IR2 Visa Interview Experience Mumbai

[AndIAmIronMan 12]

Hi guys,
I had my IR2 visa interview on 4th of November 2019, and I would like to share my experience. I searched through the internet and I could find only two experiences for IR2 for children who are close to 20 years old (have mentioned the links below). Hope this post might help someone in the future. First I'll dive into the actual interview day directly, following I'll share a brief paragraphs about Medical, Biometrics and other stuffs if any.

Interview Time: 7:15 AM. Went to the consulate around 6:45 AM in Formal dress, and were waiting opposite to the consulate. Then they called applicants with 7:15 AM interview and formed a queue outside, where an Indian guy/officer checked for the Interview Email Printout from NVC, DS260 with a stamp from our Biometrics and our passport.
Then there'll be a screening process like in the Airport. I just took my Wallet and other files. Electronic and food items are prohibited, and they have a locker for the electronic items if you bring any (I believe that you have to pay some amount for this).

I then arrived to the place where the interview takes place. Few Indian officers will instruct you to take specific documents in the language you are comfortable with. The documents they asked to takeout from us are:

• Passport, Birth & Police Clearance Certificate - Copy and Original
• DS260 with a stamp from our Biometric interview
• Two 50x50 White Background Photographs
• Sealed Medical Envelope.

Then we get a token number according to the language we choose.

There were 15 counters and the officers in the counters call up the token numbers on a First come First serve basis.

An Indian officer will be present for this initial calling from the counter. He asked me to hand over the documents which was mentioned above and asked the following questions after greeting him with a Good Morning:

• Who's calling you (Who's you petitioner)?
• When's your birthdate?
• Have you been to USA?
• Have you been outside India? (Answered him with the places I have been)
• How long have you been in those places? (Answered him: "A week each")

He then returned the Xerox copies of the documents and kept the original, and said that an US officer will be calling you for the next interview(with the same token number). This should be around 730 I guess (Didn't carry my watch inside)

For the interview of US officer, what I noted was they called in specific categories to a specific counter. And for the US officer interview there were only three counters active.
One counter was processing Parents Visa(IR5), another was IR1/CR1 and another was processing group people (where father and kid comes together). I kept on waiting till my number was called upon (I was sleepy too as I had only 4 hrs of sleep and have to just stare at the closed counter in front of you :P). Finally around 11 AM, my number was called.

Greeted him with a Good Morning. Asked me to raise my hand and took an oath saying that the information I provide today is true, then you’ll be asked to provide fingerprints here too. Then he proceeded with the following questions:

• Who’s is petitioning you? (He didn’t get my answer, hence asked it twice)
• How old are you? (Answered 22)
• Are you married?
• Have you applied or denied for a US Visa before?
• How did your father go to US? (Answered: Through employment)
• What did he do? (Answered with the title of his occupation)
• Did he go on a H1B? (Answered: Yes he went on a H1B, then got his Green card and then through naturalisation he got his citizenship)

He was looking into his computer in between the questions and it took around 5 min for the entire interview

Then he said the golden words “Your Visa is approved”! And gave the originals back and a sheet saying the next steps which was basically on how to pay the Green card fee (This should be paid before you enter US)

He didn’t ask me any other documents, but I took the following documents which was present in the checklist (https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Supplemental/appt%20letter_checklist%20for%20interview.pdf & https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Supplemental/BMB - Bombay.pdf):

• Affidavit of Support
• Tax Documents: Federal and W2 for last 3 years
• Pictures & Chat logs with my Dad
• Proof of US Domicile of my Dad
• PayStubs and Employment Letter of my Dad, Notarised document from my mother saying that she is okay with myself immigrating to US with my Dad (I am not sure if these is a compulsory doc, just in case if they ask I took, since my Mom will not be travelling with me to US)
• Other things which I carried is copies of my siblings and Mom’s VISA and Passport Copy, Dad’s driving license copy

 

Few tips from people were: Read the DS260 answers well, be confident and truthful in your replies, answer strictly to the question and not give extra unnecessary replies.

I had chosen pickup option for Passport, and it was available for Pickup at Chennai 3 days after the Interview.

 

Medical process:

I did my medical at Apollo Chennai. The base fee was around 15k with 5k extra for required vaccinations.Take:

• 6 50x50 White Background photographs
• Interview Email Printout
• Passport Original and Copy and DS-260
• A report(original and copy) from a Doctor listing the vaccines you have taken from your birth until now.

 

Initially, you’ll be giving your blood sample, then Vision and other general checkups will be done. You’ll be taking a Chest X-Ray then. Finally, a doctor will examine you and ask necessary questions and choose the vaccinations you must take. Then you’ll be taking the vaccinations. During the examination by the doctor, she’ll be entering the information you provide into the computer, make sure that the information is correct like dates and spelling.

You can pick up the report the next day evening before 5. In case if they find any abnormality in the tests, they’ll call you else you can assume that you have passed the medical test.

They’ll return the report sealed which you’ll be taking to the interview, then a sheet mentioning the vaccination’s you have taken and the ones you have to take in future and the a X-Ray disk (2 and 3 are not required for interview). Had my appointment at 9 am, the entire process got over close to 1pm.

 

Biometrics process:
I had my Biometrics at Chennai VAC, Kodambakkam 830 AM.

Documents required: Passport, Biometrics Appointment Letter, DS-260. (In addition I also took the Visa Interview Email printout).

You’ll be screened first. Avoid taking mobile phones.

They’ll stick a couple of barcode stickers onto your passport. Don’t remove this.

Then you’ll be called upon based on your token number.

They’ll take fingerprints and a photograph and ask your birthdate, Visa type. This photograph will be present on your visa. Take care of your fingers before both Biometric and Visa interview, as there will be delays in you have a visible cuts or injuries in your hand. The earlier you go, the earlier you complete the process. For me it was over in around 20 min.

 

NVC Received: 18-Jan-2019.

Case Complete: 21-May-2019

• Submitted all docs on April 12, and I was notified to re-upload the passport scan so that it can be read from left to right. This verification of scanned passport took more than a month.

Interview Scheduled email: 15-Oct-2019 (Mumbai had a backlog at that time).

 

Both VisaJourney and a Mumbai folks WhatsApp group were very helpful for the part from Interview letter waiting process to the end of the Interview.

 

Other experience links:

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/486953-ir2-visa-interview-experience/

https://wynonapauline.blogspot.com/2017/07/my-detailed-us-immigrant-visa-interview.html

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2019 by ram007

[Mayankg 0]

Did you carried pics and call logs ?

[Mayankg 0]

You went alone for interview inside embassy or with relative?

[AndIAmIronMan 12]

On 2/1/2021 at 7:53 PM, Mayankg said:

Did you carried pics and call logs ?

I did, but they didn't ask for. Better to carry it.

On 2/1/2021 at 7:55 PM, Mayankg said:

You went alone for interview inside embassy or with relative?

Alone

[Swapnil 0]

Hey can you tell me about the experience at the airport? and what questions are asked in there , it will be really a great help to me