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Interview date: 06/25/2002. Consulate: Chennai (Madras)
==========================================
Initial Preparation:
I blocked my tickets based on the assumption that "all employment based immigrant interviews are scheduled only in the second half of the month for Chennai consulate and Mumbai consulate." So for all E1,E2,E3 categories, interview dates fall after the 15 of the every month only. This should help in booking tickets to India in advance. I am basing my assumption off of the last 1 year data.
Before I left I made sure that I’d every single document that is needed as specified by the attorney and other immigration portals like www.immihelp.com . Apart from the standard list of documents, I also got the tax transcripts for the last three years from IRS.
I wanted to do the medicals on 06/13/02, so that I could leave for my hometown the same day. Per packet 4, Dr Mathai Thomas was the only one to take patients during evening time frame. Hence, I requested my parents to schedule the appointment with him on that day evening at 5.30PM.
Misnomer 1: The doctors offer appointments in their slotted time frames only as specified in packet 4.
Dr VijayaLakshmi had offered evening appointments to other candidates on 06/13/02 and I am told that she is the friendliest one.
So one should try with her first before checking out other Doctors.
Misnomer 2: You have to do the medicals exactly three days prior to the interview date ?
The medicals can be done as soon as we receive the interview letter and I myself did it 12 days prior to the interview date.
==============================================
Medicals:
I went to the Lister Labs on 06/13/02 along with my wife at 7 AM. Even though the consulate document says that the lab opens at 8AM, they actually open at 7.30AM. Our tests (blood and XRAY) took less than 30 minutes for both of us and were asked to collect the reports by 4.30PM. They charge Rs 600/ per person and they take only cash. Collected medical reports by 4.30PM.
Misnomer: The packet 4 says that you can collect them only by 5.30PM and Lister lab opens at 8AM.
We completed our Medicals with Dr. Mathai Thomas and we had no issues with him. But we found him to be totally unfriendly and his staffs were uncouth. The medical reports are not sealed if you don’t have any problems but it would be sealed if there is an issue. The Doctor again takes only cash and the amount varies from person to person depending on the number of vaccination he gives.
==============================================
06/24/02: (Previous day before the interview)
I emailed the consulate regarding the demand draft details since I’d already paid $260 with the packet 3. They emailed me back that I need couple of drafts for Rs. 3185 [$65 ($325-$260) conversion rate 1$ = Rs 49 as of today].
I cross checked everything again and arranged everything in the order specified by the attorney’s cover letter.
=============================================
06/25/02 (interview date)
Reached consulate by 7.15AM and they allowed us inside after seeing our passport and the interview letter. They will not allow any handbags, bags, or brief cases inside, so just keep the documents inside folders and leave the rest at home.
We were asked to be seated in an A/C hall along with others. Initially there was a document check by an Indian officer and he found that I’d everything in the wrong order. It seems that consulate had sent the order in which we should arrange our documents along with the packet 4 and I had no clue about it. Probably my attorney didn’t receive it but wonder how others had it? The consulate also had sent them about the demand draft details in the same document and I’d missed to take a draft for Rs 350 in favor of blue dart express limited (Rs 250 for courier and Rs 50 for each passport insurance). Other people in the consulate helped me out to arrange them in the correct order and since I don’t have the document that the consulate had sent to others, I’ve no information on the order but it is advisable to follow up and get it.
We were asked to raise our hands and give an oath that all the information is accurate to our knowledge.
In the actual interview by the officer there was no questions asked and he just asked us to sign in the documents were he required our signature. Since I didn’t have the draft for the courier (Rs 350), luckily he took equivalent cash from me.
Overall, I found that consular processing is much simpler than what we think and even if we mess up with our documentation they ask you to come prepared the next day. Unless you are really a terrorist or a criminal or someone with **** identity or your company is bankrupt, you don’t stand a chance of getting rejected.
Gaps: How the documents should be arranged - Very important
Gaps: Demand Drafts details were not properly received
==============================================
06/26/02 (Next day)
The next day we received our immigrant visa registration, passport (with H1-B cancelled and nothing else), sealed envelope (don’t open this at any cost) by courier. I checked the name, DOB and other details to see if they were fine.
==============================================
06/30/02 (Newark <=Port of entry)
The passport was stamped with I-551 and we were asked to wait in a separate room. Then after 45 minute wait time, the INS officials took our finger prints and asked us to expect the card in a month or so.
==============================================
07/02/02
Applied for SSN card (updated with restriction removed) and a new SSN card for my wife
==============================================
Note:
Local PCC were not asked in chennai consulate. They just took the PCC from the Indian consulate in USA.
Thanks,
Gopal
==========================================
Initial Preparation:
I blocked my tickets based on the assumption that "all employment based immigrant interviews are scheduled only in the second half of the month for Chennai consulate and Mumbai consulate." So for all E1,E2,E3 categories, interview dates fall after the 15 of the every month only. This should help in booking tickets to India in advance. I am basing my assumption off of the last 1 year data.
Before I left I made sure that I’d every single document that is needed as specified by the attorney and other immigration portals like www.immihelp.com . Apart from the standard list of documents, I also got the tax transcripts for the last three years from IRS.
I wanted to do the medicals on 06/13/02, so that I could leave for my hometown the same day. Per packet 4, Dr Mathai Thomas was the only one to take patients during evening time frame. Hence, I requested my parents to schedule the appointment with him on that day evening at 5.30PM.
Misnomer 1: The doctors offer appointments in their slotted time frames only as specified in packet 4.
Dr VijayaLakshmi had offered evening appointments to other candidates on 06/13/02 and I am told that she is the friendliest one.
So one should try with her first before checking out other Doctors.
Misnomer 2: You have to do the medicals exactly three days prior to the interview date ?
The medicals can be done as soon as we receive the interview letter and I myself did it 12 days prior to the interview date.
==============================================
Medicals:
I went to the Lister Labs on 06/13/02 along with my wife at 7 AM. Even though the consulate document says that the lab opens at 8AM, they actually open at 7.30AM. Our tests (blood and XRAY) took less than 30 minutes for both of us and were asked to collect the reports by 4.30PM. They charge Rs 600/ per person and they take only cash. Collected medical reports by 4.30PM.
Misnomer: The packet 4 says that you can collect them only by 5.30PM and Lister lab opens at 8AM.
We completed our Medicals with Dr. Mathai Thomas and we had no issues with him. But we found him to be totally unfriendly and his staffs were uncouth. The medical reports are not sealed if you don’t have any problems but it would be sealed if there is an issue. The Doctor again takes only cash and the amount varies from person to person depending on the number of vaccination he gives.
==============================================
06/24/02: (Previous day before the interview)
I emailed the consulate regarding the demand draft details since I’d already paid $260 with the packet 3. They emailed me back that I need couple of drafts for Rs. 3185 [$65 ($325-$260) conversion rate 1$ = Rs 49 as of today].
I cross checked everything again and arranged everything in the order specified by the attorney’s cover letter.
=============================================
06/25/02 (interview date)
Reached consulate by 7.15AM and they allowed us inside after seeing our passport and the interview letter. They will not allow any handbags, bags, or brief cases inside, so just keep the documents inside folders and leave the rest at home.
We were asked to be seated in an A/C hall along with others. Initially there was a document check by an Indian officer and he found that I’d everything in the wrong order. It seems that consulate had sent the order in which we should arrange our documents along with the packet 4 and I had no clue about it. Probably my attorney didn’t receive it but wonder how others had it? The consulate also had sent them about the demand draft details in the same document and I’d missed to take a draft for Rs 350 in favor of blue dart express limited (Rs 250 for courier and Rs 50 for each passport insurance). Other people in the consulate helped me out to arrange them in the correct order and since I don’t have the document that the consulate had sent to others, I’ve no information on the order but it is advisable to follow up and get it.
We were asked to raise our hands and give an oath that all the information is accurate to our knowledge.
In the actual interview by the officer there was no questions asked and he just asked us to sign in the documents were he required our signature. Since I didn’t have the draft for the courier (Rs 350), luckily he took equivalent cash from me.
Overall, I found that consular processing is much simpler than what we think and even if we mess up with our documentation they ask you to come prepared the next day. Unless you are really a terrorist or a criminal or someone with **** identity or your company is bankrupt, you don’t stand a chance of getting rejected.
Gaps: How the documents should be arranged - Very important
Gaps: Demand Drafts details were not properly received
==============================================
06/26/02 (Next day)
The next day we received our immigrant visa registration, passport (with H1-B cancelled and nothing else), sealed envelope (don’t open this at any cost) by courier. I checked the name, DOB and other details to see if they were fine.
==============================================
06/30/02 (Newark <=Port of entry)
The passport was stamped with I-551 and we were asked to wait in a separate room. Then after 45 minute wait time, the INS officials took our finger prints and asked us to expect the card in a month or so.
==============================================
07/02/02
Applied for SSN card (updated with restriction removed) and a new SSN card for my wife
==============================================
Note:
Local PCC were not asked in chennai consulate. They just took the PCC from the Indian consulate in USA.
Thanks,
Gopal
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