Ever had the feeling those US folk would really rather not have foreigners come visit? If you've stood in line at Immigration at a US entry point or, worse still, had to apply for a visa in advance you could be forgiven for thinking that was the case. However, some of us are still not deterred and now that our friends at the Massachusetts Travel and Tourism Office have asked us to come and film their spectacular state, the hoop jumping could no longer be avoided. I thought I would share my experience...
Filming/reporting/journalism requires an I Visa and so it was that I ended up in a queue outside the US Embassy at 7.15 am this morning, clutching my passport and assembled documents. I was not alone - ahead of me were 12 other early birds and by the time the doors opened for security at 7.30, the queue behind me was disappearing around the corner of Grosvenor Square.
Luckily the sun was shining but if its raining/cold you are in a for a grim time.
8am is the designated appointment time although it turns out everyone is told the same time and it is first come, first served. Security being as it is, you are not allowed to take any electronic items into the Embassy - including mobile phones, i pods, even car key fobs. 2 out of the 12 ahead of me fell at the first hurdle and were sent with tail between legs to a shop down the road that's making a killing offering short term safe deposit for such items.
After 3 separate security checks, I made it into the building, just before 8am. Another check of paperwork and then you are assigned a number. Then its up into the waiting area where you watch the screens like a hawk til your number is called. This took about 15 minutes then there was another check and fingerprints and then a further fingerprint check at another window until you are sent back to your seat to wait again. It doesn't seem to go in number order so I guess some visa types take longer to process than others. I've heard stories of others waiting hours at this point (there are toilets and a cafe area) but, as it turned out, mine was just 10 minutes.
A nice man from the Embassy gave me the once over, asked a few pertinent questions re my intentions stateside and then stared at his screen for a very long time (well, seemed it anyway) until he finally announced I was good to go. A quick stop at the courier service to organise having my passport sent back to me and I was out by 8.30am. Result!
And the damage... well, a 5 min phone call to set up the appointment in the first place (charged at £1.60 per minute = £8), the charge for the visa itself $130 (approx £86), peak rate train ticket to get to London in time for the 8am appointment, £22.50 and £14.20 for the courier cost of the passport - a grand total of £130.70. Of course if you don't happen to live within striking distance of London (or Belfast) you'll have more travel costs, time wasting, possibly even overnight accommodation on top of that.
They don't make it easy do they?!
Anyone else had good/bad experiences applying for visas? Feel free to leave a comment.
Labels: travel tips, US Visa