Changes to Fees and Procedures at Chennai Consulate
Posted May 04, 2001

Courier Service Charge

The drop-box method has become increasingly popular for nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applications at the Chennai consulate in India. There are drop-off sites in a variety of locations, as well as an informative website to make the application process more convenient for the public. For information on drop-box locations and tips on using the website, see our earlier articles entitled Tips on H1B and H4 Visa Process Via Chennai Drop Box (Mar 09, 2001).

When the Consulate approves an NIV application that was submitted by drop-box, the passport is sent back to the applicant via courier. The Consulate, as of May 1, 2001, is now charging a fee for the courier service. The charge is Rs. 200 per applicant for delivery in Chennai, and Rs. 300 per package sent to Hyderabad and Bangalore.

F-1 Student Applications

All student visa applicants must now use the drop-box. The Consulate will no longer process in-person student visa applications. Furthermore, the Consulate strongly encourages all eligible persons applying for NIVs (not only students) to use the drop-box. Eligibility criteria for the drop-box are listed in our January 12, 2001 article cited above.

Visa Application Fee Payments

The Consulate will not accept demand drafts from cooperative banks, but only from nationalized banks in India.

Immigrant Visa Inquiry Counter

The inquiry counter for immigrant visa (IV) applicants will close effective May 1, 2001. As many readers are aware, it is necessary to send in some of the forms from "Packet 3" to the Consulate, so that the Consulate will schedule the IV interview. Previously, some applicants were choosing to deliver these items in person, but now the consulate will only accept the Packet 3 forms by mail. Persons needing an official to notarize a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (used in family-based cases or in those rare employment-based cases where the employer is related to the beneficiary), can go to the American Citizen Services counter for that purpose, between 1:30 and 4:30, Monday through Friday.

Earlier, we had received information that the Consulate had closed the IV inquiry counter as of February 16, 2001, and we reported this development in a March 2, 2001 MurthyBulletin article entitled New IV Inquiry Procedures at Chennai Consulate. In light of this more recent announcement that the closure is occurring only from May 1, 2001, it appears the counter was kept open for a few more months.

The following information from our March 2, 2001 article may be helpful again, with regard to alternative inquiry procedures for IV cases:

The consulate's website has been updated to include all pertinent information on the immigrant visa application procedure. In particular, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page on the website discusses the forms needed, appointment procedures, the priority date system, and other important information.

Second, for case-specific questions that have not been addressed in the FAQs Section, applicants may send eMail to chennaiiv@state.gov or can call (91 44) 811 2060.