Visa interview - how to organize documents

[anandtd]

HI My parents have visa interview in early May and we are preparing documents.
I apreciate anyone who has gone through to shed some light for us

1) How will it be once they go in for interview.. what are the steps
2) There are bunch of documents, visitor documents, sponsor documents. Again documents for my Mom, documents for my Dad. How do one organize them and what to be submitted first and what to hold and present on request.
Also any sort order that officers would prefer.

3) I sent only one set of sponsor documents for my Mom and Dad, not separate for each. Also sent only one invitation letter but to affidavits as suggested by someone.

4) I hope Mom and Dad will be called for interview together and not separate, we booked together for them.

5) Do we have to submit Mom and Dad documents as separate bunches to officer ?

Lot of practical questions .. Appreciate your suggestions.

[swetharao]

Are they going to Chennai Consulate?

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I am not sure whether you asked about chennai consulate. If so,

Here are the procedures -

The security at the front door would check the passport and the appt letter.

And after that, they would do the security check for any electronic items etc.

Then, there would be a counter where your mom need to give/show the appointment letter and passport.

After that, there would be a counter where they get your HDFC receipts, DS-156, DS-157 and passport. They will put it in the file and give it to you back.

You need to go to another building where the interview will be held. People there should be able assist your mom to go there.

There you will be called upon your interview timings. You need to go and get your token. When your token number is called, you need to go and stand on the visa counter queue for interview.

Your mom needs to give only the file in which they have kept passport, DS-156 and DS-157. All the other documents need to be given only if it is asked.

For my parents, they did not even see any single document. For my MIL, they checked all the documents.

Ask your mom not to be tensed. She can ask anyone for help and there will be people to help her.

My MIL went recently for Interview and she was ok throughout the process.

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And for documents, I asked my parents and MIL to have 2 files (one for visitor and one for sponsor). Ask them to write the name of each document on post-it's (sticky notes) and paste it on the sides. In this way, even if you parents do not know the document details, they can give the whole bunch to the VO and the VO can also easily find whatever he wants.

Regards,
Swetha

[anandtd]

Thanks Swetha for detailed msg.

Yes my parents are going to Chennai. Did you mean they don't even have to show I 134(sponsor affidavit) unless asked?

Also when giving the bunch with stadards docs from sponsor and visitor, any preffered order?

[swetharao]

Ask them to keep all the sponsor docs like I134, bank statements etc in one file and all the visitor docs in another file.

If the VO asks any of the sponsor document, they can give the whole bunch.

I just used the order from the website where they have given the sample docs.

Good Luck.

Regards,
Swetha