While there was a slight snag in my VISA application - my local background report was “expired -, my appointment was nothing short of fabulous. The lady who processed my application told me that I could send an up-to-date local background report via e-mail or snail-mail, thus saving me another trip to Coral Gables. She was really helpful and generally in a cheerful mood for being inundated with work; a line of about 25 people had already formed by the time I left. I was even called to the front of the line when I returned to the consulate in order to get a copy of my passport notarized - something that I had forgotten to do while I was there. It was, generally speaking, an extremely positive experience.
I'll have something stapled into my passport that looks like this in about six weeks:
Things to remember for future consulate or embassy visits: arrive early; take a positive attitude; and speak their language.
I returned to Avon Park, Florida with notice that the suddenly-implemented and stress-inducing FBI background clearance requirement had been waived for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Departure: 65 days.
phew...
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