Question on IR-5 Appointment

[tonychadha]

Dear All -

My mother is scheduled for an interview at US Embassy in Mumbai for Green Card. When we reviewed the Pre-Interview Checklist there is a document for "Original or certified copies of birth certificates for all children of the principal applicant (even if he or she is not accompanying)."

My mother has 2 sons - I am the son who is sponsoring her. The other son is not available and we don't have his Birth Certificate. For those who visited the USA Embassy for consular processing, can anyone please provide some guidance on how critical is this document for the son who is not sponsoring and is not accompanying her for the interview?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Regards
Tony

[pmgzb]

I have the same question. How important is it to have birth certificate for all the kids?

Tony, I am also wondering if you did a separate appointment for biometrics (fingerprinting etc). I am getting an impression that the fingerprinting will be part of the consular interview now? I am seeing old articles about a separate biometric appointment but not able to get a confirmation.

[tonychadha]

Hello PMGZB - I am told it may not be necessary but nothing can be said about to be sure as it may depend on the consular officer. I was able to get the certificate for my sibling from India municipality as your parents can apply for that even if he is not there.

Regarding VAC/OFC appointment, that is the only item I am able to schedule from portal. They are not allowing me to schedule an appointment for consular interview from portal. I have tried asking the travel visa desk but I get very standard response that is not providing any clarity. I have tried asking the question in few ways but so far no luck. That is why I had to come to forum

[GeoMac]

Hello PMGZB - I am told it may not be necessary but nothing can be said about to be sure as it may depend on the consular officer. I was able to get the certificate for my sibling from India municipality as your parents can apply for that even if he is not there.

Regarding VAC/OFC appointment, that is the only item I am able to schedule from portal. They are not allowing me to schedule an appointment for consular interview from portal. I have tried asking the travel visa desk but I get very standard response that is not providing any clarity. I have tried asking the question in few ways but so far no luck. That is why I had to come to forum

Dear tonychadha,
your mother has already been given a consular interview appointment, so you need not do anything for that unless your mother's medical tests needed further tests (&like sputum), which may take more time. In that situation, the interview appointment gets cancelled automatically and after the medical reports are cleared, you will have to take a new appointment for her interview.