US Visa Story #3: My Uncle’s

At one point in our adolescence,  there were 4 of us simultaneously going to college. Imagine that! On fixed, crappy teachers’ salaries.  Good thing my parents were determined to give us the best education they could afford.

Now with a big family (11!) with ever growing needs, Papa and Mama had to be resourceful to augment their very meager incomes. Enter our Uncle Bert to the picture. He is my maternal uncle, single, and most importantly, knew how to drive. My Papa lost no time in having a passenger jeepney assembled for him.  And not soon after, he started plying the Cubao-Montalban route.  He lived with us in our tiny rented space in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, and helped out in our daily expenses.

Fast forward to many years after. With my US-based siblings finally establishing their careers (all in the medical field), it was time to reward our Uncle Bert with a trip to the US.  Now Uncle Bert (who’s 70ish) did not even finish high school I think, so it was what we would call “subok lang” (trying our luck). But if there was one thing going for him, it was the fact that he was somehow well-travelled, courtesy of a younger brother who worked as a nurse in China and Canada. Yep, our humble uncle has been to both countries.   

So we paid the visa fee, filled out the application form, and set an appointment online. He travelled from Cavite to Bulacan so I could sit him for a dry-run.

Practice Interview

Our question and answer went like this:

1.  What is the purpose of your visit? – Visit my sister
2.  How long do you intend to stay? – 3 months
3.  Who will finance your trip? --- (so and so)
4.  When do you plan to leave – In _____

I assembled his documents in a clear folder, and wrote down in big letters his step-by-step guide --  from the time he arrives in the US embassy to the time he gets interviewed. I even wrote the address where he will stay at, phone number of my sibling in the US, and my sibling’s name.

Prior to the actual interview with the Consul, he was asked by the verifier the following questions, in Tagalog:

Name: ____

Occupation: Retired Driver

What was your Route:  Cubao Montalban

What years did you work as driver - ___

How much was the fare then? For the first __ kilometers, it was ___ and additional __ for every __ kilometer.

Whew! Good thing my uncle had a sharp memory.

Interview Proper  (in broken Tagalog, but written in English here, for easier reading)

Consul:  Good morning. What is the purpose of your visit?

Uncle: Visit my sister

Consul: How long do you plan to visit?

Uncle: 2 months only

Consul: When do you intend to leave?

Uncle: In _____

Consul: So you have been to other countries?

Uncle: Yes sir, in China and Canada

Consul:  What years were these travels?

Uncle: In China ____, in Canada ____

Consul: What did you do there?

Uncle: visit only sir

Consul:  Congratulations, your visa approved.

It was a breeze, and a great relief. And in a few months, here he was:

Some Final Thoughts:

• Verifiers do their jobs. Don't go inventing stories.
• Not good in English? No problem.  There are Tagalog speaking consuls.
• Senior citizens really do have an easier time.
• Preparation does go a long way.
• Prior foreign travels help. 
• Never feel inadequate by your background.