The documents I brought during my first attempt, which were merely the 2 pages application form, were totally insufficient. After booking my air ticket on 17th April, I decided to look at the embassy website again and found out the new regulations (updated on 14th April).
What is "the certificate of family relationship"? If I go to visit some friends or uncle, what kind of certificate will that be? :s
The list of requirements was long enough to shift my focus from my IR exam to the visa preparation =.=’ even the night before the IR, I was worried more about visa rather than exam. (That gave insight of how my paper went…) After the exam, I gathered all the documents I can get, and decided to try my luck at embassy again on the next day.
Wednesday, 23rd April. I reached embassy at 8.27am.. 4 minutes earlier than last time... and shocked to see the long queue T_T
The counter is at second level and I can’t even enter the building!
Lucky enough, there are quite a lot of people got rejected (even before getting their queue number!) and I still managed to get queue number 14, in comparison with 42 from my previous visit.
After getting queue number, I sat at the chair provided.. waiting and praying… then suddenly I heard a bunch of people talking behind me:
“Don’t go to counter 10, the lady didn’t intend to accept any application at all. She will just find any reason to fail your application. I think if we got her, we just forfeited and re queue again”
I heard about it and started to worry. I looked at the situations of the 5 counters and calculated it using the round robin algorithm… and the result is.. counter 10! This is the only time I hope that I miscalculate something. But no matter how I recalculated and no matter how I wish there will be a glitch… I still got her T_T
I went to the counter feeling much more nervous than exam. I gave her the required document.. and the first sentence is already discouraging.
C: “Sorry, we didn’t process application for foreigner. You need to go back to your home country to apply for visa. We can only process for Singaporean and Singapore PR”
I: *looked determined outside but almost crying inside* “Oh, I have actually applied for Singapore PR, but it’s still under process. Here is the invitation letter I received.” (showed her the letter)
C: *Considering for a minute, then decided to proceed* I need your hotel booking.
I: “Oh, I’ll be staying at my sister place.”
C: “If that’s the case, then you’ll need to have invitation letter from your sister, follows with the copy of her identity…”
I: *Cut her in the middle* Oh, here are the documents I have, will it be appropriate? *Give her whatever things I brought: household card, copy of my sister passport, bank account balance, even my birth certificate*
C: *Abit shocked, but then try to sort out the documents* So, this is the name of your sister?
I: “Yes. Here is the household card stating that, and here is the translation of the household card and that is my sister passport saying that she is a legal occupant in china and Here is my birth certificate and the translation as well. And this is my account balance…” *Almost didn’t know what I’m talking about*
And guess what, I think she got confused by me as well. Finally, she wrote a pink receipt and gave it to me. “You can collect it on next Monday”. Oh gosh.. I was sooo happy to hear that.. like I have won from a very big war XD It was almost 9.30 when it's over.. the time spent at counter was less than 5 minutes.
Out from the embassy, I still looked happily at the pink receipt she gave me. Afterwards, I quickly called and thanks all the people that have helped me all the way. Thanks:
Daddy – For sending me the household card and my birth certificate
Sister – For sending me the photocopy of your passport and advising me to bring my PR invitation letter
Arianto – For such a great and prompt ‘illegal’ translation of household card and birth certificate.
Thanks everyone… without one of your help, I really will not be able to get that. The requirement is really tight this time. Just after my application, there is one Singaporean rush to the counter and don’t want to give in. “So if I booked the hotel online, how on earth you want me to get the hotel bill!? Why it’s so complicated!? $#@$#” I felt bad for her T_T and anyway, I even heard that the photo must be in white background... Lucky that I prepared for the white background photo as well :D (Previously I was using red background and she didn’t give me a single advice)
For those who want to apply for Visa… Kichi was right… be prepared.
Finally T__T I made it T__T (Tear of happiness). Wish mum all her best getting her visa as well.
Last exam on 30th April,
Erlin.D
