So I went to get my J1 non-immigrant work visa yesterday at the US consukate in Durban. The process went surprisingly well actually and was more painless than I expected. I had to wait for an extra 2 hours after my appointment to be interviewed to actually get the interview. Even then all I had to do was walk up to a cubicle and go through a couple of questions mostly about what I am studying and where I plan to work etc. He let me go pretty quickly with a jolly old "Enjoy your stay in the USA, hope you have fun!"

I have heard horror stories about them being sticky so I reckon I had a few good things on my side:

1. My name is not Mohammed al Qatar or anything similar

2. I was not wearing a head scarf

3. I have not participated in any human rights violations for the Nazi government of Germany (they actually asked me this)

4. I am not Russian

5. I am not from Cuba

6. I have not participated in mass street-bound genocide (they asked me this too)

7. I do not have any communicable diseases of public health significance

8. I have a good white English name of royal significance

9. I am really really ridiculously goooooooood loooooooking :-)

10. I didn't write this before I went to the interview

11. I paid them $100 for the application and $35 for their "big brother" tracking system that allows them to pinpoint me and what I am doing at any time in the USA

posted by Cat Murray @ 14:38