Fathima's Interview Experience in India

[LotofPatience 65]

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 !!!

[chintan 0]

Thanks for lot for the information and Congrats

[trinket 30]

Thanks for the detailed review lotto

[2ond journey 0]

Congratulations to you both Just one question. How can you present original documents when NVC has them and has forwarded them to the embassy?

[Nita&Assaad 0]

Congrats to you Loto and your wife

Great News!!!

Nita

[kalaks 1]

Congrats Loto.......wish you best with your wife. Mabruk.

We are still gathering the information they requested and will hand deliver them to the consulate on Monday.

[LotofPatience 65]

Congratulations to you both Just one question. How can you present original documents when NVC has them and has forwarded them to the embassy?

Technically, consulate will get all those originals from NVC as part of NVC Case Forward. So, we cannot present originals unless we have a second set of originals. We didn't have second set of originals except a set of photocopies. Since consulate had all those originals from NVC, we were all set. Otherwise, it would have been an issue.

[Bani 0]

Loto,

Thank You so much for this detailed information on your wife's interview process..

Again.. So much heartly congrulations..

Bani

[LotofPatience 65]

I have read all the posts from all VJ members since yesterday night and managed to gather all your names here, who congratulated us...

Here you go...

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you soooooooooooooooo much all you guys:

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 , rajee , 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

I gave individual flowers to all, but VJ doesn't allow more emoticons...

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

[Bani 0]

I have read all the posts from all VJ members since yesterday night and managed to gather all your names here, who congratulated us...

Here you go...

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you soooooooooooooooo much all you guys:

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 , rajee , 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

I gave individual flowers to all, but VJ doesn't allow more emoticons...

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

You are most welcome.. Loto.. You deserved it....

[hyd617 1]

I have read all the posts from all VJ members since yesterday night and managed to gather all your names here, who congratulated us...

Here you go...

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you soooooooooooooooo much all you guys:

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 , rajee , 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

I gave individual flowers to all, but VJ doesn't allow more emoticons...

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

You are most welcome.. Loto.. You deserved it....

wowww loto thanks for the detialed interview since my husband and i r going thru the same interview same place in 3 weeks@!!!!

im so glad the marriage certificate was not an issue after all.. we have one from wakf board also i wil make sure to take the original!!

im glad everyhting worked out well!!!!!! alhumdulillah

now relax and enjoy ur time with her..

[LotofPatience 65]

Sorry, I couldn't draft the interview experience neatly in an organized manner, because of the rush...

Noramally, I don't post like this, makes in an organized manner with more readability.

[LotofPatience 65]

wowww loto thanks for the detialed interview since my husband and i r going thru the same interview same place in 3 weeks@!!!!

im so glad the marriage certificate was not an issue after all.. we have one from wakf board also i wil make sure to take the original!!

im glad everyhting worked out well!!!!!! alhumdulillah

now relax and enjoy ur time with her..

Then you're all set Hyd . Wakf board letter is very important and that also original. They need a copy of that, so don't forget to take a photocopy.

I sincerely wish you and hubby a similar interview experience soon

[Bani 0]

Sorry, I couldn't draft the interview experience neatly in an organized manner, because of the rush...

Noramally, I don't post like this, makes in an organized manner with more readability.

Loto,

Don't be sorry.. you have done a great job .. i personally feel.. it is very organized and neatly done..

[StoneLove4Ever 0]

Sorry for being so late...but CONGRATULATIONS.....I hope your wife gets her visa quick so you guys can be together once and for all...I can't wait for my time to come....