Consulate Review: Mumbai, India
Review Topic: General Review
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
March 12, 2013 |
| Embassy Review : |
I had my visa interview in Mumbai on March 7th. Around 7:45 a.m., the VFS personnels started allowing the applicants inside the embassy. I was one in the few to enter the premises as the first batch and was unfortunate enough to get out of there as a last applicant. Once inside, you will follow through a line where you will be given a token and then VFS personnels will keep reminding you to keep your PCC, medical, birth certificate/affidavit and copies of the same with your passport handy. Around 8:30, my token number popped on the screen and was called for my initial round with an Indian officer, a female, she turned to be really good and we kept our smiles on. I was asked to submit all the documents like PCC, 2012 tax returns, employer letter, birth certificate, bank draft, and at last she took my finger prints. She just had one question for me during this document submission course and it was that "Have you ever traveled to US or stayed in other country for more than a year?" and I answered her. She replied, well, all the documents look perfect and you will be called in for the next round shortly. Therefore, I had to take my seat and was seated for more than 30 minutes or something. Please note, it is all about documents, if your documents are well placed and in order and meet the requirement, then you are half way through and the game of luck is your face-to-face encounter with the consular officer. Now coming back to my experience, around 11:45, my number was displayed over the screen and was called to the respective counter/window. My CO was a middle-aged American guy, I walked towards him and wished him "Morning!!" and he smiled and seemed and wished me back and going by his looks and presentation he seemed kinda like a serious guy and he just had 2 very basic questions for me: Tell me something about your fiancee and show me the pictures of you and your fiancee/engagement pictures, which I did, and he kept typing and looking at his computer screen and he reviewed our pictures and complimented a few and was very much interested to known who was who in our family picture. Then after a couple of minutes, I was given a white sheet of Section 221(g) form, which stated Your case is incomplete and requires Administrative Processing and he assured me that to have patience and everything is okay with my case, all they have to do is just do some mandatory checks to complete the my case and they would contact me once it is completed. No request was made to produce any further documents or any kind of evidence per se. The CO gave back my original passport, however, kept all the originals, medical package, paperwork and the bank draft too (draft was deposited at the cash window). At last, when I was about to leave, he said to bear with them and to have patience and they will send me a letter to send in my passport. I was very much sad at that point. But after 3 weeks from the date of my interview, I got a call and a letter from the embassy stating that my administrative processing has been completed and I need to submit my passport to the nearest VFS/OFC. Phewwww!!!, need to tell you, what a great relief, just cannot explain, how exactly I passed these 3 weeks, it was like living in a black hole and you never know when and where exactly you are going to see the light in your life back on. Well, if it ends well, then ALL IS WELL. Remember, keep checking every now and then with Department of State's visa specialist to get some updates on your case, for me, it helped a lot. On April 2nd, they changed my status to Issued, which made us feel really, really awesome. The embassy sent me the letter to check back with VFS which I had opted for the delivery and pick it up when its there. I received my passport with my visa and sealed envelope package on April 8th, afternoon and thank God everything was intact in the package that I received. Our K1 journey from petitioning to getting through with the interview was filled with mixed emotions, joy, sadness, anxiety, excitement etc. For us it was a spine-chilling life experience. Trust me, all you need to do is to just accept how things are but at that very moment and yes, have faith in God and in your relationship and Never, Never Give Up!!. GOD BLESS ALL OF THE VJers, who are waiting to join their loved ones, we will remember all in our prayers. I want to THANK from the bottom of my heart to those VJers, who had shared their real life experiences and they comments, advices, etc, it helps a lot. Let continue to support the others who are waiting to join their loved ones soon enough. Again, WISHING YOU A GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOURNEY. Will update further once I move to United States to marry my sweetheart.
(updated on April 8, 2013) |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0