Four days before my trip to India, I realized that I’d need a tourist visa to enter India. As a Malaysian, I didn’t need visa when I traveled to Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. Even Australia, I just applied tourist visa online. Somehow I assumed that I don’t need visa to enter India as well. WRONG!

Needless to say, I freaked up when I found out about the visa requirements, at 9am Thursday night. The visa requirements are so strict that as if India government doesn’t want anyone to visit India. I only had two business days to obtain the India visa. >*<

I could either apply via mail or in person. Due to the time constraint, I had to apply in person, at the nearest India visa center, which is located in Chicago.

The Consulate General of India outsources the visa application collecting and delivery to Travisa Outsourcing.

See: http://www.indianconsulate.com/6IndianVisa/IndianVisa.html

and https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/homepage

America outsources work to India and India Consulate outsources visa application collecting work … weird.

Thank God I was able to make an appointment online with Travisa for Friday at 10am.

It’s about 5.25 hr drive from Fairfield (Iowa) to Chicago. So, between 9pm and 4am, I had to prepare the documents for visa application and handle my dog situation.

Thanks to Radim for printing my passport photos. 🙂

I thought of taking my dog with me, but wasn’t comfortable leaving him in the car since I had no idea how long the appointment’s going to take.

Somehow in my heart I had faith that I’d get the visa approval the same day. So, I didn’t take any extra clothes with me and I left my dog at home. Clara promised that she would go over my house to feed my dog and let him out to pee pee and poop poop.

I was so confident that I would come back the same day that I let Clara left her dog at my place before she left for Wisconsin at 4pm.

Well, long story short. I got to the visa center on time and submitted my visa application.

(Tip: No handbags/shopping bags/phones are allowed in the visa office. If you have no one to take care of your bags during your appointment time, please remember to leave your bags in the car/hotel. I had to run back to the parking garage couple blocks away, 7th floor up to put my handbag.)

10:15 am, I was told to come back at 5:45pm to see if my visa application was approved.

Between 10:45am and 5:45pm, I wasn’t in my best mood, but managed to “enjoy” some food therapy and retail therapy just to kill some time.

So sick of the wait, I went back to the visa office at 5pm to try my luck. “No”, I was told. I must wait since the passports hadn’t been delivered.

While waiting, I heard terrible stories from another India visa applicant that she has applied her visa a month ago and it still hasn’t been approved. Her situation was even worse than mine. She has to fly to India on Monday to attend her only daughter’s wedding.

My name was called first at 6:15pm. The answer was: “Sorry, your passport wasn’t returned.”

OMG! I didn’t expect that answer at all.

I felt crushed!

The officer at the visa office said she would mail the passport to me on Monday (if approved) and I’d would to pick up the passport from Fedex office on Tuesday (the same day my flight to India).

I didn’t want to take any chance. The only way to feel secure is to have my passport in my hands before I left Chicago. So I asked the officer if I could file an emergency case with the Consulate tomorrow (Saturday).

Officer whispered to me: “Yes, you can.”

Not sure why she had to whisper. My guess is that she doesn’t want everyone starts going to the Consulate and filing emergency cases.

So, with a dead and disappointed heart, I left the office. A soft voice in me asked if I could go back and request the officer to double check if she has my passport. I ignored that voice.

The next half hour was the worst time of my life. I had to figure out my dog situation and my overnight accommodation, Consulate office hours, and all that. I didn’t have time to think of “what if I don’t get the visa tomorrow”? I like to stay positive even in the worst situation.

After I’ve made all the arrangements, at 7pm, I received a call from a number that I didn’t recognize.

“Where are you?”

“I am in Chicago.” I replied.

“Come back! We have your passport!”

“Are you serious???” I replied with disbelief.

I think God just played a joke on me. He was testing my faith.

That was one of the best moments in my life. I can only handle so much emotional ups and downs in a day. 🙂

Overjoyed. I drove home the same night, to be with my dog. 🙂

1 sunrise. 2 Red Bulls. 1000x times Rabbit! songs. 10 1/2 -hr drive. 9-hr wait later…. I got my India visa.

Cheers to another “great” adventures of mine. Happy go lucky. 🙂

Although living on the edge makes me feel alive, I will definitely apply for any visas much earlier in the future! 🙂

I am super excited now. India, here I come!