There may be instances when an applicant is not able to make it for the nonimmigrant visa interview due to some unavoidable situation. In such situations, it is possible to reactivate the HDFC Visa Fee receipt(s) for the remaining duration of validity of the receipt. A long standing notification on the U.S. Embassy – New Dehi’s website clarifies the procedure.
Need to Wait For Two Working Days After the Interview Date:
Applicants who were unable to attend the nonimmigrant visa interview (or) if they were unable to submit the documents to U.S. Visa Application Center in advance if they are applying at the U.S. Consulate, Mumbai, the applicants need to wait for two working days after his/her original visa interview appointment date before they contact their nearest U.S. Visa Application Center.
Documents Required For the Reactivation Procedure:
The applicant must visit the VFS center in person and must carry the original passport and HDFC Visa Fee Receipt when s/he visits the U.S. Visa Application Center.
Payment of Service Charge at the VFS U.S. Visa Application Center:
Once the applicant reaches the VFS center, s/he should request the reactivation of the HDFC Visa Fee Receipt by paying a service charge of INR 158. This can be paid either in cash or by way of a demand draft favoring “HDFC Bank a/c VFS”. This fee has to be paid only at the U.S. Visa Application Center and not at the HDFC Bank that is required at the time of purchasing the HDFC Visa Fee Receipt originally.
Validity of The HDFC Visa Fee Receipt:
The HDFC Visa Fee Receipt is valid for one year from the date of initial purchase. One must remember that the reactivation of the receipt does not extend the validity for one year from the date of revalidation. The HDFC Visa Fee Receipt will remain valid only for the period of one year from the date of initial purchase.
Conclusion:
While it is not advisable to miss the visa interview – the above procedure allows a nonimmigrant visa applicant to reactivate the HDFC Visa Fee Receipt if s/he was unable to attend the interview or in the case of U.S. Consulate Mumbai, unable to submit the required documents with the VFS for justifiable reasons. This information can also be found on the U.S. Embassy, New Delhi’s website by clicking here http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/consmay72007.html .
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