<sea -gulls. Peace is a must>
And peace be onto you!
Umesh all luck -all theway!
mm
From: umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Mridul Bhuyan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Assam] Details: H-1B visa 20th floor interview;the preceding nightmares
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2006 03:50:50 +0100 (BST)
>Mridul-da,
>
>Thanks for the support to you and all AssamNet members
>- and best wishes for all your endevors.
>
>
>today I got the passpport with the visa stamped in
>it. Quite a relief. Went to the beach later near my
>host's residence and ate & fed cheese-biscuits to the
>sea -gulls. Peace is a must.
>
>Now I will enquire from the immigration officials at
>the Vancouver Intl Airport as to what is the earliest
>date I cann enter USA -given that I have a visa issued
>yesterday but permission to work only from Oct 2nd.
>
>Lets see.
>
>
>
>Umesh
>
>--- Mridul Bhuyan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Nice account Umesh. Best Wishes.
> >
> > Mridul
> >
> > umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > Here is the bit about my visa interview. Being one
> > of
> > a kind case - I do not know anybody being here for
> > H-1B visa for teaching (thru a visa contractor -in
> > my
> > case www.sonlightinternational.com ) . So I was
> > inwardly shaking when I went in. No lets start from
> > the beginning --from the preparation --from the hey
> > days of my sea beach visits --right to visit to the
> > visa officer.
> >
> > Here goes... When I had started from Washington DC
> > to
> > Vancouver, Canada - I already had brought with me
> > almost all the required documents. So it was only
> > this
> > Monday that I decided to wake up from this nature
> > resort holiday at www.ubc.ca and check out the place
> > where I was supposed to go for the visa interview.
> > For
> > added effect I went to the international airport at
> > Vancouver once again -where I had landed from DC.
> > The
> > aim was to make a direct connection between my
> > coming
> > here from DC and my going to the visa interview. It
> > made me focused and serious about the whole thing.
> > This lovely place had me taking it quite lightly
> > since
> > I had come here.
> >
> > So the next day (Tuesday) i spent filling out and
> > printing the forms DS-156, DS 157, DS -158 (I had
> > already got my passport size photos done on
> > Sunday--just 2 photos for $8 (Rs 400!!) at the UBC
> > library. The tricky part was the column regarding
> > country of residence -- had to mention two people
> > who
> > could vouch for me. Shall I say Canada (I know only
> > my
> > hots here) or India (then I could not recollect any
> > phone numbers). After a Google search -which showed
> > where you spent your last 12 or more months -as
> > resident country - mentioned my landlord and my
> > Harvard sponsor schooltime firnd Dr kamal Kejriwal's
> > names and phone etc.
> >
> > Yesterday (Wednesday) I painstakingly went over all
> > the documents I might need -made photocopies of them
> > all. God is in details -as the say. And more I went
> > over the stuff the more I realized that I had left
> > something . But I was successful in my aim in
> > packing
> > all the documents needed (incl US visa forms,
> > passport, $100 fee in cash in USD and original
> > marksheets etc, payslips etc, employment letters,
> > tax
> > forms, etc etc) by 10 pm in plastic bags. We could
> > not
> > take backpacks, cellphones, water or any electronic
> > devices--as told in the website --however on
> > reaching
> > there I was told to tear open all my sealed
> > marksheets/transcripts also--big mess -now have to
> > get
> > new ones from India.
> >
> > Then I ironed my only full sleeved white checked
> > (Raymonds Rs 300) shirt I had brought and the black
> > pants . I was told by my host and her mother that
> > the
> > all American tie (with stars and stripes -I bought
> > it
> > in DC -3 for $10) was too inappropriate and
> > recommended I wear a grey patterned one. Last night
> > while returning from the UBC library suddenly it had
> > started raining so weather had cooled down (I had my
> > folding umbrella gifted by Harvard Dorm crew -my
> > colleagues when we used to clean classrooms
> > together)
> > so I decided to wear an inner warm vest under the
> > shirt -and a wind cheater on top.
> >
> > I used my cellphone to tell the time but it was
> > banned
> > from US consulate so my host's husband had offered
> > his
> > watch (my HMT with Hindi day dial has run out
> > battery
> > anyway) but I decided against taking it --since even
> > in James Bond movies -he blows up buildings with his
> > watch --the consulate security mighthave similar
> > ideas
> > regarding watching and might asked me to throw my
> > host's watch out before getting in.
> >
> > I could not sleep nearly all night (my cellphone was
> > set for 3 alarms -at 6:30 am, 6:45 am and 7:00 am)
> > so
> > did not need more than one alarm and kept waking up
> > all night. (Even had a nightmare where a calf in
> > someplace near Jaipur is biting my arm -and stopping
> > me from racing on to some school in some village
> > near
> > there. the previous night I had a dream that somehow
> > I
> > am Jaipur School and talking to a student's parent
> > -of
> > 2005 batch--and suddenly I look at my watch and lo!
> > it
> > is already 8:40 am -and then I remember I have to
> > rush
> > for the visa interview -the US consulate building at
> > vancouver appears [in a deamy way] to be located in
> > downtown Jaipur -in my mind. So I rush outside -how
> > willI reach there?? Oh!! then I see my red , chrome
> > and black bullet enfield parked under the tree in
> > front of my house. Does it still work after my two
> > year stay in US? So confusing ---all mixed up -
> > across
> > time and space. That was the end of taht terrifying
> > dream of last night (Wednesday Sep 13th).
> >
> > So got up at first alarm and rushed thru the morning
> > drill -again checked my passport and the visa forms
> > -and at 7:45 am ran out the door. No rain, I had
> > checked the weather report on Yahoo - said might
> > rain
> > so took umbrella and cold weather 9-15 degree
> > celcius
> > -like winter in most India. Thebus which I changed
> > after a 20 minute ride was in rush hour for going
> > downtown (main city) so elbow to elbow I stood in
> > thebus and reached the last station -Burhard Station
> > -which was where I was to get down. It was exactly
> > 8:30 am in the clock at the bus stand. Still one and
> > a
> > half hours to go.
> >
> > There were tall sky scrapers all around (though not
> > too tall compared to NYC --ony upto 30 floors)but
> > quite styilishly done. I generally feel like a
> > tourist
> > -and not at home -in such concrete jungles.
> >
> > Having been to the US consulate during my scouting
> > mission on Monday - I knew where it was --so got
> > inside a building before it -and at "Seattle's Best
> > Coffee" bought "Americano" coffee for getting the
> > American spirit. Small things get you connected :-)
> > After the coffee I got some rumbling in my stomach
> > -which I was anticipating (always happens
> > ininterviews
> > to me -so I nevver eat before interviews or
> > sometimes
> > even the night before)--and seeing me holding the
> > coffee cup the security guard told me how to get the
> > coffee shop people to get me inside the
> > toliet/washroomm/restroom. After relaxing a bit (I
> > mean a lot) walked straight to the US consulate
> > office
> > -just one building away.
> >
> > There was a long line there. The old,
> > AfricanAmerican
> > security guard I had inquired from -the other
> > day-was
> > also there. Being polite and genial with security
> > gurads is very useful -always ;-)
> > There was a line with 8:30 am written on the post in
> > front of it. They were close to the door. The line
> > nearer was the 9:00 am line. Despite warnings in
> > website and even at the office -still some poeple
> > had
> > brought cellphones, backpacks, purses (ladies)
> > --needless to say most of the people were Indian -in
> > the lines. I guessed most were from nearby -Seattle
> > -where Microsoft is head-quartered -withBill Gates
> > -the famous Harvard drop-out ruling from there --or
> > from California -a little down the pacific coast.
> > Perhaps I was the only one -maybe in months or years
> > -who had travelled all the way from Washington DC
> > (4,000 miles away -to Vancouver's US consulate -the
> > last outpost of Western civilization [if we discount
> > Alaska above it]). (I am glad i did - fun city and
> > great hosts.) That became more clear when I was
> > questioned by the visa officers later.
> >
> > Among those standing were a few Indian families
> > -witha
> > child barely able to walk -swaying around etc. A few
> > girls also seemed to be bravingit alone. Most seemed
> > like who had studied and/or worked in US -seeing
> > from
> > their level of confidence and ease.
> >
> > When our 10am line was stationed at the door -the
> > old
> > security guard came up tp me and said :' Are you for
> > H-1B visa?" --I said Yes. Then he pointed out to the
> > guys in front of me and behind me -- they carried
> > just
> > a folder with a few documents. My swollen plastic
> > bags
> > were sagging (one's plastic handle had nearly come
> > off
> > -due to heavy weight-I had an extra one -thankfully)
> > with documents and now my umbrella and the
> > wind-cheater also.
> >
> > It created problems when I went thru the security
> > checks -but I had already opened all the sealed
> > envelopes -thankfully they didn't mess up with the
> > order of the documents as I had arranged them. I had
> > noone to guide me -so i took ALL the documents I
> > thought they could ask me for. I felt more confident
> > becos of that --so there!!
> >
> > Inside the door was the first security check point.
> > I
> > had to remove everything except my clothes (ie my
> > belt
> > , iron bangle -Kada of Sikhs etc, wallet, coins
> > etc).
> > After going one floor one - they had a sign which
> > read
> > that I had to deposit my visa forms DS-156, DS157
> > (my
> > DS 158 was useless - it was for only student visas
> > -but I took just in case ;-) ) my I-797 form -from
> > US
> > immigration inside US, employment letter, and US $
> > 100
> > cash. The cashier gave me a slip with B59 written on
> >
> > it.
> >
> > I took a seat with others. The digital piece called
> > numbers B48 to B52. A quote from Rosa Parks seemed
> > familiar in the background. I took up a Feb 2004
> > issue
> > of National geographic Magazine lying there - about
> > Polar bears. I learnt that Eskimos are around
> > me-only
> > found in Alaska, Canada and across the sea in
> > Siberia.
> > The seals (which polar bears eat) I had already seen
> > near my current residence at www.ubc.ca
> > They called numbers B53 to B58. Then again a click I
> > looked up -they called numbers B60 onwards. Where
> > was
> > my B59!! Still I wnet along and told the security
> > guard . She said that sometimes the machine skips a
> > few numbers -its alright!!! She got us on the
> > elevator/lift to the 20th floor!!! (I have never
> > done
> > any serious work so high up).
> >
> > Again the security check -the Chinese looking guards
> > seemed as thorough as Bruce Lee -they really emptied
> > all my bags and even checked many envelopes to see
> > if
> > they were sealed or not (Anthrax scare??) They
> > weren't
> > --thoroughness is the key in preparation!!!
> > So they sent me in. In a narrow corridor sat the
> > applicants in plastic chairs. in front were cabins
> > (4
> > feet by 5 feet) with ticket windows . I was aksed to
> > report at "room 1" (cabin 1). When my turn came I
> > had
> > to place my index fingers (near the thumb) for
> > finger
> > printing.
> >
> > Then back to musical chairs - and suddenly got a
> > seat
> > just below "room 3" and that was the main interview.
> > He already had my forms etc (incl my work and study
> > details)
> > VO (Visa Officer): So this is your first H-1B visa?
> > US (myself) : Yes
> >
> > VO: So did you also study in US?
> > US: Yes
> >
> > VO: Where?
> > US: Harvard Univ, School of Education
> >
> > He opens my student visa page in the passport and
> > confirms my Univ
> >
> > VO: What did you study there?
> > US: I did my masters in education --actually he also
> > says that together -oh you must have done masters
> >
> > VO: When did you graduate?
> > US: Last summer.......June 2005
> >
> > VO: So what have you been doing since?
> > US: I was on my OPT (Optional Practical Training)
> > for
> > last one year and working in various schools.
> >
> > VO: So you were working in Boston (thats where
> > Harvard
> > is)
> > US: No I was in Washington DC (my form said I worked
> > in Virginia and Maryland -in DC Metro area)
> >
> > VO: So who is this SonLight International -your new
> > employer and visa sponsor?
> > US: They supply teachers to schools (I had recalled
> > this answer only while sitting waiting for my turn a
> > few minutes before)
> >
> > VO: So your earlier jobs did they get over after a
> > fixed time?
> > US: They got over when the academic session got
> > over.
> > One got over in April 2006, the other in June 2006
> > -they were part time jobs.
> >
> > VO: so have started work with the new employer -can
> > you show me the pay stubs
> > US: I would start working thru them from Oct 2nd. I
> > can show you the pay stubs from my previous
> > employers.
> >
> > VO: OK
> >
> > I dig into my big bags and thankfully am able to
> > find
> > the paystubs still bunched up togther --the security
> > guards could not mess up this too much.
> > He looks at them. I notice my employer (
> > www.belldc.org ) 's colroful commendation
> > certificate
> > and when he returns my paystubs after leafing thru
> > them a bit -- I offer him my certificate. 'From my
> > previous employer sir -for my good work!"
> >
> > VO: Good!
> > He is scribbling something on my visa form.
> >
> > VO: so where will you be working now?
> > US: At Washinton DC . Potomac
> >
> > VO: Do you mean Washington state?
> > US: I mean Washington DC - Potomac in Maryland
> > actually
> >
> > He was testing whether I knew where my work-place
> > was
> > and had I been there.
> >
> > VO: So what are you doing here (he probably meant
> > Vancouver and not Toronto which is much much closer
> > to
> > DC)
> > US: Oh my OPT period was expiring so I had to come
> > out
> > (to Canada).
> >
> > VO: He smiled -so you got the ealriest date in
> > vancouver ?
> > US: Yes
> >
> > He scribbled something on a form -cirlcled IND H
> > some code and 50
> > in four separate columns (India, H visa, code for
> > visa
> > issuance and 50$ fee) and aksed me to pay up at the
> > cashier's place. I said I don;t have $50 cash - the
> > website didn't say anything about it www.amcits.com
> > He said don't worry they accept credit cards
> > (initially I was reluctant to bring them -security
> > might ask them to be thrown -as electronic devices)
> > and bring the receipt to "room 1"
> >
> > US: Thank you so much. have a nice day!!
> > He seemed genuinely surprised -perhaps people were
> > too
> > formal here.
> >
> > Same greeting to the cashier.
> > At room one the VO gave me a red slip to bring
> > tomorrow (Friday ) at 3pm . The slip read that it
> > only
> > guarentees return of the passport but not visa
> > issuance (if they find something hanky-panky in my
> > info etc).
> >
> > So thats that. It is 1:43 am now and it is Friday
> > already.
> >
> > Hopefully i would get the visa-stamped passport
> > today
> > and so to get busy revising my high scchool math,
> > eco
> > and chem.
> >
> > Regards.Hoep it was interesting (and also useful to
> > some)
> >
> > Umesh
> >
> > PS: Moral : Apply for US visa for work/study from a
> > third country only if you have worked and or studied
> > in US -otherwise apply from your home country --so
> > they can ask questions . VOs in India know a lot
> > about
> > Indian jobs and edu degrees and society in general
> > Many have lived in India for long -even as tourists
> > -before joing the VO jobs.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Umesh Sharma
> > 5121 Lackawanna ST
> > College Park, MD 20740 USA
> >
> > Current temp. address: 5649 Yalta Place , Vancouver,
> > Canada
> >
> > 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
> > Canada # (607) 221-9433
> >
> > Ed.M. - International Education Policy
> > Harvard Graduate School of Education,
> > Harvard University,
> > Class of 2005
> >
> > weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
> >
> >
> >
> >
>___________________________________________________________
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check
> > it out.
>
>
>Umesh Sharma
>5121 Lackawanna ST
>College Park, MD 20740 USA
>
>Current temp. address: 5649 Yalta Place , Vancouver, Canada
>
> 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
>Canada # (607) 221-9433
>
>Ed.M. - International Education Policy
>Harvard Graduate School of Education,
>Harvard University,
>Class of 2005
>
>weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
>
>
>
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