First time H1-B stamping in Chennai for passport issued in Mumbai

[ndk221]

I got my first H1-B approval in 2008. I am originally from Mumbai and I have always got my previous visa stamps from the Mumbai consulate.

I paid my visa fees at an HDFC branch in Mumbai in the hope of getting an interview appointment in Mumbai this month. I am flying to India next week and I still do not see any open dates in Mumbai for the month of December. For some reason the VFS webpage displays open dates only at Chennai and Calcutta.

So the question... is it possible for me to visit the consulate in Chennai to get a visa stamp? Do I have to explain why I chose to come to Chennai instead of applying in Mumbai? Are there any other problems for people who choose a different consular district?

A quick survey on the US Consulate General - Chennai website only mentions to select the *most convenient* consular office. Right now I have at least one perfectly valid reason on why I should be granted an interview in Chennai.

[aspire_sam]

As per the new regulation, you can apply for VISA in any consulate in INDIA. This removes the ambiguity of choosing/justify the choice of a different consulate other than the one in your consular district. Refer to the link below. Hope this helps!!!

MurthyDotCom : Visa Applications in India - Flexible Choice of Consulate