Re: [cmu-ece-fall-09] Re: Visa Experiences, I20 to Airtickets - My Experience

[Kaushik Vaidyanathan]

@ All

 

I20 to Airtickets

 

Pls excuse me for the spelling mistakes, running out of time.

 

I.
HDFC: Do this first, checks vfs usa website for latest
a) 1st page passport xrx
b) 131 dollars, Rs. 6550
c) This fee is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank “US Embassy - Visa Fees”.
DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
d) Rs.381(service charge)
This fee is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank cheque favouring “HDFC Bank a/c VFS”. DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
You can do which ever HDFC Bank is closer but check in VFS website if that service is offered in that branch
In the case of the applicant(s) themselves making the payment the same can be made through Demand Draft / HDFC Bank Cheque / Cash at all the branches mentioned in the list below in Black.
Clarification:: Visa...@hdfcbank.com

 

II. For Booking visit VFS USA Site, choose emergency reservation and book, normal slots are never seen available especially in Chennai consulate.

 

III.
INTERVIEW
Mandatory documents
1.  Valid passport. You are recommended to have passport valid for at least six months beyond your interview date.
2.  One photograph as per specification.
3.  Original signed form DS-156
4.  Original Form DS-157 only if you are 15 to 55 years of age. 
5.  Original form DS-158 only if you are applying for F,M or J visa. 
6.  Valid HDFC Bank visa fee receipt
7.  Original interview appointment letter.

The photo of each visa applicant must measure: ( take this in a good shop and tell US visa they will do it, 5cmx5cm)
      2 by 2 inches (roughly 50 mm square) with the head centered in the frame
      
      The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) with the eye level between 1 1/8 inch to 1 3/8 inches (28

mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo

 

The photo should be in color, and must have only a white or off-white background. Photos with dark, busy, or patterned backgrounds will not be accepted

Generic Checklist for Student Visa Application
 
a) SEVIS I-20, filled out by your school and signed by you.
b) Receipt for having paid the SEVIS fee, (currently $100).
c) Form DS-156, Nonimmigrant Visa Application. 
d) Form DS-158, Contact Information and Work History for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicant.
e) Form DS-157, Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, if you're either a male applicant between 16 and 45 years of age or you come from a state that the U.S. believes sponsors terrorism and

you are age 16 or older, whether male or female. 
f) Visa application fee (currently $100). Same as HDFC fee you paid.
g) Visa issuance reciprocity fee (the amount varies by country). -- not needed for India
h) Your passport, valid for at least six months. 
i) One passport-type photo of you and one of each of your spouse and children, 2 inches x 2 inches.
j) Long-form birth certificate for you and each accompanying relative.
h)  Transcripts, diplomas, and results of any standardized tests required by the school you'll be attending, showing your previous education and your qualifications to pursue your chosen course of

study.
i) Documents showing reasons that you'll return to your home country, such as ownership of real estate, relationships with close family members staying behind, or proof that a job will be waiting

for you on your return.
j) Proof of sufficient funds, such as: Bank statements. Personal financial statements. Evidence of your current sources of income.

VFS South India Helpline:  044-42316767

My list of Total Documents
1.  Valid passport.
2.  One photograph as per specification.
3.  Original signed form DS-156
4.  Original Form DS-157 only if you are 15 to 55 years of age. 
5.  Original form DS-158 only if you are applying for F,M or J visa. 
6.  Valid HDFC Bank visa fee receipt

7.      Original interview appointment letter.
8.  I20
9.  CMU admit letter mentioning AID(if any)
10. a. Land valuation plus Sale Deed (Sale Deed enough if its not a very old property)
 b. SB also FD's in family funds.. SB Balance sheet of 6 months showing no majore fund increase in last few days. If there is an increase give a valid reason like FD matured etc.
 c. Plus SB Balance sheet if required for last 6 months.
11.  Letter from employer(if employed), certificates of merit performance.
        Email exchanges with professor
     College Degree Certificate and Consolidated Marksheet.
12. I-901 -- Sevis Fee receipt.
13.     A.Birth Certifcate
 B. Ration Card
 C. Driving License
All of any of above needed to prove your relationship with your family, esp if there are any typos in your fathers/mothers name in your passport. Passport is perfect dont need B.C, A is always

helpful.
14. GRE and TOEFL Test Scores and admit letter from other univs
15. IT Return (5 years for your father/mother) &
  If employed, Your Salary Slip, Form 16 , ITRV.
16. Select Prizes in academics and industry(if employed).
17. Resume (Optional)

Arranged in File
 
Admission & Aid & IMPORTANT Details [MANDATORY, these will be moved to a separate file by the Consulate personel who reviews your forms and documents and collects your finger print.]

A) I20
B) Admit and Aid Letters
C) Passport
D) DS Forms(signed with photo stuck), DS156,157,158
E) I-901 receipt
F) HDFC Recipt
G) Visa Appointment Letter
H) Degree Certificate

Academics & Work Exp
A) Degree Certificate and Consolidated Marksheet, Gold Medal Photo. Conduct Certificate.
B) Awards @ College.
C) Resume
D) GRE and TOEFL Score report
E) Awards at the company if employed.

Finanaces:
  Fathers
   A) ITR-V for last 10 yrs
   B) Land Evaluation Document
   C) SB and FD,
  Mine
   A) IBM Offer Letter
   B) Pay Slips
   C) From 16 + ITR-V
   D) FD, SB and LIC
 
What reasons to come back
A) Property Docs
B) Waiting Job Offers

C) Birth Certificate
D) Ration Card(to show your family)

Why Go to US
A) Email Exchanges with professors, if any..
B) Work Experience adds value here.

Misc.
Docs, you think would help substantiate you being granted a visa.

 

IV. Visa Experience

Step 1: Reach 30mins before your interview slot, especially Chennai Consulate. Chennai waiting times are high if your slot is beyond 10AM, so eat well. Rather than telling what not to take, I would

say take only the file with all stuff needed for the interview, have the file in a plastic cover, not in a huge bag.

Step 2: Show your passport and Appointment letter, one personnel outside consulate checks this and stamps something in your appointment letter. My appointment at 9:30, still I was pass this step by

~8:30AM. My appointment was at 9:30AM

Step 3: Security Check to ensure you have just files. NO SEALED Covers like transcripts or anything..

Step 4: Documents Check and Finger Printing. Your DS Forms(156,157,158), Sevis Fee Receipt, I20, Passport, Degree Certificate, GRE/TOEFL Score is what was asked from me. These are checked for put

in a separate Document Holder(kind of a file). Finger prints taken, pls watch for the video played in the TV near the counter while you wait for your turn. Some basic questions might be asked in

this counter.

Step 5: Visa interview at sharp 9:30. Mine was the best I could ask for::
Me: GM
VO: GM, Carnegie Mellon, Ph.D, and you have full funding. Congratulation and my best wishes for your study, Visa approved
Me: thank you and Good day ahead
VO: You too, Bye

Lasted less than 20s.

Step 6: Visit VFS in the evening or wait for the courier to arrive at your house by Blue Dart. If you visit VFS office ensure you dont carry any electronic stuff other than mobile, which can

switched off.

Got my visa approved for 5 yrs, even though period of study in I20 says 6 yrs. I heard from my foreign advisor(mentioned in each student's I20) thats not a problem.

 

V. Air Tickets:

This is complicated. I am telling what I did and some general recommendation, take them with a pinch of salt

A. Online deals are good in Yatra, Travelocity
B. Travel Agents at times better A), I used Shakthi Tours and Travels in Whites Road Chennai, 28523939.
C. Jet Airways and Air India typically offer good prices.
D. Pls watch out for free baggage allowance and special offers for students, since I am traveling early(June 25) I did not have any offers. Costed 29k through agent and more or less same in yatra ,

travelocity. 23*2 is typical with 8kg hand luggage, but I hear offers like 23*3 will come soon. Jetairways has that now, but only on booking through its website, which as far as I checked is not

the best Jet Airways price.
E. Ensure, you dont have to change air ports and air planes very often. Have a gap of minimum 3hrs between flight when you switch from Indian Carrier to a US carrier. Select Food preference and

watch out on journey time. Always double what your travel agent says with airline and what airline says with travel agent.

Ticket prices are subject to availability and the dynamics is tough to understand(atleast for me it was). So book early after through enquiry. I read some article in papers that fares will be hiked

starting June1.

All info I have provided is not something you must go blindly by, its more of an experience sharing!!

 

Wish you all the very best and hope to you see you all soon at CMU.
-Kaushik

 

On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 9:29 PM, zach <zachari...@gmail.com> wrote:

@prashanth: twss.. lol.. didn't think you would ever pull one out of..

paid the HDFC fees today, go those chalans with the barcodes and
numbers that they require at the consulate. apparently you can only
set up an appointment 48 hrs after paying this money at HDFC. all the
details are at the following site:
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Home.aspx

it's a little late to put this up, i know, but i'm putting it up
anyway

On May 26, 10:33 pm, prashanth <prashanthse...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "...is there no way to select a date you want?..."
> twss zach
>
> for anyone else facing the same problem:
> Go to the VFS site and and enter your data,it'll always say 'all slots
> full' if you enter student as purpose (it wont if you enter tourism/
> business/terrorism).
> Click on the highlighted link for 'out of turn emergency' ...it shows
> you the available dates for a student visa interview.
>
> That's because even if you apply really early,the visa office holds
> all student applications till 120 days before reporting date,making
> all student visas emergency appointments by default.
> At least that's the way i understood it,it doesn't work any other way
> for me.

[Neha Agrawal]

@Kaushik : Thanks a lot for putting up such a detailed and informative post. It's indeed very helpful. Congratulations for getting your visa approved. Just one small question, you said you were traveling on 25th June, but I had read somewhere that according to F1 visa regulations we can't enter US before 30 days of the first day required at College, which means that since our orientation is on 11th August, we can't enter US before 11th July. Besides, what is the starting date of the visa stamped in your passport ?

Thanks
Neha

[prashanth]

thanks Kaushik,will help a lot.preparing 16374 documents for a 20 sec
interview sounds frustrating.
by the way my sevis was 200 dollars.

On May 28, 2:05 am, Neha Agrawal <nehagrawal.n...@gmail.com> wrote:
> @Kaushik : Thanks a lot for putting up such a detailed and informative post.
> It's indeed very helpful. Congratulations for getting your visa approved.
> Just one small question, you said you were traveling on 25th June, but I had
> read somewhere that according to F1 visa regulations we can't enter US
> before 30 days of the first day required at College, which means that since
> our orientation is on 11th August, we can't enter US before 11th July.
> Besides, what is the starting date of the visa stamped in your passport ?
>
> Thanks
> Neha
>
> On Wed, May 27, 2009 at 3:08 PM, Kaushik Vaidyanathan <
>

> kaushikmitelec...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > @ All
>
> > *I20 to Airtickets*

>
> > Pls excuse me for the spelling mistakes, running out of time.
>
> > I.
> > HDFC: Do this first, checks vfs usa website for latest
> > a) 1st page passport xrx
> > b) 131 dollars, Rs. 6550
> > c) This fee is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank “US Embassy - Visa Fees”.
>
> > DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
> > d) Rs.381(service charge)
> > This fee is payable in cash or by DD/HDFC Bank cheque favouring “HDFC Bank
> > a/c VFS”. DDs issued by cooperative banks are not accepted.
> > You can do which ever HDFC Bank is closer but check in VFS website if that
> > service is offered in that branch
> > In the case of the applicant(s) themselves making the payment the same can
> > be made through Demand Draft / HDFC Bank Cheque / Cash at all the branches
> > mentioned in the list below in Black.

> > Clarification:: VisaF...@hdfcbank.com

> > *IV. Visa Experience*

> > *V. Air Tickets:*

> > This is complicated. I am telling what I did and some general
> > recommendation, take them with a pinch of salt
> > A. Online deals are good in Yatra, Travelocity
> > B. Travel Agents at times better A), I used Shakthi Tours and Travels in
> > Whites Road Chennai, 28523939.
> > C. Jet Airways and Air India typically offer good prices.
> > D. Pls watch out for free baggage allowance and special offers for
> > students, since I am traveling early(June 25) I did not have any offers.
> > Costed 29k through agent and more or less same in yatra ,
> > travelocity. 23*2 is typical with 8kg hand luggage, but I hear offers like
> > 23*3 will come soon. Jetairways has that now, but only on booking through
> > its website, which as far as I checked is not
> > the best Jet Airways price.
> > E. Ensure, you dont have to change air ports and air planes very often.
> > Have a gap of minimum 3hrs between flight when you switch from Indian
> > Carrier to a US carrier. Select Food preference and
> > watch out on journey time. Always double what your travel agent
>

> ...
>
> read more »

[Alekh Vaidya]

thanks Kaushik for the detailed information..that sure cleared a lot of the doubts..

 

could you please elaborate on the kind of property documents that you took along?

 

Thanks

 

Alekh

[Ramkumar Krishnan]

Peculiar Problem: 

Hello Guys Below is described my peculiar problem with regard to trying to apply online on the VFS website for a Visa Appointment. Anyone else facing this problem? 

On the Second page where we have to enter the Name, Passport number, HDFC Bar Code , Date of Birth and Mother's Name, after I enter all the data and enter the security code and press continue, I get this error message:
" Cast from string "undefined/undefined/undefined" to type 'Date' is not valid. "

Please let me know if anyone is also facing this and if so how did u solve it ? 

Thanks 

Ram

[Shantanu Kurhekar]

Hi Ram,

 

Use only IE for filling up the DS forms...the site hs compatibility issues with Mozilla...best of luck :)

Cheers!

Shantanu

[Ramkumar Krishnan]

Thank you Shantanu! That worked!! 

Btw can anyone tell what they filled up in the section where they ask for the name and address of the person you will be staying with in USA? 

[Shantanu Kurhekar]

i had filled up the name of the graduate admissions committee chair and address of the university...u cn put in any school official's name, preferably the person issuing u the i20 or the one who sent you the admit letter...HTH

[Kaushik Vaidyanathan]

Hi All

 

My answers for questions below, sorry for late response, was shifting from Bangalore to Chennai.

 

Neha:: Besides, what is the starting date of the visa stamped in your passport ?

Smart question.. Actually I am Ph.D student and have talking to my advisor about coming early, reasons for this multiple,working for last 2 yrs, plus better to get a closer idea at what my advisor does before narrowing down on his area etc etc.. So my I20 itself had been issued in such a way so I can join in summer, date stamped is June 29, 2009.

 

Prashanth:: sevis was 200 dollars

Bingo, my writeup was copy paste from various notepads I created and where readily available over the net, hence..

 

Alekh:: could you please elaborate on the kind of property documents that you took along?

Again, as a Ph.D student I did not need to do as I am funded by CMU fully, still. Went to a authorized/approved property valuer in my town. He takes typically a day, for me it was 2 days. The person should ideally visit your house, do some meaurements, then based on that quote the price which is the current value in that area. He did this for me. He charged me 2k for my full plot and house. This was in Chennai. rates might vary., Also if you are taking an educational loan then you can request the back to do it as well, one of my friends last year took this route.

 

After that a chartered accountant statement stating your liquid and fixed assets would summarize.

 

All said and done always carry your property sale deed/original document with you for ur visa interview, lot of interviewers ask for that.

 

Ramkumar:: Btw can anyone tell what they filled up in the section where they ask for the name and address of the person you will be staying with in USA?

 

Answered at the end of page in OIE FAQ, link below.

OIE FAQ:: http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/faqs.cfm#19

Let me know if you have questions, will be slow to reply next 3 days till I get a permanent net connection.

 

regards

-Kaushik

[Alekh Vaidya]

Hi Kaushik,

thanks a lot for the details..it was very helpful...

 

Regards,

Alekh