u/piwi109

Not sure if this is the right place to add this - But is anyone attending MS&T in Pittsburgh this week?
Would love to connect!

Hey! Long-time lurker here. I was wondering if there are any groups around Philly that get together to casually jam Indian music — classical, film music, or really anything Indian.
If something like this already exists, I’d love to join! And if not, I’m curious whether there are enough musicians here who’d be interested in getting a group together.
I’m not really in a position to host, but I’d definitely be down to join if someone has a space or knows of a place where we could jam.
Not necessarily looking for anything super formal — mostly just people who enjoy playing/singing and want to make some music together!

📍 VAC Location: Hyderabad, India
📍 Interview Location: Mumbai, India
📅 VAC Date: 28 May 2026
⏰ Appointment Time: 10:00 AM
🕤 Entered VAC: ~9:30 AM
🕘 Exited VAC: ~9:50 AM
📅 Consular Interview Date: June 2026
🧾 Visa Type: F-1 Renewal (PhD Student)
⚠️ Initial Result: White 221(g) Slip
✅ Final Result: Approved → Issued
🔁 Previous Visa History:
Yes
2022 (Initial F-1 Visa for Master’s):
Received Pink 221(g)
Additional documents requested for administrative processing
Visa approved approximately 30–40 days later
👤 Profile
Country of Residence: India
Occupation:
PhD Student
Travel History:
Tourist visit to the U.S. in 2013
Master’s degree in the U.S. (2022–2024)
CPT during Master’s
Currently pursuing a PhD in the U.S.
Family in the U.S.:
No immediate family
Notes:
Fully funded PhD
Previously completed Master’s degree in the U.S.
Prior CPT experience
🎯 Interview Questions
VO: Do you fear anything in India?
Me: No.
VO: Do you fear any issues if you return to India?
Me: No.
VO: Have you traveled to the U.S. before?
Me: Yes.
VO: Did you visit the U.S. as a tourist before?
Me: Yes, in 2013.
VO: Why did you choose this university?
Me: Told.
VO: Is your PhD fully funded?
Me: Yes.
VO: What is your research about?
Me: Told.
VO: Are you only doing research?
Me: Yes.
VO: Have you ever done CPT or OPT?
Me: Yes, CPT during my Master’s.

📄 Documents Viewed:
Passport, I-20
📄 Documents Retained:
Passport
⚠️ After Interview:
Received White 221(g) slip.
No documents requested.
No request to make social media public.
No request for CV, publications, or research summary.
No additional instructions provided.
Passport was retained.
📈 Timeline
Interview completed: ~11:10 AM
CEAC Status:
Approved: Same day (~1 PM)
Issued: Following morning
💡 Final Thoughts
Because I had previously received a Pink 221(g) in 2022 that took 30–40 days to resolve, I was initially concerned after receiving the White 221(g).
However, in this case:
No documents were requested.
Passport was retained.
CEAC changed to Approved within a few hours.
Visa was Issued the next day.
Sharing in case it helps other F-1 students who receive a White 221(g) and are worried about long administrative processing timelines

Has anyone recently attended an interview where you had to update the DS 160? I made a few errors and filled in a new DS 160 after already getting an appointment (for F1), but I don’t see an option to change the DS 160 in the website! When I enquired, they asked me to bring both the DS 160 to the VAC appointment!

Did anyone do this recently? What was the process like?

VAC in Hyderabad and Consular in Mumbai