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I have a valid B1/B2 visa issued in 2005 along with valid L1-A issued in 2013. My family also have L2 visas and they have traveled to USA in 2013. This year, we planned to visit California for a leisure trip during the last 3 weeks of May. My original plan was to get them join me while I was working in US. However my assignment in US was cut short and I came back to India in December. Hence I had to get B2 visa also for my family.
Our VAC appointment was on Sunday at 3.30 pm and we reached there about half hour before our schedule. However we saw a big crowd in front of the office with the entire area blocked with people and cars. In spite of clear instructions, most people seem to arrive 1-2 hours in advance of their appointment. Once inside, the process took just about 10 minutes to finish.
Our Consulate appointment was at 8.30 am the next day. we arrived there at about 8am and the security was already allowing that batch to go inside. The whole process seems to have been simplified significantly since our last visit there in 2013. Now there is no document verification/fee collection process (paid online) before visa interview and applicants are directly going in front of the visa officers. The lady at the counter asked some questions on the plan of our travel, duration and if we have any relatives in US. She did not ask for any documents or proof of travel. She also exchanged some pleasantries with my daughter about weather in California and Chennai before approving the visa.
The passport courier option is not available now. After getting the dispatch notification, applicants are expected to go and collect the passports in person at respective collection centers.
Our VAC appointment was on Sunday at 3.30 pm and we reached there about half hour before our schedule. However we saw a big crowd in front of the office with the entire area blocked with people and cars. In spite of clear instructions, most people seem to arrive 1-2 hours in advance of their appointment. Once inside, the process took just about 10 minutes to finish.
Our Consulate appointment was at 8.30 am the next day. we arrived there at about 8am and the security was already allowing that batch to go inside. The whole process seems to have been simplified significantly since our last visit there in 2013. Now there is no document verification/fee collection process (paid online) before visa interview and applicants are directly going in front of the visa officers. The lady at the counter asked some questions on the plan of our travel, duration and if we have any relatives in US. She did not ask for any documents or proof of travel. She also exchanged some pleasantries with my daughter about weather in California and Chennai before approving the visa.
The passport courier option is not available now. After getting the dispatch notification, applicants are expected to go and collect the passports in person at respective collection centers.
