PAGE 5

Destination : University of Cincinnati
Major : Master of Community Planning
Visa Interview Location : Chennai.
Counter number : 3
Me: Good morning Mam! (and passed over the folder)
Vo: Good morning
VO: Stares at the monitor and types (as usual)
VO: What's ur UG?
Me: Geo-Informatics
VO: So, first class?
Me: Ya! I have't got my VIII semester results but upto VII semester, first class!
VO: U are getting partial scholarship and ur parents are funding for the rest?
Me: Ya!
VO: What do ur parents do?
Me: Told Father so n so and Mother so n so.
VO: U are getting ur VISA and u'l get ur passport by next week
Me: Thank you Mam!
and tatz it!
VO: everything seems fine here.
VO:What do you like in physics.
ME: Particle Physics ... And also Astro particle Physics .. [little more blah blah}
VO: you have got your visa. so you have to go in august only, there is lot of time
ME: I dont know what to say and i remain silent
VO: enjoy your stay in US { with a 100Watt smile and *sigh* i wished i where single ...then i realised well I am actually single only }

AND THEN ... she handed me a pink slip { yes, the dreaded 221(g) slip }.... maybe she read my thoughts and got pissed off .. and after that

VO: fill the extra details and give at counter A

Visa rejected

Decision: Rejected
Consulate: Hyderbad
Date/Time: 27 May 2009 – 10:30 am
University Heading to : George Mason University
Department : Master's in Electrical Engineering
Cost on I-20: $33,404
Funded/Unfunded/Partially funded (details):Unfunded
Work Experience :0 years
I reached the consulate at 9:00 am...completed all the formalities and at appro. 10:00am my token number was called...VO was a guy in mid thirties with glasses...
Me:Good morning sir,How do you do?
VO:Fine,thank you...give me the token please...
VO: Why US?
Me:To pursue Master's in electrical Engineering at george mason university
VO:pardon?
Me:*Said the same thing again*
VO:So,you've done your UG and you graduated in 2008.What have you done after that?
Me:My plan was to go for MS with 1 year job experience as i've got job in Syntel.But due to the economic downturn they delayed our joinings...so,i just concentrated on going for MS...
VO:what's your UG %?first class or second class?
Me:second class...missed first class by 1%
VO:pardon?
Me:*now a bit more loud* missed first class by 1%...
VO:how many backlogs?
Me:one
VO:pardon?
Me:*a bit more loud* One!!!
VO:show me your marksheets please...
Me:does the same...
VO:who is sponsering you?
Me:my father...(should've said parents coz FD is in my mother's name)
VO:the expenses in your i20 shows 33,000$ which is appro. 15 lakhs.How are you gonna meet the expenses?
Me:we have 20 lakhs amount in Fixed deposits.
Vo:show me the statement.
Me:*produces the FD statement and the VO gives it back after giving a look at it*
VO:what does your father do?
Me:he's working as senior manager at canara bank...
VO:pardon?
Me:*repeats the same goddamn thing...*
VO:what's his total annual income?
Me:6.5lakhs...
VO:have you got any bank statements?
Me:Oh,sure!*produces the passbook*
VO:so,you have 6 lakhs in your savings account?*pointing at Rs.6000 in passbook to me*
Me:No,sir!we are not maintaining anything in the savings but we have 20 lakhs FDs...
VO:what's the reason for your low percentage in UG?
Me:I always missed out on 10 to 15 marks in getting 65% but i've done well in lab works and project...
Vo:why george mason university?
Me:oh!the research work is very good in state-of-the-art technology like wireless communications and networking...
VO:*gave a nod(not the "okay!continue" kind of nod) and started typing something in the computer*
Me:*i thought it was enough answering the previous question...so,i stopped there... *
VO:*takes the form 214(b) and says* sorry!i can't issue visa to you now,thank you.
Me:*strolls out of the place in dismay packing the things*


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