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| Mumbai, India |  Review on June 17, 2016: |
LinJoe
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I’m going to start this review by mentioning the biometrics part first because I haven’t read many reviews about that.
My husband’s interview was on June 17th but arrived in Mumbai on the 14th. On the 15th, he took the day to find where he would be going for biometrics and find the consulate. This was so he wasn’t wasting time on the day of.
When he arrived at the VAC there were thousands of people. He first thought it was a football game and he was at the wrong place. Ha! He asked one of the ladies standing in line and she said she was there for her fingerprinting and her appointment was at 11am….it was now 12:30pm. He then spoke with a security guard and mentioned he had an appointment the next day at 10am for biometrics for immigrant visa to the US. The security guard told him to arrive by 9:45. Next day, he got there at 9:45 and there was a long line. He told a guard his appointment was at 10 and the guard told him to just go in. He was done in 15 minutes max. He said they took his Passport, DS-260 confirmation page and appointment letter. He then went for finger printing, eye exam and photographs. They stamped the DS-260 and handed everything back to him. Done. He was not allowed to take any electronic equipment inside the VAC so he gave his phone to his cousin that went with him. He only took his documents inside.
Friday, 6/17, at 7:30am was his interview. He arrived at the consulate by 6:45 and was the 2nd person in line. He went in and went to the first counter which had an Indian CO which checked his documents and asked him a couple of questions: why didn’t he have a birth certificate instead of having to get a birth affidavit and why didn’t he have a Liberia PCC. He explained both and CO said it’s fine but he needed to get photographs redone. The pictures he brought in were the correct size but they needed more of a close up of his face. These were the 2X2 inche photographs he took at a studio and brought to the interview – not the one taken at the VAC. CO told him to go get new ones done quickly and come back. He did. That took 40 minutes. He sat in the large waiting room for his token number to be called. He was looking at the 16 different counters that the interviews were happening and counter 16 had a nice American lady. All the other counters were men that had stern looks on their faces. He prayed for counter 16 to be his. Sure enough his token number was called to go to counter 16! When he walked up to the counter he looked the CO in the eyes and said “Good morning Madam!” that immediately put a smile on her face and she also said good morning. She handed him information on Domestic violence and his rights. Then the interview started:
Who is calling you?
What is her name?
Where does she live?
Where does she work?
What is her profession?
Was yours a love marriage or arranged marriage?
How did you meet?
How far does her family live from yours? (He answered 13 miles – CO looked and said “miles? India uses kilometers normally.” He said, “yes, but I wanted to be sure you understand the distance.” She smiled and said thanks.
How long did you live in Africa?
What did you do there?
Why did you leave there? (He answered due to the changes that were happening from the government and the Ebola outbreak that was starting. She confirmed she had heard about that and he chose the perfect time to leave)
What will you do when you get to the US?
Do you have a picture of you and your wife? (He handed her the pictures I send him. She looked at the one of us at our reception feeding each other cake. She smiled and said it was a cute picture. Then asked what was happening in a couple of other pictures and he answered. She said they were nice pictures and very colorful)
What does your wife like? (Without even thinking he answer, “she likes her husband!” – the CO laughed)
She then got a serious look on her face and said there’s only one more thing I need to tell you. My husband got worried thinking he messed up by saying the previous answer. She said, “Your visa is approved. Good luck and enjoy your wife.” She handed him information about paying the final fee. She told him, “Don’t worry about this fee. Just give it to your wife. She will know about it and let her pay it.”
He did tell her that our anniversary is coming up next week and asked if his visa will be ready by then. She said legally they have up to 45 business days to issue but his could be done in 10. Based on previous VJ member’s experiences, I think he’ll have it in a few days.
He was out of the consulate by 9:30 – 2 hours from entering the consulate to leaving
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #19758