13 July 2011: My visa interview date
I wanted to run one of my marathons in the United States and hence I made an application for a tourist visa in the month of May. The procedure was quite simple I must say. All instructions were clearly laid out on the US Chennai consulate webpage. This is the procedure I followed:
- Filled out the D160 online application form. This is the new form implemented recently. Previously it was the D156 form.
- Then I asked my mom to pay the visa fee at the HDFC bank.
- Next I had to schedule for an appointment at the Chennai consulate via the VFS website.
I had completed the first two formalities in the month of May and thought that dates in July will be available right away. However I could see interview dates available only for the next three weeks. Hence I had to wait for almost a month to book my interview date. And finally I made an appointment for my visa interview for 13 July 2011.
I gathered the necessary documents required for the visa interview. Someone had told me it will be very tough to get the visa if one doesn't have a sponsor in the States. Hence I asked my close friend Praveen to send me the required documents. He was very kind to send me whatever I needed. I also bugged my brother for getting all the printouts from his office. Then I borrowed a folder from my friend Alex to keep those documents.
On the day of the interview I dressed up in neat formals and asked my mom to drop me at the consulate. I reached the consulate @ 9:45 hrs for my 10:15 appointment. The procedure at the consulate is something like this:
- Wait in the queue outside the consulate for your turn. Then handover the appointment letter and your passport at the counter. You will then be given a coupon with a number on it.
- The guard will then check you before letting you inside the heavy door, which is operated by another security officer sitting inside the counter.
- Once inside the first door your file will be screened through an X-Ray machine and you will be checked once again by the security. The security will again ask you if you have any pen drives, CD's or any other prohibited items.
- After that you may proceed through the door and get into the waiting hall and wait until your coupon number flashes on the screen. Then you proceed to the respective counter and present your documents to the officer behind the the glass window. He will check the CEAC letter and read the barcode printed on it and then put the HDFC barcode on your passport. This happened at counter no.8. While waiting for my turn suddenly there was a power cut and all fans and other equipments shut down (except computers).
- Next I was asked to proceed to counter 12 where I was given a file to keep my CEAC letter and passport. My thumbs and all my other fingers were scanned too.
- Next I was asked to proceed to the visa interview hall where I had to wait patiently with many others for my turn. Then my number was displayed on the screen and it was on counter 19.
- The visa officer asked me the following questions:
- Have you been to the States before?
- Why are you going to the States?
- What do you study in the Netherlands?
- How long will you stay in the States?
- Are you married?
- Will you be travelling alone?
- Do you own any property?
- And lastly he asked me if I was going to run the marathon to win some prize money for which I replied that I was an amateur and stood no chance. He said that he was just checking and that one should not earn money in the Sates with the B2 visa.
I was thrilled that i got my visa and now I can visit my friends in California too. All that remains is I have to get back my passport.
