ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDVD of Wedding ceremony as supporting evidence

Thanks for the information. I am sorry for I didn't realise that you went for a K-1 visa. The process for CR1 is different - we pay the AOS and IV fees at NVC and our AOS and IV documents are processed at NVC before those are sent to Consulate for Interview.

I am looking for an answer from someone that had gone for CR1 visa.


No big deal...also, I should clarify that my experience at the embassy was specific to the New Delhi embassy although I imagine most of the guidelines still apply :D
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-18 12:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDVD of Wedding ceremony as supporting evidence

Good response. It is always good to hear from someone that had gone through the process.

There is some confusion regarding visiting VFS and paying courier fees. Barring submission of any documents at VFS, do one needs to go to VFS to pay any courier fee - can shed some light on this please.


The passport courier fee is due at VFS with Packet 4.

The $350 (I think) interview fee is due at the embassy at the time of the interview. The conversion rate on the embassy website was different than the conversion rate provided to us in Packet 4, so my fiance got a demand draft at the higher rate. The embassy said he only owed the lower rate, but they didn't make him get a new draft, they just took it and gave him the difference back in INR. I had come prepared with US cash though just in case.

Just a note on arriving at the embassy:
You are not allowed into the line to get into the embassy until they hold the sign up for your interview time. You will have to wait across the street in a large crowd of people. Here are some tips to get in easily without causing delays for yourself or others and without making yourself look like a jerk:
1) Do not get into the line until they announce your interview time. If your interview is at 8:30, do not attempt to get into the line when they announce the 8:00 interview. It just slows things down and you will be kicked out of the line. You would not believe the number of people who try to do this.
2) If you bring friends or family, unless they are supposed to be interviewing with you, leave them across the street. Do not try to let them wait in line with you. Do not try to let them wait with you on the other side of the barricade...make them stay across the street. Once again, it just slows things down and they will be asked to leave anyway. It's OK if you wait in a line by yourself, you're most likely an adult and nothing bad is going to happen to you.
3) Do not bring a cell phone or any other electronic device UNLESS you are the US Petitioner (in which case, they will allow you to check it) or unless you can bring forth a performance that will give Meryl Streep a run for her money. You will be asked to leave the line to dispose of the electronic device or to have you friend/family member waiting across the street to hold it for you. Then, you go to the back of the line again.
4) Think critically about the evidence you bring with you. They almost always refuse to look at anything you've brought with you as you should have submitted it with your Packet 4. Do not expect to be able to give them anything new that you hadn't submitted to VFS. However, do be prepared to point out that they do in fact have a "missing" piece of evidence if you already submitted it and they say they don't have it. My fiance and I brought a duplicate copy of Packet 4 just in case they couldn't find something.
5) Make sure you bring your interview letter and passport with you. Have them easily accessible, preferably in your hand. You will have to show them multiple times. Do not slow things down by having to rifle through a bunch of papers to find them.

A note on being inside the embassy:
1) Finger printing occurs first. There is plenty of seating in this area and the staff will direct you when it is your turn based on your token number. The line is extremely disorganized and there is no easy exit from the line. Once you are done fingerprinting, you will have to fight your way back through the line to get out of it. Ridiculous.
2) The area for the immigrant interviews (where the K1 is also held) has limited seating. It is difficult to hear your name/number if you stay outside the area so you can sit down. It is highly unlikely that people will exhibit proper etiquette by allowing the elderly or infirm or pregnant women/women with small children to have a seat while able-bodied young men and women stand. So if you are in a class of people who would naturally expect to be offered a seat by a young, able-bodied person, get over it. It isn't going to happen. Wear comfortable shoes, you could be standing for hours.
3) I was pretty observant while I was there. The decision always seemed to have been already made prior to the interview. 221g forms and AP letters were already printed and ready to be issued...the interview really seemed to be just to confirm that the CO's decision is correct.
4) If it all possible, the petitioner should accompany the beneficiary. The level of harassment decreases significantly. When my fiance and I stepped up to the interview window, the mandatory AP letter and the 221g letter were already printed. When the CO confirmed that I am the petitioner, he threw away the 221g and seemed lost as to what questions to ask. He just confirmed whether we had met each other's parents and whether we had ever been married before. If you are an interracial couple, it is even more imperitive for the petitioner to attend the interview. From the stories on this website, engaged interracial couples have a significantly harder time in India than married or non-interracial couples. It is very rare for an interracial engaged couple to pass the first time without the petitioner being there.

Some of this information may apply to you, some of it may not...just thought I'd get it all out there.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-18 09:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDVD of Wedding ceremony as supporting evidence

Please note that no electronic devices, including cell phones will be allowed to be taken inside the consulate. Not even hand bags are allowed in. Just the printed evidence only.


I was just there, plenty of people had handbags. You will get through the line much faster though if you don't carry one, just a small wallet. However, NO electronic devices are allowed. Unless you're the petitioner, they won't even allow you to check a cell phone with the guards.

A DVD is not an electronic device, however, no one should EVER expect to show up at the interview with evidence that they haven't submitted to VFS and expect it to be reviewed. So there is no point in bringing a DVD and expecting them to watch it. You can turn it in to VFS with your packet 4 if you want, but the likelihood that they watch it slim to none.

When determining what evidence to bring, it's best to put yourself in the position of the CO. Would you be pleased to receive a DVD that you then had to find some way to watch since it is non-standard evidence or would you be irritated? Would the DVD be easy to catalog and store with the other paper evidence that can easily be scanned in to a PDF for electronic storage? Assuming they recycle, would your file have to be treated in a special way because it has a DVD case in it instead of just paper? Think about this with other evidence too...how would you feel if someone brought you 500 pages of phone bills and expected you to go through them? Do you get my point? Try to make things easier for them, not harder.

Good luck!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-18 08:32:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresis there light at the end of the tunnel?
We're in AP too, since August 3. I know it's only been a few weeks for us and one month for you, but I find this part way more stressful than the time leading up to the interview. At least we had people we could compare ourselves to and we knew the general timeline and where we stood. This could go on forever (well, not literally).

Everything I've seen published by the US government states that they try to have it wrapped up within 60 days, however each case is different and some may take longer.

I wish VJ kept AP statistics so that we could easily look up past cases for some kind of guidance or at least a small piece of mind.

Do you know why you're in AP?
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-19 21:35:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview in New Delhi

How effective would it be if I go to the interview with my fiance? We were unable to submit our papers to VFS, due to 2 holidays between now and Oct. 12th. Our NOA 2 expires on October 15th. Anyone that has gone through something like or may offer their 2 cents, please advise. After reading some posts on this site, I see that there is a possibility our petition may be sent back to NVC/USCIS??

Anxiously waiting for responses.

S


If you don't submit your papers to VFS prior to your interview, they most likely will not accept them at the interview and will issue you a 221(g), maybe even a denial. It will help a little if you front-loaded your application but you're still going to have issues with not turning it in.

Your presence at the interview could be very helpful...maybe it will save your from a denial and just put you into AP/AR. If you have any red flags such as different religions, age gap, beneficiary is male or engagement photos that look like wedding photos, I would highly recommend you be there if you can afford it.

Are you sure you can't submit your documents prior to the interview?
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-10-05 14:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWhat is the general reason of holding any case in AP????

Thanks for detailing your thoughts, It will really be of great help to any body to prepare in advance but I am bit confused about this... can please explain it??? Thanks for giving your valuable time :)



Having read every Indian consulate review and having combed through the posts of as many Indian couples on VJ that I could find, I have determined that the couples who get the most grief include one or more of the following:
1) The US petitioner is not of Indian descent
2) The US petitioner is the female, the beneficiary is the male
3) You are not both of the same religion. If you are the same religion but not Hindu, it seems like you go through a background check more often. If you are not the same religion, your relationship is likely to be questioned more thoroughly which may or may not result in a 221(g) for more evidence.
4) The female is older than the male.

All of these items are not cultural norms in India and therefore generate more scrutiny. If any apply to you, just be prepared. Luckily for you, you're not a K1 fiance visa applicant. Those who are already married seem to get less of a hard time than those who are engaged...I guess it's because they figure you're already married and there's nothing they can do about it.

Read the Indian embassy reviews over the past year and pay attention to the ones at your embassy for the marriage visas. They will give you lots of examples of what you might expect.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-10-21 12:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWhat is the general reason of holding any case in AP????
In India, many people go through AP for additional documentation requirements. This seems to happen more frequently with fiance visas than for marriage visas. If this happens to you, you will be issued a 221(g) letter explaining what they require and you will just have to provide everything they requested even if you've already provided it. If they have doubts about your relationship, they may call the beneficiary's family or in rare instance even visit.

The best way to avoid this type of AP is to be very prepared and to read the embassy reviews for all of the Indian embassies to see what kinds of questions people were asked and what issues they had. It's also wise to search this site for combinations of words like India and AP or Administrative Processing so you can read the stories others have already shared.

India also issues a letter with no 221(g) for "Mandatory Administrative Processing". This is not mandatory as it is not issued to every person. It seems to happen mostly to Muslims or when the beneficiary is male. You cannot avoid getting it; if they have decided you fit their high risk category, they will issue it. There is no time limit on this. Yesterday marks 11 weeks for my fiance and myself in AP. Someone with an interview in early June got out of this kind of AP in India in 3.5 months. Someone with an interview in early August got approved today. We can only assume that this type of AP is an additional background check. If it's a background check at the Dept of State, it will probably take less than 60 days. If it's a background check in India, you are at the mercy of the Indian government providing responses to the embassy (good luck with that, I've seen how paperwork is handled in India).

Use this time before you interview to search this site extensively for examples of when things went wrong. Pay special attention to couples like yourself so that you can get a feel for what your success probability is. By couples like you, I mean ethnicity, religion, age differences (especially if female is older) and whether the beneficiary is male or female. Anything other than a Hindu/Hindu with the female being in India and younger than the male has a higher likelihood of going into AP in India.

Good luck!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-10-20 11:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDS-230 - Dont have any space to fill the complete address
When my attorney did not have enough room, he stated "See Attachment".
On an attached piece of paper, he typed the following (ex.I just made up the question number etc.):

DS-230 Part 1, Question 12
Petitioner: name, DOB, residence city, state
Beneficiary: name, DOB, residence city, state, country


Full address is as follows:
...
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-11-18 13:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresRegarding petitioner
I was allowed to attend the entire process at New Delhi. Depends on your embassy.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2012-01-09 18:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMandatory Administrative Processing
The Department of State says that most AP is cleared up in 60 days. You are undergoing a background check that you cannot do anything about.

The few cases reported on VJ this year that were background checks out of New Delhi took between 2.5 and 3.5 months. It seems to be standard practice for males and Muslims in India.

My fiance and I were placed on AP with the same letter on 03 August 2011. I called the DOS to check the status once every other week for the first 60 days and then every week thereafter. I never learned anything from them.

After 3 months, I asked my US senator to send an inquiry on our behalf. The visa was issued right after the embassy received the senator's request. When Dipu got the visa on 09 November 2011, the letter said that it was approved on 21 October 2011. That means that they were just sitting around waiting to print it for several weeks until the senator got involved.

There is nothing you can do to speed up the process of the background check, but if you don't get your visa within 2.5-3 months, I would recommend having your senator send in a request.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-12-08 14:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNo last name on Passport

Yeah, that's what I am going to do. I will just keep her last name blank for now, as that's how it is on her passport. The problem is that on some of her other documents such as driver's license, voters id, etc, she does have a last name. But those documents are not required right now with I-130. But this could definitely become an issue later on.

Anyone seen such cases?



If you read the India consulate reviews, you will find multiple instances of people being asked to provide their voter ID and voting record. Not too often, but it has happened. I don't know how this will affect you, but you may want to contact VFS and have them ask the embassy if you'll need any supplemental proof such as whatever your wife provided that convinced the passport office they should issue a passport with one name even thought she appears to have an actual last name.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2012-04-18 21:04:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview Questions - Sample
Read the embassy reviews. Many people tell the questions they were asked and what the results were.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2012-05-09 07:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresName change in the middle of the I-130/CR-1?
Just to clarify, the "she" is the US citizen. The "he" is the Indian citizen.

Amanda, I'm so happy to see that you might be able to register after all!

I would wait on the name change though - no sense in giving them an opportunity to screw up. :devil:

Hope you're enjoying India and stay safe!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2013-01-15 15:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresis it mandatory to get engaged for K1 visa

hi ,

I have applied for K1 visa and wanted to know if I have to engage to apply for K1 Visa



I've read a lot of India consulate reviews and a lot of people have been thrown into additional review because they didn't show evidence of an engagement party. I've even read some stories of people having their parents called to confirm that it's OK for them to marry and asking for a guest list with names and numbers that the consulate can call. I don't know if they only do this for Indian/Indian couples or for Indian/non-Indian couples (like my fiance and myself) too.

I know that culturally, engagement parties and parental approval are significant marriage aspects in India but from an American, non-Indian perspective, I think it's a bunch of BS. If two grown adults want to get married, it's no one's business, least of all a goverment office, whtehter their parents approve or not or what people on the guest list think. But, in the end, the consulate isn't going to care what I think so just be prepared! Look at the timelines of other Indian profiles and read the stories of how their interview processes went or look at the Indian consulate reviews.

Just be prepared, if you're not able to show evidence of a real engagement and actual intent to marry, you may have trouble during your interview.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-02-22 17:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresShe got approved but....

Seriously? I'm a bit surprised to hear that. Which consulate was that? Did you contact the consulate directly or through VFS?


I have emaled the New Delhi consulate three times with various questions and each time, I received a response within 1 business day with a thorough answer...lucky me :)
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-04-01 06:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresShe got approved but....

I guess in Singapore they have you pick it up VS in Manila where they send it to you. Yeah we pretty much decided to wait until the visa is received. She was just hoping to go home to Philippines in late April for the festival in her home town but it looks like she won't be able to go until early May since she won't have the visa in hand until next week.


Why doesn't she just call or email and ask? The consulate I'll be dealing with has answered my questions very quickly and efficiently, albeit in India not the Philippines.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-03-31 15:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresplz help k1intent to marry .

my i 129-f is already approved .
i read somewhere in the forums that letter from the parents will help , it will show a genuine relationship .. and some times they do ask for it .. so what if they ask ..?


I've seen a lot of stories on VJ where Indian applicants are asked for letters from their parents or wedding guest lists and contact information. I personally am providing a letter from my parents, my grandparents who met my fiance and a good friend who went on several double dates with us and can vouch for our relationship. My fiance is also supplying a letter from his mom and sisters (dad deceased). All are notarized.

If it's not difficult to get, I would supply them...might as well learn from other peoples' experiences.

Good luck! Make sure you post a consulate review so my fiance and I know what to expect when it's FINALLY our turn! :D
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-04-05 15:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresExpired I-134 Form

I think he means DS-156.


You are correct...my bad.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-10 20:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresExpired I-134 Form

Good question! I was wondering the same thing. Sometimes I notice they still accept prior versions. Does it say that on the ds 230?


The DS 230 says all previous versions obsolete.
Mari just noticed that the I-156 also expires on 05/31/11. Jeeze, this is irritating!
What was the point of getting ready in advance for this stuff?
:bonk:
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-10 16:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresExpired I-134 Form
The current form I-134 on the USCIS website expires on May 31, 2011. Has anyone had experience with the form being denied if it was filled out and notarized and submitted to VFS or the consulate prior to the expiration date but the interview did not occur until after the expiration date?

Does anyone know how close to the expiration date the USCIS will deliver the updated form.

FYI: Additionally, DS-230 Part 1 & 2 was set to expire on May 31, 2011 but has now been updated on the USCIS site.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-10 16:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat can beneficiary do while waiting for NOA2?

M,

Im in the same boat as boomba.
You ended up confusing me with the above post of yours. Whats the difference between the police clearance certificate and the passport police clearance? I think they only ask for the police certificate.
Can you clarify?

Thanks,
Chigs


You do need both PCC's (unfortunate that they're both called that) UNLESS your passport was issued within the 6 months of your interview date.

The police clearance certificate should come from the beneficiary's local police station for his/her current residence and will state that he/she has no criminal issues and is of good character. There is no standard language, each police station will state what they want but it at least needs to be dated and state the beneficiary's name and address as they appear on the visa paperwork. Getting this usually takes some time and involves "fees" for which there will not be a receipt given if you catch my drift. The police may also require a home visit or letters from neighbors to verify the beneficiary is of good character.

The passport clearance certificate is usually a form and sometimes a stamp in the passport that comes from the passport office. It basically states the beneficiary's passport is clear for travel and has no restrictions. The passport office usually performs its own inquiries with the police stations to make sure the beneficiary is good. This can take anywhere from 1/2 a day in Delhi to a week at some other passport offices to a few months in Guwahati. Some offices will not issue without a letter stating you need it, some will. The beneficiary has to go to the office that originally issued the passport, even if it is far away and inconvenient. Make sure you do research on the process for your specific passport center so you don't end up wasting time and effort.

Here's a link where you can read more about the required PCC's according to the New Delhi embassy.
http://newdelhi.usem...acket309k1.html

Good luck!!!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-23 16:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFinished my Visa Interview

Hello friends

I finished my Visa Interview on 24th

They asked me many questions about me and my fiancee

he finally said my visa is approved and i will get my passport in a week i stayed back to pick up my passport from the VFS office however they dint receive my passport so i came back home

i called Embassy to check on my passport they informed me that it will take 3-5 business days to process the visa .

Hope i will get my passport soon

Good luck every one


Any chance you could share the questions that were asked?
Thanks!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-28 19:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIndia Passport clearance - example requested
If you have obtained a passport clearance certificate from a passport office in India in the past year or so, can please tell me the following:
1) Did you receive a letter?
2) Did you receive an official certificate?
3) Did you receive some kind of stamp in your passport indicating you received a Passport Clearance Certificate?

If you have an example that you could email to me, that would be great!

Thanks!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-18 14:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPassport Clearance Certificate India
Speaking of agents and passports, TimesofIndia.com has an article today titled:
Agents run the show at passport office

Very interesting!
http://timesofindia....how/8756092.cms
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-06-07 20:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPassport Clearance Certificate India
I found out some interesting information regarding obtaining a passport clearance certificate in India. I thought I would share as it may at least explain why some passport offices are so much more difficult to deal with when trying to obtain a PCC.

My fiancee's agent who is helping him obtain his passport clearance certificate from Guwahati, Assam told him that this clearance is actually comprised of three items:


1) criminal record from the local police station
2) political record from the special branch
3) extremist report from another reporting branch

Depending on what area of the country you come from and how integrated their record keeping or how responsive (i.e. not corrupt) their government offices are, you could have quite a wait.

Dipu made the effort to go to his hometown and actually obtain the criminal records himself as there is often a huge backlog of files at the passport office. I would recommend that if you are dealing with a difficult passport office, try to obtain as much of the required evidence yourself so that you can submit it with your request. This will save the passport office time and effort as they only have to verify (or probably just scan and approve) your documents.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-06-07 12:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNew Delhi Embassy

yeah I saw that I kinda thought maye others had more info.. thansk for the reply!


I sent a few emails inquiring.

To: infousdelhi@vfshelpline.com
Subject: NVC Case Status NWD2011...
DHL shows that the visa package for case number NWD20116... for petitioner Rebecca Ann xxx and beneficiary Abu Zabed xxx was delivered on Sunday, May 8, 2011 at the embassy in New Delhi.

Can you confirm that the case has been logged?
When Abu will receive his Packet 3?
How will Packet 3 be delivered to Abu?

Thanks!
Rebecca and Abu


Response:
Dear Applicant,

As per the U.S Embassy they have sent you Packet 3 on May 11, 2011. However in case if you have not received it please go through this link and send us the scanned copy of DS-230 part 1 to us. http://newdelhi.usem...acket309k1.html

Regards,
Saurabh
(US Visa Helpdesk – Delhi)



Hope this helps!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-06-15 06:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresInterview

thy just asked information about u both from ingame ?
not like snapshots or something ?
like u quest together or doing dungeons or just doing nothing


If you're really stuck on the FB issue, you can upload photos to FB and mark them viewable by only yourself and your fiance. They will only appear to the two of you. There have been several incidents where COs have looked at FB, but I've only read about them or heard about them with high fraud countries.

User Mari&Kadir has a relative at the Pentagon who swears that they do look at social networking sites [including VF] and that the COs, as employees of the Department of State, have access to see our social networking sans privacy so even if you mark it private, they can see it. I don't know if this is true or not, but it certainly wouldn't hurt you to have some private photos on FB.

Good luck!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-04 07:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresInterview

I am so happy right now.. just as my fiance and I were feeling depressed we get a emailed pkt 4 and I could not be happier!!! thank you for listening

Sherry


We got our Packet 4 today...we have the same interview date! See you there :D
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-08 08:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNees help about Affidavit of support

Wow I didn't know about this- so you had your AOS notarized before having sent it to the NVC?


I'm a K1, so my I-134 went directly to the embassy. If you had to send yours to the NVC, you should be fine as they perform the review and they know the rules. The embassies, on the other hand, are like the wild west. They tend to do what they want.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-11 14:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNees help about Affidavit of support

My question is do i really need to notarized affidavit of support(I-134) and supporting documents or only signature is enough. :innocent:
please help me about this.


While the USCIS did change the requirement a few years ago to no longer require a notarized copy, the Indian embassy websites still request the notarization. I sent an email to VFS inquiring about this and they said the notarization is required.

Why risk it? Just stop by the bank on your way home from work, most banks will notarize their customers documents for free.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-11 09:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHelp...Passport kept after interview (told "not eligible for K-1") - New Delhi

Update - On 7/7 our visa petition made it to NVC and was immediately sent back to New Delhi, but only because I had contacted NVC and they were completely unaware of the recall on our petititon. Very happy that NVC responds to emails quickly and quickly sent back the petition to

On 7/20 my fiance received email from VFS stating that per Embassy he needed to turn in passport to VFC.

ANY IDEAS ON WHAT THIS MEANS? why would they want passport if they kept it for so long the first time around? VFC people said they only deal with 2 categories - new cases where they are turning in docs for the interview or 221g cases. For 221g cases they said they either will be turning in docs or turning in passports. If they are turning in passports, VFC says visa stamp will be placed in passport.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?? we are hoping for the visa stamp of course, but was told we were getting a 2nd interview previously by letter from the senator.

Thanks!!


It's possible that they decided that if you went through all of the effort to have a congressman get involved, you must be legit so they are ready to approve. I hope this works out quickly for you!!! :D
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-06-21 13:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHelp...Passport kept after interview (told "not eligible for K-1") - New Delhi

NEW UPDATE - R called VFS helpdesk today and was told we were sent email about denial by mistake. He was told our case is still pending. Not sure what to think, but we spent the weekend faxing, calling, emailing officials of all kinds. I even asked for inquiry into delhi embassy practices and gave evidence from visa statistics etc.. pray for favor and good outcome for us..thanks everyone!!!


Who did you ask for an inquiry from? What statistics did you site?

I was looking at the K-1 data that had interviews over the past year in New Delhi. Out of 22, 12 have been issued a visa, 7 never followed up on their timeline (grrrrrr) and 3 have basically been shoved aside until they expire. Of the 3 not granted [R&S, Team Erra, R&C], I believe all are interracial couples (I'm not sure about R&S). Now those aren't enough numbers to definitely prove anything, but it sure does suggest that racism and bigotry are alive and kicking at the New Delhi embassy.

You know what infuriates me the most? They are trying to have their cake and eat it too. On the one hand they state that it has to be a legitimate relationship where both parties want to marry of their own volition. On the other hand, they couldn't care less about what both parties want, so long as the parents are pleased enough to throw a party. In a country where dowry harassment is reported in the news everyday, you would think they would embrace embrace couples who do this independently of their families. Also, in a country that has such a terrible female to male ratio, you would think they would welcome the opportunity for one of their men to get married to a foreigner because there just aren't enough women to go around.

Well, I'm off to pile concealer under my eyes to cover the dark circles from laying awake all night thinking about how cavalierly some people can judge others based on their own prejudices.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-23 06:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHelp...Passport kept after interview (told "not eligible for K-1") - New Delhi

I am sorry for your denial. Same Chinese young guy was there at my interview, Denied!!

Your red flags:

No ceremony means no family involvement( They need this!!!)

Do not give up

Good luck


My fiance and I didn't have an engagement ceremony either. I am not Indian (which I guess you can tell from my picture lol) and this is not a common practice in my family. My fiance is Muslim and it is not a common practice for Muslims in his part of the country and no one in his family has ever had one.

Do you think they apply this standard to all relationships based on what they think a traditional Indian relationship should be like or do they show sensitivity to the fact that what they see every day isn't necessarily the norm for everyone?

I'm very nervous about being judged against cultural standards which are alien to me and do not necessarily apply to minorities such as my fiance. I keep reading horror stories about this Chinese man denying people left and right because he doesn't think their relationships are real. The rest of the denials seem to come from a tiny woman. So I guess I'll just pray that our CO is neither a Hindi speaking Chinese man or a tiny woman :rofl:
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-05-20 08:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 VISA INTERVIEW NEW DELHI

My Fiancee had her K1 visa interview at new delhi a couple days ago and was treated horrible by the CO. The CO that interviewed her asked her stupid questions which my fiancee answered and then said I can not issue you a visa and gave her a 221G which says, deposit more evidence at VFS with your passport. At the interview my fiancee had Phone records, phone cards, engagement album, banquest hall receipt, notarized leteers from me and my parents stating the engagement took place, my fiance letter of intent, her fiancee letter of intent, sworn affidavits from her family and parents saying our engagment took place and they agree for her to marry me when she enters the US,list of family members that intended the engagement, passport copies showing entry and exit stamps, I the petitoner have also been to India 2 times after our engagement, my fiancee also had her pcc and passport clearence with her, passport phots, postal items sent, birth certificate, emails sent and recieved, and we had additional phots of us together. Even with all this stuff the CO said I do not want to see any of this. Now we have a white 221G and have to submit it all to a VFS. Does anyone know how long this process can take. Thanks and any advice will be aprreciated.


You stated that your fiance had all of the evidence at the interview. Did she bring the evidence with her to the interview or did she deliver it to VFS prior to the interview as instructed in Packet 4 and on the embassy website? If she just brought it all with her, I can understand the 221g. You can't expect the CO to review all of that right then and there, they've got other appointments. That's why they want it in advance to prepare.

If she did follow the instructions and drop it off far enough in advance, then you need to call the embassy and reach out to your congressman, if need be, to find out the real reason for the 221g. Do they need additional evidence? If so, of what? Do they have some kind of doubts about the validity?

Sometimes people experience issues at the New Delhi embassy because their engagement ceremonies too closely resemble a marriage ceremony. They could just be looking for clarification that you are both free to marry.

I don't think that less than 1 year of age difference is that big of a deal. There are couples on VJ at the New Delhi embassy who had no issues even though the woman was a few years older. I think this mostly matters if the woman is out of child bearing years and neither person has children yet. They don't want the man to be denied his right of fatherhood.

What were the "stupid" questions they asked? Is it possible she gave flippant answers or was disrespectful because she thought they were being "stupid"?

The fact that they asked her to deliver her passport with the evidence indicates that they do intend to issue the visa if you follow their instructions.

Good luck!
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-22 09:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresk1 Fiance interview at Mumbai Consulate

Appreciate your response and I respect your opinion..I and my fiancee agree that COs are highly trained people and they are just doing their job..but still I have never heard that CO would call somebody in India to check our relationship...we are ready with our list and she is going to submit it tomorrow..hoping for the best..

You mind sharing why they have put your case in AP...



Read the consulate reviews for India...go back through several pages. I remember reading a review where a CO kept hounding the man that he should already be married at his age. She called his mother and asked to speak to his wife and the man's mother said her son is not married. The CO insisted he was married and demanded to speak to his wife.

I remember several other reviews where people in India were requested to provide guest lists and contact information but I can't recall if any of the guests were actually contacted.

I'm so sorry this happened to you...I hope the review is over with soon.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-07-26 10:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresMandatory AP in New Delhi
Dipu and I had his interview this morning. Dipu was asked to take the oath, sign the DS-156K form and was asked these questions:
1) Who am I (addressed to Dipu about me)? Answer: I am the petitioner.
2) How did we meet? Answer: Met at work when his company was taking over work from mine for outsourcing.
3) Have you ever met her parents? Answer: No, but I met them over Skype a few times. I have met her grandparents in person last June, Father's Day weekend.
4) How many times have you been to America? Answer: Twice

The CO then said that the case is in adminstative processing. Then he asked if either of us had ever been married and we both said no.

Then the CO said go to the next window and the lady would explain AP to us. He kept Dipu's passport and returned all documents including evidence and original certificates. The CO kept the medical report but not the X-rays.

When we went to the next counter, the woman gave us a letter that had already been printed prior to our arrival at the CO's window that stated:
Please bear with us while your case undergoes mandatory administrative processing.
We have retained your passport to more quickly process your visa when the processing has been completed. When the processing is complete, we will send your passport and visa to you via VFS.

The woman did not give us any details as to why we are in AP or how long we could expect it to take.

Has anyone had this experience at New Delhi? Is it because Dipu is Muslim and his background check isn't finished yet? How long should I expect this to last? Is this a stalling technique so that they can deny our visa when the petition expires on Aug 21?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by Bec_Dipu, 03 August 2011 - 07:21 AM.

Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-03 07:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNew Delhi, India K-1

Hi,
After lots of emails, the embassy sent a message saying they sent Packet 3 at the beginning of August, but nothing's been received yet. I know what documents are needed (Applicant statement & DS230 part I, right?), does anyone know if we can just send them in? Or where we'd send them to? Any other filers for New Delhi had this issue with P3?



You don't have to wait for Packet 3 in New Delhi...here are the instructions we received from VFS.

email scanned copy of documents to: infousdelhi@vfshelpline.com
subject: Case Number- NWD... Packet Three- K1 Visa

Enclosed please find the attached form DS-230 Part 1 and the Applicant Statement.

Case Number: NWD...
Name (P): ...

Phone:+91 ...
EMail:...@rediffmail.com

I think that New Delhi doesn't actually send Packeet 3, they just say they did and save the postage. When you finally complain you didn't receive it, then they send you the instructions to do it yourself. :lol:

Edited by Bec_Dipu, 11 August 2011 - 07:49 AM.

Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-11 07:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about personal info on emails, chat logs, letters, etc...

No, I am not Indian, only he is.

And yes we will be interviewing in Delhi.



Then start preparing now...interracial couples have a very tough time in Delhi. I would highly advise you to plan on attending the interview with him. I would also advise you to make sure you have notarized statements from both of your families acknowledging that you are engaged and that they approve of the impending marriage.

Feel free to email me if you want more personalized advice.

Look up Team Erra, RCG and SherryandYasphal for recent examples of how badly it can go for interracial couples in Delhi. Not to scare you, their stories may not in any way relate to your experience, but better prepared and knowledgeable than stuck in AR hell without a clue what to do.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-13 14:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about personal info on emails, chat logs, letters, etc...
I thought of one more thing for you to check...make sure you don't refer to each other as husband or wife on Facebook, Orkut or any other social networking site you use. CO's have been known to pull up your FB account to use it against you.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-13 10:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about personal info on emails, chat logs, letters, etc...

Also, in some of our messages he refers to me as "wife" purely as an affectionate term. I'm just worried that if USCIS sees this it will arm them with more questions to drill Kirpal with at his interview, or worse make him prove that we are not married!
Should I just black out "wife" from our messages to be safe?

Thanks!


DO NOT provide anything where you refer to each other as husband and wife. Indian consulates outright deny or place into AR couples who they feel may actually be married. One couple in Mumbai I believe just had issues because their engagement pics looked like wedding pics. It is in your best interest to in any way provide any evidence that may be misconstrued as proof you are married.

It is not necessary to print tons of emails. Go into your sent box and or whatever folder you save your conversations in and take a print screen showing all of the emails, dates and times you have communicated. Just one print screen can show multiple communications. They do not want to and probably won't read every email you provide them. A print screen log and just a few sample emails should suffice.

I can't stress this enough...DO NOT refer to each other as husband and wife in any evidence you provide. Not even in a cute joking kind of way. Read the Indian consulate reviews and get a feel for the kind of harassment people have faced.
Bec_DipuFemaleIndia2011-08-12 23:24:00