I just added this review from my blog. It was easier...Hope it is helpful for new applicants!
5 Sep 03 - 11.30am was my appointment at the US Counsulate. I guess September was a bad time to do this! Starting September, the VISAs were restricted. And starting August, personal interviews were made mandatory! Guess 9/11 will have its own impact decades together!
The invitation mail for the Interview clearly stated not to arrive at the venue any earlier than 15 minutes prior to the interview time. But when I reached at 10.45, was quite surprised to see people who had come for the 9.30 interview still in queue. The only pathetic part of it was standing in the long queue out in the sun - Luckily for me the day was not really sunny! Worst of it was to see young ladies standing with new born babies!! But the best part of it would be acting a silent spectator to one too many conversations happening there. Right behind me was this supposedly smart guy (!!!!) who was giving gyaan to a supposedly dumber guy, on the US of A !!!! Funny, but for sure an interestng one ;-)
Once you cross this queue, am sure the other things will start happening the better way! A quick run thro', for those interested, as to what happens. For those who are not interested, skip the numbered items :D
- Just before entering the embassy, there is a kutti security cubicle, where your passport and invitation mail copy are quickly verified. Here you have a notice which clearly indicates, which DD (Demand Draft)leaves you are supposed to hand over at the cash counter.
Note: behind the cheque leaves, pls do mention your name, contact address/fone number.
- Once you get in, there is an ''Airport Baggage Check'' kinda security check.
Note: Do not carry anything other than a cover which may have all your required documents, and probably only the utmost required items like probably a small purse. No mobiles/laptops allowed absolutely.
After this, you enter thro' another door, and there you have the TT Services guys sitting at a comp to collect their Service charges DD, and issue you a green colored card (not the Green Card dear!), which you are supposed to retain till the time you get out of the embassy - with/without a smile :D
Get this to the Cash Counter and there you find this sweet smiling lady (Not many would be as lucky as me to get that ssshmillllleeeee though! :D ). She takes the next DD, and gives you a receipt for the same.
Note: Be careful to carry valid DD leaves, with all sides intact, meaning not a torn one - cos mine was torn on the top right corner :D Our Lady gave her shweeet Smile and said, ''I dunt foresee a problem, but just in case, our banker returns this back, you may have to....'' (she turns the DD) ''Sify may have to issue another DD'' and she smiles again...I gave my sheepish shhhhmillleee and said ''Sure...thanks a lot''...Did she smile shooo shweeetly at every prospective VISA candidate??....hmm...dint notice....!!
- Adjacent to the Cash counter, you will find 4-5 counters. You will have to be seated, till the guard there asks you to join a queue. Here, you will have to hand over your papers to the guy behind the counter. He will take the required set of papers and put them in a folder and then tell you - ''that's it''. Just wish it ends here. But then you are wrong - One more to go!
Note: Don't turn back and look at the chart drawn there. It is quite misleading. I was told, my papers will have to be arranged in order in a folder given, which supposedly I was to do, and then meet up with the American Guys' Interview panel. When I saw this chart, I was way too happy cos, it almost indicated, this is where it ends! - may be it wasnt updated :(...I saw all Indians behind the counters and felt happy I was gonna face our own Junta! But that wasn't true! It was just the initial round of interview/segregation of papers...Also, be sure to have your papers arranged in order, so that you are in a position to identify them. Take all copies along with the originals + your offer/invite letter et al. Don't ever try to cheat, else you are probably doomed forever. There is a poster which quotes a fraudulent incident, stuck at every counter, which implies this! So...be genuine in whatever you present.
- From here, you move on to the next building. This is where you have to face the actual facts of life ;-) There are 8 counters, with all Whites behind the counters. And this is where you might probably get drilled!! Mine went real smoothly! - Lucky me again! -
He: Your Name?
Me: Radhika Sriram Madhu (I have never said that before!!!)
He: How long have you been with your ....?
Me: You are asking how long I have been with the current employer?
He: Yup!
Me: 2 & 1/2 yrs (Smile)
He: What are you into?
Me: We prepare eLearning modules for the client - CBTs/WBTs et al
He:What softwares do you use?
Me: Macromedia Flash/Director / HTML and many more. (Smile)
He: How much are you being paid now?
Me: xyz Rs
He: You are aware of how much you will be paid in US?
Me: Yup! abc $
He: Hmmm...Ok...Now assume, you are required to create some 1000 CD copies of a CBT you have done...Do you pay royalty to Macromedia? ( I am sure he was scheming for this quest in the past few moments :-)
Me: (Ada Paavi - to myself) We give them only the final product in the form of one CBT module. We use only licensed versions of Macromedia products, but then, replication of the CDs is taken care of by the client. Guess they would be paying royalty to Macromedia? (Not too sure, but have come across this quest b4 in life for sure!!! - during my UK visa interview?? huh? not too sure at all !! or probably in my dreams???? So felt like, I was quite prepared to answer to this!!)
He: Ok!...(quickly turns 2 sheets...gives me back my docs)...Have a wonderful stay at Georgia...Good luck...Please get to the 1st counter, to pay the fee (Smiles sweetly)
Me: (A wiiiiide grin)...Thanks a Lot!
He: !!! ( A quizzical look which kinda told me ''Did she not expect her visa to get thro? Shd I have asked her more quests??''...But then it was way too late - I was at Counter No. 1...)
And this whole conversation took 2 minutes to complete. Worth its wait, I guess...
Note: It would seem to be scary, but believe me, they are shweet...When you see them blasting someone, just remember, it is something to do with the guy attending the interview, and not the white! Nothing to worry - Carry yourself well - Dunt over do - Be polite in answering - Dunt give stories - get your answers short to max - Be true to urself and the white at the counter - and all goes well...trust me! To keep your cool, just start start line maarfying the best ones behind the counter! Trust me again - I did it and it really helped me ;-) And, I am sure, by this time, you will start feeling hungry, but then you have a side stall, where they sell water/cool drinks/biscuits. But my luck so had it that, I wait for a looooooooong time - and when I couldn't stand the thirst - go and buy myself an Aqua Fina - open - They call out for my number :(
- At Counter 1, you pay your last DD, meant for VISA charges. And collect your receipt. You are informed, your Passport will be couriered.
Note: When I got out it was 3.20pm!!! But was thoroughly relieved!!! I missed my mobile now!! :(
- I received my Passport the next day afternoon (6 Sep 03!) - That was Quick!!
If you have skipped these 8 items, but still keen on knowing about H1B, pls refer to this link:
https://h1bresources.com/html/goingforthevisa.shtml
