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I went and got my US F1 Visa approved today at the Chennai Consulate. Before I recite my experience I just want to tell u guys about the situation in which I went to the interview. I had misplaced both my GRE and TOEFL scorecards. Though they were not mandatory, they were kind of important documents since I was applying for F1. But I had the online prints and photocopies of the scorecards. I had even posted on sites like immihelp to ask their opinion. I want to confirm today that, online scorecards of GRE and TOEFL are more than enough. Thanks to immihelp.
Now, the experience.
My appointment was scheduled at 7:45 AM. So I reached the consulate at 7:00 AM itself. I had my cell phone with me which is supposedly not allowed inside the consulate. Nevertheless, there is a locker outside the consulate where you have to pay Rs. 5 and deposit ur stuff there. Remember that you cannot TAKE ANY BAGS INSIDE THE CONSULATE.
The first step is the security check and then comes the document check. In the document check, the following docs were transfered to another file. Remember that you give only this file to the VO.
1. Passport
2. Token Number (Will be given at the consulate)
3. DS-160 Confirmation Page
4. SEVIS Receipt
5. Appointment Letter
6. UG Degree Certificate
7. GRE and TOEFL scorecards (in my case print outs)
After that we proceed to finger print scanning.
Then we are transfered to another building where the actual interview takes place. There are about 40 counters I guess. You are made to wait and you have to keep staring at the big screen for the token number.
Once the token number is announced you have to go the the booth and wait in the queue. It is during this time that I was most tensed. You can hear what everyone speaks around you. And you can see people getting rejected. My advice is to keep your eyes closed and ears shut. Just say your prayers and keep yourself cool. The guy in front of me got rejected and I moved forward.
Me : Good Morning Sir (smiling)
VO : Hi there. Good Morning. How are you doing?
Me : Am good sir. How are you?
VO : Doing great. Hmmm (and takes out all the documents from the file). So you are going to Carnegie Mellon is it? Wow! Why Carnegie Mellon?
Me : Sir, Carnegie Mellon is the world's best school for Software Engineering and Computer Science. And more than anything else, it is a very prestigious school.
VO : Yeah it is. But, it is also very expensive. Do you think you will be able to afford it?
Me : Yes sir. My dad is sponsoring my education. And he works for Royal and Sun Alliance as an IT Manager. He earns enough to sponsor me. (and I fumbled my other file for the Financial Docs)
VO : No No. Thats fine. Your VISA has been approved and will reach you in a week's time. All the best. And thanks a lot.
Me : Thanks a lot sir. Have a great day.
VO : (Smiling) You have a good one too son.
And thats the fairytale story. I must say that I was lucky enough to have got a very affable VO. But, the whole interview took just a minute. My advice is to keep to the point and speak confidently. I know it is easier said. But, if you keep a cool head, the visa is a piece of cake.
I am really happy and I thank immihelp for the guidance. Hope this experience is of some use to someone.
Now, the experience.
My appointment was scheduled at 7:45 AM. So I reached the consulate at 7:00 AM itself. I had my cell phone with me which is supposedly not allowed inside the consulate. Nevertheless, there is a locker outside the consulate where you have to pay Rs. 5 and deposit ur stuff there. Remember that you cannot TAKE ANY BAGS INSIDE THE CONSULATE.
The first step is the security check and then comes the document check. In the document check, the following docs were transfered to another file. Remember that you give only this file to the VO.
1. Passport
2. Token Number (Will be given at the consulate)
3. DS-160 Confirmation Page
4. SEVIS Receipt
5. Appointment Letter
6. UG Degree Certificate
7. GRE and TOEFL scorecards (in my case print outs)
After that we proceed to finger print scanning.
Then we are transfered to another building where the actual interview takes place. There are about 40 counters I guess. You are made to wait and you have to keep staring at the big screen for the token number.
Once the token number is announced you have to go the the booth and wait in the queue. It is during this time that I was most tensed. You can hear what everyone speaks around you. And you can see people getting rejected. My advice is to keep your eyes closed and ears shut. Just say your prayers and keep yourself cool. The guy in front of me got rejected and I moved forward.
Me : Good Morning Sir (smiling)
VO : Hi there. Good Morning. How are you doing?
Me : Am good sir. How are you?
VO : Doing great. Hmmm (and takes out all the documents from the file). So you are going to Carnegie Mellon is it? Wow! Why Carnegie Mellon?
Me : Sir, Carnegie Mellon is the world's best school for Software Engineering and Computer Science. And more than anything else, it is a very prestigious school.
VO : Yeah it is. But, it is also very expensive. Do you think you will be able to afford it?
Me : Yes sir. My dad is sponsoring my education. And he works for Royal and Sun Alliance as an IT Manager. He earns enough to sponsor me. (and I fumbled my other file for the Financial Docs)
VO : No No. Thats fine. Your VISA has been approved and will reach you in a week's time. All the best. And thanks a lot.
Me : Thanks a lot sir. Have a great day.
VO : (Smiling) You have a good one too son.
And thats the fairytale story. I must say that I was lucky enough to have got a very affable VO. But, the whole interview took just a minute. My advice is to keep to the point and speak confidently. I know it is easier said. But, if you keep a cool head, the visa is a piece of cake.
I am really happy and I thank immihelp for the guidance. Hope this experience is of some use to someone.
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