Making money with the US embassy!

The title might seem weird, but it is possible! It’s the first time for me to apply for a visa to the USA, it all started actually almost 10 days ago with paying $100 (justification please?) at the “Credit Libanais” bank to get an appointment for an interview at the embassy.

Anyway, upon my arrival on time I recalled that I forgot my 5x5cm photos in the office, so I asked one of the security men there if it is possible for me to do the interview and bring the photos afterwards to complete processing my Visa, his answer was “No way! Go get new pictures from the store right there” and he pointed to a small store 50 meters away.
I of course chose to go get new pictures instead of returning back to the office! So I went there and the new photos were ready in 2 minutes! The guy actually used a cheap point-and-shoot camera, and for printing he has a cheap printer as well. BUT HE CHARGED ME 15,000 L.L. while I could have got them for 5,000 L.L from almost anywhere else.

I didn’t argue with the guy, I just paid the money and went back to the embassy. After being inspected for 3 times in a row at 3 checkpoints, I was able to get inside and found out that I missed filling a form… and to my bad luck it CANNOT be filled inside the embassy but rather through downloading a special form from the state.gov website and then printing it out (stupid policy??). Once again, the embassy people directed me to go to the very same store since it also offers filling forms for the applicants, so I went there and asked the same guy to fill a form… and guess what? The guy charged 20,000 fucking Lebanese Lira for filling a 3 pages form and printing it out on a black & white printer!!! At that point I went totally insane, I mean I wont get poor if I spent 35,000 L.L ($ 23) for nothing in one day, but come on…! Unfortunately I didn’t get the opportunity to argue with him this time because I had only 5 more minutes remaining until they start rejecting new applicants at the embassy.

Oh and add to that the fact that you’re not allowed to get into the embassy with your cell phone, so you are obliged to keep it somewhere, either in your car OR in some store that will charge you 2,000L.L when you’re done and want to take it back!Unfortunately I didn’t have a car back then.

Lessons learned:

1. Drive with your own car to the American embassy and remember to bring all your necessary documents with you, else there’s a high probability you’re going to feel like people are robbing you!
2. Thanks to people like me, it’s actually possible for some people to make money with the US embassy!