Hi Bar & Suni,
I read this recent article abt the visa interview procedure at Path2usa forum,i am not sure if u guys noticed it r not anyway lemme past it here so that it may help for our parents interview here it goes...

one of the very recent experience which the in-laws had
when they went to Embassy ,posted by the path2usa forum

Very Important:
Photocopy all pages including blank pages in the passports.Chennai
consulate confirmed this as a requirment. No need to color-photocopy
the
passport. Regular Black/white will do.


List of documents i asked my MotherInLaw to secure
0) DS-156,
1) passport
2) Photos (taken at cameraciti (Konica color labs) opp. to Chola
Sheraton,chennai. For 100Rs 16 photos)
a) home deeds/documents
b) local SBI bank statements
c) Father-in-laws Employment letter
d) My brother-in-laws college certificate
e) family photos(to prove my in-laws have ties in india)
f) Note: add anyother documents that will help the officer to give you
visa based on the home-ties you have.


Preparation for the interview
-- called MIL 2 days before the interview, went through the FAQ &
most-asked questions, to make her get familiarized with the questions
the officer might ask during the interview.
-- made her fill the DS-156 forms more than 2 times
-- made her go through the list of documents to get familiarized.
-- Preparing your parents / in-laws is the key to secure a visa.



Inside the Embassay @Chennai:
-------------------------------------
-- She went there 30 mts before the interview, joined the long-line. At
the first guard-gate, they verify the TTS appointment letter &
passport.

-- Next guard-gate, they verify the contents you carrry. She carried
just a transperent FOLDER. (NO HANDBAGS ALLOWED or check
chennai.usconsulate.gov for restrictions)
-- They gave her a Pink-Slip stamped #212 and mentioned TAMIL
translator
needed. #212 is the number they assign you & will be called upon during
the interview


At the 1st building
-------------------------------------
-- a lady at the counter, collects all the documents.
-- There is no queue system, and everybody has to stand (limited chairs
available).
-- verifies & scans the needed-document quick.
-- collects the 300Rs for courier.
-- collects the 4900Rs for Application fees. (MIL signed her
name&passport number back of the DD)
-- returns most of the documents back
-- didn't return passport, ds-156, photos, my emp letter, i-134.
-- Asked my MIL whether she had passport-copies of daugther &
son-in-law. Verified that and returned it back
-- The lady@the counter was scanning some documnets, we hope that she
is
making few documents available electronically before she returns those
to us.
-- MIL was asked to proceed to the next building.
-- Bottomline, the 1st building they verify all the documents.


At 2nd building
-------------------------------------
-- this had Airconditioner and chairs to sit.
-- Can notice students,other visitors pleading for visas.
-- MIL waited till she was called upon. Number assigned was #212.
-- An officer & a translator called her after 2hours wait at counter 4.
-- the officer had a folder, which contained the DS-156,
passport,photo,emp letter, & i-134.
-- the tamil-translator wasn't available, so there was a kannadiga
transalator.
-- since the kannadiga translator had difficulty in translating tamil,
my MIL spoke directly to the Officer.
-- we choose tamil transalation to make sure that there is no
communication issues.But, surprise is always in the waiting. Be ready
for that.
-- Below are the questions asked during the interview process.
What kind of questions did they ask her?
a) Why do you want to go to US?
-- For tourism and to visit my daughter & son-in-law.
b) Who is there in US?
-- Again the same as answer as (a).
c) How many issues do you have?
-- My mom said me and my brother.
d) Where is my brother and wht is he doing?
-- She replied he is studying in India.
e) Why is your husband not visiting with you?
-- He is yet working and cannot take leave for 6 months or so

-- Finally, the officer asked her to pay the fees(3675 Rs) at counter1.
-- He gave back the i-134 form.
-- DS-156, passport,photos & emp-letter, they didn't return.
-- That means visa is secured. WOW !!!
-- The interview was over, MIL walked out at 5:00pm.
-- Since we live in chennai, the VISA WITH THE PASSPORT came the same
day @ 8:00pm.
-- MIL received a 10 year Multiple entry visa.


Note: Provide all the documents at the building 1. Let them return
whatever they don't need. Don't think that \";officer will ask and then
letz give it\";. The officer will never ask. What happened for a couple
was,
they had all the documents with them , the officer rejected their visa
saying \";insufficient documentation\";. Eventhough they said they have it
with them, he rejected it. For sure, in Building-1 they are doing some
special scanning to make sure all the documents are provided.



Few rejections my MIL noticed on that interview-day
a) photo was not in the correct dimension, the couple were sent back.
(not rejected)
b) passport photocopy for daughter/son not avaialble, sent back. (not
rejected)
c) home-deeds/documents not given during the verification-process.
Rejected.
d) all-documents were in place for some lady, but still Rejected, don't
know what was the reason.
e) during day-session, most of the visa were rejected.
f) during a.noon session, everyone was granted visa. (students &
visitors included).


ashra
Suni replied. Hi Ashra,

Those details are so helpful, I will call my parents are prep them one more time. Your mom sounds just like mine, she is always telling everyone that her first grandchild will be here in October, I guess they are just as excited as we are. Let's pray and hope for the best. I cant wait for the phone to ring tonight and say \";we got the visa\";.

Thanks again for all the details!
Suni kalyani replied. Hi ashra,

Thank you very much for sharing this information with all of us.It will be very useful for us.Take care.
with love
kalyani
Bargavi replied. Ashra,
thanks a lot...
I kind of prepared them again after cing ur posting
Will let u guys know the result tomorrow morning.
Ooh... what a tension.
Bargavi