US citizen children allowed to accompany parents for stamping

[smartsid]

We are planning to get our H1B visas stamped in Mumbai when we travel to India this month end.
Our 1 year old son holds US passport.
Since he's not familiar with any of our relatives, we are not really confident if he will stay with any of our relatives while we are at the US consulate to get our visas stamped
So will the US consulate allow him to accompany us during our stamping appointment?

Thanks in anticipation
Sid.

[sabiya]

Yes, they do allow children.

[ramabalaji]

Since your son is an US passport holder, he will be allowed to go with you/

[smartsid]

ramabalaji and sabiya,
Thanks to both of you for helping me with my query.

Regards,
Sid.

[smartsid]

Hello,
I am getting conflicting information about this.
Some one told me they are not allowed.
Even Immihelp website says this :

"Please do not bring extra people to your visa interview, including your American citizen children. Food items and bottles of any kind are not permitted to be brought into the building. Consulate recommends that you find a baby sitter for your minor U.S. citizen children."

The above extract is from this link:

https://www.immihelp.com/us-visa-application-procedure/

Can anyone tell me about their 1st hand experience if their kids (US Citizen) were allowed to accompany them for their visa interview, recently

[shervin143]

The best thing to do is to call the VFS helpline and they should be able to give you the right information. Please do update the forum after talking to them.

[shekhar_1234567]

They wont allow kids with you....We got our stamping in June in Hyd,,,,I called the consulate and they told they wont allow........so I had to leave the kid at home with my family.......btw he is also US citizen....

[abhayg4]

Hi OP,

As per rules and regulations - You are not allowed to bring your child(US citizen) along with you for an interview.

But as you know all rules are made so that they can be broken (even for a US consulate..

I have seen at Delhi Consulate that they allowed a couple to enter with their young daughter (US citzen) after they requested them as they came from some other place (other than delhi..I think Chandigarh) and so they cannot go back and t I think they came with all her docs like US passport , other identification things.
But it is OBVIOUS they took a chance and they were lucky.

So , it is better that you leave your Son with any of your family members/relatives ( it is hard for your son as he is not familiar with them...)but it is better than being asked to go back/not allowed to enter consulate for an interview...

Thanks and regards,
Abhay

[smartsid]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for your inputs.
I called up Mumbai VFS helpline and they said infants are allowed if they are US citizen. But you never know what you will get to hear when you actualy go there. So I am planning to take my son along and then keep a backup plan in case they do not allow him in.

Thanks again.
Sid.

[abhayg4]

Hi,

Its true that you never know what will happen actually when u go there.

So , keep all your son's identification documents with u and also if possible get a written email confirmation from VFS that you have talked to them and they have said that your son is allowed (because security people outside the consulates , its very difficult to make them undestand your geniune problems...

Anyway ....keep a Backup plan...

Best of Luck..

--Abhay