Category: the Rant Board
A word of warning:
This post contains some strong language, so, if you're easily offended, don't read on.
I'm in the process of applying for a visa to visit the United States of America.
As you may all be aware, in order to be granted a visa, you have to have a valid passport, which, in most instances, are issued by the department of Home Affairs in your resident country.
Here in South Africa, it can take up to 8 weeks for you to receive your permanent passport, from the time you applied for it.
Bare in mind that, in order for you to obtain a passport, here in South Africa you have to pay the equivalent of roughly 20 to 25 US Dollars.
Now when applying for a visa to visit the United States, part of the procedure for South African sitizens is to appear in person before the consul general, or what ever the fuck his title is.
In order for you to schedule such an appointment, you have to perchase a "pin" number, costing roughly 8 dollars.
Said Pin code allows you 9 minutes of talking time with an operator at the call center where you have to schedule an appointment, ... yes, you read it correctly, nine minutes.
So once your 9 minutes talking time is up, or you have to reschedule an appointment, you have to perchase another pin code, or, you're fucked.
Pardon me for saying so, but this to me, is fucking rediculous!
Apart from that, when applying for a US Visa, you have to pay a non refundable 131 US Dollars, and, then you're not guaranteed that you'll be granted a visa.
So it happens that after more than 8 weeks of waiting, I still haven't received my fucking passport, yes, I have been issued with a temporary one, but, if I apply with this passport for a visa, and once I get my permanent passport I want to go to the US again, I will have to apply for another visa again, and subsequently pay that non refundable 131 Dollars again!
So this afternoon I tried rescheduling my appointmet at the US Consulate, because of the fact that I didn't yet have my permanent passport, and that after what seems to me than more than enough time for Home Affairs to have issued it.
Also, I was hoping to not have to pay 131 Dollars twice, as I explained earlier in this post.
Well, it so turned out that my 9 minutes of talking time with one of the operators at the Consulate' call center was up, thus my "pin" number had expired, and, that I have to buy another "pin" number,
costing another 8 + US Dollars, that is, if I want to reschedule my appointment.
Bare in mind that the US Consulate is approximately 2 hours drive from my home, and that I have to make special arrangements just to get there.
I am just really extremely annoyed, frustrated, and, fucking angry at both South Africa's Home Affairs, as well as with the system implemented at the US Consulate.
It just feels that everybody's out to get money out of you, even though they do fuck all to help you.
I am not in the least surprised at your treatment. I've dealt with U.S. nd their visas for 10 years now. What type of visa are you applying for and how long are you planning to sta? Can't say many words of comfort except, this sucks, which is no comfort at all in fact, but true. ;)
Cheers
-B
I am applying for a business / pleasure visa, ... or something to that extent. I was hoping to stay 3 weeks, ... provided I'm being granted a visa.
I don't blame you for being pissed off. The whole process sounds ridiculous!
i've invitation for several students exchange as well as some other family gathering to the states, and a internship program. but i'm slightly put it off because of the reason with the states visa is soooo damn fuckin hard to approved. i got worn that it might take up to few months or half a year, before they approve anything, if i'm lucky enough, because of my country of citizenship considering as one of the muslim country and i fall under the age of 16/45.
one of the trick i've been told is to book and pay for an air ticket, but that didn't mean anything, that just meant that i'm ready to return to australia within the timefraime of the program. but yet, if the states visa got disapproved, there's no chance for me to get any cancelation fee deal to the nature of united states visa from the air-ticket.
what the hell is that?
it means that i gotta spend at least 1500 to 2500USD and don't have any promise or whats ever before any assurance of visa or whats ever they issue.
as far as Ive heard, here they test the spoken english while we apply for a visa to visit US. and, if we apply for a tourist visa, it's getting approved easily.
and as per the passport, fortunately they give preference to the handicapped persons here. we don't wana stand in a long queue. and once if we're filling up the application form without any mistakes and submitting it to the authority, we'll be getting our passport in a couple of weeks. in between a police verification formality is there. so if you're not going anywhere while they visit your house for verification, I'm sure you can get your passport here in two weeks time without any problem.
Raaj.