got my US visa today...well it got approved today.....the actual visa will be delivered in about a weeks time. it took me 4 hrs to do this(not counting the time i applied on line, paid for the application form in a bank and got an appointment from the US embassy call centre, total cost,
$100 for the application form and $12 for the phone call)....there were 7 stages to the process; stage one - security check and x-ray of your belongings ( you have to check-in your mobiles and anything electronic like mp3 players, PDAs laptops), stage 2 - you go to a screening area where you are divided alphabetically. your application forms a checked and you are asked to rectify it on the spot. stage 3 - you go to the pre-screening window were they look at your supporting documents ( this queue takes from about 2 mins to 45 mins per person depending on the person checking them. i unfortunately was lined up on the latter. its already 845am at that time and i had a 730am interview appointment). stage 4 - you go back to a waiting area where you wait to be finger printed. stage 5 - biometric finger scanning, you wait in line to have you left and right index fingers scanned and forever be part of the system. stage 6 - actual interview, this took an actual time of 10 mins. the waiting time to get to this point after finger printing was about 25 mins. stage 7 - you again pay (P135 for metro manila) for the delivery of your passport within a week.
the thing that intrigues me here is, what is their basis for approving or denying your visa application (this is my 2nd visa and i got approved both times). the 25 mins i was waiting for my turn, i was able to observe a this one particular interviewer who had a very high mortality rate. in that span of time she denied 90% of those assigned to her window. people would come
up to her window and in a matter of a few minutes they would be in a verbal tussle...prime indication of an applicant being denied. i would see the applicants come up to her window armed to the teeth with supporting documents only to be turned away - denied.
i guess i was lucky enough to be on my 4th passport as i have been travelling a lot since '96. my interviewer only asked to see my old passports and asked why i had several multi-year visas for Australia. to which i answered, "well mate, i used to work as a consultant in Australia"....and that was that.....he entered a few things on his computer and handed me my delivery slip for my passport.
i think if they see that you have no intention on of staying in the US and have reason enough to come back they will give you a visa....but then again who knows what they think.
all i know at the moment is i got mine....and in 2 weeks time, i will be on my way to the US and probably settling for good.....i would have loved to settle in Australia....specially in Queensland.....but who am i to complain. the US is not a bad place to stay.
cheers.
