Find Cheap Fares: Three Tips for Finding the Cheapest Plane Tickets

Find Cheap Fares: Three Tips for Finding the Cheapest Plane Tickets

Travel agents and flight search websites do not offer the cheapest tickets. With a couple of hours to spare, you can find cheaper tickets so that your next dream trip wouldn’t have to be a financial nightmare. Let me tell you how.

Let’s get that passport stamped!

Cheap Fare Tip No. 1: Connect multiple low-cost flights from different budget carriers.

Most low-cost carriers automatically offer flights from A to B with a stopover in one of their hubs. Sometimes, however, it’s cheaper to use one company for the first leg, another for the second leg, and so on. This is especially true when two or more budget airlines run promotions simultaneously.

For example, you want to travel from Manila (MNL) to Tiruchirappalli (TRZ), round trip. AirAsia offers that route for around USD 750 with a stopover at Kuala Lumpur (KUL). That is, you will be boarding two AirAsia flights: MNL-KUL and KUL-TRZ. Round trip MNL-KUL costs around USD 400, while KUL-TRZ is at around USD 350. Now, if Cebu Pacific can offer MNL-KUL for USD 400, then you can fly MNL-KUL via CebuPac, and KUL-TRZ via AirAsia, saving you USD 200.

A Smorgasbord of Low Cost Carriers

Now, this works well if you have the right kind of passport. For Filipino passport holders, it’s better to transit through visa-free hubs such as Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and obviously, Manila.

Cheap Fare Tip No. 2: Budget airlines to a hub then transfer to a traditional carrier.

This cheap fare tip is an extension of Tip No. 1. As of this article’s writing, most budget airlines service only regional destinations and thus, do not offer intercontinental flights. Unless you’re lucky enough to reside in a major hub like Bangkok or Hong Kong, you will usually have to face the reality that these kinds of flights don’t come cheap.

A List of Traditional (i.e. not-low-cost) Airlines

These intercontinental (i.e. super long-haul) flights usually come in two segments: one from your city to a hub, and another from a hub to your final destination. For example, let’s consider a flight from Manila, Philippines to San Francisco, California:

• EVA Air and China Airlines via Taipei, Taiwan


• Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong


• Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) via Tokyo (Haneda or Narita)


• Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur


• Air China via through Beijing


• Korean Air and Asiana via Seoul (Incheon, actually)


• Singapore Airlines via Singapore


• Thai Airways via Bangkok

Normally, it’s cheaper to just book flights with just one airline and in just one go. However, it’s a different story when a particular carrier offers promo rates for flights that do not originate from your city. For example, Cathay Pacific offers US$ 770 roundtrip flights from Hong Kong to San Francisco, down from the usual US$1000, but you are in Manila. The workaround would be booking a round-trip Manila-Hong Kong plane ticket that will connect you to that elusive promo flight.

Cheap Fare Tip No. 3: Book flights from official sites.

Flight search websites such as Expedia, SkyScanner, eDreams, Orbitz, tell you that they search all available flights and find the lowest prices for you, but this isn’t always the case. Aside from adding a fee for letting you use their service, they may also increase prices by taking into account your previous search history through cookies that they’ve saved in your browser. After all, you’re more likely to purchase tickets to Europe after searching for EU destinations for the past three days.

Cebu Pacific, for example, cannot be found in flight search websites.

Moreover, many budget carriers, to save on costs, do not publish their prices on other sites. That’s why it’s important to bookmark their websites so you can easily check their sites for special deals.

Cheap Fare Tip No. 4: Use Google Flight Search, then do a bit more research.

How cheap should a flight be? Get a benchmark of ticket costs using Google Flight Search so you can have a rough idea on how much you’ll need to shell out. After jotting down the cheapest fares from the search results, then it’s time to use the first three tips to find the cheapest available fares. Sometimes, Google Flight Search can be so good that you won’t even have to search any further. But if you got a few minutes to spare, a little shopping around shouldn’t hurt.

Use these figures a benchmark.

 

Cheap Fare Tip No. 5: Be on the lookout for new routes.

While most budget airlines are limited to regional routes, some carriers are starting to include intercontinental flights to their arsenal. For example, Cebu Pacific Air recently announced that they have secured rights to travel from Manila to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Guam and cities in Europe. While the actual flights may still be a long way off, it’s comforting to know that Condor Air, a German low-cost carrier, offers direct flights from Rangoon and Siem Reap to Frankfurt, so that opens up a lot of possibilities for those who wish to fly cheap from SE Asia to Europe.

Do you have more tips to share? Do you have questions to ask? Please leave a comment below!

Find Cheap Fares: Three Tips for Finding the Cheapest Plane Tickets

Find Cheap Fares: Asian Budget Airlines Basics

Low-cost carriers, better known as budget, discount, or no-frills airlines, are, as airline companies that offer fares that are much lower than mainstream carriers. About decade ago, most budget airlines exclusively fly domestic routes. Over the recent years, however, many low-cost carriers have started offering long-haul/international flights, making international travel more affordable for more people.

A Smorgasbord of Low Cost Carriers

What’s in this article?

1. Why low-cost carriers are low-cost.


2. Major budget airlines in SE Asia with international operations


3. Strategies and tactics for finding the lowest fares

 

1. How can a budget airlines offer cheap fares?

Low-cost carriers are able to offer dirt-cheap fares through several means. Let me enumerate the three that will matter to you, the passenger:

a. Single passenger class layout

Unlike legacy carriers (United Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Garuda, JAL) that have first class, business class, and economy, all seats in budget airlines are economy class, enabling them to fill seats much faster.

b. Ditching jetways

Whenever possible, low-cost airlines do not use jetways for boarding to cut down on costs. Instead, they require passengers to walk on the tarmac and climb up the air stairs or movable stairs.

c. Baggage Charges

Legacy carriers usually allow at least one 15-kg check-in and one 7-kg hand-carry baggage. Budget carriers, meanwhile, do not provide check-in baggage allowance by default.

d. Non-registration in flight search websites.

Forget about Expedia, SkyScanner, eDreams, Orbitz and Google Flight Search. Most budget carriers do not register their flights in these databases, and your best shot at finding a low-cost flight is going directly to their respective websites, which leads us to the next section…

2. Major ASEAN budget airlines that fly international routes

 

After explaining why low-cost airlines are low-cost, let me now give you a rundown of the notable international budget carriers servicing the Asia-Pacific Region:

a. Cebu Pacific Air (CebuPac)

Hands down, CebuPac is one of the lowest-cost low-cost carriers on the planet today. With one-way international all-in fares starting at USD 35, it’s the most affordable among all Southeast Asian carriers that I know. For example, nonstop non-CebuPac flights from Hong Kong to Taipei start at US$160 (via Hong Kong Airlines/EVA Air) , but CebuPac offers fares as low as US$70 – a whopping 56% difference. The catch, however, is that you’ll need to transit through Manila, so that the trip will last for 4 hours (2 hrs HKG-MNL + 2 hrs MNL-TPE) instead of just 2 hours (HKG-TPE direct). But US$90 is still US$90.

Hubs: Manila(Main Hub, NAIA T3), Clark, Cebu, Davao (all in the Philippines)

Destinations: Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Middle East, Guam, and soon, Europe and the United States. So you may want to apply for a US Tourist visa right now.

Route Map:

Cebu Pacific Route Map

 

b. AirAsia

While the fares are usually not as cheap as CebuPac, AirAsia offers the most varied routes in Indochina (Insular ASEAN countries) and South Asia. AirAsia also offers the cheapest plane fares from Southeast Asia to Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka.

Hubs: Kuala Lumpur (Main Hub, KLIA T2), Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Kuching (all in Malaysia)

Destinations: Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, South Asia

Route Map:

AirAsia Route Map

c. Tiger Airways

Though cheaper than traditional carriers, the budget airline Tiger Airways, from my own recollection, is the most expensive of these three. However, Tiger Airways is important for two major reasons: it’s the only budget carrier that flies to China’s Hainan Island  and it usually offers the lowest fares from anywhere in Southeast Asia to Singapore. I’ll explain more in the next section.

Hubs: Singapore (Changi)

Destinations: Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, South Asia

Route Map:

 

Tiger Airways Route Map

Strategies and tactics for finding the lowest fares

After discussing the major low-cost airlines and where they fly, it’s time to discuss several tactics that will let you cut down on costs wherever you want to go. To read more on that, check my next post.

Find Cheap Fares: Asian Budget Airlines Basics

B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-immigrant Visa Applications: 12 Common Questions

Do I need to have “show money”? Will I need a letter of invitation? Are there any tips and tricks? Let’s talk about those stuff, and more.

Common B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa Questions:

1. What is a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa ?


2. How do I apply?


3. What happens during the interview?


4. What are the documentary requirements?


5. Will I need to have “show money” or an invitation letter?


6. Is there an annual quota on the number of B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa that they approve?


7. How much does a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa Cost?


8. Will the application process be easier if I applied for a Single-Entry B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa only?


9. What is the maximum period of stay when on a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa?


10. Does my travel history count for something?


11. Are there any tips or tricks that I can use during visa interviews?


12. What are the perks of having a valid B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa?

 

This is how a typical US Visa looks like.

1. What is a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa ?

A US B-1 Non-immigrant Visa allows the holder to enter the US and participate in a limited range of short-term business-related activities in the United States such as contract negotiations and business conferences. However, this visa does not allow you to engage in work that shall be paid by a US-based employer.

A US B-2 Non-immigrant Visa allows you to enter the US for tourism, visit friends/family or gain access to medical treatment.

In a majority of cases, US Consular Services issue combined B-1/B-2 visas even if you applied for just one of those visa classes. In my case, I was issued a B-1/B-2 visa even if I  applied only for a B-2.

2. How do I apply?

The four-step application process is quite easy and straightforward. You can check my post, “How to Apply for a US Tourist Visa” for more information.

3. What happens during the interview?

Per standard operating procedure, every consular officer assumes that each B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa applicant intends to immigrate/overstay, and it’s up to the applicant to demonstrate otherwise. To do this, the consular officer usually asks a barrage of questions that help clarify the applicant’s real intent. They even ask multiple questions about the same topic to make sure that the applicant is truthful and honest.

This is how the interview area looks like. Note that I am not the guy in the picture.

To know more, you can read about My US Tourist Visa Interview – August 18 2014.

4. What are the documentary requirements?

Unlike most developed (OECD) countries, the US requires relatively little documentation to support US tourist visa applications. Presumably, the US Department of State uses gap between the date of application and the date of the interview to perform background/character checks on the applicant.

However, applicants are advised to bring supporting documents with them on the day of the interview, in case the consular officer requests for them. There is no official list of supporting documents, but it generally includes the following:

• Certificate of Employment – on company letterhead, with employer signature, shows compensation, date of hire, position, and job responsibilities.


• Registration Certificates – Business, Home, Car, and other sizeable assets.

5. Will I need to have “show money” or an invitation letter?

Not necessarily. “Show money”, or a document showing that you have substantial savings, is rarely requested. In my opinion, it can do you more harm than good. I have heard about some instances where applicants provide a passbook that shows large deposits over a short period, deposits that are not realistic with respect to how much they earn. Moreover, there are instances where the applicant can afford to pay for the trip using only one paycheck. It’s really a case-to-case thing.

Meanwhile, a letter of invitation is not very helpful in B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa applications. Ultimately, the outcome of a visa application is determined by the applicant’s personal circumstances, and not those of somebody else’s.

6. Is there an annual quota on the number of B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa that they approve?

No. Quotas do not apply on tourist visas. As long as you can convince the consular officer that you don’t intend to immigrate or overstay, your application will be approved.

7. How much does a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa Cost?

A B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa costs US$ 160, or PHP 7040 (as of August 23 2014). This amount is non-refundable and non-transferrable, so be extra careful when filling out deposit slips.

A US Visa Fee Deposit Slip. Note the top-right hand corner that shows a unique receipt number.

8. Will the application process be easier if I applied for a Single-Entry B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa only?

The US Embassy in Manila rarely issues single-entry visas, if at all. I wouldn’t really know because all approved applicants in US Embassy Manila are granted 10-year multiple entry visas. Maybe, this is the reason why consular officers are extra strict during the visa interviews, as there’s a higher risk for illegal immigration when one is granted a multiple entry visas.

As of 23 August 2014. the US Embassy Manila issues 10-years Multiple Entry B-1/B-2 Visas only.

9. What is the maximum period of stay when on a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa?

You may be allowed to stay for a minimum of 30 days on US territory, and up to a maximum of 6 months. Note, however, that the allowed length of stay is really up to the border protection officer that you will meet upon entry to the United States.

10. Does my travel history count for something?

There are many first time travelers who were granted B-1/B-2 visas. However, as a general rule, applicants who have travelled abroad – and didn’t overstay – are more likely to be approved. For example, the consular officer asked me about previous travel so I told him that I have travelled to about 7 countries before I applied for a US Visa. But then, there are many other factors that are considered, so the lack of previous travel history doesn’t automatically cause denial.

As a general rule, previous travel counts.

11. Are there any tips or tricks that I can use during visa interviews?

Yes. Be honest and straight to the point. Provide sensible and informative answers. For example, if an officer asks you why you want to visit the US, don’t say “Because I think it would be nice”. This is too vague and it doesn’t say a lot about your intent. Instead, say something like, “I want to go there out of sheer curiosity.”, or, “I want to go there because I want to see snow.”

The visa officer may also appreciate a little sense of humor. After all, they interview hundreds of people each day and a giggle or two can brighten things up a bit.

Be calm. Getting uncontrollably nervous may do you harm, especially since you’ll be more likely to say stupid and irrelevant things. Just remember that this is just a B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa and not a ticket to eternal life.

12. What are the perks of having a valid B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa?

Having a US Visa does have other perks, but let me discuss that in my next post.

Do you have other questions about B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-Immigrant Visa? Please leave a comment below!

B-1/B-2 US Tourist/Non-immigrant Visa Applications: 12 Common Questions

Experiences: My US Tourist Visa Interview - August 18 2014

The interview with the US Consular Officer is the single most important step towards getting a US tourist visa. Along with the fact that there’s no standard interview questionnaire, many visa applicants tend to freak out as their appointment date approaches. To help you get an idea about what happens during a visa interview, let me share my story. So here we go.

US Tourist Visa Interview : Before the Interview

I have completed all the basic steps on August 9^th 2014, and I was fortunate enough to find an interview time slot on August 18^th at 7:30 AM. I arrived at the US Embassy in Roxas Boulevard, Manila, at around 6:00 AM, and I immediately noticed the large number of applicants, all scheduled for interviews from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM.

There’s a 7-eleven just across the road so I decided to pass time there. I highly suggest that you empty your bladder before leaving your house, as the nearest public toilet, located about 500 meters away at the junction of Sta. Monica and Guerrero Streets., opens at 9:00 AM. You cannot even go near that facility before it opens because there’s a big dog guarding the door and it looks rabid to me.

The nearest toilet that should’ve been open at 7AM is closed. Argh.

US Tourist Visa Interview: Pre-screening Process

I prepared the following for the US Tourist Visa Interview:

• Machine-validated visa deposit slip


• DS-160 application confirmation


• Appointment confirmation


• 1 piece 2×2 picture


• A piece of tissue paper, just in case I will need to cry after the interview.

I was allowed to enter the embassy premises at 7:15 AM. There are a bunch of official US Embassy employees to assist applicants and the process is really streamlined, so there’s very little room for confusion.

I also brought the following documents, just in case they ask for it:

• Bank statements


• Employment Certificates


• Utility Bills

Essentially, the pre-screening process goes like this:

1. Go to the counter that validates your appointment schedule and issues an queue number.


2. Stay in the first waiting area outside the embassy building. Wait for your number to be called.


3. Go to the second counter (inside the building) to submit your photos and to check if you’re applying for the correct visa class.


4. Go to the second counter for biometric capture (fingerprints).


5. Stay in the second waiting area inside the embassy building. Wait for your number to be called.


6. Go to the assigned counter for your interview with the consular officer.

 

The Applicants’s Waiting Area inside the US Embassy Grounds

US Tourist Visa Interview: The Interview

Okay, so the public announcement screen thingy lit up and it showed: 4049 8, which means that I (applicant # 4049) should go to counter 8 for the interview. All the other applicants before me were interview for around three minutes each. I felt like mine lasted forever.

Truth be told, I was slightly cocky (and slightly annoyed) because I felt like he was going to deny my application because he wasn’t asking for documents. Apparently, consular officers usually don’t ask for documents unless they feel like you’re lying. It also seems that the US Department of State has already done a background check on me even before the interview started.

This is how the interview area looks like. Note that I am not the guy in the picture.

This is exactly what happened during my US Tourist Visa Interview. Verbatim.

Visa Officer (VO): Please state your full name and date of birth please.

RJ: Rey Joseph Nieto, DD Month YYYY.

VO: Where will you go in the US?

RJ: San Francisco.

VO: What’s the purpose of your visit to the US?

RJ: Well, I wanna see snow, among other things.

VO: Huh? There’s no snow in San Francisco.

RJ: (teeth clenched) Really?! My Aunt A****** said I’ll be able to see snow after a 2-hour drive from her place. Don’t worry, I’ll blame her when I get there.

VO: Who will be paying for your trip?

RJ: Myself.

VO: What’s your job?

RJ: I am a travel writer but that’s just a sideline.

VO: Do you own that company?

RJ: Well, I own the site and I run pay-per-click ads on it. But my day job is proposal writing, I telecommute.

VO: How much do you earn a month?

RJ: **** US dollars. No bonuses explicitly stated in the contract.

VO: You earn that just for writing?

RJ: Yes, and I am very thankful. And that’s also why I am here right now. (smiles)

VO: (smiles).What do you do in that writing job?

RJ: I write technical proposals in response to invitation to tenders from energy companies, national governments, non-governmental agencies etc. The US Embassy in Baghdad was actually one of our clients.

VO: What’s the name of your company?

RJ: *****

VO: (lights up) Ah, yeah! I’ve seen their people when I was in Baghdad. (It appears this officer was formerly stationed in Baghdad).

RJ: That’s cool. They’re great people.

VO: Where did you study?

RJ: UP Diliman.

VO: What did you study?

RJ: Theoretical Mathematics. I know it’s not related to my job. (laughs)

VO: So how long do you plan to stay in the US?

RJ: I don’t have concrete plans yet. Possibly five plus minus two days. I plan to spend Christmas there.

VO: What countries have you visited?

RJ: Italy in 2002, then a long lull up to 2013, then Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE, and Indonesia.

VO: Why didn’t you travel between 2003 to 2012?

RJ: I was a Government Science Scholar, a DOST Scholar, so I wasn’t allow to travel abroad until they lifted that travel ban mid-2012. I hopped onto a plane as soon as I got the news. I literally hopped when I boarded the aircraft bound for Singapore in 2013.

VO: (smiles) What is your living situation?

RJ: I am single if that’s what you’re asking. (The officer literally looks like Ryan Gosling who ate just a couple of extra Big Macs. Really cute. LOL so it was a relatively subtle Freudian Slip.)

VO: No, I mean, where do you live?

RJ: Ah! I rent an apartment in Mandaluyong City. My landlord is a close relative.

VO: Do your younger siblings live with you?

RJ: I live alone. I don’t like complications.

VO: Where are your siblings?

RJ: I am not really sure. I am not close to my immediate family. Days of our Lives stuff. Trust me.

VO: (nods gently) Do you have kids?

RJ: I’d love to, but I can’t.

VO: Why?

RJ: I bat for the other team (smiles and winks)

VO: (laughs) So I guess we can strike out the possibility of you marrying someone over there. (smiles)

RJ: Yeah, I need to go the gym more.

VO: (laughs)

RJ: Don’t you laugh. (smiles) I am well aware of the reality that I have ceased to become the bastion of insurmountable beauty that inevitably bordered on absolute perfection.

VO: (laughs) Okay, your visa is approved. Please wait for 5 business days for your passport to be delivered at the designated address.

RJ: Really?

VO: (smiles and nods)

RJ: Don’t I get a piece of paper or something?

VO: (shuts eyes and shakes head)

RJ: Oh, okay! Thanks!

VO: You’re welcome.

RJ: Peace out! (flashes the V sign on both hands).

VO: (smiling and confused stare).

So there, my US Tourist Visa (B-2) application was approved.

US Tourist Visa: After the interview

So I went home and waited, and waited, and waited. After a few hours, I visit the US Embassy Website to check my application status. To my horror, the status popup showed that my application was under administrative processing!

This means that an application is undergoing further investigation.

However, the next day, I checked the same site again and I got this message:

This means that the visa has been issued and all you need is wait for your passport to be sent back to you.

For US Tourist Visa Interviews, It appears that the term administrative processing can mean two very different things: that you’re being background-checked OR the embassy guys are just taking their time to paste that visa sticker on your passport. So there it is. My US Tourist visa has been issued and I am just waiting for the courier to deliver it to me.

Do you have questions about the visa interview? Please leave a comment below!

 

 

Experiences: My US Tourist Visa Interview - August 18 2014

How to Apply for a US Tourist Visa - The Basics

Applying for a US Tourist Visa in Manila have always been surrounded by a plethora of myths. Some say the embassy asks for “show money”, while others say someone in the States should invite you over. That’s why, out of curiosity, I applied for a tourist visa myself. Now let me tell you how it goes.

US Tourist Visa: The Basic Facts

The United States Embassy issues many different kinds of visas depending on your purpose of travel.  However, the most common type of visa issued is the B-2 or Tourist visa. If you want to go the US for a holiday, to visit relatives, or anything that falls under general tourism, then this is the visa category for you.

Contrary to popular belief, there are no quotas for this visa category. As long as you can convince the consular officer that you have no intention of illegally immigrating to the United States, you will be fine. Moreover, you may be glad to hear that unlike tourist visa applications for other OECD countries (Japan, EU, South Korea, etc.), B-2 US Tourist Visa, under normal circumstances, require very little documentation.

Apply for a US Tourist Visa well ahead of your planned travel dates. With the sheer number of visa applications being processed each day, there is a slim chance that it may take more than a month or two before your visa is issued.

US Tourist Visa: A Quick Rundown of the Steps

Let me enumerate all the basic steps involved in applying for a US Tourist Visa in Manila:

1. Fill out the online application form.

All US Tourist Visa Applications start online.

Fill out the DS-160 online application form at the US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs Website. Gone are the days of paper-based processing: today, all visa applications start here. If you are more comfortable with using Tagalog, the website and its forms provide you with a language option.

The same website also offers a Tagalog version.

 

2. Pay the US$ 160 Visa Application Fee.

Print out a deposit slip form from the Consular Affairs website. Note that each form has a unique receipt number so don’t print more than one. As of August 2014, the application fee for B-2 Visas is US$ 160 or PH₱ 7040.

A US Visa Fee Deposit Slip. Note the top-right hand corner that shows a unique receipt number.

With your deposit slip in hand, it’s now time to pay the visa application fee. The easiest way to pay is through an over-the-counter payment at any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch. Note that there are some BPI branches that are open on Saturdays, such as the one in 5/F Shangri-La Mall in EDSA-Shaw. The BPI teller will machine validate your deposit slip. Keep this document with you because the embassy staff will ask for it on the day of your appointment.

For more detailed information, please click here.

3. Schedule an Interview/Appointment

A day after paying the visa application fee, book your appointment either online or through the US Embassy’s call center. In my opinion, it’s better to just book it online because the system will automatically provide you with an appointment confirmation slip. Print this slip and show it to the consular officers on the day of your appointment.

4. Go to your appointment, be interviewed.

Be at the embassy at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. In my opinion, it’s better to arrive really early because there are other factors that may be involved in this process other than the actual interview. In particular:

4.1 Lining up outside the embassy

Outside the embassy are large signs that tell you where to line up. There’s one for 7:15am appointments, one for 8:00 am, and so on. The order in which your application will be processed, with respect to other applicants who belong to the same time slot, depends largely on your position in the line.

4.2 Biometrics

This is relatively quick and easy, except if you have scars on your fingers and other stuff that may make it tough for the machine to recognize your prints.

This is how a fingerprint scanner in the US Embassy looks like.

4.3 2×2 Photos

The consular officer will decide whether your 2×2 pic is acceptable or not. In my case, the officer rejected the pics I brought because it has shadows. Luckily, there’s a Kodak Shop inside the embassy grounds and you can get one in just 5 minutes, but the wait time can be longer if there are lots of people.

4.4 Emergency Appointments

Some applicants don’t undergo the usual appointment setting process (e.g. groups, seamen, PWDs, elderly, etc.) and they are usually the first ones to be interviewed. This is the same reason why I was interviewed at 10 AM despite my appointment being set at 730 AM.

4.5 Issues with Electronics

The US Embassy prohibits entry of any electronic or flame-generating devices into its grounds. These include mobile phones, lighters, cigarettes, digital watches and USB dongles. That’s why I strongly advice against bringing these stuff.

After the interview, the consular officer will typically inform you about the results, i.e. whether you passed, failed, or something else. But that will be discussed in my next blog post.

Do you have questions about applying for a US Tourist Visa? Ask me by posting a comment below!

How to Apply for a US Tourist Visa - The Basics