MERGED ----> InTO The Heart - Nov 1-3, 2007 + InTO The Heart Fest

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snowbunny00774 said:
Zoots - are you a PR in the states or have a GC?

Neither. I'm on work visa and even though I already have a visa authorization document to work in this country, I have to get an appointment to get the visa stamped on my passport if I cross the border and have to re-enter. It's retarded! The government has already screened me and issued me a visa. Why the hell do they have to interview me again just to get that visa on my Indian passport? Shouldn't that be just a formality that can be easily taken care of over mail or something? And that's not it. Even worse is getting an appointment, the waiting time for which changes everyday! Two weeks back the average waiting time for an appointment in TO was 2 days. A week back it was 15 days. And a couple days back suddenly it changed to 43 days. WTF! So basically what they're saying is that the earliest appointment they can give me right now is like Nov 15th or 16th. If I come to ITH, I'd have to wait till the 16th or so to go for the appointment, get the visa on my passport and THEN re-enter the US. And it's not even like I can book an appointment welllll in advance. You cannot book more than 2 months in advance and the waiting time is 1-1/2 months. They expect us to literally keep checking the government booking site every single day until the available appointment day falls in that convenient period of say, Oct 30th to Nov 3rd. And they don't even give you a handful of dates to choose from. It's usually one day open or none at all. I checked the last 2 days and it said "no appointments available at this time".

Soooo basically the bottomline message I'm getting from the US govt is that "if you're on a visa you're fucked! Either stay put in this country and work or leave for good. Don't try to re-enter, we'll make it almost impossible for you to do so!" If I'm not mistaken, this ridiculous system has been put in place only since 9/11. So I guess I can thank Osama Muthafucking Bin Laden for making this govt. so paranoid and tightening visa procedures to such a level!

Sorry I had to vent. :|
 
Zootlesque said:


Neither. I'm on work visa and even though I already have a visa authorization document to work in this country, I have to get an appointment to get the visa stamped on my passport if I cross the border and have to re-enter. It's retarded! The government has already screened me and issued me a visa. Why the hell do they have to interview me again just to get that visa on my Indian passport? Shouldn't that be just a formality that can be easily taken care of over mail or something? And that's not it. Even worse is getting an appointment, the waiting time for which changes everyday! Two weeks back the average waiting time for an appointment in TO was 2 days. A week back it was 15 days. And a couple days back suddenly it changed to 43 days. WTF! So basically what they're saying is that the earliest appointment they can give me right now is like Nov 15th or 16th. If I come to ITH, I'd have to wait till the 16th or so to go for the appointment, get the visa on my passport and THEN re-enter the US. And it's not even like I can book an appointment welllll in advance. You cannot book more than 2 months in advance and the waiting time is 1-1/2 months. They expect us to literally keep checking the government booking site every single day until the available appointment day falls in that convenient period of say, Oct 30th to Nov 3rd. And they don't even give you a handful of dates to choose from. It's usually one day open or none at all. I checked the last 2 days and it said "no appointments available at this time".

Soooo basically the bottomline message I'm getting from the US govt is that "if you're on a visa you're fucked! Either stay put in this country and work or leave for good. Don't try to re-enter, we'll make it almost impossible for you to do so!" If I'm not mistaken, this ridiculous system has been put in place only since 9/11. So I guess I can thank Osama Muthafucking Bin Laden for making this govt. so paranoid and tightening visa procedures to such a level!

Sorry I had to vent. :|

Not to take away from this thread's true point or anything but I am also an international, a student at that. I planned to go to Canada in 2004, and had to apply for a tourist visa, and what I got was a one time entry visa after paying about $650. I also had to send my passport and ALL my documentation stating that I'm in the US legally to the Canadian embassy, and when I finally got my passport back, I had to get it restamped at immigration, while leaving the US for Canada and re entering it as well. Not only passport, but they also needed three OTHER forms of picture ID. Also, if your US Visa is expired or anything, you CANNOT re-enter the country from outside. You have to go back to your homeland, have the whole goddamn visa app process again, and if you get lucky, you MAY be reissued a US visa. After which, if you plan to travel outside the US again, you have to reapply for a Canadian visa all over again. I was in Toronto in 2004 only for a week, and it took a crapload of hassles and money to allow me to do that.

:|
 
And I'm not even going to try to reapply for a Canadian visa again, as the process is not only expensive, but time consuming and full of hassles as well. Visa app fees, mail fees, and if they don't believe or trust your documentation, they actually ask you to come to the embassy for an interview. Yes, you pay for all that out of your own pocket. And there's no guarantee that you will get a vsa at the end. It might turn out to be a waste of every penny you spent and all the time it took.
 
You realize that 99.9% of your nightmare has to do with the insane policies of the US INS, right?

If you were simply coming in and out of Canada from pretty much anywhere else in the world it wouldn't be half as hard, believe me.

But because you need to go back to the US...well youre screwed.
 
God, I need a vacation...especially so in early November. Just got my work schedule for November written up on a calendar. :crack:

I really hope I get to come.
 
gabrielvox said:
well I can't remember the exact tracklisting...but your signature was one of the songs, Spearhead...and Solomon Burke...

it was eclectic and a great mix! :up:

Ah that one! Yes, that's still one of my favs. :)
 
Babydoll, I feel your pain. :sigh:

gabrielvox said:
You realize that 99.9% of your nightmare has to do with the insane policies of the US INS, right?

If you were simply coming in and out of Canada from pretty much anywhere else in the world it wouldn't be half as hard, believe me.

But because you need to go back to the US...well youre screwed.

Yup, I would say so.
 
^ you had better! :madwife:

Well, Zootles is still making a valiant effort to make it to ITTH. He's created a clever disguise to smuggle himself across the border:

zootlestobox.jpg


Good luck, Zootles :yes: :hug:
 
elevated_u2_fan said:
I'm 50/50 at this point... I still have to ask my wife's permission :wink:


bring her. I need to ask her about the changeable backgrounds so we can tell Elvis :yes:


zootlestobox.jpg


:lmao:
 
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DaveC said:
You know what...

I didn't even think about the bus...

:reject:

Maybe I should go do a little research...


Maybe? Ya think? lazy kids :tsk:


I just want you there so you can tell me, in the middle of a great time, in TORONTO oh noes, how awful toronto is ;)
 
Every other time I've been through Toronto it's been a hassle.

Let's make it a killer weekend and I might change my mind!
 
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