Please Share your "F2a Visa Interview Questions" with your consulate

[Shiraj 2]

I had my interview today at Mumbai consulate and it is approved. VO kept my passport and said I should get it back stamped in a week. She handed me over my approval notice which has my A number and $165 fee pay instructions. Will provide details of the interview in depth soon.

Thank you VJ and all members of this forum. I could not have completed my immigration journey without you. God bless.

[vkrishn 97]

Congrats Shiraj!

[aurpol 17]

My son's interview at the US Embassy Manila took place yesterday. His appointment time was 6;30AM. Here's his interview experience...

He went to USEM at around 5AM (excited ata hehehe). Got in at 6;35 after the guard checked his appointment letter. When inside, a lady gave her a 2go form and a ziplock bag. Upon completion of the form, he was given a number while the woman placed his passport inside the ziplock bag.

He went inside the building, frisked and body-checked making sure he did not have any electronic gadget in him. His number flashed on the screen after an hour and he had his biometrics / fingerprinting. After this, he sat and waited again. After almosy and hour and a half, his number flashed on the screen again this time for an interview with a Fiilipina consul whom he said was very strict or upfront. She asked him his name, dob, petitioner, co-sponsor name and his relation to him, my address, and how long i have been here in the US. She asked for a photo of him and me together. My son handed three and returned them to him afterwards. She didnt ask for any document. My son was told to sit again and wait.

It took more than an hour again when he saw his number on the screen. An american lady consul was assigned to him. He was told to raise his right hand then a series of questions followed. This time though they were fewer than what the Pinoy consul asked. She just asked his name, dob, petitioners name, co-sponsor, my address, want he plans to do once hes in the US, and lots of YES or NO questions. My son said the american consul was very professional and nicer. She smiled at him and said congratulations. She even asked him how excited he is to see me (LOL).
He was told to proceed to the 2go counter after.

He was out of USEM at 12;30pm, hungry, sleepy, tired but very happy.

[Papaya07 3]

I had my interview today at Mumbai consulate and it is approved. VO kept my passport and said I should get it back stamped in a week. She handed me over my approval notice which has my A number and $165 fee pay instructions. Will provide details of the interview in depth soon.

Thank you VJ and all members of this forum. I could not have completed my immigration journey without you. God bless.

Congratulations Shiraj, interview details will help us a lot in our interview next month post them at your convenience please.

[Shiraj 2]

Thanks vkrishn and Papaya07. Here you go. Please read my interview @Mumbai, US Consulate experience below:

Had my interview scheduled at 7:30 AM Feb 12, 2014. I booked accommodation at Trident hotel, BKC next to the US consulate, which is hardly a minute's walk from the hotel. There are only 2 good 5* hotels near the Consulate (Trident and Sofitel), they are a bit expensive but best if you want to avoid the stress of travelling early in the morning for interview. You can walk to the US consulate from both these hotels very conveniently.

I reached the consulate at 6:50 AM for 7:30 AM appointment, there were two lines, one for immigration and other for non-immigration. Once you stand in the respective line, VFS staff will check your I/V appointment letter and ask if you completed medicals and bio metrics. At around 7:10 AM, the immigration line members were asked to enter the consulate, where an other VFS member will again check you I/V letter, once inside you will go through security check and then will be directed to a hall inside the consulate where you will be asked to form two lines, the VFS staff will direct you to which line you need to stand in, you will have two counters opened with Indian officers and you will proceed to the counter where you will be asked for the language in which you need the interview conducted and will be given a token number attached to your I/V letter. You will then be made to sit at one side of the hall while the other half is kept empty. The interview counters where you will be seated will start calling/display your token numbers where an Indian officer will bring up your physical file that you submitted to NVC and review and ask for updated documents. During my interview with the Indian office, she was very friendly and asked me to submit PCC and Medical, though I already sent PCC to NVC and was still valid, I had two original copies ordered so gave her the other I had. She then started looking at my file and found the original I submitted to NVC, so gave me back one original copy. While she was checking my file, I was proactive to ask if she needs latest W2 from my co-sponsor, DS-260 (which I think she forgot to ask), passport delivery address registration confirmation on usatraveldocs, and she was happy to take these and put them in the file. She then interviewed me:

Indian officer: who is calling you?

me: my spouse

Indian officer: what is her name?

me: mentioned her name

Indian officer: When were you married?

me: date

Indian officer: Who is my co-sponsor?

me: Stated she was my Spouse's sister

Indian officer: Have you been to the US before?

me: yes,

Indian officer: How long you were in US and which visa?

me: specified her the duration and type.

Indian officer: What is you spouse name? (She asked again)

me: again mentioned her name

I had given her my new passport which I recently renewed, so it did not have the visa stamp, so I asked her if she need the old passport and she said yes and had the two passports binded together.

Indian officer: What all countries I had been to?

me: mentioned that, I had been to UK, and mentioned I had been to Mauritius for our honeymoon.

Indian officer: How many years I was in UK and what I was doing there?

me: answered her

Indian officer: Where is my spouse now?

me: she is staying with me in India temporarily as I don't have a visa and we intent to move together. (This was my main concern as my spouse lives with me in India after her marriage though she has been maintaining her status)

Indian officer: Do you have the petition form copy of my co-sponsor sponsoring her husband?

me: I said No, I don't. (My co-sponsor who is a USC, sponsored her husband GC recently and he got his green card now.)

Indian officer: How many people are listed as house hold members?

me, 4 (my co-sponsor listed 4 including me, so may be she wanted to double check that and the income which way way above the required.)

Indian officer: what is your mother's name?

me: answered

Indian officer: What is your father's name?

me: answered

Indian officer: what is mother's maiden name?

me: she noted the name in the system.

She in between returned a bunch of documents I had sent to NVC and kept only that was required. The Indian officer then handed me a letter on domestic violence and asked me to read and explained it briefly. She asked me to wait for the token number to be called again for interview with American VO. I said thank you. This lasted for about 15 minutes. And it was about 08:00 by this time

I waited for the next interview with VO and I was called again at around 09:50 AM. What I observed is people with infants (which is good) and families are given preference over singles during the process, so I was one of the last people to be interviewed.

me: good morning

VO: good morning, please raise your right hand and read the oath that is placed at the window.

me: read

VO: please give you right hand finger prints that you confirm to the oath

me: did

VO: she was going through my file and was actually looking for something, she then asked me where are the IRS tax returns for my spouse.

me: I said she did not file as her income was low and was not mandatory to file

VO: she gave an expression and was still skimming through the file

me: I said I have her Indian tax returns if she need to verify the income

VO: she said no, in a good way,

VO: she then found the letter my Spouse wrote explaining why she did not file taxes and why she was staying with me in India and steps taken to maintain domicile and return to US in good faith to re-establish domicile once I can get a visa. She read the whole letter and said "tell thanks to your wife for writing this letter". (we had included copies of her US GC, SSN, driving licence, state ID card, bank statements, letter from co-sponsor stating she will provide accommodation when we move to US, my spouse's resignation letter from her employer in India where she worked till last year to gain experience)

VO: what is the name of the company your wife worked in India?

me: stated the name and said she was working for gaining some experience and resigned from the job with intention to move to US

VO: she searched for the resignation letter and other letters my spouse wrote to her TL, Manger to find a suitable job in USA for her as she will be moving to US.

THEN the VO said, lets start the Interview:

VO: when did you get married?

me: stated the date

VO: was it arranged or love?

me: answered arranged

VO: who arranged?

me: answered

VO: How did our families know each other before marriage?

me: answered

VO: where were we married?

me: answered

VO: how did my wife get a GC?

me: answered

VO: where is my spouse now?

me: she is living with me in India

VO: from the time you got married?

Me: yes, she is maintaining her status but living with me as I don't have a visa and we intent to move together.

VO: have you been to US before? when and how many days?

Me: answered

VO: are you still working in India?

me: I said yes

VO: you are working for XXX company?

me: yes, I said I asked for a transfer to USA once I can get a visa from my existing employer and I am not yet sure if that will work

VO: How long did you live in UK and what was I doing?

me: answered

VO: when did you return to India?

me: answered

VO: where does my co-sponsor work

me: answered

VO: If my inlaws were staying in US on GC?

me: I said no they stay in India and father-in-law surrendered his GC but mother-in-law still has it.

VO: she gave an expression!

She then checked for the IRS tax transcripts my co-sponsor sent and asked me if I have the wedding pictures, She saw all the pictures once by one and asked if I was given the domestic violence instructions. She then said my visa is approved (magic words) and handed me over the USCIS immigration fee document which also has my A number and explained when to pay that fee. She said I will get my passport in a weeks time with the stamp.

The VO officer was very nice and was noting all the answers in the system.

Overall the experience has been a good one. Thanks everyone and just be proactive if you think that some thing that you have might help them in making a decision and offer the evidence when the right time comes during the interview.

I wish everyone waiting in line all the best and good luck. God bless.

PS: Please ask your family or friends to not take photos outside the Consulate when you stand in line and who may have come with you, this will cause you trouble for sure as it happened to one of the guys behind me, he was pulled out of the line and taken for checking and questioning.

[Papaya07 3]

Thank you very much for all the details Shiraj, really helps.

[sidp69 1]

is the beneficiary from india?

if yes, then you need to go to the site http://cdn.ustraveldocs.com/in/

There will be a q popping up"

Is this your first time applying for a visa and/or visiting our site? Click yes if applicable

The next q will be

Are you applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa?

You need to click on immigrant for F2a

Follow the steps given on the page that follows

Hi Jese

The Beneficiary is not from India, is there any similar website for those from Hong kong? Thank you.

Do i have to get a biometrics done? I am the spouse of a Green Card Holder. Thanks.

[jese_1981 1]

Hi Jese

The Beneficiary is not from India, is there any similar website for those from Hong kong? Thank you.

Do i have to get a biometrics done? I am the spouse of a Green Card Holder. Thanks.

i dont have any idea about Hong Kong.

Any F2a from Hongkong...? please guide sidp69 regarding biometrics

[jese_1981 1]

congrats Shiraj! and thanks for sharing your interview experience in depth..it will be a great help to others who are still awaiting their interview

Thanks vkrishn and Papaya07. Here you go. Please read my interview @Mumbai, US Consulate experience below:

Had my interview scheduled at 7:30 AM Feb 12, 2014. I booked accommodation at Trident hotel, BKC next to the US consulate, which is hardly a minute's walk from the hotel. There are only 2 good 5* hotels near the Consulate (Trident and Sofitel), they are a bit expensive but best if you want to avoid the stress of travelling early in the morning for interview. You can walk to the US consulate from both these hotels very conveniently.

I reached the consulate at 6:50 AM for 7:30 AM appointment, there were two lines, one for immigration and other for non-immigration. Once you stand in the respective line, VFS staff will check your I/V appointment letter and ask if you completed medicals and bio metrics. At around 7:10 AM, the immigration line members were asked to enter the consulate, where an other VFS member will again check you I/V letter, once inside you will go through security check and then will be directed to a hall inside the consulate where you will be asked to form two lines, the VFS staff will direct you to which line you need to stand in, you will have two counters opened with Indian officers and you will proceed to the counter where you will be asked for the language in which you need the interview conducted and will be given a token number attached to your I/V letter. You will then be made to sit at one side of the hall while the other half is kept empty. The interview counters where you will be seated will start calling/display your token numbers where an Indian officer will bring up your physical file that you submitted to NVC and review and ask for updated documents. During my interview with the Indian office, she was very friendly and asked me to submit PCC and Medical, though I already sent PCC to NVC and was still valid, I had two original copies ordered so gave her the other I had. She then started looking at my file and found the original I submitted to NVC, so gave me back one original copy. While she was checking my file, I was proactive to ask if she needs latest W2 from my co-sponsor, DS-260 (which I think she forgot to ask), passport delivery address registration confirmation on usatraveldocs, and she was happy to take these and put them in the file. She then interviewed me:

Indian officer: who is calling you?

me: my spouse

Indian officer: what is her name?

me: mentioned her name

Indian officer: When were you married?

me: date

Indian officer: Who is my co-sponsor?

me: Stated she was my Spouse's sister

Indian officer: Have you been to the US before?

me: yes,

Indian officer: How long you were in US and which visa?

me: specified her the duration and type.

Indian officer: What is you spouse name? (She asked again)

me: again mentioned her name

I had given her my new passport which I recently renewed, so it did not have the visa stamp, so I asked her if she need the old passport and she said yes and had the two passports binded together.

Indian officer: What all countries I had been to?

me: mentioned that, I had been to UK, and mentioned I had been to Mauritius for our honeymoon.

Indian officer: How many years I was in UK and what I was doing there?

me: answered her

Indian officer: Where is my spouse now?

me: she is staying with me in India temporarily as I don't have a visa and we intent to move together. (This was my main concern as my spouse lives with me in India after her marriage though she has been maintaining her status)

Indian officer: Do you have the petition form copy of my co-sponsor sponsoring her husband?

me: I said No, I don't. (My co-sponsor who is a USC, sponsored her husband GC recently and he got his green card now.)

Indian officer: How many people are listed as house hold members?

me, 4 (my co-sponsor listed 4 including me, so may be she wanted to double check that and the income which way way above the required.)

Indian officer: what is your mother's name?

me: answered

Indian officer: What is your father's name?

me: answered

Indian officer: what is mother's maiden name?

me: she noted the name in the system.

She in between returned a bunch of documents I had sent to NVC and kept only that was required. The Indian officer then handed me a letter on domestic violence and asked me to read and explained it briefly. She asked me to wait for the token number to be called again for interview with American VO. I said thank you. This lasted for about 15 minutes. And it was about 08:00 by this time

I waited for the next interview with VO and I was called again at around 09:50 AM. What I observed is people with infants (which is good) and families are given preference over singles during the process, so I was one of the last people to be interviewed.

me: good morning

VO: good morning, please raise your right hand and read the oath that is placed at the window.

me: read

VO: please give you right hand finger prints that you confirm to the oath

me: did

VO: she was going through my file and was actually looking for something, she then asked me where are the IRS tax returns for my spouse.

me: I said she did not file as her income was low and was not mandatory to file

VO: she gave an expression and was still skimming through the file

me: I said I have her Indian tax returns if she need to verify the income

VO: she said no, in a good way,

VO: she then found the letter my Spouse wrote explaining why she did not file taxes and why she was staying with me in India and steps taken to maintain domicile and return to US in good faith to re-establish domicile once I can get a visa. She read the whole letter and said "tell thanks to your wife for writing this letter". (we had included copies of her US GC, SSN, driving licence, state ID card, bank statements, letter from co-sponsor stating she will provide accommodation when we move to US, my spouse's resignation letter from her employer in India where she worked till last year to gain experience)

VO: what is the name of the company your wife worked in India?

me: stated the name and said she was working for gaining some experience and resigned from the job with intention to move to US

VO: she searched for the resignation letter and other letters my spouse wrote to her TL, Manger to find a suitable job in USA for her as she will be moving to US.

THEN the VO said, lets start the Interview:

VO: when did you get married?

me: stated the date

VO: was it arranged or love?

me: answered arranged

VO: who arranged?

me: answered

VO: How did our families know each other before marriage?

me: answered

VO: where were we married?

me: answered

VO: how did my wife get a GC?

me: answered

VO: where is my spouse now?

me: she is living with me in India

VO: from the time you got married?

Me: yes, she is maintaining her status but living with me as I don't have a visa and we intent to move together.

VO: have you been to US before? when and how many days?

Me: answered

VO: are you still working in India?

me: I said yes

VO: you are working for XXX company?

me: yes, I said I asked for a transfer to USA once I can get a visa from my existing employer and I am not yet sure if that will work

VO: How long did you live in UK and what was I doing?

me: answered

VO: when did you return to India?

me: answered

VO: where does my co-sponsor work

me: answered

VO: If my inlaws were staying in US on GC?

me: I said no they stay in India and father-in-law surrendered his GC but mother-in-law still has it.

VO: she gave an expression!

She then checked for the IRS tax transcripts my co-sponsor sent and asked me if I have the wedding pictures, She saw all the pictures once by one and asked if I was given the domestic violence instructions. She then said my visa is approved (magic words) and handed me over the USCIS immigration fee document which also has my A number and explained when to pay that fee. She said I will get my passport in a weeks time with the stamp.

The VO officer was very nice and was noting all the answers in the system.

Overall the experience has been a good one. Thanks everyone and just be proactive if you think that some thing that you have might help them in making a decision and offer the evidence when the right time comes during the interview.

I wish everyone waiting in line all the best and good luck. God bless.

PS: Please ask your family or friends to not take photos outside the Consulate when you stand in line and who may have come with you, this will cause you trouble for sure as it happened to one of the guys behind me, he was pulled out of the line and taken for checking and questioning.

[vkrishn 97]

CEAC status changed to ISSUED. Finally!

[jese_1981 1]

CEAC status changed to ISSUED. Finally!

congrats!!!!

[Shiraj 2]

Congrats vkrishn, yours is one of the rarest cases to process a green card so quickly. This should be encouraging news to other F2A applicants that this can happen.

I had my CEAC status updated to issued today after a day in AP. One question is are you able to track the passport status yet? I can't for some reason. Not sure if this is normal and I need to wait.

CEAC status changed to ISSUED. Finally!

[vkrishn 97]

I think we should give it a couple of days. I am expecting wife to get her passport by Monday/tuesday of next week.

[mars76 1]

CEAC status changed to ISSUED. Finally!

Many congrats..

[f2aforconsular 11]

Congrats Shiraj and aurpol!

Regarding passport status, for one full working day (excluding interview) we got this message: 'There is no status update available for the passport number submitted'.

2nd working day: 'Origination Scan',

3rd working day: 'Ready for Pickup'. Same day received the following email from US Travel Docs

Dear XXXXX

Your document(s) have been collected from the US Embassy/Consulate

The passport number being returned is XXXXX

You have chosen to have your documents delivered to the following location:

XXXXX

If you have any issues or concerns, please contact us at www.ustraveldocs.com/in.

Good luck!

CEAC status changed to ISSUED. Finally!

Congrats for that. Must have been such a big relief!