After having tried three times in the last two and a half years to get the US visa so that she could live with her husband working there, Tejas Patel was starting to lose hope.
However, the frank talk and having her queries answered by noted expert of visa issue has brought her faith back in the possibility of a complete life with her husband. "I now look at it differently. I understand that the US government has opened four offices in India to issue visas and not deny the same. So I will be going for the interview with correct information and positive feeling in my heart," she said.
In the series of events being organised to mark the second anniversary of DNA's presence in Gujarat, on Sunday, Amdavadis were face to face with noted immigration consultant and Mumbai-based advocate, Sudhir Shah. The venue was Thakorebhai Desai Hall, Law Garden and the seminar, which was divided in two parts, saw people from across the city come in droves to know better the process of applying for US visa and getting it.
Shah, a columnist with DNA and who has been writing regularly on the same topic, first talked at length about spouse visa during the first half of the programme. He explained the procedure and precautions to be taken while applying for the visa. Reiterating the importance of being honest while filing DS 156 and 157 forms, Shah told aspirants of spouse visa and student visa that having papers ready and being able to substantiate what you claim is the rule of the game.
The globetrotting Amdavadis though having loved, loves living in the US and at times fail to get even a tourist visa and are thus forced to go without meeting their son or daughter or a sibling for a long time. Similarly, even bright students despite being granted admission by good universities in the US fail to get visa to pursue their favourite courses. Shah during the talk clarified several wrong notions and answered numerous questions of the audience on specific issues.
The high moment of the seminar was a small skit like act by Shah and his wife Sangita Joshi, pointing out the fact that neither superstition nor travel agents can help your cause.
Shah, who has done his PhD on US immigration, also hosts a Gujarati website to help visa aspirants in the state. His latest book in Gujarati on the same topic titled, Kaun Banega Visapati, hit the stand recently.
The second part, which was dedicated to student visas, was equally informative. A number of them were people who at one point of time were denied visas, some despite having been there once already.
Comments
