The D-Day has come at last. The day of my interview of visa. If I was rejected a visa, the dreams which I, my parents and other well-wishers were building so far would be shattered. I had the only best option of studying Masters as with my under-grad scores, it would be very difficult or rather impossible to get a well-paid job in a company in India. So with hopes of getting a visa, I entered the building on 13th july 2007. Meanwhile this date was suggested to me by my best friend and this number was the birth date of my friend. So with a good note, I entered the building. In the initial check up, I was asked to replace the photo from my DS forms. This particular photo was what I thought as my asset as I was so perfect in it, that just with a look, anyone can term me as a by core professional candidate. But with a minor glare in the glasses, the system was not accepting the pic. So I was asked to replace it with a new pic which did not have a glare in it. With no such pics with me, I had to go out of the building and take a new pic. I was completely upset here as with that beautiful climate of Chennai where you sweat even when u sit in a AC room, my face with the hair blown out of position, I was in the best mess ever possible to someone. I was very sure that if I take a pic of mine in this state, one glance at my pic, wud suggest even a naive person that I am a culprit or someone whoz got to be doubted a lot. But with no option left, I had to go out, search for a lab which can give me a pic within one hour. Paid 40 bucks to an auto just to travel about 100 metres. So while returning from the lab, I walked back with the resolution that, today I am going to walk of out this consulate with my visa approved. At this point, I remembered the last sentence of my dear dad when I was leaving in train from hyderabad to chennai which was " come back with a visa". So once I got into the building, I tried go with the old pic still on the form as the person who told me to get a new pic was changed. Unfortunately, this guy also asked me if I had any pic without glasses. So I removed my new, handsome pic which was taken in the worst possible angle and gave to him. So once I was done with all the formalities, I joined the queue to the main building. Once into the room, I was seated and then started the game. I knew that this was the best chance where I can bag my visa. If it is rejected, then all the plans will go way wire and I will land up in the best mess ever known to the mankind. Though there is an option of attending the interview for the second time, always getting a victory in the first attempt is something to be proud of. So, I was kind of counting the evens and odds against me. It was very clear to me that, in financial aspect, I cant be rejected as it was organised in the best way. Moreover with my dad being a Chartered Accountant, he took care of every minute detail regarding it. The only problem would be my under-grad scores which were not appreciable. So I had this 50-50 chances. There were other factors which made me more nervous like one of my friend with much better academics than me being rejected about a week back and moreover the university which he applied was the same one which I was going with. Apart from this, when I entered the building, I came to know that on the previous day of my interview date, there was a meeting in which the chief consulate told the press, that out of 400 people from my state, 399 come with fake documents and there would be a strict verification of each and every person. Though I had all the original documents, there is no denying the fact that people like me were also rejected on the basis of fakes. In front of me, one girl was rejected saying that her FD's were a dupe while even at my distance I can assert that it was an original. She had a very good profile with that rejection, she literally begged the Visa Officer to re-consider his decision. But then, it was of no use. So from 1 pm, the time I entered the main building, I was observing all the counters and the behaviour of the personnel over there to get atleast a vague idea as to which counter would be favour my chance of getting my visa. I noted in mind that at counter 1, where a VO was taking the finger prints was the coolest guy, but unfortunately he was given the job of finger prints which avoided him to interview the candidates for visa. Then again there was this beautiful young lady, whose reputation I heard many months ago. She was reputed to reject 99% of the candidates who attended her counter. Also I was previously warned to avoid any counter which has a lady VO in it.
Frankly saying, I had no knowledge as to how far were these statements true. But I was positive about their truthfulness, once I started observing the rejections made by these ladies. So at any cost I decided to avoid them. So at around 3:30 I entered the dreadful queue with no idea in my mind as to where and which counter I would land up in. Later on I realised that, I would fall in either the counter of the Ms. Rejection or a guy with french beard. If I go into the lady's counter, it was 100% that I would'nt get my visa, where as at the guy's counter I had 50-50 chances as though he was issuing visas, he was rejecting the same number. Either way, I decided to jump the queue of the lady. So at the time when I was about to land up in either of these counters, well, it happened. A miracle which helped me to come near to my goal. Blessing came in the form a personnel who was asking the people in front of me regarding which type of visa they have applied for and sent an old lady, two students to the counter one. Well, this was the counter I hoped badly to get at. The moment I saw that he was sending them to that counter, I dared myself to ask him that I would also go to that counter, which he fortunately agreed with. A girl behind me followed me quitely to the counter. Maybe she also knew what would happen if she lands up at that lady's counter. So once I reached the counter one, I had the world of confidence in me that I would get my visa. So with such confidence, I started listening to the questions he was asking and the response of the people. The first lady to be interviewed by him was this old lady who had to visit USA. She was not that good in english and thus the VO was unable to understand what she was saying. There was a language barrier between them. I had seen people being rejected on that day as there was a language barrier. So I was interested to see what would be the position of this lady. The VO lived upto the predictions I had made to myself that no matter what, this person would be the best person to help me in getting a visa. He went inside and called someone who could act as an interpreter between the lady and him. So seeing this, I was much more happy. Later the gud old lady got her visa approved and then a gal was interviewed who was aspiring like me for MS. She also got her visa approved inspite of her not able to produce the pass book of her bank account which is the most basic thing. With this my confidence level was boosted to the maximum height. The person before me was interviewed. Here he was rejected on the basis that he cannot complete his MS. I was expecting this rejection as he had the total number of failures more than the overall subjects combined of under-grad. But his rejection did not upset me in any manner. But inspite of all these positive stuff, deep inside I was praying sincerely for my visa approval. So there I went to my interview and I was asked to produce the basic documents which I produced and few basic questions were asked which I answered with confidence. I stammered only once which made the VO look at me deeply to see if Iam not bluffing. I at once regained my confidence and covered up the mistake I made. When he aked me if I had any land, the first thought that came to mind was some farms and stuff, which I did not have. So I answered NO and at once I realised that the plots also come under the land and told Yes. So this was the stammering which I made and later with me covering this, I was asked to produce my documents of the plots, which I produced. So after this, he started taking my passport and the DS forms and kept them in a separate folder and kept it aside. Seeing this, I knew that my visa was approved, but I stood there to listen from his mouth the sweetest words, which he told " ur visa is granted. Njoy ur stay in US". This made my hormones to go wild and I was on the top of universe. Came out and punched air with my fist the moment I saw my cousins. I was later told that only about 3-4 people came out looking happy with majority of the applicants being rejected. I also came to know that on that particular day, out of 150 students , only 10-13 were approved, with me being one of them. LUCKY ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! So 13th july 2007 became my happiest day after 4th jan 2007. So all ends well.
