The Hindu Business Line : Calm & confident is the way to go

I received this communication recently, and it put the seal on the fact that I’d lost a chunk of money. The fault, I must admit, was my own — I did not take seriously what I had read on the information board at the consulate.

This was the scenario: I was applying for a visa to visit country X. Their office had prominently displayed notices that said the Entry Clearance Officer would use his discretion to decide the duration for which visas would be given, whatever be the period the applicant had asked for. The crux was that applicants had to pay in advance for their visas, and they could choose to pay for different terms.

If the Entry Clearance Officer decided that the applicant didn’t need to be given a visa for as long as he/she had paid for, that was the end of the matter. There would be no refund of money. This too was clearly mentioned in the notices, but I went ahead and paid for a 10-year visa application. After all, I thought, I have travelled to this country over a dozen times over the past 30 years, surely I would be a plum candidate for a 10-year visa. Right? Wrong! I was only given a two-year visa, and I had to wave goodbye to the money I had paid, and ouch, that did hurt.

My experience prompted me to write this column about negotiable and non-negotiable visa issues. It would be especially useful for today’s globe-trotting new managers.

Go prepared

Visit the Web site of the consulate concerned; most have clear rules and regulations. Make practical decisions on the type and duration of the visa you need.

The most important is getting your paperwork checklist.

Your passport. Not just any old passport but one with ample validity left on it, enough pages to stamp visas on and an Emigration Clearance not Required certificate, among others. US visas require at least six months validity after you enter that country.

Your photograph. Again, not just any old photo, each country has specific requirements regarding size and even the background. UK visa offices have their own photographing machines.

The visa form. You guessed right, not just any old form! Different visa categories require different forms. They should be filled in legibly, dd-mm-yy rules should be followed and preferably use black or blue pens for signing — it’s all in the details.

Substantiating documents. Put the paperwork in order of priority in one folder, Germany, for instance, asks for mandatory medical insurance. Find out which documents would be required in original, and which ones would need copies to be taken, and follow this meticulously.

Ease of presentation

This is for your papers and for your persona.

Place Post-it notes to easily identify documents — you look and feel efficient. Less is more — what you don’t carry is important, for security reasons most consulates prohibit cell-phones, bags, even umbrellas.

If you are going on business, familiarise yourself with the company you are visiting. Find out where the offices are located, the nature of their work, and other such details. You may be questioned on all this, and it helps if you have the facts on your fingertips.

At the window

The next step is to understand what you need to do to make a good impression. Studies have shown that three factors influence this — appearance, the way you speak, and what you say. Ladies, choose what you are comfortable wearing, Western or Indian, but go for pleasant colours, use light make-up and limit jewellery to the minimum.

Men could wear light coloured shirts and dark trousers. Both men and women should have their hair trimmed and kept off the face. Take care to avoid the oily look. Nails should be clean and trimmed, and use a good deodorant. You’re now at the consulate, well-groomed and equipped with all the necessary documents. There are sure to be butterflies in your tummy, and it will help if you remember that the Visa Officer is there to do a job; there’s no need to be scared of him or her.

What you say

You may be asked a series of questions by the officer. Answer to the point, don’t give unnecessary information, and maintain eye-contact. For instance, if you are asked why you want to go to, say, London, don’t just reply: “On business”. Instead, you could say: “I’m going to meet the technical officers of XYZ firm based in Canary Wharf to discuss a project on data collection for the prestigious PQR project my firm is working on.”

On the other hand, if you’re asked what your role is in your company, you don’t need to rattle off too much: “I was working as a technical coordinator with LMN firm till a year-and-a-half ago, and my present company recruited me as a project officer. I was promoted six months ago to Project Manager, etc. etc.” Just say what your role is in relation to the foreign trip you need to make. “I am the data analyst for my team.”

Let your confidence in yourself come through. If, for example, you are not very fluent in English, and the Visa Officer asks you how you’re going to manage in the UK, you could say something like this: “I’ve been corresponding with Mr B and Ms D of XYZ over the last two months regarding this project. Besides, my technical knowledge is sound, and I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Remember, never give vague answers such as “Maybe” and “it depends”.

If you’re asked “How long will you stay”, say “A fortnight” if you don’t quite know if it will be seven or 10 days. The visa officer should not get the idea you are hiding anything at all, so it would be better to overestimate your stay and return well in time.

The Visa Officer might ask you “Shall I give you a 10-year visa?” Don’t jump at the offer, and say “Yes, Yes!” It would be better to say: “I need to be there for between two and three months this time. But if you give me a visa for a longer period, it would be useful for future trips.”

Applicants are generally told whether or not their application has been accepted. If it’s a “NO” at the US Consulate, they will stamp your document stating the reason. Whatever it is, don’t argue. You could, however, ask politely when you may re-apply. Say ‘Thank You” and leave. If the verdict is a YES too, a simple “Thank You” will do.

Many visa applications need you to be fingerprinted. Wipe your forefinger if it’s sweaty, and make sure your skin isn’t peeling. I once saw a co-applicant being asked to return later because she had henna on her hands for her wedding!

Practice didn’t make me perfect, but I’m sure forewarned will be forearmed!

(The writer is CEO of Global Adjustments, a relocation and cross-cultural services company, and is also the author of ‘Doing Business in India for Dummies’. Contact: info@globaladjustments.com)

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