Immigrant Visa

Finally, CP done at Mumbai in Dec. and now back to US via JFK-NY.

It is a very simple and straight forward process.

Thanks to immihelp and all others who helped in this whole process at each step answering some silly questions and some tough ones.

The whole process is as posted by many people, but still will repeat - hoping some of you new to the group may benefit.

Had the medical appointment at Hinduja on 30th Nov.
Reached Mumbai on 29th night, had not received the appointment letter till 28th in US, so had to send someone to collect it from the embassy in Mumbai. A simple authorization letter with our case number is sufficient. The authorized person has to go to the Public Information Window (right on the road - Bhulabhai Desai Road) by 8:00 AM and they will generate a new appointment letter and will give the OF230 Part I and II. USE THESE FORMS ONLY. They are slightly different than those available on the web.
Appointment Letter is a REQUIRED thing for medical at Hinduja, so don't go without it.

At Hinduja:
Go to the OLD BUILDING of the hospital before 7:00 AM, so you would be the first to get out. Fill out the form for each member which are lying in the center of the front reception counter. You don't need to ask anyone about anything to fill out the form. When the staff starts arriving, they will take your form and one photograph and Rs. 1400/- CASH.
They will ask you to go upstairs on 1st floor and see a nurse to initiate the check up process. The staff is very professional and courteous. They treat you very well (rare to see/experience that sort of customer service). They will ask you to provide any medical shots records from US. If you have any, make sure you also have the exact date when you took the shot on paper. For us, fortunately, we had all our immunization done in US, so they waived all the shots. Then, they get your blood for HIV/siphlis/other tests and ask you to sit in the waiting room. Once everyone is done with blood test, a person will escort you to the other building across the road for Chest X-Ray. After your X-Ray is developed (within minutes), they will tell you to go back to the initial waiting room and see the nurse about when to come back for medical check-up by the doctor. The nurse will give you time after 1:30 in slots of 15 minutes. Our X-Ray/Blood test was done at 9:30 itself and we were told to come back at 1:45. So, we had sufficient time to go to the "My Own Studio" opposite the consulate (It's address is probably-91 Bhulabhai Desai Road). If you are coming out of the consulate, turn right and walk on the opposite side of the road, you will pass ANZ-Standard Chartered Bank and in the next building is the studio. He charged Rs. 200/- for same day delivery, but his photographs are almost never rejected by consulate guys. He is very professional. He asked us to come back at 6:00 PM to collect the photographs.
Originally, i had thought about getting the DDs for Visa Fees at StanChart. I was carrying AMEX traveller's cheques and they wanted the Original Purchase Order for encashing them. Also, they charge Rs. 200/- as their fees and their Exchange rate is also less. So, decided to get it from our local State Bank Of India. You need to get 2 Drafts - 1 for Visa Application Fee and 2nd for Visa Issuance Fee. You can make draft in favor of "American Consulate General-Mumbai" payable at Mumbai. Check the local exchange rate written on the board outside the consulate for exact amount. We had taken 2 drafts 1 for Rs. 24440 (12220*2) and another one for Rs.6110 (3055*2).
After getting photographed, looked around for lunch nearby the consulate, but could not find any good place for good food. Only you can have some snacks near the Raj Pavillion.
Went back to Hinduja at 1:45 and the nurse gave back our medical records which we had given in the morning. Now, she asked for the appointment letter and from that, she noted the case number and other details on some forms. Then she asked to see the Doctor who was really nice person. He is an aged man and very calm. Filled out some form after looking at blood test/x-ray results in front of us, by which you can judge that everything is fine looking at what he is filling out. Then he took the Blood Pressure and checked heart beats. "No need to remove any clothes". After that he asked to wait outside. You have to go individually to see the doctor. After 10 minutes, the nurse called us and gave a big bag with X-Rays and Medical reports sealed in an envelope-not to be opened by us. That's it. We were out by 2:15. Went back to Bhulabhai Desai Road and waited in the Raj Pavillion's chairs. There is a nice park - caled Amarson's Park just behind it, but it opens at 5:00 and so went and enjoyed the sea for some time. Opposite to the consulate, there are good shopping stores (Benzer one of them), but quite expensive. Took the photographs at 6:00 from My Own Studio.

Interview - 6th Dec.
Because of 6th Dec., we had small problem in reaching the consulate. Normally it should take 30 minutes with the traffic, but due to some demonstrations/processions on that day, it took 2:15 hours to reach the consulate. Roads were blocked and at one point, we were sweating in tension because there was no sign of traffic moving. So, give yourself some extra time and reach about 2 hours prior to your scheduled time. Fortunately, we reached just 15 minutes before time.
Show your appointment letter to the security guard and tell them you are there for IMMIGRANT VISA INTERVIEW.
Don't take any electronic items/sharp objects inside the consulate. I forgot to remove 1 floppy from the bag and they asked to remove it and come inside. I just gave it to a friend who was waiting outside. Take all your documents in good sturdy plastic bags only and they don't allow purse for your spouse. They thoroughly checked all the bags inside out and asked to open all envelopes containing papers and checked for anything suspicious (bombs etc..)
As soon as you get in the consulate, go to the CASHIER and pay the Visa Application Fee Draft and give your passport and appointment letter to him. He will give you the receipt and ask you to wait. Normally, there are 2 cashiers and 1 is handling immigrant and 2nd is handling non-immigrant cases. Go to the immigrant one.
After that, sit in the chairs in front of window 9 to 12 (they are immigrant windows) PA system is 3rd class, so make sure you can hear properly when your name is announced. After 30 minutes or so, a Parsi lady called us to submit the documents. You have to submit only those documents listed in OF-230 Part 2 on 2nd page. No more or less.
She is an aged lady and tries to act smart. As i had Canadian Landed Immigrant status (and so i don't have a H1 visa stamp in the passport, just H1 approval is sufficient and I-94 alongwith it). So, she asked for the original H1 approval/extension. Then she said that our H1/H4 will be cancelled. She also checked our original Birth/Marriage certificates and affidavits. We didn't had our name mentioned in the BC, so had ONE affidavit from our parents. She also asked for my Canadian Police Clearance certificate. No Indian Police Clearance asked. Notarized employment letter for me and Notarized I-134 for my wife. Then she asked us to wait.
After about 30 minutes, an American gentlemen and an Indian Lady called us. Asked to raise our right hand and take an oath about truth. Then they asked if we knew english. The american consular officer asked Only 3 questions:
Which company you are working for?
How long?
Why do you want to leave Canada? - Better opportunities.

That's it. He cancelled our H1/H4 and I-94 in the passport by writing CWOP (Cancelled WithOut Prejudice) and asked us to pay the Visa Issuance Fees at the Cashier counter. The cashier gave us a receipt and asked to come back at 3:00 to collect the visa and passport from the Public Information Window in front of the consulate.

When going back to collect the passport/visa, stand in the line for Immigrants Only. They have 3 separate lines, so don't be scared by the line for non-immigrants.

There is nothing in the passport. A separate sealed envelope is given and an immigrant visa is attached on top of it. Just verify all your information like name-passport info. etc.

At JFK-NY:
Stood in regular Non-Citizens line and the immigration officer asked for the passport and the envelope. We were carrying the sealed X-Rays all-along, but nobody asked for it. She opened the envelope and stamped the passport with Admitted until - Category - and wrote down the Alient Registration Number (A-Number). Then she asked us to go to a separate room to an immigration officer. He took our index fingerprint and asked to sign below it. That's it. Actually he was working overtime (on 31st Dec. and probably had to go to some New Year Eve's party and so was not at all friendly). But anyway, he stamped our passport with the I-551 stamp (which is equivalent to green card) valid until Dec 30, 2001.

That's it, my friends, Go for CP if you have the courage and compare the Risk and Time in AOS V/s CP. Actually, there is no risk, but most of the people going to India for stamping have some fear in the back of their mind, but this is not the case for Employment based CP cases.

Post your questions and i will try to answer for couple of weeks.

Good luck to all future CP'ers.