My US Visa Interview Experience
I went to the US Embassy last month to apply for a tourist visa because I'll be accompanying my husband on his business trip and probably tour some places too. On the day of the interview, I came to the embassy an hour earlier. Many people were already queued outside the building and I was asked to join them. When my number was called for the interview, I was a little nervous because I saw how the officer asked the lady before me with questions like, 'Are you sure it's Disneyworld and not Disneyland? The state where you want to want to travel is in the East Coast but your family is in the West.' I can't help listening because the officer's voice was loud enough to be heard in the waiting room. At the end of the lady's interview I was almost sure that she'd be denied. She wasn't, to her relief, and mine too. So when he started asking me questions, I tried to be calm but still a little nervous and sometimes wasn't careful with my words. For example, I said 'I COULDN'T get a dependent visa (in Malaysia) last year because....', instead of DIDN'T. But I corrected myself after. Minus passing points, I thought. Another is when he asked me what we'll be doing there, I replied, 'After my husband WORKED in their US branch, we will go on a holiday trip.' Although he will actually work there, it's not the correct term since his real employer is his company here in Malaysia. So again I stand corrected and said, 'After he ANALYZED THE SYSTEM...' Hell, these consuls are just freakingly allergic to some words. It's like once they hear these words, dingdong! they'll be thinking you're planning to immigrate to their dear country. Well, I can't blame them. To quote the officer, 'Every Filipino has at least one relative in the US.' He told me that when I denied about having relatives in the US. After that question, I felt my chances of going to Universal Studios fading. Finally he asked the make-or-break question: 'How could you assure me that you'll come back? I knew this was coming and so I confidently answered, 'My husband and I are already well settled here in Malaysia.' But he wasn't totally convinced and continued, 'Your husband is settled, but you're not.' My passport and (un)employment status back up his claim but still I was a little taken aback at his reaction and so I responded, 'I can't imagine myself living alone in a foreign country and everyday, all I'd do is bust my ass just to live comfortably.' Well that's dream line, so I told him rather, 'I got no one there to live with, so there's no reason for me to stay.' He made a few more questions and finally asked if I want to pick up my passport or have it delivered. Two days later, I went back to the embassy and to my amazement, it was a 10-year multiple entry visa! I really wasn't expecting to get that, a one-year tourist visa would be fine, really. I don't know if I got a great deal of convincing points in that make-or-break question, or it's just much easier to get a US visa here in Malaysia, or US is really giving 10-year visas nowadays. Or, as I would like to think, I was just lucky.
