Before going for my U.S. tourist visa interview at Chennai Consulate I was going through different interview experiences of people , but I could not find a detailed description of the whole process anywhere, like from filling up the form to the interview stage. Hence, I am writing the details of my experience here. First, I went to the HDFC bank and deposited the visa fee (in my case it was INR 6960, including HDFC service charges) by cash (one can pay by DD/cheque also) at the visa counter and filled the receipt ( Do carry xerox of your passport as you will need to submit it ). The bank returned me 2 receipts , one pink and one blue receipt with bar codes pasted on them. Then, after two business days which is the activation time taken after depositing visa fee, I filled form D-160 online through the U. S. visa website www.vfs-usa.co.in. At the end I printed my application form and the confirmation page. Next I took my appointment online and printed the appointment letter.
As I applied for a tourist visa and my purpose to visit U.S. was to accompany my husband while he was going for a business trip, I carried the following documents with me on the interview date :
1. Husband's B1 visa copy
2. Flight itinerary
3. My passport and husband's passport
4. Marriage certificate , wedding album , wedding invitation card
5. 6 months Bank statement
6. Acknowledgment letter and confirmation letter of interview
7. HDFC bank blue receipt (pink as well although that was not needed)
8. Educational certificates
9. Declaration letter from my husband stating that he will bear all my expenses
10.Husband's port of entry letter , company's HR letter , salary slips (6 months) , salary account statements
This is just a small list. You should carry every possible documents to support your visa application.
On the interview date I reached the consulate at 8:30 am, half an hour before my scheduled interview. I stood in a queue for another 30 minutes and then was issued a token at the entrance. After security check I entered in a hall where many people were waiting for their documents verification. I waited for another 20 minutes and then my token number was called at a counter. There I gave my passport, HDFC blue receipt, interview letter and confirmation letter. All these documents were kept in a pouch and I was asked to go to another counter where I gave my finger prints. Next I was directed to go to the adjacent building. There was a big hall with lots of sitting arrangements and few counters. When my token was called , I went to the specific counter and greeted the interviewer with a smile. I was asked for my husband's visa copy. Then the rest of the interview questions were like : purpose of visit, name of husband's company, when we got married , have I traveled outside India before, any child or job etc etc. No other documents were asked to be shown !! And I was told that for some rules and regulations I was not given the visa :(( On my insistence the interviewer told me that she could not find enough ties in India for which I would come back (though I wasn't asked anything about my ties and I told her in the beginning that I am a housewife and dependant on my husband)!! I thanked her and came back. Later, we realized that it might be the case that my husband has returned from the U. S. just 15 days before (after a month long trip) and again we are traveling for another 2 weeks , which made her suspicious that my husband might be working in U. S. or is in search of a job there for which I am going with him. God knows whatever is the reason but one thing is for sure these interviewers are very moody and its mere luck if your visa application is accepted or rejected.
My husband applied for B1 visa and he got it easily. Read his list of documents and interview questions here :
