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Thanks to Immihelp and others who have made this a great site. Will be happy to answer any specific question.
Interview Experience (Jan 2002):
8:00AM: Reached the American consulate. The security asked for the Appointment letter and passport. We have to show the letter and passport every few steps inside the gate and were asked to wait in the shamiana area, where you can see other Immigrant visa applicants.
8:30AM: The security sends the people to a hall case by case, where you see all the counters. Preference is given for elders and people with kids.
Once you enter the hall, you will be asked to submit the documents at Counter 6. The staff collects all applicable documents listed in Packet 4 and gives you a white slip and a sticker slip to write your address (The courier will be sent to this address). After the docs are collected you will be asked to pay $260 (in Indian Rupees) demand draft at counter 1 and wait in the shamiana area.
At counter 1, you have to submit the white slip given at counter 6 and the $260 demand draft. They will give you two payment slips (white and yellow). White slip is your copy and the yellow one you need to submit it later.
After paying you wait in the shamiana area.
9:15AM: All Immigrant visa applicants will be asked to gather near the main building stairs and there will be a group swearing in. The American visa officer welcomes everyone and assures that everyone will hopefully get their visas. He asks everyone to raise their right hand and asks if we swear that everything we declare in the application is the truth. We all mutter “yes, I do” and are asked to wait in the shamiana area.
9:30AM: Cases will be called by their primary applicant name. The announcement was not very audible. Once your name is called, you will be directed by the security to counter 6. The staff checks all the documents you have submitted earlier. They will keep the copies of Marriage certificate, birth certificate and will return back the originals.
The staff asked about my employer name , my designation and my pay stubs. Then he asked me sign OF-230 Part2 and another form which stated that all my docs are true and I won’t be changing my employer till I enter US (I read this form in a hurry and this is how I understood). Your dependents will also be asked to sign their Part2 form.
The staff also collects the $260 DD yellow payment slip, address sticker, Blue dart courier demand draft and gives you a white slip and asks you to pay the $65 (in Indian Rupees) demand draft at counter 1.
At counter 1, you have to submit the white slip given at counter 6 and the $65 demand draft. After getting the payment slip, you are all set and can go home. You will get the courier the next day.
Note:
1. Try to carry your documents in transparent bags so that you don’t need to open all the bags for security check.
2. Keep a photocopy of the appointment letter to show it to the security so that you don’t need to open the arranged docs everytime.
3. Need to write your case number at the back of the DD’s
Courier Contents:
The courier contains a brown packet for each person and the Immigrant visa (valid for six months) sheet pasted outside the cover. You need to show this Immigrant visa everytime you board the flight before reaching the POE.
Note:
1. The courier guy asked me to show a valid ID. He didn't acceppt my Indian drivers licence and asked for ration card.
Medical Exam:
We picked Dr.VijayaLakshmi. She is very helpful. The doctor checks your lister lab records and after the physical exam gives a report for each person. We just had MMR vaccine.
Note:
1. Carry extra copies of photographs as they want one to fix in the medical record given by the doctor.
LA POE Experience:
You have to give the brown packet and the passport to the visa officer. The officer asks you to sign a form at two places and takes your right index finger print. You will be asked to collect your baggages and wait near the counter. In the Immigrant visa issued at Chennai consulate, my first and last name were swaped and the zipcode in my address was wrong. I reported this to the officer and he wrote those corrections in another form and asked me to sign it. The officer said that he will recommend those corrections to the card issuing deparment. Got the temp evidence stamp in the passport and the office said that it will take 4 to 8 months to get the plastic card. All this happended in 30 mins.
Interview Experience (Jan 2002):
8:00AM: Reached the American consulate. The security asked for the Appointment letter and passport. We have to show the letter and passport every few steps inside the gate and were asked to wait in the shamiana area, where you can see other Immigrant visa applicants.
8:30AM: The security sends the people to a hall case by case, where you see all the counters. Preference is given for elders and people with kids.
Once you enter the hall, you will be asked to submit the documents at Counter 6. The staff collects all applicable documents listed in Packet 4 and gives you a white slip and a sticker slip to write your address (The courier will be sent to this address). After the docs are collected you will be asked to pay $260 (in Indian Rupees) demand draft at counter 1 and wait in the shamiana area.
At counter 1, you have to submit the white slip given at counter 6 and the $260 demand draft. They will give you two payment slips (white and yellow). White slip is your copy and the yellow one you need to submit it later.
After paying you wait in the shamiana area.
9:15AM: All Immigrant visa applicants will be asked to gather near the main building stairs and there will be a group swearing in. The American visa officer welcomes everyone and assures that everyone will hopefully get their visas. He asks everyone to raise their right hand and asks if we swear that everything we declare in the application is the truth. We all mutter “yes, I do” and are asked to wait in the shamiana area.
9:30AM: Cases will be called by their primary applicant name. The announcement was not very audible. Once your name is called, you will be directed by the security to counter 6. The staff checks all the documents you have submitted earlier. They will keep the copies of Marriage certificate, birth certificate and will return back the originals.
The staff asked about my employer name , my designation and my pay stubs. Then he asked me sign OF-230 Part2 and another form which stated that all my docs are true and I won’t be changing my employer till I enter US (I read this form in a hurry and this is how I understood). Your dependents will also be asked to sign their Part2 form.
The staff also collects the $260 DD yellow payment slip, address sticker, Blue dart courier demand draft and gives you a white slip and asks you to pay the $65 (in Indian Rupees) demand draft at counter 1.
At counter 1, you have to submit the white slip given at counter 6 and the $65 demand draft. After getting the payment slip, you are all set and can go home. You will get the courier the next day.
Note:
1. Try to carry your documents in transparent bags so that you don’t need to open all the bags for security check.
2. Keep a photocopy of the appointment letter to show it to the security so that you don’t need to open the arranged docs everytime.
3. Need to write your case number at the back of the DD’s
Courier Contents:
The courier contains a brown packet for each person and the Immigrant visa (valid for six months) sheet pasted outside the cover. You need to show this Immigrant visa everytime you board the flight before reaching the POE.
Note:
1. The courier guy asked me to show a valid ID. He didn't acceppt my Indian drivers licence and asked for ration card.
Medical Exam:
We picked Dr.VijayaLakshmi. She is very helpful. The doctor checks your lister lab records and after the physical exam gives a report for each person. We just had MMR vaccine.
Note:
1. Carry extra copies of photographs as they want one to fix in the medical record given by the doctor.
LA POE Experience:
You have to give the brown packet and the passport to the visa officer. The officer asks you to sign a form at two places and takes your right index finger print. You will be asked to collect your baggages and wait near the counter. In the Immigrant visa issued at Chennai consulate, my first and last name were swaped and the zipcode in my address was wrong. I reported this to the officer and he wrote those corrections in another form and asked me to sign it. The officer said that he will recommend those corrections to the card issuing deparment. Got the temp evidence stamp in the passport and the office said that it will take 4 to 8 months to get the plastic card. All this happended in 30 mins.
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