visa blues

It is really difficult for people from a third-world country like me to have a visa. I was ready to kill people at the Swiss Embassy and was starting to cry from frustration when faced with uncooperative and unfriendly staff. But I was able to get my student visa in the end so off I went to Geneva.

Next encounter I had was with the UK. I only had my student visa at that time, I was single, english-speaking, and I was deemed to have insufficient reasons to return to Switzerland. To think I only wanted to watch "Miss Saigon" with my aunt and her friends. Oh well, but they did not deny me outright so my records were clear.

Then I found work with the UN and then it was smooth sailing for papers, coz it was all handled by the office.

When I got married, I had to go to the Foreign Office coz they had to stamp my passport with a permit to stay which I didn't really need coz of the UN but we had to follow procedures. When my husband saw the note that I can work, he said I was really lucky to have it so easy. He had to struggle for a long time to get that, and were it not for the changes on the immigrants law in Germany, he might still have been queuing for this. But that is an old story coz he's got the German nationality now.

Then finally last week, I went to the US Consulate in Frankfurt to get a visa for we were planning to go to New York for a week. This time I was really scared coz its one of the most difficult visas to get. I was already thinking about all the possible reasons they won't give me one: 1) I was from the Philippines, coming from the South so I could be a possible terrorist. 2) The contract with the UN is usually 2 years and renewable. But would they consider "renewable" specially when my current one is ending this year? 3) The person could have a bad day and he/she would lash-out to the people applying (hello?!? meron kayang praning!). I was so nervous that while walking to the Consulate, I could not help but cry out loud "God! Help me!".

While waiting, I was observing the booths and I noticed this old guy who looked strict. I was praying I would not get him. Hah! Tough luck, I had to go to him. But I think God was smiling at me right that day coz the guy turned out to be nice, just asked me:

How long have you been working for the UN? (Since 1998)

How long have you been in Germany? (Since 1999, but in Europe since 1995, coz I was in Switzerland before that).

Husband? (One... ehm... yup one.)

Children? (One... a son)

How long will you stay in the US? (one week, in New York).

Travelling alone? (No. with my husband - and I had to explain the whole story).

What's his visa number? (He's German). Ok.

Then he was scribbling on my application... after a bit, he said: "So here's your visa (stamped on the right hand side of document), its valid for 10 years (scribbled some more and signed it), and you'll have it in seven days.

I was speechless and so surprised that the only thing I could say was "Sorry?" just wanting to know I heard him right. And he repeated what he said, so I got out of the Consulate in a daze and trying to re-run the whole conversation just to assure myself I heard him right... and at the end of the week, I had the proof. Valid till 2015... Hay! what more can I say but..

Thanks God.

and...

New York here I come!!! yipee!!!