Visitor Visa Paper drop off prior to interview

[indianinnj]

I am in dire help as my brother is appearing on interview in Mumbai consulate this coming wednesday(04/18). I just read somewhere in the Mumbai consulate website that the applicant needs to submit their DS156 form along with a copy of their passport and photos 5 business days prior to the actual interview date at the Mumbai consulate. This was not mentioned in the appointment letter which my brother received. I just want to confirm with the fellow members whether they are aware of this requirement and what happens if we have missed this requirement?

[smohanty]

Before I filled up the application forms for my parents on the VFS website, I read through all the information on the website and the procedure for the Mumbai Consulate is clearly mentioned there. Actually, the link to the procedure page for scheduling an interview at the Mumbai consulate is on the VFS home page (https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Home.aspx) .

The information on the VFS home page is very very important and so I am really surprised how you could not have read that page or not have known about this rule.

The rule about submitting the forms several working at the Mumbai, Pune or A'bad application centers is mentioned under the sub-heading 'Please Note' and so no body who goes through that procedure page can miss that information.

This submission of documents to the local application center is so important to the interview process that the VFS website actually states: "It is recommended that you forward your documents to us immediately after scheduling an interview."

And so my parents handed in the required documents at their local visa application center 10 working days before their interview.

Also, very importantly, once you have filled in the application and are downloading the application to print it out you will see a downloadable document titled checklist of documents to be submitted to your local application center. This downloaded checklist had to be submitted at the local application center along with the other forms.

So the VFS website gives the Mumbai consulate applicants the following documents to download and print:

1. DS-156
2. DS-157 (for applicants in the 15-55 age group)
3. Interview Appointment Letter
4. Checklist for documents to be submitted to the local VFS application center at Mumbai, Pune or Ahmedabad.

I have no idea of the consequences of this rule not being followed but I would assume that the applicant may not be interviewed if the papers have not been submitted in advance. So to be on the safe side, I would suggest that you cancel the appointment on the 18th and reschedule it for the closest available date.

If, on the contrary, the applicant decides to try his luck then please do inform us about the outcome.

[sillyships]

Hi,

Do the forms DS-156 and 157 and HDFC receipt and appointment letter have to be submitted beforehand at Chennai consulate too?

Shilps