I am writing to you to share my experience at the US Embassy when I applied for a visa two weeks ago. I was invited by Sebastien Gendry, CEO of the American School of Laughter Yoga, to be a presenter in the 2014 Laughter Wellness Conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Oct. 23-26. This was a milestone for Pinoy Laughter Yoga because it was a great opportunity for it to be introduced to different Laughter Yoga Communities worldwide. I was supposed to give three workshops in the conference and many signed up in the courses that I was to facilitate.
As I waited for my turn for the interview I heard the consul shouting at the applicant before me, and I learned that the visa application was denied. When it was my turn, the consul asked me what Laughter Yoga was, and I immediately answered that it is Laughter Therapy. He also asked what was my purpose of traveling, and I said I will be a presenter in a conference. He asked me regarding my civil status and I replied that I was single. He also asked if I had kids and I told him I had none. He asked how much my salary was and I said P24,000 a month and I showed him a supporting document. Throughout the interview, I noticed him checking something in his computer. Later he gave me a blue paper that stated that I did not make it and I could apply once more. Since I did not want to miss the great opportunity to represent our country in the international conference, I again applied for a visa by paying the same fee of P7,200.
I underwent another interview last Oct. 14.
This time the consul asked me regarding my purpose of travel and I gave the same answer as I did before: I was a presenter in the conference. I tried to show my letter of invitation from my sponsor where it was clearly stated there that my trip was all-expenses-paid by the inviting party, including accommodations. Upon reading it he simply said that it was not enough and he asked me if I had a car and I said I had none. He also asked for a land title and I said that it was still being processed. I tried my best to explain that it was a sponsored trip and that the accommodations, too would be provided for by the American School of Laughter Yoga, but with firmness he said, “My decision is final!” I asked for the reason why I was denied once more, and he answered in a very sarcastic way, “Many!!!”
Truly it was so disappointing to experience the rudeness of the consuls, to be the subject of harsh treatment by them, and I just hope that they will treat applicants in a manner befitting our human dignity. The experience was traumatic for me but still I am hoping that when I apply for a visa to attend the next conference in 2015, the consuls shall have acquired the right conduct in interviewing US visa applicants.
—PAOLO MARTIN L. TRINIDAD,
p_23_mlt@yahoo.com