CR1 Visa Interview Process - Mumbai Embassy

[Aaryas 0]

I am a US Citizen and today my wife received her appointment letter for her interview at the Mumbai Embassy in May at 7:30 AM. The attachment in the e-mail comes with the appointment letter, instructions, and status of all the documents/fees we have provided thus far. I am assuming if we have received the interview date we have fulfilled all their requirements. Is that correct? Moving forward, I have also set up a date with their corresponding hospital for the medical examination few days prior to the interview date. However, now I am lost as to what do I need to do next.

I would like to ask the following questions to members who have gone through the process:

1. What is the role of VFS?

2. What is the process, in detail, from after taking your medical examination to the time you receive your visa? I would like a step-by-step information here covering what you need to do at the VFS, Embassy, etc...

3. Can you request to receive your visa the same day? Can it be picked up from the VFS instead of having it shipped? I am concerned regarding this because I need to return to the US ASAP for work and meetings I have already scheduled.

4. If approved, does my wife and I have to travel to the US within a certain time period?

5. Once we reach the US, does my wife need to apply for anything else? How soon can she return to India?

6. Interview time is for 7:30 however many people have sighted to show up hours earlier whereas the US Embassy suggest to arrive 15-20 minutes prior. What is recommended?

7. What is Packet III/IV/V? Does that pertain to CR1 Visa applicants?

Thank you in advance,

Aarya

Edited April 12, 2011 by Aaryas

[queuedup 1]

1. VFS is responsible to collecting all of your documents and setting up your file to be sent to the US Embassy. Essentially they are an outsourced company that gets all the information orgranized for the US embassy prior to your interview.

2. I don't remember the whole process as we did it over 2 years ago, if you search for my posts around April 2009 you will see all of the details.

3. If approved, you can pick up your visa the same day at the VFS office near the Mumbai embassy by 6:30pm that same day. That's what we did for my wife.

4. Your wife has to travel to the US within 6 months of receiving that Visa. Once she enters the US she will receive her greencard.

5. Depending on how long you have been married when you enter the US; if its less than 2 years than approximately 21 months after entering the US you will have to apply for Removing of Conditions. This is required as your initial green card is only valid for 2 years. She should be able to return to india immediately, my recommendation is that she wait to receive her official greencard which would take about 1-2 months to receive after her arrival.

6. We paid for my wife to have access to the Stars and Stripes lounge at the VFS offices near the Mumbai consulate, they take the applicants by bus to the consulate and let them in for their interviews. It was a pretty painless process, other VJ members have recommended doing the same.

7. Packet 3, 4 ,and 5 are the different sets of documents that are put together during the process, search for my previous posts and you should be able to find the info you are looking for.

[Aaryas 0]

Thank you so much. That clears a lot for questions for me! I have just a few more:

7.

8. I have submitted all the documents to the NVC, what documents do I need to submit to the VFS?

9. Can the medical examination be taken after submitting the documents to the NVC?

10. Can a relative make payment for courier charges to the NVC?

[Aaryas 0]

[iGNORE ABOVE POST]

Thank you so much. That clears a lot for questions for me! I have just some more:

7. From your answers I can understand that regardless of the immigration visa type you have to visit the VFS and submit the courier fees and documents?

8. I have submitted all the documents to the NVC, what documents do I need to submit to the VFS?

9. Can the medical examination be taken after submitting the documents to the NVC or is it recommended to take it before?

10. Can a relative make payment for courier charges and submit documents to the VFS? (This would save my spouse a trip to Mumbai.)

11. As the petitioner should I also take the STRIPES & STARS LOUNGE service? Do you pay for this when you submit documents to the VFS or on the date of the interview?

12. At the date of the interview do you visit the VFS or the consulate at 7:30 AM?

I am sorry if some of these questions are common sense but I am a little nervous and don't want to make any mistakes, especially when I have ample time to prepare for the interview. =)

[Aaryas 0]

[iGNORE ABOVE POST]

Thank you so much. That clears a lot for questions for me! I have just some more:

7. From your answers I can understand that regardless of the immigration visa type you have to visit the VFS and submit the courier fees and documents?

8. I have submitted all the documents to the NVC, what documents do I need to submit to the VFS?

9. Can the medical examination be taken after submitting the documents to the NVC or is it recommended to take it before?

10. Can a relative make payment for courier charges and submit documents to the VFS? (This would save my spouse a trip to Mumbai.)

11. As the petitioner should I also take the STRIPES & STARS LOUNGE service? Do you pay for this when you submit documents to the VFS or on the date of the interview?

12. At the date of the interview do you visit the VFS or the consulate at 7:30 AM?

I am sorry if some of these questions are common sense but I am a little nervous and don't want to make any mistakes, especially when I have ample time to prepare for the interview. =)

**CORRECTION**

9. Can the medical examination be taken after submitting the documents to the [VFS] or is it recommended to take it before?

[Deep2009 18]

7. From your answers I can understand that regardless of the immigration visa type you have to visit the VFS and submit the courier fees and documents?

8. I have submitted all the documents to the NVC, what documents do I need to submit to the VFS?

9. Can the medical examination be taken after submitting the documents to the [VFS] or is it recommended to take it before?

10. Can a relative make payment for courier charges and submit documents to the VFS? (This would save my spouse a trip to Mumbai.)

11. As the petitioner should I also take the STRIPES & STARS LOUNGE service? Do you pay for this when you submit documents to the VFS or on the date of the interview?

12. At the date of the interview do you visit the VFS or the consulate at 7:30 AM?

7. Yes, confirmed

8. It is in your appointment letter, last 2 pages

9. No, it is recommended to take medical first and get the report, and submit it with other documents to VFS

10. It has to be your spouse, who is going to interview, they will need her passport # for tracking and will put a sticker on it and give you receipt for all the documents submitted.

11. You have to reach there well before 7:30AM, For Bombay, you need to go to VFS office like 6:30 AM (may be early, stay in line) and buy the ticket for the lounge/bus, VFS will take your spouse to the Embassy.

I hope it helps.... Good luck

Edited April 12, 2011 by Deep2009

[queuedup 1]

7. Yes, confirmed

8. It is in your appointment letter, last 2 pages

9. No, it is recommended to take medical first and get the report, and submit it with other documents to VFS

10. It has to be your spouse, who is going to interview, they will need her passport # for tracking and will put a sticker on it and give you receipt for all the documents submitted.

11. You have to reach there well before 7:30AM, For Bombay, you need to go to VFS office like 6:30 AM (may be early, stay in line) and buy the ticket for the lounge/bus, VFS will take your spouse to the Embassy.

I hope it helps.... Good luck

Agree with the responses above. Take a look at the US Consulate - Mumbai website(http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov/ivforms.html). The site describes what documents are considered part of Packet 3 and Packet 4.

Also for question 10, you don't have to go to the VFS offices in Mumbai to submit the documents. My wife lived in Gujarat so she went to the VFS office in Ahmedabad.

For question 11, The petitioner can take the service if you want to wait in the lounge until your wife comes back. I chose to wait somewhere else closer to the consulate. The VFS office is about 1km from the Consulate. For your wife, she should buy the ticket for the lounge when you submit the documents to VFS.

Edited April 12, 2011 by queuedup

[queuedup 1]

For question 12, if your wife bought the ticket to the Lounge, then she should get to the VFS office by 7am. From VFS they will take your wife on a bus to the consulate.

[Aaryas 0]

Alright, got it!

13. Could I also go for the interview with my wife? I thought the petitioner is allowed and since I am already in India I might as well go. I have heard if you are both present it makes your case stronger / more believable. If that's true, what's the procedure for me to go along with her?

14. How many days before should we pay the courier fees and submit documents to the VFS? As it says, NO EARLIER THAN 10 DAYS AND LATER THAN 7 DAYS?

In the last two pages of the letter it doesn't say that I to present any document. All I got were C, Y, F, $, O. I am assuming they are all good!

C = Direct inquiries to your consulate / embassy

Y = The required document has been received.

F = This form is not necessary for this application.

O = The original document has been received and accepted as meeting post requirements.

$ = Payment received.

Document Name Document Status

CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTIONS - C

IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION - Y

IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION PART II - Y

PASSPORT - Y

BIRTH CERTIFICATE - O

ADOPTION - F

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - O

MARRIAGE TERMINATION - F

COURT RECORDS - F

FINANCIAL EVIDENCE - Y

CUSTODY PAPERS - F

MILITARY RECORDS - F

INDIA POLICE CERTIFICATE - F

FEE PAYMENT - $

PHOTOGRAPH - Y

PETITIONER MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - F

PETITIONER BIRTH CERTIFICATE - F

PASSPORT POLICE CERTIFICATE - O

How does this look? I guess I will simply take photocopies of all the documents as I have already given them the originals. Please advise.

Thanks a ton!

Edited April 13, 2011 by Aaryas

[brianlara 1]

3. Can you request to receive your visa the same day? Can it be picked up from the VFS instead of having it shipped? I am concerned regarding this because I need to return to the US ASAP for work and meetings I have already scheduled.

Ans. Yes you can request to receive your visa same day you can go to VFS office and check with VFS office passport pick time is 5 to 5:30 take your VFS Receipt and any original ID even passport copy will be fine...

[queuedup 1]

Alright, got it!

13. Could I also go for the interview with my wife? I thought the petitioner is allowed and since I am already in India I might as well go. I have heard if you are both present it makes your case stronger / more believable. If that's true, what's the procedure for me to go along with her?

14. How many days before should we pay the courier fees and submit documents to the VFS? As it says, NO EARLIER THAN 10 DAYS AND LATER THAN 7 DAYS?

13. I was present in India for the interview, but I wasn't allowed in. If it came up during the interview; "When was the last time you saw your husband?" or "When was the last time your husband visited you", she could reply he is here right now waiting for me outside the embassy. The other question I had her preped for, was "When would you go the US if we gave you a visa?"; my wife replied I would go to the US at the end of the week with my Husband.

14. We paid the courier fee 9 days before the interview.

If you want more details about the interview, search in the embassy reviews section for my post from April 2009.

Good Luck!!

[hobokenworkingman 4]

Alright, got it!

13. Could I also go for the interview with my wife? I thought the petitioner is allowed and since I am already in India I might as well go. I have heard if you are both present it makes your case stronger / more believable. If that's true, what's the procedure for me to go along with her?

14. How many days before should we pay the courier fees and submit documents to the VFS? As it says, NO EARLIER THAN 10 DAYS AND LATER THAN 7 DAYS?

In the last two pages of the letter it doesn't say that I to present any document. All I got were C, Y, F, $, O. I am assuming they are all good!

C = Direct inquiries to your consulate / embassy

Y = The required document has been received.

F = This form is not necessary for this application.

O = The original document has been received and accepted as meeting post requirements.

$ = Payment received.

Document Name Document Status

CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTIONS - C

IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION - Y

IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICATION PART II - Y

PASSPORT - Y

BIRTH CERTIFICATE - O

ADOPTION - F

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - O

MARRIAGE TERMINATION - F

COURT RECORDS - F

FINANCIAL EVIDENCE - Y

CUSTODY PAPERS - F

MILITARY RECORDS - F

INDIA POLICE CERTIFICATE - F

FEE PAYMENT - $

PHOTOGRAPH - Y

PETITIONER MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - F

PETITIONER BIRTH CERTIFICATE - F

PASSPORT POLICE CERTIFICATE - O

How does this look? I guess I will simply take photocopies of all the documents as I have already given them the originals. Please advise.

Thanks a ton!

yup - looks like you're ok on the docs. the only thing left is the stupid vfs courier fee 387 rs. just go the vfs and pay the fee and make sure you get the receipt. you have to pay the fee regardless of if you collect the visa yourself or not, which is a fantastic money making scheme that i wished i had thought of, since many ppl want to collect the visa themselves.

next is to schedule your medical. do so and have the report w/ you. at least for chennai, my wife took the report w/ her to give to the CO during the interview and wasnt required to give it to vfs. i'm not sure about mumbai, so definitely ask. you're in the home stretch though. medical's pretty easy; if you have vaccination records, make sure you take them so as not to get unnecessarily poked by re-vaccinations.

as for going to the interview, in my case, I went to the interview but wasnt allowed in. it definitely gave my wife a lot of confidence that I was there and so she wasnt too nervous or scared during the interview. it just so happened that my parents also visited India at the same time and so were also there and we all waited outside together. Your wife can certainly say my hubby and in-laws are waiting outside and for my wife's CO, it did add a bit of credence and he seemed impressed - obviously worked in our favor. I'd say that if you can take the time and go, do so. there's nothing like returning back to the states with your wife, visa in hand!

best of luck!