Successfully receiving a US visa (签证) is full of ups and downs. In early 2023, I received an offer to join in the Sports Industry Management Summer Program at Georgetown University in the US. Never having been to the US before, I was thrilled about the upcoming 1 .
However, my excitement turned into shock when I 2 a scheduled interview appointment at the US embassy (大使馆) in New Delhi in early May. The waiting list was so long that it 3 all the way to September, well 4 the start of the summer program in July.
Still, that wasn't the only 5 we faced with the US embassy. A friend planning to visit France mentioned that the visa application process now took two months longer than before. It seemed that an increasing number of people were applying to travel abroad. I waited until mid-July before 6 giving up on the summer program for 2023.
At last, I secured an appointment for Sept 18, 2023. After all these difficulties, I thought I could finally get my US visa. During the interview, the visa officer, a pleasant woman, began asking me a few questions. Then there was 7 as she typed on her keyboard for five minutes. I though that the exciting moment was coming. 8 , after smiling at my mom and 9 a green form to her, she said, "Sorry, but due to your job, we require 10 documents."
As a journalist, my mother was required by the green form to email a list of her published stories. Fortunately, she specializes in 11 and art, with hundreds of articles on cultural exchanges and interpersonal communications between India and the US. I don't know whether or not her touching stories 12 the visa officer. After all, the embassy gave us 10-year visas after about a week.
With the visa I am applying for the summer program for 2024 now. If you're planning to travel abroad, I 13 starting the visa process early, 14 many others likely have the same plans. Your parents' jobs can also affect your visa application, so make sure you do some 15 and are ready to provide extra documents.