The Mad Hatter Idea - 3

Now on to the actual visa documentation.

This was nothing like what we are familiar with.

When I'd applied for my own visa last year, I vaguely recalled seeing an option of domestic help visa, so that's where I started my research. It existed, and that was my trigger point too.

I resolved to put in place a well thought out process, and create as robust an application as possible. 

The interesting parts of it were needing to prove that Upendra had worked with them for twenty years (that's part of eligibility). So we went scouting for photographs. Sadly, with the house having got demolished we had no idea where the photographs had gone....there were none available. (possibly also the issue of getting digital pictures and losing the phone and stuff )

Mom came up with this nice idea of getting letters from neighbours as proof, so there was drafting of soppy sounding letters with passport details and stuff, and Shobha went about the part of meeting old neighbours and stuff. And we're also still looking for photographs.

Somewhere along, I got bogged down by drafting of contracts, plus I didn't want to allow any space for chance, so decided to go find a consultant. Found Y Axis online, and Upendra and I went armed with all our research. 

They said "five thousand for letting you know if it's possible, and twenty thousand for process"

I was like, I already know it's possible, I've done my homework....so why the five.

But no, they have their own process. And thus started the calls and meets with Syeda and Sandeep from Y Axis.

We're now in the process of firming up on documentation......  a long list from our end, a long list from Janardhan uncle. It's so detailed, that just as example, they even need pictures of the room in which he will stay when he goes there. Imagine (and aunty's like "you must be having more pictures of this house than I do :)

Little adventures in between...... something as simple as getting xeroxes is so not easy in the US, and aunty struggled with that, and when she finally sent it....that cover took over a month to reach us.

We've all been at it for a couple months now....and soon it'll be time for that final interview.

Interesting to note is somewhere along the way everyone's skepticism scale started to shift. We started to hear whispers of 'maybe it'll happen you know'...... 'if he's fated to go he'll go' ......'I feel he might actually get it'..... 'maybe after all this is done, you will think it wasn't a big deal'.

And that kind of amazed me. How does the same issue go from 'it's a crazy idea' 'it's just too much work' 'it'll be a miracle if it happens' to.............. 'not a big deal'.

I was like "No, no, no ....... let's be fully aware of what it's taken......... not as much the effort, as what it takes to hold onto a mad hatter idea over months":)

We're hoping to pay the Visa fees this week, and schedule the interview. Upendra's been actually getting prep classes from Sandeep on how to handle the interview.

Next post in series after the interview.....