Alright let me walk you through my whole US visa application mess step by step, just like I lived it last month. Buckle up, it’s a ride.
Starting Out Completely Lost
First thing? I stared at that damn DS-160 form online feeling dizzy. So. Many. Boxes. Wasted hours Googling dumb questions like “how tall am I without shoes?”. Nonsense. Every tiny mistake meant starting over. My cat walked on the keyboard halfway through – rage quit time. Grabbed coffee, cursed loudly, started fresh. Took me three evenings just to finish this stupid electronic form. Remember: save after EVERY SINGLE QUESTION. Learned that the hard way.
Money and More Paperwork
Next up? Paying the fee. Felt like highway robbery. Found the payment link hidden deep on the official site. Used my debit card, hit confirm, prayed. Then booked the earliest appointment slot I could find – middle of a workday, fantastic. Gathered papers like a mad squirrel:
- Job proof: Got my boss to scribble something official-looking.
- Bank stuff: Printed six months of statements. Felt poor afterwards.
- Travel plans: Made up a vague itinerary. “Maybe NYC, who knows?”
- Old passport: Dug it out, covered in dust.
Took photos against a white wall like a criminal. Ten tries to get one where I didn’t look insane.
The Dreaded Embassy Day
Showed up an hour early. Bouncer yelled “NO PHONES!” so I sprinted back to a sketchy parking lot storage place. Paid some guy 10 bucks to hold my phone – felt super safe. Inside? Chaos. Lines, fingerprints, more lines. My turn finally comes.
The officer barely looked up. Grilled me:
- “Why USA?” “Uh… vacation? Broadway?” (Sounded dumb even to me)
- “Job?” Rattled off my company name. Sweat pouring.
- “Ever overstayed anywhere?” “Nope!”
He tapped his keyboard for 20 seconds that felt like years. Then shoved a blue paper slip at me. “Approved.” Walked out dazed. Passport arrived by mail 4 days later with the shiny visa stuck inside. Couldn’t believe it worked.
