VISA power

As part of my company’s training routine me and my fellow recruits are to be send to our head office abroad for a three month training session.

So when I first landed in my new job in this new town I was informed that we all will soon have to go to Chennai to fulfill our visa formalities. As it turned out, that day was long, unique and action packed.

I left home at 2 in the night. Reached office, got on the bus to airport. Bangalore airport is fancy enough to make your eye balls pop out. It is also far enough to ensure the road trip till there will invariably be longer than your air trip. We reached the airport by 5 am. I was sleepy to the core. So as soon as I got into the pigeonhole of a airplane which we were assigned I slept off. I woke up only after we landed. Many adventures followed in Chennai airport, given that it was early morning, a time when nature beckons you.

Chennai airport it by no means comparable to Bengaluru airport, but at least it is close to the city.

We went to the embassy lounge. It was not what we had imagined. It was a small building in one end of a tiny street. The queue to enter was not long, but it took forever for us to enter as they scanned us and our belongings to every slightest detail.

We entered the place, completed the formalities and waited for our turn to be escorted to the embassy. I went on the third batch after a good portion of my colleagues had left.

We reached the place, all that I could see was a very high boundary wall, the kind you see encircling forts and palaces. Then again the US embassy is a virtual fort. There was just one tiny window in the entire wall which seemed endless. This perfectly fitted what we had imagined.

After submitting our documents the ghost from behind the glass pointed towards a small steel door. I was frisked before as well as after crossing the door. The inside was calmer. Now there were numerous glass windows. I waited for my turn. I kind of had the hunch that everything will be ok. As always my hunch turned out to be incorrect.

I walked up to the glass window. Once again I submitted my documents. A lady was seated in front of me. She examined all my documents. They were all fine.

“Kindly place your two thumbs on the finger print scanner”- said the lady with a smile. I obliged.

“Now place your left four fingers on the scanner”. I obliged once again.

“Now place ……..”. I stopped hearing. I knew she would ask me to do the same, but with my right hand instead. What is the big deal? I have done it twice. I will do it once again.

I did it. But this time something wrong had happened. The lady’s expression changed. She gasped, my heart skipped a beat.

“Can you do it again”. I did it, but her expression did not change, mine got worse. She asked the others behind me to wait. She made a few calls. Soon many people gathered at her desk. People from adjoining windows also went to her. I was asked to wait. I moved back, away from the action.

The wait seemed endless. I could see my colleagues going for their Visa interviews. They went in and came out smiling. I was still waiting. My face was becoming paler by the second. Finally the wait was over.

They called me. I knew I had the Murphy luck. Of course I will not get visa. I stood there waiting to hear the bad news.

“You have jointed fingers in your right hand; the machine cannot read all four finger prints of yours. It is accepting only three and not four prints. “

Give me some good news please.

“You have created a bug in the system; we got to learn something from you today. You may now proceed for your interview.”

I did not believe my luck. Turns out that I a am unlucky, but not ass much as Murphy.

Seeing me so nervous she promptly added –“Don’t be nervous. Go and give your interview with confidence. Wish you luck”. She was very sweet. I finally went for my interview.

It was a breeze. I was asked no questions whatsoever. I finally got the much sorted stamp of approval.

I went out with a jump in my step. I am a computer science engineer. I fix bugs, but today I turned out to be the bug. I left the fort, my colleagues were long done with there interviews. They were all waiting for me.

I celebrated by treating myself to lunch at The Taj (not worth the price) and then taking a bath in Chennai sea (in spite of the heat it was totally worth it).

I boarded the 5 pm flight back home. Reached home by nine and slept like a baby. That was the end of a highly tiring and sleepless 24 hours. But it was successful. Now even I have the VISA power.