The makings of a tragedy (well almost)
When you prepare all the documents and other paperwork for your U.S. visa application, being particular about the details is of paramount importance. A little thing here and there can put a hitch in the whole process. On a day when the mercury rose to a sweltering 104 Deg F made worse by a humidity level of 70%, I felt like I was in some modern day drama. As the morning progressed, I was left wondering how it would all end.
I got there 20 mintutes before my appointment and was directed into the consulate. After a brief wait I submitted all my documents at the counter. However, apparently there was something wrong with my photograph as there was some sort of shadow in the background that I had somehow missed out on. Thus, with a re-entry slip in hand which indicated I had about 30 minutes to get a new photograph and return to the consulate, I hurried out of the embassy and fortunately found a photo studio right across the street. "Great!!" I thought. This really shouldn't take too much time then.
Now if you're accustommed to having your passport photograph taken in say a Jewel-Osco or its likes, you know that the whole process takes a maximum of 5 minutes or so. Well, in this fine shop manned by 2 able people in a small 75 sq ft hole, they actually managed to take 35 minutes! This despite the fact that they had a digital camera!! After clicking the camera, the woman spent 25 minutes continuously clicking her mouse and staring intently at her screen. You could almost forgive her for attempting to cajole the bloody pixels into life or something! When this modern piece of art finally revealed itself on a Kodak photo printer, the man next to her, like a pre-programed robot, picked up his small pair of scissors and intently started cutting the borders around the photograph. In those 10 minutes, his small 6" ruler often came to his aid, as he worked on finessing this piece of art that had just been created by the woman next to him.
So with my face neatly plastered on a photographic paper (I wish I had feigned a smile)I rushed back to the Consulate to hand in the photograph and duly assumed my position in one of the countless chairs in the visa waiting room. I was engrossed in an article about some controversy surrounding the origins of the grey wolf when I heard my name over their PA system. Normally this would be good news as it would be an indication of an interview call with one of the consular officers. However, in this case, I was asked to report back to the same counter where I had submitted all my paperwork.
"Uh oh" I thought. "Now what?" The lady across the counter (who btw was very polite), informed me that my bank draft (towards the application fee - ~ $100) was missing a date and so I had to get a new one. This time she generously gave me 1 hour for this. Somehow I figured that getting cash would be a sufficient subsitute. So once again I rushed out, found my chauffer and tried to get in touch with my parents on their cellphones. No one picked up for a while. Finally my dad picked up and I informed him about the mess. Fortunately, he was on his way to work and his car was quite close to the consulate. On the busy streets of Calcutta, I managed to rendezvous with my dad in record time, and he gave me the cash I needed.
With this latest issue sorted out, I rushed back to the consulate. By now, the security personnel recognized me and gave me knowing smiles as I went back in. I went back to the famed counter and as I tried to hand over the cash, the lady informed that they only took a bank draft. "Fuck fuck fuck!" She gave me another hour to take care of this.
I rushed back out, got in my car and tried to look for a local bank that would help me out of this mess. I stopped at the sight of the first one I could find. The lady at the customer service counter politely declined my request as she said that the bank could only issue a bank draft for existing account holders and that it would in any case take a couple of days. All I had was 30 minutes! Then a small miracle of sorts happened. The girl sitting next to her suddenly spoke up and said that it could work even though they were normally not allowed to do it. She asked me to sit down and started the paperwork. Interestingly enough, during the paperwork process she managed to learn quite a bit about my last 26 years! I was keen on humoring her as long as she got my work done. I politely asked her about her background as well and she indicated that she had studied in England and was quite eager to get an MBA from an Ivy League as well. 20 minutes later, I had the draft in hand and as I got up to leave, she awkardly shoved her business card to me with her cellphone number, telling me that I could get in touch with her if I needed any more help. Interesting....
I rushed back to the consulate for what I hoped would be the final step in the process. As I walked through security, I felt that the personnel were actually cheering for me by now! When I handed in the draft, the lady looked at me giving me sympathetic smile and said that everything was now in place...woohoo!!
I finally took my rightful place among the hundred-odd people waiting for their visa interviews. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long and I was called for my interview. The consular officer was the same guy who had interviewed me in December for my H-1B interview. Interestingly enough, he asked me the same questions and I informed him that we had met in December! On hearing that he appeared surprised but was a lot more friendly after that. He became even more relaxed when he saw that I was going to attend Yale. Apparently he had a bunch of friends at Yale Law and was going to be visiting them in October!
So the good news after 4 hours of drama was that my visa got approved and now I shall patiently wait for it to arrive at my residence via courier. I don't expect any more hiccups.
Now excuse me as I go and put the Yale bumper sticker on my car!! :)
I got there 20 mintutes before my appointment and was directed into the consulate. After a brief wait I submitted all my documents at the counter. However, apparently there was something wrong with my photograph as there was some sort of shadow in the background that I had somehow missed out on. Thus, with a re-entry slip in hand which indicated I had about 30 minutes to get a new photograph and return to the consulate, I hurried out of the embassy and fortunately found a photo studio right across the street. "Great!!" I thought. This really shouldn't take too much time then.
Now if you're accustommed to having your passport photograph taken in say a Jewel-Osco or its likes, you know that the whole process takes a maximum of 5 minutes or so. Well, in this fine shop manned by 2 able people in a small 75 sq ft hole, they actually managed to take 35 minutes! This despite the fact that they had a digital camera!! After clicking the camera, the woman spent 25 minutes continuously clicking her mouse and staring intently at her screen. You could almost forgive her for attempting to cajole the bloody pixels into life or something! When this modern piece of art finally revealed itself on a Kodak photo printer, the man next to her, like a pre-programed robot, picked up his small pair of scissors and intently started cutting the borders around the photograph. In those 10 minutes, his small 6" ruler often came to his aid, as he worked on finessing this piece of art that had just been created by the woman next to him.
So with my face neatly plastered on a photographic paper (I wish I had feigned a smile)I rushed back to the Consulate to hand in the photograph and duly assumed my position in one of the countless chairs in the visa waiting room. I was engrossed in an article about some controversy surrounding the origins of the grey wolf when I heard my name over their PA system. Normally this would be good news as it would be an indication of an interview call with one of the consular officers. However, in this case, I was asked to report back to the same counter where I had submitted all my paperwork.
"Uh oh" I thought. "Now what?" The lady across the counter (who btw was very polite), informed me that my bank draft (towards the application fee - ~ $100) was missing a date and so I had to get a new one. This time she generously gave me 1 hour for this. Somehow I figured that getting cash would be a sufficient subsitute. So once again I rushed out, found my chauffer and tried to get in touch with my parents on their cellphones. No one picked up for a while. Finally my dad picked up and I informed him about the mess. Fortunately, he was on his way to work and his car was quite close to the consulate. On the busy streets of Calcutta, I managed to rendezvous with my dad in record time, and he gave me the cash I needed.
With this latest issue sorted out, I rushed back to the consulate. By now, the security personnel recognized me and gave me knowing smiles as I went back in. I went back to the famed counter and as I tried to hand over the cash, the lady informed that they only took a bank draft. "Fuck fuck fuck!" She gave me another hour to take care of this.
I rushed back out, got in my car and tried to look for a local bank that would help me out of this mess. I stopped at the sight of the first one I could find. The lady at the customer service counter politely declined my request as she said that the bank could only issue a bank draft for existing account holders and that it would in any case take a couple of days. All I had was 30 minutes! Then a small miracle of sorts happened. The girl sitting next to her suddenly spoke up and said that it could work even though they were normally not allowed to do it. She asked me to sit down and started the paperwork. Interestingly enough, during the paperwork process she managed to learn quite a bit about my last 26 years! I was keen on humoring her as long as she got my work done. I politely asked her about her background as well and she indicated that she had studied in England and was quite eager to get an MBA from an Ivy League as well. 20 minutes later, I had the draft in hand and as I got up to leave, she awkardly shoved her business card to me with her cellphone number, telling me that I could get in touch with her if I needed any more help. Interesting....
I rushed back to the consulate for what I hoped would be the final step in the process. As I walked through security, I felt that the personnel were actually cheering for me by now! When I handed in the draft, the lady looked at me giving me sympathetic smile and said that everything was now in place...woohoo!!
I finally took my rightful place among the hundred-odd people waiting for their visa interviews. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long and I was called for my interview. The consular officer was the same guy who had interviewed me in December for my H-1B interview. Interestingly enough, he asked me the same questions and I informed him that we had met in December! On hearing that he appeared surprised but was a lot more friendly after that. He became even more relaxed when he saw that I was going to attend Yale. Apparently he had a bunch of friends at Yale Law and was going to be visiting them in October!
So the good news after 4 hours of drama was that my visa got approved and now I shall patiently wait for it to arrive at my residence via courier. I don't expect any more hiccups.
Now excuse me as I go and put the Yale bumper sticker on my car!! :)
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