The Chennai Consulate in India has moved all appointments on February 2, 2007 to February 6, 2007 or February 13, 2007. Applicants will be notified of the change in the appointment date by VFS. The time for the appointment will remain the same. To simplify the rescheduling, all L-1 and L-2 visa applicants have been rescheduled for February 6, 2007 and all other applicants have been rescheduled to February 13, 2007. Applicants who cannot attend on those dates may cancel their appointments and re-book the appointment.

Effective December 4, 2006, nonimmigrant visa applicants who speak fluent English can now apply for a nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi or the U.S. Consulates in Chennai or Mumbai. Applicants who wish to take advantage of this option should book their appointment online through VFS.

As a resident of India, you are required to select your current ‘State of Residence’ where you have been residing for the past six months or longer. Later at the time of scheduling your interview, you may see calendars offering dates at more than one post. Those who are fluent English speakers and have not been previously refused a visa, may select an interview date from any post shown. Incase you are not fluent in English or were previously denied a visa, you must select a date only from the post covering the area where you reside. Applicants who have been denied a visa can only seek to have the decision reviewed by reapplying at the post where the denial occurred.

Effective Monday February 14, 2005, the United States consular sections in India will adjust the consular exchange rate from US$1 = Rs. 46 to US$1 = Rs. 44, reducing rupee denominated costs of applying for visas, passports, and other consular services at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General. The February 14 adjustment in exchange rate will lower the rupee price of all consular transactions, including services for American citizens.

The $100.00 visa application fee will require a bank or demand draft made out to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General where the person is applying. Applicants for visas that require an issuance fee should also submit a second draft made out to the Embassy or Consulate General. Applicants for student, exchange visitor, transit and crewman visas do not need to submit this second bank draft. Please note that only bank drafts for the exact amount required on the day an application is submitted may be accepted.

New Fees

Non-immigrant visa application processing fee: Rs. 4,400.00

Non-immigrant visa issuance fee: Rs. 2,200 (for B, H, I, L, N, O, P, Q, R, S, and T visa categories).

U.S. passport applications, children under 16: US$ 70 or Rs. 3,080.

U.S. passport applications, adult renewals: US$55 or Rs. 2420.

U.S. passport applications, adult lost/stolen/etc.: US$85 or Rs. 3740.

Notary seal: US$30 or Rs. 1,320.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General encourage all applicants to fill their applications out online to speed processing at the time of interview. Visa applicants should also be prepared with un-mounted, passport-style, full-face color photos with a white background. The pictures should be no more than six months old and should measure between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the photo to the top of the head, or a total area of 2 inch x 2 inch (5cm x 5cm).

The Indian embassy at New Delhi and the consulates at Chennai and Mumbai have posted a notification on their websites advising certain visa applicants planning to engage in high-tech related business or study to schedule their interviews much in advance. It mentions that a limited number of students, scholars and business persons involved in high-level scientific fields may need to have their visa application referred to the Department of State for additional processing before the Embassy may issue a visa.

Only the interviewing visa officer can make the determination whether an applicant’s file needs additional processing. In most cases, this process takes between four to six weeks, although it sometimes takes longer. Persons who think they may be affected by this requirement should apply as early as possible. Students planning advance studies in highly technical fields may need to ask TTS for an earlier appointment. In doing so the applicant should make clear that they feel there may be a need for additional processing necessitating an appointment at least six weeks before the day they are due to report to their school or research facility.

Applicants can help make this process faster by being prepared for their visa interviews. For example, graduate students and visiting scholars should bring a copy of their resume or curriculum vitae (CV); a list of their publications (if any); a summary of their past and future research; information on their advisor or sponsor in the United States, including a mailing address and telephone number (for example, a copy of his/her webpage); and a list of references. This information should be in English. Applicants should also be ready to answer specific questions about their research plans in the United States.

Checklist of required documents to bring for the interview:

• 156
  
  
• DS-157
  
  
• DS-158 (for students)
  
  
• Current CV/Resume
  
  
• Full list of all of your publications

Qualifications Questionnaire

In addition, the consulates request that the applicants complete a form and bring a printed copy to the interview. The embassy at New Delhi and the Mumbai consulate ask for the following information (For Chennai consulate questionnaire click here):

1. Name and Passport Number
   
   
2. Describe in detail your current field of research/work
   
   
3. Describe your current position
   
   
4. Provide dates and reasons for any past travel to the US
   
   
5. Provide a detailed statement of the purpose of your visit to the US
   
   
6. What organizations and individual facilities will you have access to in the US?
   
   
7. Describe in detail the real and potential applications of your work or research. Assume that you are describing your work to a qualified professional in your field
   
   
8. What work, if any, does your US sponsor do for the US Government? Is any of that work sensitive or classified? Will you be involved in the work?
   
   
9. Describe in detail what research or work you will perform in the US and explain how your trip to the United States will benefit or change your current research or work
   
   
10. Who is funding your trip?
    
    
11. Provide a list of three references of people who are familiar with your work or research. Please provide their names, professional title, and contact information
    
    
12. Provide your trip itinerary with contact information for where you will be staying in the US. If you are a student, please provide the contact information for the professors who will be overseeing your studies/research
    
    
13. List the names of all accompanying travelers, including both family members and colleagues

Applicants who do not bring complete information to the interview (e.g., their resume and their research summary, and completed form) may have their applications delayed even further, or may be refused a visa and asked to apply again.

As soon as the processing of the applicant’s visa is complete, the consulate will contact the applicant and explain how he/she can pick up his visa. The applicant does not need to make a new appointment and does not need to pay a new application fee.