CEP Visa Application Process/ Flights

Hi guys!

It's been a while since I updated my blog. I apologize for being a slacker. I hope you guys are still with me on my adventure. A lot has happened in the last few weeks. Last month I got on to completing my visa application the nightmarish DS160 form, which took ages. The visa application process is a bit of a long process but to be honest the application isn't that bad as I thought it would be. There are certain steps in the visa application process: -

1) Pay the SEVIS Fee of $35.00 USD.  Which in NZD was $46.73 and make sure to download the confirmation page and print it as you will need to bring the SEVIS confirmation page to your appointment. This was the easiest part of the application process

2) Complete the DS160 form, this is a bit of a nightmare. This form took me a few days to complete even though it could have been done in a few hours, but that is because I kept  putting it off. I'm a slow poke as usual. Remember you can always save, exit and go back to your application with the application ID number. You also need your DS2019 form to complete the application! as it has your program number and all the other important details. The security questions on the form were pretty intense. but, you have nothing to worry about if you haven't committed any offense. But I strongly advise everyone to read each and every single question and go over your answer, as you don't want to tick the wrong answer by accident. I was pretty obsessive and went over those questions a million times before I signed and submitted it. YAY! The most frustrating experience was that my passport photo was not working, but in the end, I enhanced the picture and it worked WOO! You can also download and print a personal copy of your application after you've completed the form, just for your own records. You don't need to bring that to the interview. But you must download and print the DS160 confirmation page as you need to bring it to your visa appointment. Remember if your passport photo  doesn't work on the online application, you can just bring a copy of your photo to the appointment.

3) Pay the DS160 application fee and schedule the appointment. For New Zealand, you go to this website right here and create an account and enter your payment details. The DS160 application fee was $160USD  and it came down to $192NZD. After you have paid the fee now you can book your appointment. You'll be given various time slots that you can select from. You'll also be emailed your appointment confirmation page and your receipt for the payment. You must print the appointment confirmation page. 


Visa Appointment/Interview

The appointment wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. My appointment was scheduled for 8:30 am on the 13th of November. When I arrived at consulate there was a huge line, the appointment didn't take place at the scheduled time. There is security check when you arrive there, you have to put your bags through this x-ray machine and they have the lockers that you can put your bag in for safe keeping, as you're not allowed to take anything in there, except your documents. When you get there you line up at the front of those windows and they will check all your documents and you'll have your fingerprint taken. 

 These are the documents you need to bring to your appointment: -

• DS160 confirmation page
• DS2019 FORM (It's the form that was sent in the FEDEX package.)
• Passport
• Appointment confirmation page
• Student Status form and a scanned copy of your degree/ or a final transcript. (Most people didn't get asked for it, but I did. So bring them just in case. )
• offer letter

After they have checked your documents you wait in the waiting area until your name is called and you go to the interview window. I think I had to wait for about an hour and a half before my name was called. The wait was long, but the interview lasted only about a minute. It wasn't even an interview. The visa officer just asked me questions like: -

What will you be doing there?
When did you graduate from what university?

Then he checked all my documents and took my DS2019 form and passport. I didn't have a copy of my degree with me. So he just gave me the email address and told me that as soon as I send that in It'll be processed and I should have my passport back within a week.  So that was done YAY! that was very easy and not scary at all. I managed to scan and send a copy of my degree on the same day and it was all done YAY! and there is NO ISSUANCE FEE for New Zealanders :D YAY How lucky we are!


On the 20th of November I got an email from the consulate that my passport and visa were collected from the US Embassy/ consulate and were couriered back to me and I got my passport, with my visa sticker in it along with my DS2019 form exactly after a week of having my interview, to be exact it arrived on the 21st of November . YAY now I can officially enter the USA!

I 've already booked my one-way flight! so I depart Auckland on the 12th of January at 7:15 pm on Air New Zealand and arrive in LA on the same day with a 10 hour stop and then I'll land in Orlando on the 13th of Jan at 5:45 am.

Stay tuned  I'll next make a post on the background check!


Have a magical day!

Yay everything  is uploaded to DOC!