Fathima's Interview Experience in India

[htownboy25 0]

Congrats and thanks for the detail interview questions.

My question...how does anyone remember each and every question they asked? Did you record this?

1000 thanks ....this helps us to be better prepared.

[happyinlove012408 0]

A big Congrats and may you have a safe trip home.

[neethope 0]

A big Congrats and may you have a safe trip home.

This is a detailed interview post LOTO... now I know exactly what to expect in the Chennai consulate for my interview. Thanks a lot for all the information. All the best for your future endeavors, may you both have that pleasant smile of Fathima forever

LOTO one question I had, if you have paid the VFS fees earlier, I didn't understand the reason behind VFS office visit on the day of interview prior to the interview.

[Asante Maroon 0]

Thanks for sharing. you are so detailed and organized! I am sure that helped a great deal in your process.

Congrats again :dance:

[YOUTOO 2]

Loto, I have said it before and here it is again. We are so happy we met you on this site. Wherever our future

life travels will take us, we shall always remember this brief time together here on VJ. It felt like a lifetime sometimes,

but shared problems are easier to handle. With an interview date in sight, the light shines brighter. Again, from

Japan, best wishes for your future. May it bring you all you want and more, most of all health and happiness. Take

care.

[james_2008 0]

Fathima's Interview Experience at Chennai, India on 07/03/2008 at 8:00AM

6:15AM She started from their accommodation to VFS Office, Chennai

(VFS is a courier office in India who collects initial documents and delivers passport)

6:55AM She arrived at VFS Office, Chennai. She had to wait outside since the gate was not open.

7:30AM Gate opened and she entered inside the VFS office.

They verified her interview letter and the passport.

Asked all other documents. She told all of them had sent to NVC. Then it was fine.

8:10AM Started from VFS office to the Consulate by shuttle bus

8:25AM She reached Consulate entrance

8:30AM She went inside the Consulate and started all screening procedures as part of security procedure

8:40AM Consulate verified her interview letter and the passport. Assigned counter# 11

9:00AM She was called and went to the Counter# 11

9:00AM - 9:15AM Interviewed by an Indian Lady Officer for 15 minutes

First Interview:

She verified all the originals sent to NVC.

Collected her interview letter and the passport, and reviewed.

Collected the medical report, and reviewed.

DS-230 reviewed.

I-864 AOS reviewed and verified the U.S Income Tax Transcripts.

Social Security form reviewed.

collected the courier receipts from the VFS for passport delivery.

Asked her to show the Wedding album and explain about the members in the album.

Asked honeymoon album and commented these are nice places.

She has not asked email/phone/chat history.

Questions:

Greetings!

Q) What is your Name?

Q) Why your name in birth certificate (Bindu) different than the passport (Fathima) ?

A) At the birth time, it was registered Bindu and later changed. We have put this name in "other names" column too.

Q) What are the countries visited?

A) When I was 2 year old, I was in Saudi Arabia with my parents.

Then recently, we went to Malaysia and Singapore for 10 days vacation.

Q) What is petitioner's name?

Q) Who is petitioner's employer?

Q) When was your marriage ?

A) Religious ceremony was on 11/14/2008, but civil ceremony was on the next day 11/15/2008

Q) Did you have any issues in this marriage ?

A) No

Q) Can I see your religious marriage certificate?

A) She showed it.

The issue started here. It was issued from the mosque of her town. Lady officer told her this is not sufficient.

You need to register it under WAKF board. Fathima told her, we have informed them, but this is the only certificate issued.

Lady officer told her it will be an issue with the Consulate officer.

Q) Who completed DS-230 ?

A) My husband completed it and sent to me for the signature and I sent it back to him.

Q) Then why did you put NO to the item# 34. WERE YOU ASSISTED IN COMPLETING THIS APPLICATION?

A) It was a mistake. Sorry for that.

Lady Officer asked her to write YES on that column and asked her to initial there.

Then issued a token# 853. Also, officer arranged all her documents in the order.

9:15AM - 9:45AM Half an hour wait.

Then she proceeded to fingerprinting. They took all 10 fingers prints. Again waiting...

11:20AM - 11:40AM Lady U.S Consulate officer called Token# 853 at counter# 11 (same counter)

Interviewed her for 20 minutes.

Second Interview:

Good morning! Fathima wished her back.

Officer verified the entire file forwarded by the first lady officer.

DS-230 review was the main thing and went through all the questions and answers in that form.

Questions:

Q) What's your Name ?

Q) What are the countries visited ?

Q) Tell me about your education ?

Q) When and where did you guys meet ?

Q) Who proposed for this marriage ?

Q) When and where was the marriage ?

Q) What do you do now ?

Q) Are you previously married ?

Q) Which is your petitioner's employer ? where does he work now ?

Q) What is the work hours of your husband ?

Q) Are you planning to work in the U.S ? At what position ? Do you have background on that position ?

Q) Have you ever visited the U.S ?

Officer reviewed her mosque marriage certificate and raised the same WAKF board registration issue.

Fathima answered the same. In between, another Indian officer visited this lady officer and there was

some interruption. So, after that she didn't question this issue again.

But officer kept a copy of the religious certificate.

Then handed over all the originals back to Fathima.

Then some chit chat. Oh, you are going to Connecticut. It is a beautiful place, they get lot of rain,

and it snows there during winter time. Fathima just smiled. Then she commented I like your smile.

Finally, officer asked her to swear whatever said are true and asked her to sign the last page of DS-230.

Officer congratulated her saying your visa is granted!!! Fathima told so many thanks to her.

Interview is over! It was a pleasant interview experience except the religious marriage certificate issue!

11:50AM Fathima is out of the Consulate.

Bottom Line:

1) For certain communities in India, the religious marriage certificate is mandatory and it must be as per Consulate guidelines.

2) Review your DS-230 very carefully and all the questions are based on this form.

3) Make sure you have all the original documents at interview time

We wish all of you a pleasant and smooth interview !!!

hello ,

how are you doing ? i apperciate your posting on this site i find it very intrresting and hope to know y better, u can reply me via james_2000luv@yahoo.com

[CaNdiD wiTcH 0]

thanks for posting..

[simple_melanie 0]

Congratulations on passing a tough interview. Have a safe trip to Connecticut.

[bleecker 0]

Thanks for sharing, many congrats

[LotofPatience 65]

Congrats and thanks for the detail interview questions.

My question...how does anyone remember each and every question they asked? Did you record this?

1000 thanks ....this helps us to be better prepared.

Thanks htownboy25

Hehehe, I specifically insisted her to remember as much as possible with the timings to post in the VJ and to be useful to all others. For a detailed interview questions, please refer the pilot guide posted under IR1/CR1 section.

[LotofPatience 65]

A big Congrats and may you have a safe trip home.

This is a detailed interview post LOTO... now I know exactly what to expect in the Chennai consulate for my interview. Thanks a lot for all the information. All the best for your future endeavors, may you both have that pleasant smile of Fathima forever

LOTO one question I had, if you have paid the VFS fees earlier, I didn't understand the reason behind VFS office visit on the day of interview prior to the interview.

Neethope, the VFS visit on the interview date is completely OPTIONAL. She had her mom and cousin with her and we had booked the lounge inside VFS office. That's why they went there first. If this is not the case, applicant can directly go to consulate gate around 15 minutes earlier than the actual interview time.

[LotofPatience 65]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you soooooooooooooooo much to all of you:

Hyd, Nita&Assaad, przy, neethope, ROZA, silent, Arequipa4us, rmncm, Steve Y Jessica, NicoleX08, kitty loves moudy, clairern, bani, YOUTOO, kalaks, filiricans, CaNdiD wiTcH, S_AL_, babybebita, visaman99, cmnb, DivyeSiddhi, amorsiempre, EdgarVirginia, QaSiM--aIsHa, elyandmichael, anish and lijy, Heaven, chintan, hurryup, estadia, gurl, nitshrut, reehon, Jamericanlove, waithatter, ZeeNusah, inkypinky, prashp1, annyjoseph, 2ond journey, OOM, yoke, raj, catt, cindishah, Ali786, rmusic, Kathassane, mina76, bleecker, htownboy25, happyinlove, Asante Maroon, james_2008, simple_melanie

And my special thanks to Sarah (we miss her!), Hyd, rajee, Ilya, Sgr, Paris Heart, Indianheart, jgay80, YuAndDan, pushbrk

[Amy B. 0]

Congratulations !!!!!!!!!

Best Wishes to Both !!!!!!!

Aisha

[gr8madmax 0]

Congrats and thank you for posting the interview details. It'll definitely help those of us that will have to deal with the Chennai consulate.

Best wishes to both of you!!

[LotofPatience 65]

Congrats and thank you for posting the interview details. It'll definitely help those of us that will have to deal with the Chennai consulate.

Best wishes to both of you!!

gr8madmax Good luck to your immigration process !