Consulate General of the United States, Chennai

I had the opportunity to visit the consulate just a couple of days ago for my Visa interview. My appointment was scheduled for 10:30 am, and we arrived a little early at 10:15 am, quickly gaining entry within 5 minutes.

Once inside, we noticed that the queues were efficiently managed, with separate lines for different languages. The actual interview process was impressively swift, involving clear and concise questions about the purpose of our travel. The entire interview took no more than 5 minutes. What's great is that they inform you immediately about the visa status and when you can expect your passport back.

In total, the entire process was wrapped up within a mere 15 minutes.

Keep in mind that electronic car keys aren't allowed inside, and the local auto drivers outside charge exorbitant rates for keeping them.

Parking posed quite a challenge as well.

Accompanied my mother who wanted to get the Visa. Appointment was at 9 am. We reached at 8:50 am. She was able to join the queue in a few minutes and into the building by 9:02 am. So please please request to all - do not go ahead of time.

1. There were people who had 10:30 am also squeezed in the external street queue. There was a person for 12 pm interview who came at 9 am. He was a young guy. These people can't read the instructions on the sheet? They are just going to dirty a well operating US system by this attitude. Shameful!

Luckily - inside at some point 2-3 consecutive interview slot folks are requested to allow the first slot guys to go further in.

This needs to be sorted out on the street itself as some staff stand there too and verifying documents. Why can't they just say only 9 am. Rest have to wait.

2. Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam queues are available. But Hindi and English are faster. We didn't know or opt for anything like that but inside mom went into the Malayalam queue and questions were simple - purpose of visit, how many sons and where do they live, do you have a house here, how long is your visit. At the end they say "your visa is approved and will be sent to you within a week."

3. Mom took a bottle of water and was asked to drop it on the street and when she came out the bottle was gone.

4. I parked on the street which had a wall of the embassy on one side. Don't park there - ₹600 fine.

I would suggest you to reach early than your appointment timings because that’s what I observed that they take first come first serve basis but that doesn’t mean you should reach as soon as it opens. My B2 process was pretty fast and smooth, don’t carry anything extra when you go for this, try to opt for a hotel or your stay nearby so you can walk to it immediately after the process finishes. Few questions by the officer and it finished, it was extremely organised and there’s shelter as well so it wasn’t that hard to stand in summer.

Do dress well. They ask you your language preferences as well inside just in case you are not okay with English. Generally they weren’t asking anything extra but depending upon your visa type carry all the possible documents with you. I feel the acceptance rate is pretty good.

Do not reach earlier than 30 minutes of your appointment as you will still need to wait on roads so yeah be prepared for the weather. If it’s sunny you have some trees offering shade but if it rains you need to make alternate arrangements. 30 minutes before your appointment time the security guards will ask to line up and will start letting you in.
Once u inside fairly fast and organised process. Checking to ensure you are not carrying anything which is not allowed inside the premises. And a quick magnetic scan. Then u directly enter the queue as per your preferred language and then to your counsellor counter for interview. analog watches and wallets are allowed inside.

I had my Visa interview on 13 Sep 2023.The alloted time was 11:30 AM. I reached the consulate at 10:15 AM and approached the consulate staff who immediately let me enter even though the placard was indicating 10:00 AM.
The entry checks involved a security screening like at the airport. Please make sure you do not carry electronic items, car keys (remote type), mobile phones, smart watches, cigarettes, lighters and matchboxes, water bottles, bags, etc. Carry only your documents preferably in a plastic folder. There is no locker facility, either in the consulate premises or on the outside. Be vary of the auto mafia operating outside who are just waiting to fleece and scam the visitors.
On this note, it is better to leave your bags,laptop, and mobiles at hotel/home, or come with another person to take care of the belongings. Do not come by own car as there is no place to park.
Since one has to wait outside on the pavement, one has to endure the elements.
The visa interview area is very well organised with helpful and polite staff. The interview process itself was(for me) was very pleasant with positive outcome. No documents were asked. The questions were also on expected lines. Be confident and answer truthfully - the Visa officer already has all your information. My interview took barely three minutes and I was out within 10 minutes after entry.
Going back to your hotel/room could be a bit of a hassle if you are alone - without a mobile you will not be able to call up a cab/Uber. Carry ample cash in smaller denominations and catch a cab/auto well away from the consular office. If possible, walk to the nearest Metro (Thousand Lights) go to the nearest station to your hotel(or wherever) and then walk or catch a transport. It is worth going through this hassle rather than get into the clutches of the auto goons. The Chennai metro is an excellent service -cheap, convenient, comfortable. If you are done with your Visa work and have to get to the airport from the Visa office, I suggest the Metro to the airport - 20 min on the metro at just ₹20/-)
Hope the post is helpful. All the very best!

Please don’t carry anything to Consulate office other than the documents. I carried one water bottle but security didn’t let me to take in. I had an H1B visa, went with my husband and the process was quite quick for us. Interviewer was so calm and composed and she asked only few questions and said congratulations, your visa is approved. Please go calm, don’t be tensed, and clearly you should be very confident in your answers.

The location is simple to find, and the staff there are very professional, quick to assist, and friendly. Also.. please ensure you have an ID and a proper appointment with them if you intend to enter.

Had a morning appointment. Went in at 7.20am and left at 8.15am. The line outside the embassy was big but it moved quickly. Mask is still mandatory as of August 2023. If not carried, tea sellers in the preceding street will sell it for a small price.

Multiple security checkpoints but pat down checking happens only once. Don’t carry any electronics. They even make you open analog watch and keep it in the documents folder.

For L1B blanket, the VFS people just asked to bundle two sets of I-797 and I-129 along with DD (if you’re paying fraud detection fee through it) and passports of primary and dependent applicants.

DD submission process was smooth. After that was the visa interview, which lasted for just 2 minutes. The main questions were about what you do and how long you’ve been with the company. Stay pleasant and polite, and you should be fine as this visa has a 90%+ success rate, according to internet statistics. The officer didn’t ask for any additional documents (carried so many!). Nobody asked for the passport photos also. But always best to carry everything for low probability scenarios. You’ll be told immediately if your visa is approved, but you’ll get your passport later by post.

Our appointment was at 0800, we arrived at 0710, and got down on the road that had main gate. Entry Queue is on the main Anna Salai side and hence had to walk to that side.
There was a long queue of about 50-75 people by that time and there is one police who checks if your appointment is at 0800. Later the queue started moving at 0730. First VFS guy checked if the biometric bar code is present on the passport & if we have the correct appointment time.
2nd guy is private security warning you about mobile, wallet, watch, car remote etc, as you can then handover to your known person or to Auto driver who charges as per your urgency and helplessness.
3rd guy checks your passport and puts a tick on the bar code sticker and later on everyone checks this tick mark.
Also if you need language translator then they will mark accordingly on the same sticker.
Next you enter the main entrance where another security guy warns you about phone, wallet etc
After entry, you see security scan for all your belongings and pat scan to check if you have anything on your body.
After thisyou walk through passage and then enter main door, which is quite heavy and you need to push harder to open. Another security then asks you to push through another heavy door.
Then another VFS guy checks your passport and based on language preference he will show the queue you need to stand.
Language queues don’t move swiftly, bear this in mind.
Parents with small kids and arriving early get preference.
Interviewer sits on the other side of the glass and you are asked to stand behind marked line when someone else has his interview ongoing.
Once your turn comes you are asked to present your passport only, rest of the papers are not required by now.
Officer scans the bar code and he gets all details
Experience of the interview:
I forgot to wish the Visa officer
Visa Officer expects and verbal answer and not nod of the head, as I forgot to answer verbally saying “Yes”, how stupid of me and even after rehearsing the answers in one before.
Questions asked were:
Where are you going?
Purpose?
Going as family?
How long?
Who will pay?
What do you and other family members applying for visa do in India?
Source of income for me and family members?
Who pays for the trip?
Do you own any properties?
Since I have retired, I was asked where I worked before?
Do you have any relatives in US?
We were asked them to put our left 4 fingers for scan of our prints. Finished.
We came out by 0815, which seemed like an eon of lifetime.
Outside requested one police man for location of phone booth to call the driver and he offered his mobile and said thanks to him after that.

Tip: Instead of paying some shopkeepers or autowalas 2-3k to keep your luggage (e.g. mobile phones), book a hotel nearby and that will be cheaper and safer than this. I booked a nearby at a walking distance in 1.3k. It was just besides AG DMS metro station. You can pick the metro to airport directly from here.

The whole process is very smooth and the staff is very cooperative. Just a piece of advice - don't carry any kind of electronic gadgets like mobile phones, smart watches, headphones, no Bluetooth devices nothing.

The process is smooth but time taking. Highlighting some key things to keep in mind:

Waiting outside the centre: No area designated, you're standing on the footpath in the heat. They will call your name 30-45 minutes before your appointment, so there's no advantage in coming much earlier.
Locker facility: No locker facility available. You can keep your stuff in one of the hotels nearby (Park hotel staff are nice). If you forget anything, the auto drivers will hold on to your stuff, but charge exorbitant rates, and you'll have to bargain aggressively. The consulate does not allow you to carry anything else except your documents and wallet (I had a pen-drive and had to go outside to give it to the auto driver)
Process: After your name is called, you wait in a queue just outside the centre. Then you go through security scan (if they find anything, they'll ask you to remove the item and come back). There are 2-3 more lines after that, and the whole process can take up to an hour.
Interview (For B1/B2 visa): Fairly straightforward. They asked for my salary, purpose of visit, some details about where I'll be visiting, whether I have any property in India, if I'm travelling alone, and whether my co-travellers already have a VISA (since they weren't in the interview). They will tell you after the interview whether or not your VISA was granted, and if it is, they'll keep your passport.

I opted for the courier facility, so had to pay INR 650 on getting the passport, which I got 3 days after the interview.

Overall, as long as you follow all instructions exactly, it's a smooth process.

You are allowed to come here and finish your tasks in the early morning. According to the local auto drivers, the place will be open from 7. So, you can come early even if your slot is late.
As soon as you go near the gate, the security will check your passport and send you in. Here are the steps involved afterwards
1. You will have to submit your passport for a personnel sitting is chair. He will scan your passport and make you stand in a queue.
2. Next you will be sent in and check your belongings. No electronic devices are allowed. Unlike the biometric check where you can keep your phone switched-off, you cannot carry your phone here. So, I would suggest you to just keep your phone at the place of your stay or give it to your friend or family if they accompanied you.
3. After this, you will be made to sit In a room. If you are a L1 visa candidate ask the personnel there that you are for L1 and the procedures are a little different
4. Next, you will be sent into another queue to the actual place where the IS citizens are present
5. Enter the building with the queue and they will ask what visa you have applied for. According to your visa, you are made to move to the suggested place and finish your tasks
6. For B1 / B2 and F1 visa, you will stand in the same line and attend the interview with the US citizen.
7. During the interview, you will be asked questions based on the type of visa applied and next you will be asked to place your left 4 fingers in the biometric scanner.
8. After this your visa procedure is complete. For B1 / B2 visa, the Passport will be retained for visa sticker and will be sent to your address mentioned in the confirmation letter.

"I applied for an F2 Dependent visa, and the experience was pleasant. I arrived at 8 am and completed the process in just 30 minutes, despite my scheduled slot being at 9:30 am. Stay calm and go without any tension; success will come with your visa. ALL THE BEST!! Be cautious of outside auto mans they are asking 2000 rupees for 10 kilometers."

First of all make sure you are in the right queue (as per your allotted time slot), the securities will check your forms, arrange the que accordingly and try to be on time atleast 20 mins early.

Despite the understandable security checks at the gate the whole process once inside is quite fast. NB: no mobile phones allowed, don't fall 4the auto scams. If u came alone keep the phone in your room itself (better spent 2k on something else).

The staffs inside was very friendly, especially the VO's, Absolutely wonderful.The whole process will take you about an hour.

It's worth noting that the time to get the passport is 5 working days.

It was a great experience at the US Consulate. The whole process was very quick as I had an infant along with me.

We were one hour before the scheduled time, had to stand in a queue.. which is like roadside. Once you move forward, the security guy checks your passport and asks if you have any mobile phone, pendrive, bag, any electronic gadgets, and if you don’t carry any of them, then he asks you to move ahead. (In case of a baby, infant or toddler, they ask you to move further skipping the queue until you reach the VO). So while the security guy asked for the things we were carrying, we got to know that CAR KEYS were also not allowed. (Though we didn’t carry anything, my husband just had his wallet and keys with him). And as we didn’t had any other person accompanying us, at this time, the Autowala asked my husband to deposit the keys with him. While dpepositing he asked for 5000, after a lot of bargaining he agreed for 1000.
And now after coming out, the autowala denied to return the keys for 1000 rupees and instead kept asking more. Then we gave him 1500 rupees and got our keys. Beware of this scam and don’t carry anything apart from the documents, wallet and mask. (As again autowala sells a single mask for 20 rupees).

Do read the instructions given on the application form, DS 160, appointment confirmation before appearing at the interview.

Good security arrangements are in place both at VAC and bio metric and drop box places
Drop box appointments are available within 3 weeks. You can carry mobile phones
Further updates
My drop box appointment was scheduled on 12 th July 3:15 pm. I was permitted to enter the building well before the appointment time and my drop box work was completed in all respects within 20 minutes. Excellent arrangements are in place inside the building. Knowledgeable, polite and well behaved staff.
I was expecting my passport back after 3 weeks, due to holidays and also their is closed for 3 days, as they migrate to a new improved system.
To my surprise, the counselor section processed my visa application in 3 working days, pasted Visa and despatched the passport on 17th July, by air, and I received it on 18 th July.
Great work and I truly admire the work carried by the Chennai American consulate. . They are working hard to achieve new heights. My best wishes and thanks to the consulate staff

I had been last week.

The consulate staff provided excellent and organised service to ensure a smooth interview process. Don't carry any electronic devices(analog wrist watches are allowed), bags except your required documents in a folder and they don't provide any locker facility to keep your belongings including mobile devices. It is always better to have your own arrangement to keep your belongings before visiting the Consulate.

The commute is very flexible to reach the consulate via public buses, or metro(Near by Thousand Lights metro station), or private cabs to reach the consulate.

Thanks for the guidance through out the process. Staffs were really polite. Just follow the guidelines and the purpose of visit would not have any troubles.

- Be there 30-45 mins before your appointment time.
- Wear mask.
- Bags, Mobile, Smart Watches and any other Electronic items are NOT allowed inside.
- Questions I faced for B1/B2 :

1. Purpose of your travel?
2. Who is your client?
3. Tell about your employer?
4. How long you will be staying in US?
5. What is your salary?
5. Are you married?
6. Is your spouse working?
7. Do you have any property here?