Visas, Visas and Visas

Actually I can add a fourth visa too.

Anybody asks what I'm upto these days, and more often than not my response would be to do with visas.

And that's so not surprising..... I realized I'm neck deep in process of 4 visas...yes, four. And what's more, each to a 'different country' and each under a 'different category'.

While it's all set processes, which in itself is just so much documentation, when you're in it you also see unique issues that can come up with each, and then finding the work arounds......needless to say it's driving me nuts.

To articulate and preserve this individually complex overlap phase

Dikshas Student Visa to Australia:

This became complex because she has gap years in her education .....and her consultant said there's a high chance of 'VNG' (visa not granted). In fact the previous university had refused even trying, despite awarding her a scholarship, just on this count.

It was nail biting twenty days, though that stress was entirely unspoken.......by diksha, by me, by everybody in family...we finished applying and then it was radio silence on topic. Making it that much more silently stressful.

I have the courage to even write this because this was a success. She got her visa to Australia,  culminating a seven month process...... right from taking the decision to go abroad to study, figuring which country, which university, getting finance in place, interviews, admission process and all of that.

And now finally she's all set to go off for three years, to do her dream program on 'wild life conservation'.

Lots of joy, relief and gratitude there.

Dhruva's Cultural Visit Visa to Italy:

He got selected (again) to be part of 'Cinemadamare', a three month travelling cinema campus that travels across Italy making cinemas. 

Having experience from last year, we thought we had a robust application. And this with the add on factors that dates from Italy had come in late, plus he'd added in a five day visit to Netherlands, which definitely added a lot more work to process. 

Last week while filing, (after rescheduling the interview three times) they said "your passport is damaged, you'll need to come back with a fresh one". But we have no time see....and luckily he  managed to convince them. But came back to say "they made me write damaged passport in so many places amma (which was so slight we hadn't even noticed) that instead of sitting back, I have to now wait nervously". And the waits on.

Upendra's Domestic Help Visa to the USA:

The trickiest and most challenging is Upendra's visa, a domestic help visa to go work with Kamlesh aunty in Hawaii. This one is literally being called a 'mad hatters idea' in the family, but one I'm working on with everything I have. The process from word get go has been on for over six months now, and the kind of situations this has thrown up is so extreme and so crazy, that it deserves it's own post. 

And finally, before I could even finish rejoicing Diksha's Visa clearance, I'm set to apply for my own visa. I had to pretty much push, pull, drag myself to even start the process.

And therein came the sudden inspiration to take a break and write this post :)