS site is horrendous and was not giving any status and threw a system error whenever I check status… however when I got to the VFS office at 4:00 PM they claimed that it was updated since 1:00 PM and I collected the passport and check everything
Sorry for the Long Post but I made it as informative as possible as some of you may benefit from the details
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