May 2011 Interviews

[Never_lose_hope 10]

First of all congratulation to all that went to interview on May 2011. I'm home with my wife now and today just received the welcome letter

[Saylin 1,605]

First of all congratulation to all that went to interview on May 2011. I'm home with my wife now and today just received the welcome letter

Grats! My green card arrived 9 days after receiving the welcome letter and NOA. So perhaps yours will arrive next week

[Never_lose_hope 10]

Grats! My green card arrived 9 days after receiving the welcome letter and NOA. So perhaps yours will arrive next week

Hello, Saylin, have you received also the SSN? We have asked him on IV pack that was sent to NVC and we are waiting the SSN at home and the green card of course

[Saylin 1,605]

Hello, Saylin, have you received also the SSN? We have asked him on IV pack that was sent to NVC and we are waiting the SSN at home and the green card of course

Nope, haven't received my SSN yet. Going today actually to the local SSA office to apply as it's been more than 3 weeks from my POE.

[Never_lose_hope 10]

Nope, haven't received my SSN yet. Going today actually to the local SSA office to apply as it's been more than 3 weeks from my POE.

Have you asked on ds 230 to give you SSN? or you went to local SSA office?

[Saylin 1,605]

Have you asked on ds 230 to give you SSN? or you went to local SSA office?

I checked it off on the DS-260 (as well as the DS-230 that I had to hand over at the interview). But still nothing. I've read on VJ that if you don't get your SSN 3 weeks after POE that you should go in to apply. So, that's what I'm doing this afternoon.

[Never_lose_hope 10]

I checked it off on the DS-260 (as well as the DS-230 that I had to hand over at the interview). But still nothing. I've read on VJ that if you don't get your SSN 3 weeks after POE that you should go in to apply. So, that's what I'm doing this afternoon.

Good luck

Edited June 3, 2011 by Never_lose_hope

[Saylin 1,605]

Good luck

Just got back about 30 minutes ago. She said I should get my SSN within 10 days. I'm hoping for next week

[Never_lose_hope 10]

Just got back about 30 minutes ago. She said I should get my SSN within 10 days. I'm hoping for next week

Just check the mailbox and surprise, 10 year green card was on it :dance:

[Saylin 1,605]

Just check the mailbox and surprise, 10 year green card was on it :dance:

Haha, wow, grats!

[hindustani24 7]

Congrats on the recent approvals!!!

I did not post for a long time now because i was in India with my wife for her interview and now my wife is with me in US . Finally we are done with this crazy process thanks to TSC blackhole . Apart from TSC blackhole our visajourney was very smooth.

Updates from the Medical till POE.

1) Medical at MaxMed Center: May 3rd 9AM. It was very smooth experience. Everything was done in order and very professionally and it only took about 2 hours for all the checkups and immunization and x-rays. We collected the reports on May 11th.

2) VFS visit to pay the courier fee: On May 4th we went to VFS office to pay the courier fees and confirmed with them that the visa (if granted) can be picked up from them the day after the interview.

3) Interview at Delhi embassy: We prepared about 10 pounds of paperwork in one briefcase type paper organizer including lods of stuff. We reached there at 7:00 AM for 7:45 AM interview. Around 7:30 they started taking people with 7:45 and 8:00 slots in. I was allowed into the interview area with my wife because i had a US passport. We got a number and then we waited for our number to be displayed on the screen. At first window they took the fingerprints. We waited for some time before we were called again at a different window and at this time they collected the medical report and checked all the paperwork. All of our paperwork was in order and my wife did not have any problem there (A lot of people had to fill some missing stuff and take new photographs at that stage). Finally after some more time our number displayed on screen for one last time and it was for the actual interview. My wife was very nervous and told me not to come to the interview window with her (i also think it should be avoided because then the CO may start interviewing the petitioner as well or petitioner may start answering on behalf of beneficiary which would raise some suspicion). However, she was asked about me and she said that he is here with me but I was not called to the window. She was asked some routine questions like: how did you meet, what does your husband do, where does he work and what do you do etc. Nothing tricky. She did not even have to pull out a single piece of paper from the big pile she was carrying (not even the 2010 tax transcript). At last, my wife heard the words she wanted to hear "you are approved and you should get you visa in two week with your passport". She came to me and told me the happy news (I actually heard it from CO's mouth but i pretended to not know). We asked at the embassy we we can pickup the visa next day from VFS but they said that next day pick up is not available for immigration visa. But we confirmed with VFS earlier and we knew that we can pick it up next day. We were both very happy and left the embassy around 10 AM.

4)VFS office visit to pick up the visa: May 18th: I called VFS at 2:30 PM to see if they have received my wife's passport + Visa packet. They said not yet but they would inform us as soon as they do. After about 15 min. we got a SMS that passport + visa packet is ready to be picked up so we went to VFS around 4 and she had to wait for almost 45 min. to pick up her passport + Visa packet.

5)POE (JFK on May 31): Again very smooth process, i asked the guy responsible for sending people to the immigration counters about which like should we go as i am citizen and she is here for the first time. He told us to go to visitors line. We has to wait for about 15 min. in line and then we were called at the counter. The officer was very nice and commented that your wife has been in India for long now. of which i replied "yaaap ever since she is born" then he clarified that i meant to say "your wife has been in India for long after the marriage". I said yes i told him about the TSC blackhole thing. Then he opened the brown envelope and went through all the document (it had everything we submitted till date) and commented on our wedding pictures and said it looks like a very colorful wedding, a lot of people must have attended it to which i replied yes. He asked me about where i live and about the work and finally asked if my wife could speak English to which i replied that she can but it will take some time to pick the accent. So basically he didn't even ask my wife anything directly. he then just stamp her passport and wrote down the A number and made comment that this A number is so nice there is no way you can forget this. Then he told us to go to area 4 for the green card fingerprinting which only took about 5 min and we were out at the baggage area and i told my wife that now you are officially in US . The only bad part on that day happened when we could not find one of my wife's luggage (someone prob. took it accidentally as we saw couple of similar looking unclaimed luggage). we filed a claim and walked out of the airport. Our luggage has been located and will arrive on Monday.

So that's about it and we are very happy to be together after all this mess and we are also happy that she at least made it before our anniversary. She is adjusting well here and liking it. Now we are just waiting for her green card and SS number to come

[OBX 51]

I checked it off on the DS-260 (as well as the DS-230 that I had to hand over at the interview). But still nothing. I've read on VJ that if you don't get your SSN 3 weeks after POE that you should go in to apply. So, that's what I'm doing this afternoon.

That's exactly what I did and I had my card 6 days later.

[Saylin 1,605]

That's exactly what I did and I had my card 6 days later.

Oh nice I really, really hope I get it this week. I want to apply for school already and get a credit card. And then, of course, find a job

[OBX 51]

Oh nice I really, really hope I get it this week. I want to apply for school already and get a credit card. And then, of course, find a job

BTW I also saved the SSN receipt card with our address for my ROC file...I'm sure you have started yours already.

[Never_lose_hope 10]

Congrats on the recent approvals!!!

I did not post for a long time now because i was in India with my wife for her interview and now my wife is with me in US . Finally we are done with this crazy process thanks to TSC blackhole . Apart from TSC blackhole our visajourney was very smooth.

Updates from the Medical till POE.

1) Medical at MaxMed Center: May 3rd 9AM. It was very smooth experience. Everything was done in order and very professionally and it only took about 2 hours for all the checkups and immunization and x-rays. We collected the reports on May 11th.

2) VFS visit to pay the courier fee: On May 4th we went to VFS office to pay the courier fees and confirmed with them that the visa (if granted) can be picked up from them the day after the interview.

3) Interview at Delhi embassy: We prepared about 10 pounds of paperwork in one briefcase type paper organizer including lods of stuff. We reached there at 7:00 AM for 7:45 AM interview. Around 7:30 they started taking people with 7:45 and 8:00 slots in. I was allowed into the interview area with my wife because i had a US passport. We got a number and then we waited for our number to be displayed on the screen. At first window they took the fingerprints. We waited for some time before we were called again at a different window and at this time they collected the medical report and checked all the paperwork. All of our paperwork was in order and my wife did not have any problem there (A lot of people had to fill some missing stuff and take new photographs at that stage). Finally after some more time our number displayed on screen for one last time and it was for the actual interview. My wife was very nervous and told me not to come to the interview window with her (i also think it should be avoided because then the CO may start interviewing the petitioner as well or petitioner may start answering on behalf of beneficiary which would raise some suspicion). However, she was asked about me and she said that he is here with me but I was not called to the window. She was asked some routine questions like: how did you meet, what does your husband do, where does he work and what do you do etc. Nothing tricky. She did not even have to pull out a single piece of paper from the big pile she was carrying (not even the 2010 tax transcript). At last, my wife heard the words she wanted to hear "you are approved and you should get you visa in two week with your passport". She came to me and told me the happy news (I actually heard it from CO's mouth but i pretended to not know). We asked at the embassy we we can pickup the visa next day from VFS but they said that next day pick up is not available for immigration visa. But we confirmed with VFS earlier and we knew that we can pick it up next day. We were both very happy and left the embassy around 10 AM.

4)VFS office visit to pick up the visa: May 18th: I called VFS at 2:30 PM to see if they have received my wife's passport + Visa packet. They said not yet but they would inform us as soon as they do. After about 15 min. we got a SMS that passport + visa packet is ready to be picked up so we went to VFS around 4 and she had to wait for almost 45 min. to pick up her passport + Visa packet.

5)POE (JFK on May 31): Again very smooth process, i asked the guy responsible for sending people to the immigration counters about which like should we go as i am citizen and she is here for the first time. He told us to go to visitors line. We has to wait for about 15 min. in line and then we were called at the counter. The officer was very nice and commented that your wife has been in India for long now. of which i replied "yaaap ever since she is born" then he clarified that i meant to say "your wife has been in India for long after the marriage". I said yes i told him about the TSC blackhole thing. Then he opened the brown envelope and went through all the document (it had everything we submitted till date) and commented on our wedding pictures and said it looks like a very colorful wedding, a lot of people must have attended it to which i replied yes. He asked me about where i live and about the work and finally asked if my wife could speak English to which i replied that she can but it will take some time to pick the accent. So basically he didn't even ask my wife anything directly. he then just stamp her passport and wrote down the A number and made comment that this A number is so nice there is no way you can forget this. Then he told us to go to area 4 for the green card fingerprinting which only took about 5 min and we were out at the baggage area and i told my wife that now you are officially in US . The only bad part on that day happened when we could not find one of my wife's luggage (someone prob. took it accidentally as we saw couple of similar looking unclaimed luggage). we filed a claim and walked out of the airport. Our luggage has been located and will arrive on Monday.

So that's about it and we are very happy to be together after all this mess and we are also happy that she at least made it before our anniversary. She is adjusting well here and liking it. Now we are just waiting for her green card and SS number to come