Hope my review helps the readers to get an idea of chennai Embassy.I dont know much about other embassies in India. But Chennai embassy is the one which is overcrowded.
I was applying for a H1 visa. My web appointment through TTK services was 9.30 AM. I reached the embassy on 8.30. I was thinking that I was the only one to be overcautious to reach the embassy at a time earlier than the appointment time. But to my surprise I could find many guys having their appoinment at 10.30 and 11 AM were standing in the Q before me. So I joined the Q along with them. The time was 9.00 AM when people started moving in one by one.
Some people with 8.15 appoinment went in only at 10 AM. My turn came at 10 AM. I really didnt understand what was the purpose of the appoinments. Even people with 10 AM appoinment, 9.30 AM appointment & 8.15 AM appointment came along with me. Though the appoinment letter bears a word of caution that if you are late by half-an -hour for the appointment, you will not be let in.
Finally I went inside the embassy. Inside the guards were checking my documents, looking for electronics items, floppy discs, CD’s. I was afraid as I carried a stapler with me. Some of MS’ians had also written a review that you should not carry a stapler, Hand bag. But to my suprise they allowed to carry them all. Then I was alllowed to go by a metal detector. After that all my files and belongings were moved into the the scanner.
After all that checkings I stood in a Q for the TTK visa (DD for Rs 400/-).I was cribbing at those people for having made all those messy appoinments.
After paying the courier fees paid my visa processing fee (Rs 4600/-) The lady gave me a token. I took that token to the next counter, Where the staff was checking for my Degree certificate, labor certificate, passport etc., She gave the token back. I was asked to wait in the waiting lounge. I was really disturbed for the lady had taken all my originals and passports with her.
After waiting for 10 minutes, I was asked to go the second building, Where again I had to pass through a metal detector.Then I was asked to join in a Q .There were 2 people standing before me. The 1st person was a old woman, who was seeking for a visitor visa. The consular was asking her who was living at US.She answered, Only my grand daughter was living over there. ’So only your grand daughter is in US , And none of your son or daughter is in US?’ asked the consular. She nodded Yes.
Unfortunately the consular rejected her visa stating some reason. The 2nd person was a guy who was seeking for an extension of visa.the consular was asking 1 or 2 questions , and was asking him to apply through dropbox facility.
Then my long awaited turn came .Before that let me tell you, what all originals I had with to meet that scary day. I had all my degree certificates, photos of my wedding snaps, photos of my prospective employer’s office, photos of my current employer’s office, contacts of the current managers, resume, salary stack for last 6 months, my bank statements, my property statements ( don’t laugh at it..because people said they might ask what is the proof whether you are come back to India after working in US), LC, I-797, invitaion letter, PAN card etc., And above all xerox copies of all these originals.
With so much anticipation when I appeared before the consular , he hardly asked for any of these originals.He checked my degree certificates and, i-797 only. Then he asked me what kind of job I was doing. for which comapany I was applying the visa? I answered all those. Then he asked me for the second time, what is my current job role..It really made me nervous, that I handed a copy of my resume to him. After seeing that he asked me pay the fee for visa issuance..Hurray !!! I hurried to the next counter to pay my fees ..My long wait outside atleast gave some good results..
So as far as me is concerned , take all the necessary documents..and prepare well.That’s all ..you will be through. And for your information my interview hardly took 1 minute. I was out at 11 AM .So once you get inside the embassy, your work would get over by 1 hour. I feel everything inside the embassy was very well organised, there were no confusions, no long waits in the Q. But everything outside the embassy particulary the visa appointment by TT visa’s is the most horrible experience.
My suggestion to avoid confusions in the web appoinment is, just be there at the conular office 10 minutes ahead of your appointment and dont ever take the queue over there. Just show your appoinment to the guard and get in. I was actually decieved by the queue, thinking that queue will help the processing to make faster. But when your time is 9.30 AM just get into the entrance showing your visa and appoinment letter. Don’t mind the people even if they ask you stand in a queue.