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This article
provides general information about obtaining non-immigrant visa
interview appointments, applying for the B, H-1B and L-1 visas and
family based immigrant visas. It also provides information about
certain services that are often required by U.S. nationals living
in India.
Introduction
In the last fiscal year, US Consulates in India issued more than
350,000 non-immigrant visas. About one-third of a total of 122,981
intra-company transfer visas (L visas) issued by the US were
issued in India for the same fiscal year. Of the total student
visas issued this year 18,600 were issued to Indian students, and
there are about 81,000 Indian students, presently studying in the
US.
The US Embassy in India, which
has a visa section, is located in New Delhi. There are three
additional consular posts at Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta)
and Chennai (Madras). The US Department of State (DOS) recently
announced that it would open a new post at Hyderabad, which is the
center of several Information Technology (IT) and IT Enabled
Services (ITES) companies.
Dr. David C. Mulford is the
current US Ambassador to India. Consul General Michael Owen
currently heads the Consular Section in Mumbai (the Mumbai Post).
The Acting Immigration Officer in Charge is Henry G. Eager and the
Chief, Consular Section, is Mr. Joseph Pomper. The general
telephone number at Mumbai is +91-(0)-22-2363-3611 and facsimile:
+91-(0)-22-2363-0350. When contacting the Mumbai Post, as a
general rule, it is best to e-mail the appropriate consular unit
with any queries. Inquiries may be sent to MumbaiIV@state.gov for
immigrant visa (IV) queries or MumbaiNIV@state.gov for
nonimmigrant visa (NIV) queries. The Mumbai Post generally is very
prompt in answering e-mails. Officers at the Mumbai Post have
often asked that we fax supporting documents before we send them
our queries. Additionally, when corresponding on IV cases, it is
essential to include the Mumbai Post case number with each
communication.
Due to space constraints and
security reasons, only the visa applicant is allowed at any
interview; attorneys, relatives or other
interested parties are not allowed into the Mumbai Post.
Since 9/11, the security measures in and around the Mumbai Post
have increased. In exceptional cases, a relative who is a US
Citizen may be permitted to accompany an IV applicant.
Most applicants prefer to
conduct their visa interview in English. However, the Mumbai Post
does provide interpreters for regional languages including Hindi,
Gujarati and Marathi.
Non-Immigrant Visa Processing
Persons applying for non-immigrant visas at the Mumbai Post
include visitors, students, participants in exchange programs,
religious workers, temporary workers, persons with extraordinary
abilities, performing artists, professional journalists and
representatives of foreign governments. Applicants are required to
apply at the consular office responsible for the consular district
in which they live. The Mumbai Consular District includes the
states of Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa,
Daman & Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli.
Non-Immigrant Visa Processing
Fingerprinting and Photographs
Subsequent to the US Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator
Technology (US-VISIT) program that requires applicants to provide
biometric information, all posts in India have discontinued the
drop box facility for submitting US
visa applications. All posts in India collect fingerprint
impressions and photographs from all visa applicants, except those
traveling on official government business or those who are under
age 14 or over age 79.
At the time of the visa
interview, applicants are asked to electronically scan the index
(second) finger of each hand. Applicants who are required to be
fingerprinted, who have a cut or blister or other temporary skin
injury on their index fingers may not be issued a visa until their
finger heals, before they can be fingerprinted. The scanned
fingerprint data collected at time of visa application will be
compared with fingerprint scans at the US port of entry to prevent
the use of US visas by imposters and by those wanted for more
serious offenses.
Persons already in possession
of valid US visas, acquired before the implementation of US-VISIT,
may travel to the US on their current visas and are not required
to reapply for new visas until their current ones expire. They
will be fingerprinted at the border or port of arrival.
Booking an Appointment for the Visa Interview Fn 2
All nonimmigrant visa applicants are required to schedule an
appointment with the Visa Facilitation Services (VFS), which is an
organization retained by the US Consulate as the off-site
interview scheduler. There are significant delays in obtaining
visa interview appointments. However, all consular posts in India
are working towards reducing appointment wait times.
Applicants can schedule
appointments online on the VFS website or by visiting the VFS
Center closest to the applicant. If the applicant needs
personalized assistance, an appointment may be booked at any VFS
Visa Application Center in Mumbai, Ahmedabad or Pune. They may
book an appointment online at http://www.vfs-usa.co.in (the VFS
Website).
Practice Tip:
It is advisable to apply very early for an appointment for the
visa interview. The US Embassy, Mumbai’s website provides typical
waiting periods for NIV visa appointments (as of June 28, 2006).
Visitors Visas: 157
days
Student/Exchange Visitors Visas: 18 days.
All Other Nonimmigrant Visa: 21 days. It is possible to get
more information about approximate wait times at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wait/tempvisitors_wait.php.
Application Fee
All applicants must pay a visa application fee at a designated
branch of the HDFC bank. Prior to appointment online or in person
at any VFS Application Center, it is necessary to pay the fees and
obtain a visa fee receipt. The fee receipt is issued with a unique
barcode number, which is required when booking an online
interview. The bank requires each applicant to present a photocopy
of the first page of the passport when paying the fees.
The Visa Application Fee (MRV
Fee) is $100 to be paid in Indian Rupee equivalent at the current
consular rate of exchange. The fees payable per passport are:
-Rupee amount at current rate of exchange (INR 46) is INR 4,600/-.
This fee may be paid in cash or by a Demand Draft or HDFC Bank
check favoring the “American Consulate General, Mumbai - Visa
Fees”. The VFS levies a Service Charge of INR 276/- (inclusive of
Service Tax @ 10% and Education Cess Tax @ 0.2%). This fee is
payable in cash or by demand draft or HDFC Bank check favoring
“HDFC Bank a/c VFS.” The Applicant can proceed to make an
appointment two working days after date of issue of fee receipt by
HDFC Bank. It is important to note that the fee receipt gets
activated 2 working days from date of issue and the applicant
should not attempt to take an appointment till then. If an Indian
citizen, resident abroad, wishes to obtain a visa fee receipt,
he/she may fax a copy of the passport’s data page to a
representative in India who can submit the fax, along with the
fees, to the bank and obtain a fee receipt.
VFS
application center counters accept visa applications, along with
supporting documents, to be processed at the Mumbai Post at the
following addresses:
Mumbai
Tirupati Apartments, Bhulabhai Desai Road,
Opp. Mahalakshmi Temple, Mumbai 400 026
Ahmedabad
Gujarat Chambers Building, Shri Ambika Mills
Ashram Road, Ahmedabad 380 009
Pune
106, Sohrab Hall, 1st Floor, Sassoon road
Behind Pune Station Junction, Pune 411 001
Inquiries regarding the
scheduling of appointments with the VFS may be made by e-mail
(info@vfs-usa.co.in) or by calling: +91-(0)-22 5654 7600. Calls
from outside India should be directed to +91-(0)-44 4231 6767. VFS
usually responds to e-mail queries, Monday through Friday, within
two working days and attends phone calls between 0800-1600 hours
from Monday through Friday excluding all Indian and US holidays
After booking an appointment
the applicant should submit copies of the passport, one
photograph, the appointment letter (generated online), original
fee receipt (which contains two barcode stickers) obtained from
the HDFC Bank, duly completed visa application forms and a signed
copy of the checklist that is generated online, to the VFS Center.
The photograph has to conform to the requirements stipulated by
the US Government. It is important that these documents be
submitted five working days before the appointment date. The
applicant should then report to the Mumbai Post as per the details
in the appointment Letter. The applicant should carry copies of
the documents presented to the VFS Center and all supporting
documents to help him/her prove ability to finance the visit to
the US, non-immigrant intent and purpose of visit. Students should
also submit the SEVIS Fee Receipt with the documents. Application
forms without an original HDFC Bank Receipt or with an incorrect
photograph are not accepted.
It is recommended that each
applicant completes the visa application forms fully and
accurately. Applicants should be forthcoming about their purpose
and plans to visit the US; applicants should prepare for the
interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe their
intentions.
The VFS Center checks the
documents, retains the visa application forms and returns the
passport along with a photocopy of the applicant’s passport page
with the VFS’ stamp. If the visa is granted, this photocopy has to
be handed over to the courier service when they deliver the
applicant’s passport.
If the applicant is granted a
visa, his/her passport will be returned via courier.
Practice Tips:
Applicants should provide their current address and not the
permanent address that is mentioned on their passport. It is also
advisable to ensure that someone will be available at this address
to receive the passport when it is sent after the visa is issued.
It should be noted that the
courier will deliver the passport only if the photocopy of the
passport with the VFS stamp is handed over.
It is important to ensure that
the applicant is able to prove eligibility under section 214(b) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Consular officers have
indicated that attorney representation in this area is
discouraged, because ‘non-immigrant intent’ required to refute
214(b) presumption, is the applicant’s intention and anyone other
than the applicant cannot be expected to know his/her ‘true’
intent.
Emergency Appointments
All consular posts in India, including the Mumbai Post have set
aside some appointment slots for emergency applications involving
humanitarian or medical emergencies; students with valid Form
I-20s; returning H or L visa applicants; and certain unforeseen
business related needs. Weddings, graduation ceremonies and other
foreseeable events are not considered emergencies. Applicants that
wish to travel to the US on a fresh H or L visa are not eligible
to apply for an emergency appointment unless they can prove
unforeseen business related needs.
Practice Tip:
These emergency appointments may be booked at the VFS Website, but
there is no fixed time of day when they become available. It is
best to log on the VFS Website at different times of the day and
check the availability of emergency appointments. On occasion it
is possible to book immediate appointments without availing of the
emergency appointment facility. This is possible when the Mumbai
Post releases additional appointments that become available due to
cancellations or because applicants have failed to submit
documents five days before the visa appointment.
Caution:
Applicants should be very cautious when they book or request an
emergency appointment. At the time of the interview, the applicant
will have to provide documentary proof to show that he/she truly
had an urgent need to travel to the US. If the officer finds that
the applicant is ineligible for the special slots, his/her
interview ill be scheduled for another interview after 90 days. In
addition, the officer would make a notation about this on the
applicant’s records.
Processing Time
The interviewing officer retains the passport for stamping after
he/she has determined that a visa will be issued. The passport is,
then, couriered to the applicant, and usually reaches the
applicant within the next two working days. Some applications,
however, may require additional processing that could delay visa
issuance for an extended period of time. The applicant will be
notified if there is any delay in his or her case and if the
applicant requires any security or additional checks or tests.
Individuals from India who apply for non-immigrant visas to work
or study in any of the areas listed on the Technology Alert List (TAL)
are subject to additional screening processes. The TAL is
extensive and includes such areas as chemical and biotechnology,
aerospace science, advanced computer and electronic technology.
Certain individuals are subject to other checks, which may be
triggered by some details in their record. These could include
arrest records or Driving Under the
Influence records, in the US. The Mumbai Post usually
conducts additional checks within 30 days of the interview.
However, some applicants face longer delays.
Practice Tip:
Visa officers indicate that only 1 to 2 percent of cases are
either delayed or denied visas due to a TAL alert. Most TAL
related checks are completed in 2 weeks and some take up to 4
weeks.
In addition, if the applicant
anticipates that he/she may be subject to the additional checks
should carry additional supporting documents to the interview. The
documents should include a copy of the resume or curriculum vitae,
copies of any published material, information about past or
current research, information about their research supervisor or
employer in the US with their contact information and a list of
references.
To avoid additional delays,
the applicant should be well prepared to answer specific questions
about their research in the US
Caution:
Though suggested documents should be carried to the interview, the
Consular Officer relies primarily on the personal interview to
determine one’s eligibility for a visa.
Important things to remember when filling out application forms:
# Specific contact and address information in both India and the
US. Applications with responses such as "any hotel" as the address
in the US are likely to be rejected for additional information.
# All applicants are personally responsible and accountable for
the answers on their application forms, regardless of who fills
out the forms.
# When applying for tourist or business/visitor's visa the
applicant should also carry any documents that might be helpful to
establish financial ability to travel, business connections either
in India or the US, and other social or economic ties which will
serve to compel the applicant’s return to India after a limited
visit.
# The applicant must respond fully to each question and provide as
many useful details as possible. The applicant must sign the
application, even if someone else completes it.
# The Mumbai Post requests that applicants refrain from using the
term "not applicable" or "N/A". They recommend that the applicant
use "none" or "never".
Issuance Fee
Indian applicants applying for a visa class for which an issuance
fee is payable must carry a demand draft for the issuance fee with
them to the interview. This fee is payable by most categories of
visa applicants at the visa section. Indian nationals applying for
the following visa classes are exempted from paying this fee: A,
C1, C1/D, D, F, G, J, M, Blanket L1 and T. Broadly, ship crew,
airline crew, students and exchange visitors are exempt from
paying the issuance fee.
The applicant should write
their name and passport number on the reverse of the demand draft.
In case a visa is refused, the applicant will have to subsequently
cancel the demand draft to reclaim the amount. If a visa is
authorized, the issuance fee is to be paid immediately at the visa
section, failing which the visa will not be issued.
Other nationals are required
to pay the issuance fee based on reciprocity between the US and
their country of nationality. Issuance fees can only be paid by
demand drafts favoring the American
Consulate General, Mumbai, and should be payable in Mumbai.
The demand draft should be taken to the interview. The issuance
fee amount is $50 (INR 2,300) payable in Indian Rupee equivalent
at consular rate of exchange. Demand drafts issued by cooperative
banks are not acceptable.
Visa
Issuance
After the interview, if the applicant is found eligible to receive
a visa the issuance fee will be retained and the visa applicant
may leave the Mumbai Post’s premises. The passport, with the visa
stamp will be couriered, within two working days, to the address
provided by the applicant on Form DS-156.
If the Consular Officer finds
the applicant to be ineligible for a visa, he/she will return the
passport and the demand draft for the issuance fee. This demand
draft may be used again if the applicant decides to reapply,
provided the demand draft is still valid at the time of
reapplication. In the alternative, the applicant may cancel the
demand draft with the issuing bank.
H-1B
and L-1 Applications
It is possible to schedule H-1B or L-1 interviews only after Form
I-797, the Notice of Approval, has been issued by the US
Citizenship and Immigration Services. All H-1B applicants are
requested to bring one extra set of photocopies of any original
documents that they wish to submit to the consular officer. This
is especially important when the applicant requires any original
documents to be returned.
Documents in Support of H-1B/L-1 Applications
# Visa application forms.
# The 1-129 and all supporting documents.
# The Mumbai Post will not accept documents received directly from
the company by mail or fax. All documents should be taken by the
applicant to the interview, if necessary in sealed envelopes. The
Mumbai Post ensures that it will protect the confidentiality of
these documents and will destroy the documents after review.
# Letter from petitioning employer confirming employer's intent to
hire the applicant.
# Original, plus one copy, of work experience letters from prior
employers.
# Names and current phone numbers of the personnel managers at the
applicant's present and past jobs.
# Photographs of the inside and outside of current or most recent
employer's place of business in India (The officer may not ask for
this if the petitioning employer is a well established and known
entity).
# Photographs of the inside and outside of the company's offices,
prospectus, brochures, and annual report of the US petitioning
entity. (The officer may not ask for this if the petitioning
employer is a well established and known entity).
# Names and contact information of two co-workers from current or
most recent place of employment.
# Names and contact information of two co-workers from past jobs.
# The Mumbai Post requires applicants currently working in the US,
on an H1B or L visa visa, to submit pay slips for the current
calendar year and federal tax returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2) for
all years of employment in the US.
# L visa applicants must provide a letter from their employer
stating how long they have been employed with the company.
Caution:
All H-1B and L-1 visa
applicants should submit, to the VFS Center, the forms and the
mandatory supporting documents, as per the Mumbai Post’s list, at
least five working days before the interview. Any additional
documents should be carried to the interview.
Practice Tips:
When preparing an applicant for an H-1B or L-1 visa interview it
is advisable to prepare him/her for extraordinary questions.
Clients have been asked to provide petitioner’s pay roll details,
often going back for a period up to three years. Consular officers
in some cases have asked the applicant to provide W-2 statements
for all petitioners’ employees and/or petitioner’s contracts with
third parties.
It is advisable but not
mandatory that the NIV applicant be prepared to present a full
copy of the USCIS petition and supporting documents along with the
Notice of Approval, Form I-797 at the port of entry into the US.
Family Based Immigrant Visa Processing
The Mumbai Post ranks among the busiest posts for immigrant visa
issuance including family based and employment based visas.
Persons born in India are ineligible to participate in the
Diversity Visa Program.
The Mumbai Post is responsible
for immigrant visa cases for those applicants residing in the
states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa; Daman and Diu (Union
Territory), Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Dadra
and Nagar Haveli (Union Territory), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram
(Union Territory), Nagaland, Orissa, Sikkim, Tripura, and West
Bengal. The post in Kolkata (Calcutta) only processes IVs for
adoption cases.
Family-based cases require
that a petition be filed with and approved by the US Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) before any US Consulate can take
action. Petitions approved by the Department of Homeland Security
are generally forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC) in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire for processing and are then sent to the
US Embassy or Consulate where the applicant lives. Most of the
immigrant visa petitions for Indian nationals are subject to
numerical limitations and are assigned a priority date. Cases with
priority dates are kept at the National Visa Center until the
priority date is nearly current and only then are sent to the
Embassy or Consulate.
Immigrant Visa Applications at the US Embassy, New Delhi
From July 4, 2004 till May 31, 2006 US citizens who wished to file
an I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) for their immediate
relative could provide evidence that they have resided in India
for a minimum of 60 days immediately prior to the filing of the
petition. However, this facility ended on May 31, 2006. From June
1, 2006, US citizens who wish to file an I-130 for their immediate
relatives must provide evidence that they are residents of India.
Proof of such residency includes a US passport with an appropriate
long-term, valid Indian visa and a Registration Report and
Residential Permit issued by the Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO)
of the government of India. Additional evidence may include, but
is not limited to, proof of on-going employment in India, taxes
paid in India, rent/property receipts, and utility receipts. These
applications may be filed by US Citizens, in person, between 9:00
AM and 12:00 Noon on all normal business days. If the petition is
being filed for a spouse, he/she is required to also appear.
Immigration officials may ask the applicant and his/her spouse any
questions necessary for the adjudication of the petition. Once the
petition is approved it will be forwarded to the Mumbai Post or
other applicable Post, and processed in the same way as approved
petitions from the National Visa Center.
IV
Visa Appointment
After an Embassy or Consulate has received an approved petition
from the National Visa Center or the US Embassy in New Delhi, the
applicant is notified and requested to fill out several forms and
submit them to the Embassy or Consulate when the applicant is
ready for an interview. As soon as an Embassy or Consulate is
notified that an applicant is ready, then the applicant is
scheduled for an appointment and notified of the appointment date
by mail.
Applicants who are asked by a
letter to submit relevant forms may do so from Monday through
Friday between 8.15 am to 5.00 pm. Such letters are issued when
their visa number becomes current. Applicants are then sent
information about the visa appointment and should be advised to
keep these appointments to avoid additional delays.
Fees
The cost of each immigrant visa application-processing fee (per
person) is US $380 (payable in INR). Fees must be paid for each
intending immigrant regardless of age, and are not refundable.
Fees should be sent to the consular office only if they have not
been paid to the National Visa Center or if the petition was
approved by the US Embassy at New Delhi. It is necessary to carry
proof of payment of fees to the interview. It is necessary to pay
the VFS courier fees when submitting the documents at a VFS
Center.
Medical Examination
Every IV applicant, regardless of age, must undergo a medical
examination before he/she goes for the visa interview. The Mumbai
Post has designated certain doctors and institutes to conduct the
examination. Costs for such examinations must be borne by the
applicant, in addition to the visa fees. IV applicants from
Kolkata can undergo their medical tests at Kolkata prior to
traveling to Mumbai for their interviews. Applicants need their
visa appointment letters to process the medical examinations.
Practice Tip:
It is prudent not to wait until the last moment to go for the
medical examination. All applicants are required to carry their
passport with a copy of the biographic page and immunization
records when they go for the medical examination.
There
are three designated medical facilities in Mumbai:
Breach Candy Hospital & research Center (Annexe Building)
60-A Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai 400 0026
Tel.: +91 (0) 22 2366 7979 and + 91 (0) 22 2367 1888 (Call any
time any day of the week)
Registration between 7.30 am and 9.30 am
Lilavati Hospital & Research
Center
A-791 Bandra Reclamation
Bandra (W)
Mumbai 400 050
Tel.: +91 (0) 22 2645 5918 and +91 (0) 22 2642 1111 (extn. 2074)
(Call between 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm Monday through Friday)
P.D. Hinduja National Hospital
Nursing Supervisor
Veer Savarkar road
Mahim
Mumbai 400 016
Tel.: +91 (0) 22 2445 2422 and +91 (0) 22 2444 7183 (Call between
9.30 am and 4.00 pm Monday through Saturday)
There are four designated
medical facilities/Physicians in Kolkata:
Apollo Gleneagles Hospital Limited
58 Canal Circular Road
Kolkata 700 054
Tel.: +91 (0) 33 2358 5211/5215 (By appointment: 10.00 am to 5.00
pm)
Dr. Vijay L. Mehta &
Dr. Mrs. Virbala V. Mehta
67 Park Street
Apsara Building
Next to Park Street Post Office
Kolkata 700 016
Tel.: +91 (0) 33 2229 5533 and +91 (0) 33 2229 1202, CP: + 91
98310 00898
(By appointment: 9.00 am to 12.00 noon and without appointment
5.00 to 8.00 pm Monday through Saturday)
Dr. Jatrik Biswas
13/7 Palm Avenue
Kolkata 700 019
Tel.: +91 (0) 33 2283 6150 CP: +91 98300 77636
(By appointment: 11.00 am to 2.00 pm and 5.00 to 8.00 pm Monday
through Saturday)
Dr. Rupak Mitra
Metropolitan Nursing Home
18 Shakespeare Sarani
Kolkata 700 071
Tel.: +91 (0) 2282 – 7939, 2282-4457 (R) 2353 1716 CP: 09831092322
(5.00 pm to7.00 pm Mon, Wed & Fri and other days by appointment
only at residence)
Police Clearance
All IV visa applicants, over the age of 16 years, are required to
produce police clearance certificates from the passport office and
from the local police station where the applicant resides. Police
certificates must cover the entire period of the applicant's
residence in any area. The term "police certificate" means a
certification by appropriate police authorities stating what their
records show concerning each applicant, including all arrests, the
reasons for the arrests, and the disposition of each case of which
there is a record. Police certificates are not required for
periods spent in the United States. Police certificates from
certain countries are considered unobtainable. All police
certificates are considered to be valid for one year from the date
of issuance and must be valid on the day the immigrant visa is
issued.
If the applicant’s Indian
passport was issued within the past six months, the applicant
needs to only present the passport officer certificate and it s
not necessary to obtain the additional police certificate. In
addition, applicants from the certain districts in the state of
Gujarat are exempt from the requirement of the police certificate
from the local police station because the Mumbai Post has found
that these police stations are refusing to issue such
certificates. All other applicants are required to submit both the
certificates.
Practice Tip:
Indian nationals are required to provide two police certificates,
one issued by the Passport Office and one issued by the
individual’s local police station. It sometimes takes a long time
to process these, and the procedure should be initiated well in
advance.
Hours
of Operation of the IV Unit
The IV Unit processes visas from 8:00 a. m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday. New IV applicants are seen by appointment only. If
an applicant has been asked to return in person, he/she should go
to the Mumbai Post at 8:30 am with their passport(s) and any other
documents requested from them. The posts are closed to the public
on both US and Indian holidays, and do not see visa applicants on
the last Friday of every month.
Practice Tip:
IV applicant interviews are sometimes scheduled as early as 7.30
am.
Practice Tip:
Attorneys can help the visa applicant prepare for the interview by
explaining the nature of information required from the applicants.
The posts in India do not permit attorneys to accompany the
applicants. However, an attorney may represent the client via
e-mail or letters. It is sometimes possible to make e-mail
inquiries with members in the office. In our experience we have
found that the Mumbai Post responds promptly to e-mails.
Fraud
Officers at the Mumbai Post have indicated that they very often
have to determine whether the visa applications are based on
genuine relationships or not. They have also found, on many
occasions that documents, presented as proof of a relationship may
be forged or may not reflect the true nature of the relationship.
In view of this, the Mumbai Post requires its officers to conduct
field visits where they, personally interview, the applicant’s
family members and/or neighbors to determine the genuineness of
the relationship claimed.
Other
Services
Reporting the birth of a child to U.S. Citizen Parent(s) in India
Children born abroad to US citizen parent/s may have a claim to US
citizenship. If a child has a claim to US citizenship, it will be
necessary for the US citizen parent to execute an application for
a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad" on Form DS-2029 before a
consular officer at the American Citizen Services Unit. The child
must accompany the parent to the Embassy. If the child was born
out of wedlock and the father is the US citizen parent, the
child's mother must also appear at the appointment. This report is
official evidence of citizenship issued to a person under the age
of 18 who was born abroad to US citizen parent(s) and acquired
citizenship at birth. It is possible to submit an application for
a US passport at the time of reporting the birth of a child.
Practice Tip:
It is necessary to schedule an appointment to file an application
for a report of birth of a child to US parent (s).
Contact Information to
Schedule an Appointment and to Report a Birth
American Citizen Services Unit
American Consulate General Mumbai
78, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400-026
E-mail address: mumbaiacs@state.gov
Telephone number: +91-(0)-22 2363-3611, extensions 4306/4134/4237
Fax number: +91-(0)-22 2367-7026 or +91-(0)-22 2363-0350
Notary Services
The Mumbai Post provides notarial services from 9.00 a.m. to 12.30
p.m. every weekday excluding official holidays. This service is
offered to US citizens and to non-citizens who require notarized
documents for use in The US. The Mumbai Post does not accept
requests for certifying true copies of documents, nor does it
provide witnesses for documents. Those requesting notary services,
and their witnesses, should bring photo identification with
signature. The fee for each notary service is $30 (INR 1,380) for
the first seal and $ 20 (INR 920) for subsequent seals in a
document relating to the same transaction. There is no charge for
notarization of affidavits of support for immigrant visa
applications or for documents filed in connection with an
application for US federal, state or municipal benefits. Notary
fees are accepted in cash in both US dollars and Indian rupees.
However, if the fee is being paid by demand draft, it must be
drawn on a nationalized or foreign bank in favor of the American
Consulate General, Mumbai.
Practice Tip:
The passport is the most accepted form of identification.
Therefore, it is recommended that even witnesses should carry
their passports when availing of the Notary Services
Conclusion
The Mumbai Post is one of the busiest consulates and is reported
to receive a large number of fraudulent cases and also sees a high
incidence of forged documents. Forged documents are often
presented by NIV applicants whereby reducing the value of
documentary proof of assets.
Mumbai Consular Post - Jurisdiction
NIV - States of Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat, Union Territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar
Haveli.
IV - States of Maharashtra,
Goa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Union Territories of
Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and States of West Bengal,
Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya,
Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam and the Union Territories
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Contact
Information
American Consulate General
Mumbai Lincoln House
78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai - 400 026
Phone: (022) 23633611e-mail: mumbainiv@state.gov
MumbaiIV@state.gov
Web site:
http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov
|
Certain
US Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Processes
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Articles:
The
author can be reached at: lawquest@legalserviceindia.com /
