ImmigrationPortal.com US Immigration Consular Processing Issues-Immigrant Visas (Green Card)
From discussion: Successful CP at Chennai, March 20
1. Detailed experience
Posted By: gccal4 3/24/02 2:09 PM
(#1 of 4)
Reached Chennai the evening of Sunday, March 17 on Singapore Airlines. Stayed at Hotel Ranjith. Prepaid taxi from the airport costed 240/-. Made a reservation(through fax) from the US. Though they said they'll fax me back a confirmation, they didnot. but they received my fax and my details were in their system. Paid 1900/- for a A/C double room. Rooms are okay. I think its fairly priced compared to the other hotels. We met another couple who stayed at Palmgrove at 1700/- per night and were complaining about mosquitoes. We didnt have these problems at hotel ranjith. the bathrooms can be a little better, but we didnt find them unbearable either. Customer service is very good. They provide a complimentary breakfast buffet in their in-hotel
veg restaurant. The menu changes everyday, so even though we ate there all of the 5 days, we didnt get bored.
Went to lister labs the next day(Mar 18) at 8am. Its 5 min by auto from hotel ranjith. most auto people know it. Lister labs is in two buildings, separated by 100 feet. Even if you go to the wrong one, they'll tell you which one to go to. Fill the medical information sheet and affix a photo. They'll give another "release form" to fill and sign. Once they check your passport and visa appointment letter, you're asked to wait for your name to be called for taking the blood sample and the x-ray. We were out of there by 8.45am.
Then went to the ashtalakshmi temple in adyar.
Then came to camera citi(opp Hotel Chola Sheraton). Changed some currency and took immigration photos. They ask you to come back in an hour for the photos, but since they use a digital camera, our photos were ready by the time we changed the currency. And yes, you get
marginally higher rate(around 50paise higher) here compared to a bank like SBI.
Then went to SBI(5 min walk on the same road towards the consulate). Got 5 DDs. They have a very efficient system for issuing DDs. The entire process took just 10 min.
Went to lister labs at 4.45pm in the evening for collecting the reports. We were a little late, most of the people who had exam done that morning had already collected their reports. Ran to Dr.Vijayalakshmi's office. We made an appointment with her for 5pm. But it didnt look like appointments were being honored(or checked). Two couples were already waiting at the office. We were let in when they were done. The medical exam took about 30 minutes, of which she
spent 20 minutes filling various forms. We already had all the requisite vaccinations, so didnt have to take anything more. She's very patient and careful with the forms - her assistant had mistakenly put my x-ray report with my wife's medical exam forms. She found
this when she was verifying everything a second time. I strongly suggest going to her for the medical exam.
On the day of the interview, went to the consulate at 7.45am. They were already letting people in. We took transparent office folders alone, but I found women being allowed to bring in handbags.
We were led to a big hall with lot of chairs and counters. Were asked to submit our documents and pay the interview fees at 9am. Donot try to make any sense of the order in which the security guards sit people in the room or the order in which they let people to counters to submit documents. They just dont know what they're doing. One guy asks you to sit here and immediately the other guy asks you to get up and sit somewhere else. A consular officer administered the oath at 9.15am and the interviews started soonafter. We were almost the last people to submit documents. But were among the first 10 people to be called for the interview(didnt look like people were being called in any particular order). No questions were asked. Was asked to sign DS-230 Part-II and another form saying, "will return the immigrant visa if job lost...etc".
Actually, our case is a bit different from most others on this forum. We got married in the US and my wife and I currently live(and work) in separate places. Also, my wife has never been on a H-4. So we were mentally prepared for additional questioning and took lots of documentation to prove we were in a genuine wedlock.
After signing the DS-230 Part-II, I noticed that the Indian officer took our marriage certificate and wedding photos and kept them separate from the other documents. I was sure we were going to face further questioning. And as expected, after reviewing all the documents he asked us to go and wait for our names to be called.
Our names were called again after 20 min, this time by another Indian officer. We went to the counter, very tense. he asked us for the bluedart DD and address slip(these were the only documents not collected earlier at the interview). Then he just asked us to pay the
issuance fee and go home. We were so happy and relieved. Out of the conulate by 10.40am. The visa arrived next day morning 10am at the hotel.
This is the order of documents I used:
Primary Applicant(myself):
--------------------------
- Appointment letter (original)
- DS-230 Part I (copy) and DS-230 Part II
- Marriage Certificate (orig & copy)
- Wedding photos
- Birth Certificate (orig & copy)
- Notarized employment letter (orig & copy)
- Latest 2 paystubs
- Bank Acct Summary Letter (orig & copy) and Last 3 months bank statements (orig & copy)
- 2001 tax return copy and tax transcripts for 2000, 1999
- Medical Report
- IRS-9003
- Police Clearance Certificate (orig & copy)
Secondary Applicant:
--------------------
- Appointment letter (copy)
- DS-230 Part I and DS-230 Part II
- Marriage Certificate (copy)
- Birth Certificate (orig & copy)
- Notarized I-134 (orig & copy)
- Primary's Employment letter copy
- Medical Report
- IRS-9003
- Police Clearance Certificate (orig & copy)
I know, there are some documents here that are not in the list of strictly required documents. But considering the fact that of all the applicants who faced interview before us, we were the only people who didnt have to open our folders for additional documents, I think this is a pretty comprehensive list of documents they're interested in seeing. Most people spent around 20 min at the interview, we were done in 4 min. Were not asked a single question.
One couple were sent back. They had a problem with their employment letter. He pleaded with the officer for a long time, but the officer seemed to be adamant. I suggest taking extra care with this document(notarised, on company letter head, mentions salary and title etc etc.)
Arrived at SFO yesterday. Got the I-551 stamp in passport. Was asked who petitioned for me to become an immigrant. Thats it.
Other useful pointers:
- For food, try Hotel New Woodlands. They have a restaurant with great south Indian food. If you want Andhra style food(with senagala podi, gongoora etc), try Amaravathi restaurant right opposite to woodlands. The food here is excellent. 'Matchpoint' at Taj Coromandel has great lunch buffet. Hotel Ranjith has a veg restaurant, called Pallavi. OK food.
- For shopping, go to T.Nagar/Panagal park area. You can find shops of all kinds there - jewellery, household stuff(saravana stores), clothes. For andhraites - we even found banginapalli mangoes there, sth we didnt find elsewhere in chennai.
There are some other departmental stores on Nungambakkam high road near to the consulate.
If you want to shop for indian groceries, go to Nilgiris, a few hundred yards from Chola Sheraton.
I wish to thank all the earlier successful CPers who posted their detailed experiences on this forum, which have helped me in preparing for my interview. And Good Luck to all those still in the pipeline.
1.1 Re: 2001 tax return copy and tax transcripts for 2000, 1999
Posted By: maheshml 3/24/02 4:09 PM
(#2 of 4)
Thanks for your valuable input. Very informative.
Here's my question on " 2001 tax return copy and tax transcripts for 2000, 1999" that you have mentioned. Is there anything explicit we need to request from the IRS for interview purpose or copy of whatever paperwork we have used in the previous years for filing taxes along with W-2 be sufficient. Does IRS provide a seperate tax transcript?? If so, how do we apply for one? and how long does it take to recieve them? Also how many previous years do we need to show, is it just 2001, 2000 and 1999(3 years)?
Appreciate your reply
1.1.1 tax transcripts
Posted By: gccal4 3/24/02 8:52 PM
(#4 of 4)
yes IRS does provide a separate tax transcript. Its basically a printout of your record in their computers. It neatly summarises your tax records for that particular year and since its from the IRS, it looks official.
For 2001, I filed my tax returns just few weeks before my interview and IRS didnt enter my information in their computers yet. so I took a copy of my tax return. But for the previous years, I submitted tax transcripts. Search on this forum and you'll find the number to call to order transcripts. Or, you can walk-in to any IRS office(not all of them have walk-in service) and get them right-away.
2. Congrats
Posted By: gabbar007 3/24/02 8:01 PM
(#3 of 4)
IRS does provide transacripts, takes about 6 weeks, there is a 800 number for that, you should be able to search this forum and find it.