ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Asia: SouthIndia birth certificate questions
Thank you both for your help! It's very much appreciated!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia3/4/2009 10:54
Asia: SouthIndia birth certificate questions
Okay, here's the problem. My fiance was born on August 6th but when his grandfather filled out his 10th certificated he put the 16th so now since that is what has been used for everything all my fiancee's records say he was born August 16th. My fiancee doesn't have a birth certificate and I've searched on here and couldn't find anything about alternatives. What qualifies as a legitimate birth record when applying for a K-1 in regards to India? Can he use his 10th certificate? Do we need to try to obtain a birth certificate (which from what I am finding are still hand written so I'm not sure how much weight that is going to carry)? Or is there something else we need to do to prepare for when these documents are needed?

Thank you for your help!

Edited by ms_jinga_lala, 04 March 2009 - 07:56 AM.

ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia3/4/2009 7:55
Asia: SouthDivorce questions at the interview
I am divorced and my fiancees parents don't know it. He doesn't want to tell them. Will they ask us at the interview in Delhi if his parents know about my divorce? Will they try to confirm that his parents know/don't know? How bad is it if he doesn't tell his parents (for the purpose of the visa)?

Thank you!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia5/11/2009 22:52
Asia: SouthDelhi Interviews?
Is there any chance that an interview could be scheduled between December 20 and January 4th? Do the embassies close or go to skeleton crews for the holidays? Thank you!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia8/11/2009 10:38
Asia: SouthTax returns
Thank you all, that was very helpful!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/26/2009 21:35
Asia: SouthTax returns
We just got NOA 2 and have not received packet 3. However I'm asking ahead of time so there are no surprises. Does the New Delhi embassy require the last 3 years of tax returns? I was divorced in 2008 so the years 2006-2007 are going to show my married name and then 2008 doesn't show I had enough income on my own because I had moved and just gotten a job. I do have enough income, more than double what I need for sponsorship. Can I include pay stubs from my employer to prove this? Will all these complications hurt us at the interview?
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/24/2009 9:04
Asia: Southdivorce records and relationship proof
Thank you for your replies! I did send him copies of everything I submitted with the I129F and some files he would need for this part of the process. Sometimes you read so much on all this stuff the words just start to run together lol.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/27/2009 17:32
Asia: Southdivorce records and relationship proof
I'm sorry for all the questions. I'm tired and confused lol. Too many big words at once hahaha....anyway... I'm reading over the packet 4 info from the Delhi embassy website and it says applicant divorce records. Does that mean that he doesn't have to submit my (petitioner) divorce records at the VFS? Up until just now I thought he did but I could have been reading it wrong all along. I submitted my divorce records with the petition. Does he need to submit them again at the VFS or the interview?

And since you're here, all the proof of relationship items that are submitted to VFS, does he get those back? I put together a really nice scrapbook of my last trip there and I would love for him to be able to use it, but I want it back. Can he just take it to the interview? Thanks!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/26/2009 21:55
Asia: SouthWhat are the quirky things you miss
QUOTE (Nina Ballerina @ Oct 5 2009, 09:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I miss the road side food.. Like the parathas and the Indian-chinese food from road-side stalls.. Over here I would not even think of eating from a roach-coach, but I would from India because it is just sooooo good.


Lol, I'm American and I agree with you! I ate from places like that almost every day on my trip to India, sometimes more than once a day. I also drank the water and lived lol. I didn't even get sick while I was there, and like you I would NEVER even think about eating from a roach coach in America lol. It's just sad....I'm such a traitor hahaha...oh well.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/5/2009 21:11
Asia: SouthKarva Chauth
QUOTE (Pattu Rani @ Oct 16 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This usually works for me when my husband wonders why on earth I need so many salwar kameez.... blush.gif



Good point.....I have a serious need for those as well. I don't even have all the colors yet, and not even 1 winter suit.....hmm.....time to start sweet talking lol
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/19/2009 6:06
Asia: SouthKarva Chauth
QUOTE (kaushalia @ Oct 14 2009, 11:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
right on. laughing.gif my mother-in-law tells my husband he needs to buy me jewelry. when i told her i got my second holes in my ear, she said good, he needs to buy you more earrings biggrin.gif


You do need more earrings. They are important beauty items so you can look your best....for him...yeah that's it...lol. I think you need matched sets so you don't look like something is missing. cool.gif
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/15/2009 19:09
Asia: SouthKarva Chauth
QUOTE (sachinky @ Oct 14 2009, 02:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm a Bengali too so I don't know about the Karva Chaut rules. And I wouldn't take part in it unless there was a similar festival requiring husband's to fast for their wife's health and prosperity. Hey, I'm all for equality.


Lol. I decided to do it because my fiancee has prayed for me every Tuesday for 18 months now. I have been going through so much and I felt like this is something I wanted to do. I can't say I'm going to do it every year. I won't do it unless I feel led to just like this year. I grew up in a religion that believes in fasting and prayer and I had always heard that partaking in a fast like this could bring you closer to God. Now that I experienced the fast, I must say it was enlightening and I physically feel better after the fast. I don't feel like it was any kind of serious life altering experience, and I don't feel like I'm one with God. I did enjoy the experience.

QUOTE
my husband asked me after the fact if i was going to fast. so i looked into it, and discovered i wouldn't be able to eat until my husband feeds me. um... i don't think so. seeing as though, even if he got his visa earlier, i am not expecting him to get here until the end of january. i always wanted to be "thin" but i do not want to be anorexic maybe next year


No one needs that kind of diet lol. My fiancee won't be here until our visa gets approved and we work out the details, I'm not starving till then. I did a lot of research too and it seems that nothing in India is that serious and most of it is open to flexibility. So I didn't get all the gifts, fancy dinner, etc that my "husband" is supposed to do for me either.....but I did tell him he owes me on Valentines Day tongue.gif All kidding aside, I don't ask him for gifts. He got overly excited while I was fasting and went out and bought me some stuff, then exchanged it cause he didn't think it was good enough, then exchanged it again because he didn't like something else. So I would have to say, with all the excitement he had and the happiness this brought him, it made this fast more than worthwhile for me.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/14/2009 18:48
Asia: SouthKarva Chauth
QUOTE (jessarien @ Oct 5 2009, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
well if you want to start this then you will have to follow the way it is done, you will not be able to eat or drink anything till about 4 in the evening when the puja or katha is done. Ather this yes you can drink whatever youwish to .then again you will have to wait for the moon to finish the whole process.

hope you would be fine by then...its on 7 th...so still have some time.


Thank you. I feel pretty confident that I can do this, I just like to plan ahead. I barely coughed any today so hopefully my throat will be fully better by Wednesday. I guess the only way I will know if I can commit to it for sure is to wake up Wednesday morning and see how my throat feels.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/5/2009 20:36
Asia: SouthKarva Chauth
I've never done this before. My fiancee has never paid attention to the customs before. I have 2 questions. First one, in the morning before the sun comes up and we eat something, does it absolutely have to be sargi or can I eat something else? To be quite honest this is a laziness issue. I don't want to go through all the trouble to learn the new recipe right now, I'm just getting over the flu and it doesn't look especially appealing. I had much rather have some fresh fruit and oatmeal that morning.

Second question. I was unable to get the day off work and I work in customer service. I am on the phone all day and they keep the fans and air conditioning blowing in the building and I'm a little concerned about being hydrated enough to make it through all that talking. I have read online that if necessary the woman observing the fast for the first time can have a few sips of water. I think in my case it would be better if I could have a piece of candy or something similar to keep my throat from drying out too bad. If it's necessary can I have a piece of candy or is that against the rules (so to speak)?

I'm not worried about going without food. I've done this kind of fast before for other reasons. This time of year I only have to go without food for about 11 hours anyway which isn't that much of a challenge for me. I'm just really concerned with the fact I'm still coughing some from that stupid flu and my throat is still irritated and I have to work. I don't want to have to put off my first karva chauth until next year if I don't have to, but my fiancee is panicking thinking I'm not going to make it and something bad will happen to him.

Thanks for your help in advance!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/4/2009 19:31
Asia: SouthSim Card
I wouldn't recommend it either. We have prepaid phones here that are inexpensive and plans that are inexpensive as well. Not many phones and companies here are GSM capable and you might find it difficult to use the sim card, even though AT&T here can use them. I work for a cell phone company as well and let me tell you, when you buy those things as well as used phones online, you run a huge risk of them not being able to activate them for use. It's possible if you buy a sim card there, the unique identifier for the sim card could have been blocked from the phone companies system and you won't be able to use it. Saving the money isn't worth it unless you have some way to verify before you purchase that the card is good and will work when you get here.

For any of you who live in a MetroPCS area, for $50 a month you can have completely unlimited services including unlimited international calling. It's a prepaid service so there won't be hidden charges or surprises on your bill. Look them up.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia10/20/2009 21:10
Asia: SouthVFS Details
Thank you k.loveh! I had read on here many times of individuals not getting their information back. I was fully prepared not to turn in anything too meaningful lol.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/12/2009 12:30
Asia: SouthVFS Details
QUOTE (kaus&Sanu @ Nov 4 2009, 11:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So, I have a question, What does the VFS want from the beneficiary?

The original Wedding album? Pictures? Affidavits? I-864? What should I ask my wife to take when we get to that point of the process?

Also, if the interview is in Chennai, would she be able to submit the information requested at the Hyderabad VFS, If one exists? or must it be the Chennai VFS?


Don't give them anything you would want back (like your wedding album). Give them some copies of the photos. They will want the affidavit of support, all of the beneficiary's documents like birth certificate, police clearance certificate, divorce records, marriage records, etc. See the guides (link is at the top of this page) for a better list and explanation. Sorry, I'm not much help on the VFS question you asked, but you can go to the VFS website and check yourself to find what works best for you.

VFS


ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/4/2009 19:22
Asia: SouthVFS Details
QUOTE (k.loveh @ Sep 27 2009, 09:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (ms_jinga_lala @ Sep 27 2009, 05:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thank you both!! That was very helpful. He's so cute when he's nervous, but at the same time I can't leave him suffering lol. I think now that he knows what is going to happen he will be ok. If I could afford to stay there for the entire visa process I would then he wouldn't have to worry so much.



Don't we all wish that, that we could be there for the entire visa process... Yeah, I just talked to another VJ'er here who's leaving on a plane tomorrow afternoon to India. She gets to be there throughout the entire process, thanks to her supportive parents. There's also another VJ'er who's already there with her fiance for support as well. I envy them both.

If you don't mind my asking, when is your interview date? Ours is Oct. 29th.



I don't have an interview date yet. We just got our NOA2 a few days ago. I'm expecting our interview sometime in December or later depending on how long the wait is in Delhi and how fast they catch up before then.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/28/2009 20:11
Asia: SouthVFS Details
Thank you both!! That was very helpful. He's so cute when he's nervous, but at the same time I can't leave him suffering lol. I think now that he knows what is going to happen he will be ok. If I could afford to stay there for the entire visa process I would then he wouldn't have to worry so much.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/27/2009 17:24
Asia: SouthVFS Details
My fiancee is very shy. He's nervous about if there is a woman at the counter taking his papers, he's nervous they may speak Hindi to him (even though he speaks hindi)....in short he's a nervous wreck. To calm his fears I promised to ask here for personal experiences with the VFS. What I want to know is are there mostly women employed there? Do they speak the native language of the state, multiple languages or just Hindi? How long do you have to wait to be seen usually? Do they allow/permit/accept/deny for anyone to come to the window/counter with you? Do they look through the documents to double check that you have them all? Do they ask a lot of questions? And last, do they itemize the documents you bring in to give you a receipt or just take them and your money? Do they look through the documents to double check that you have them all? Do they ask a lot of questions? As many details as you can provide are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much in advance!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia9/26/2009 21:33
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (Nikita2Charles @ Nov 19 2009, 07:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thinking about driving here is easy

You haven't try driving in India, it's basically AN ART FORM

I like to say, there's some kind of control in all that madness,

I was in Madras when I 1st went to India for a project i was working on, After a Day of Driving, i was feeling a little bit OK about it, then later in the evening I was making a Left turn,

GUESS WHAT?

I saw a bunch of light coming at me, I basically made that turn into incoming traffic, Good thing it wasn't too busy, I had enough time to make a U turn, Needless to say the next day, I return the car, and starting taking a TAXI.

Nearby the hotel they have Auto Rickshaw which is faster than taxi, because these little bikes can squeeze around traffic quite a bit. From there on I started taking Auto Rickshaw wherever I go.

Click on the link, you'll see

http://www.flickr.co...msi/2547588497/


OMG, I remember. I had to practice my breathing techniques and just trust that my fiancee was used to that driving and would take good care of me. We did take a rickshaw and auto rickshaw a few times, but mostly drove his motorcycle. There was a parade at one point, imagine an elephant going down the street, a band behind him and people going about 12 different directions between and around them. Quite an experience indeed.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/20/2009 22:04
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (NCWife @ Nov 19 2009, 08:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Awww... thank you very much for your words of encouragement!!! I actually post sticky notes on my instructor's car. LOL.... I tend to forget to look over my shoulder at this specific corner and that note helps a lot. And I always forget about the blinkers and the hazard lights while backing out... LOL..

Did you mean the written test when you said you were asking about the tractor and DWI question?? Oh... I took the test like 3 weeks ago and it's all still so fresh in my mind now. The guy at DMV said "the questions are not tricky, just bad grammar. Make sure you read it at least twice before answering! " LOL....

Cheers..


Yes! My test had those questions I mentioned. That was crazy. I don't even live near any farms lol. I almost failed the test hahaha...coz of questions like that. I have had a VA drivers license forever, NC was so much different with their laws. It almost got me.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/20/2009 22:02
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (NCWife @ Nov 19 2009, 06:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It is true that "LOVE and PATIENCE" is the key to teach someone driving. When my husband said that he is going to teach me, I was like "Oh dear!!" because he is a very impatient man especially on the road and gets irritated easily! I told him that if he yells at me while I am trying to learn, I will just not drive and not get a job..... so he promised that he won't yell. We went for our first driving lesson last week and I was extremely surprised that he didn't yell, not even one time. In fact he was a great teacher and the end of the lessons he made sure I know that he loves me and proud of me!!!

Even though he has been driving forever, there are some things that he wasn't aware that I should know and do especially when taking the test. So, I actually hired an instructor to drive with me for about 8 hrs so he could teach me things that I should know. I have done 4 hrs so far and I must say it's great. He took me to the DMV site and practice with me the skills that will be tested so I will be more prepared when the day comes to take my test.

I hope I will get a license early December or whenever my husband decides to work on my insurance wacko.gif

Cheeeeers....



I'm rooting for you! I think you are going to do great. It seems like you are really putting in the effort to do a good job. One things I find is helpful for me in learning things that I normally don't need to know is posting them on sticky notes all over the house. For example, in the state of NC I had to know about tractors driving on the road. (never been on a tractor, don't intend to be on one) I would post that one on the fridge because it's going to be the hardest to remember. While I don't remember the specific question now, my sticky note may have looked like this....
A tractor is allowed to drive on _____ kinds of roads at a speed not exceeding _____mph.

Then I would see it a lot and not forget it.

Another question I remember being asked is how long they can suspend your license for if you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol. I got it wrong lol...I was much stricter than they were. Oh well, should have had that on the fridge too.

Good luck!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/19/2009 19:25
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (Nikita2Charles @ Nov 19 2009, 11:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's been less than 5 years, my wife is now an expert driver.


The key to teaching someone driving is Patience and able to hold your heart in your palm.

1) I have a sports car, stick shift, tried teaching my wife with it, she was doing well, but was having some hard time with switching gear, so i got her a Maxima Automatic to practice on, this will eliminate the need for switching gear so she can concentrate on the driving part.

The key to it all, when teaching someone to drive, try not to overly criticizing them, because with with my wife, the more you point out the mistakes she's making, she gets more nervous, and make even worse one, so it's very difficult to hold it and stay quiet, but if it's something major you have to point it out right away.

All i have to say is communication, communication and don't be afraid to speak, we were driving home and my wife was making some critical mistakes that I had to point them out, so that made her nervous.

Even now i am still paying for it, we used to live in an Apt with a Gate, and I always stop the car before the sidewalk, waiting for the driveway to open up, my wife like to pull up right in front of the gate. I blame myself for not speaking out that day and said wait a little bit futher wait for the gate to open then proceed.

To this day i still can't recall why, or why it happened, when the gate started to open up, my wife feet probably slip off the brake, all i know we Ram the gate.

The damaged was a slightly bent gate and it went off the rail, but the Apartment complex charged my car insurance almost $6,000 for the damage.

Needless to say it went on into my record as a car accident and I haven't had a car accident or any ticket for the last 8 years, now my wife car insurance premium is much lower than mine, because I told the insurance company at the time I was the one driving.

So it takes a lot of LOVE AND PATIENCE!!


Thank goodness I am a very calm person lol. I figure the worst thing that is going to happen is that he damages the car. As long as no one gets hurt that is not a big deal. It can be fixed. I just don't want anyone traumatized either lol. I think I'm just going to take it extra slow to give him time to build up his confidence. Just a little joke....the love and patience part is easy, it's the screaming for my life that worries me...hahahahaha...jk!
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/19/2009 19:20
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (k.loveh @ Nov 16 2009, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Lol,my son came in and said whatchya laughing about mommy while reading your post. Yours made me feel like mine was less tramatic!! And soooo happy I didn't knock down any poles! smile.gif Isn't it strange though that in situations like these (where no injury or physical harm is done) that we'll sometimes break out laughing hysterically?


Lol, yeah. Laughter makes us feel bad when there is no one really hurt.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/16/2009 21:31
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (NCWife @ Nov 15 2009, 02:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Okay, let me toss a jar of sugar across the border! smile.gif

I am sorry but your story made me laugh so hard that I woke my husband up! I know it was not meant to be funny but I just don't know why I laughed. As I was reading, I was trying to imagine the scenario and the horror you went through. From what I notice, people here drive so courteously (is that even a word?) compared to people in my country, so it's like they will forgive you when you made a mistake while learning. If that same thing happened to me back home, all the drivers will be cursing, honking, you name it, whether or not you're a student or a regular driver.

I remember when I did my lessons back home, 12 years ago, I also had my parallel parking thing and we have this white and red poles around the parking space, at the practice arena. My instructor was sitting with his friends, conversing and sipping his coffee. I was going forward, reverse, forward, reverse with a stick shift and tight steering wheel. I had my windows down, sweating like crazy in that 100 degrees heat and guess what, I ended up knocking down all the 20 poles and the car was still not parked right. My instructor just shook his head and other student drivers were laughing! So embarrassing!!

Now come to think of it, I think I am a terrible driver! LOL.... I have so many horror, crazy stories just popped up! LOL..

Cheers..


Lol.... ***poof*** you are hereby given a second chance to prove yourself a good driver in a country where we promise to smile and waive and not cuss at you for any poles you knock over....just watch the paint jobs on the cars around you...k? lol... As for parking, just pull through a space at the end of the row when possible and forget all that parallel ####### lol. It's worth the extra walking to not have to stress in my opinion.

Learning to drive was fun wasn't it. I'm really excited about all the crazy things that could happen while I teach my honey to drive here. The memories will last a lifetime.

ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/15/2009 20:42
Asia: Southdriving lessons
QUOTE (k.loveh @ Nov 15 2009, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
May take you up on that cup of sugar! smile.gif

Ah, horror stories of drivers ed! One time when I was 16 and having a lesson as well, I was at this intersection and was supposed to make a right turn. Well, I made a right turn alright but drove too far into the middle of the intersection and made the right turn into the 'left turning lane' of the cars going to the left or opposite direction! Then she (the instructor) started screaming and I started screaming. I stopped right there in the middle of the road not knowing what else to do, then all the cars coming towards me stopped and just sat there staring at us even though they could have kept going since it wasn't their lane I was in. They were all looking at us with the most puzzled expression, not angry, just puzzled. I couldn't move forward and couldn't go backwards and didn't know how to get out of that mess until some guy stepped out of his vehicle and motioned for us to pull into a parking lot entrance in front of his car. Needless to say the driving instructor and me both had to take a break before proceding with that lesson. Even today I still get the weeby-jeebies whenever I think about it.


Oh the horror! I sympathize with you. I still remember having to do the demonstration for parallel parking in drivers ed. I was so nervous. I was praying he didn't pick me. Out of the sheer fear of embarrassing myself in front of all my friends I actually aced it. I was extra cautious and paid very close attention, but still to this day whenever I have to parallel park, I think about that. I still try to avoid parallel parking in real life lol.
ms_jinga_lalaFemaleIndia11/15/2009 13:38