STEP 2 CS VISA EXPERIENCE
Region: Cairo (Egypt) : EXPERIENCE VII:
Published with Permission from:
An Anonymous Egyptian IMG
Experience Date: Jan 2008
CSprotocol blog continues to get lucky with readers eager to contribute in the spirit of helping. Here's a very detailed write-up about the visa rejection experience at Cairo in Egypt. The contributor chose to remain anonymous and would like to have inputs from people who could have any tips to guide him.
So, thanking him for sharing, Here's the experience:
"I reached the embassy at 9 :10 am. Met a guy outside Who asked me "how can I help you?" I said I've a visa interview, asked for name, found it, asked to see, the CIB receipt for the interview fees, the online form and a photo ..
Got me in to the reception, there was a line where I stood for a while, then the guy asked for my papers, he took the online form, the CIB receipt & the Form DS -157 and stapled all together and then asked me to proceed to Window 2, where I handed over the application, the passport, took my token & waited.
After my token was called - I went there, had my finger prints taken I was then asked to wait again.Then around 11:30 , A guy called my name to window 5 please .. went there and the interview started.
He: Hello
Me: Hello
He: How u r doing today?
Me: (Smiled) Fine thank u
He: OK , why do u wanna go to usa?
Me: I've to appear for the USMLE step2cs exam and handled him the visa letter & the appointment date
He: And what is that USMLE exam ?
Me: United states medical licensing exam Step2 Clinical skills exam
He: So did u do step1?
Me: I did this step and showed him the Step2ck score report
He: Clinical Knowledge , clinical skills what is the difference?? Wondering
Me: CK is an MCQ exam. Computer based, while CS is on standardized patients
He: oh I see
Me: got it?
He: Yes , and how many of these steps r there ??
Me: There is Step1 , step2 CK and CS and Step 3
He: and when do u gonna do step3 ??
Me: I've to do step1 & CS 1st, but I don't have to do it
He: and how this test is going to help u??
Me: it is going to help me continue my postgraduate medical education in usa
He: u were born in UAE ?
Me: yes
He: why did u come to Egypt??
Me: coz I'm Egyptian
He: said, oh I see, u were staying there?
Me: yes
He: who will finance u?
Me: Myself , I've a bank account & …
He: interrupting , can I see that ?
Me: handled him the bank account and continued and I 've an apartment here in ..... , do u wanna see that??
He: no thank u … checked the papers , what does ur dad do for a living ?
Me: I said he is dead
He: ooh, I'm sorry
Me: it's ok
He : and u r working in … ?
Me: I answered ……………….. , & then added but I'm in a vacation ( But I think he didn't notice that last sentence)
He: and u r graduated from …? Since …. ?
Me: i answered .................. , ....................
He: and since graduation u r working in this ........... ???
Me: yes, but I had an internship in ..................... for a yr 1st
He: and how much is ur Salary ??
Me: ........... , but I won't depend on that, I'll depend on this bank account and pointed to it ( he ignored this part ) &
He: showed amazed face and asked, but this is a lot of money you've , from where is this difference?
Me: it's inheritance, as I said my dad is dead
He: and where did ur dad worked b4 his death??
Me: He was working in ........... , but b4 that he was working for a while in Dubai and he had inheritance too from his dad ( my Grandpa )
He: your mom is still living??
Me: yes
He: where ?
Me: in .........
He: do u have any brothers ?? how many ?
Me: Yes, only 1 Brother , he is a Dr. too
He: I see that u had an immigrant visa b4 ….
Me: interrupted … yes , DV lottery
He: showing an amazed face and asking , what happened for that ?
Me: I was temporary exempted from the army , but by the time the visa got issued for me, my exemption expired, so I had to join the army, couldn't travel and the visa expired
He: I c , did u traveled any where else ?
Me: yes to Spain
He: why ?
Me: I had a clerkship in surgery in SAN CARLOS Hospital in Madrid, it was in arranged by the student exchange program held by my faculty , I spent there for 1 month
He: 1 Month ?
Me: yes, I've a certificate, do u wanna see it ??
He: No .. he thought a little and then asked me to wait a lil bit in front of the window .. he closed the mic then turned to his right to another counselor who just refused to issue a visa for another applicant on window 6 beside me, chatted with her a little bit , then thank some while, then turned back to me .. opened the mic and said : sorry for that, thanks for waiting
Me: it's ok
He: he handled me the passport without any stamps and said : I can't issue a visa for u today, as I can't find strong ties for u here in Egypt , but u r welcome to apply anytime soon …
Me: Wondering , what other ties could u accept more than that ??
He: Handled me a booklet and said, u can check and u'll find what u r asking for
Me: Can I stick for a while for any inquiries??
He: No , just read it
Me: Is there any e-mails where I can inquire about anything
He: No , just read it & u r welcome to apply any time soon, you have a plenty of time, your test is still in july ….
Me: Thanked him and left
N.B.: the salary i mentioned from my job is too little amount, it was the basic salary without bonuses and shifts, i wasn't ready for that Q and i didn't want to lie and say a big amount and i didn't remember my exact salary since am in a vacation since couple of yrs preparing for the tests, got sick for a while then joined the army .... now preparing for the tests again .... That's all .... I'm not sure what i did wrong?? And I'm not also sure what i'm gonna do next time when i apply for visa again??? All i know is that my previous immigrant visa is a big obstacle in my processing since a lot of my friends who went with only Step1 score and less ties than me i.e. less bank account balance and didn't travel abroad before like me and the interview was so short and got the visa 5 yrs multiple entry , so Any advice, would be much appreciated ....
Thank you readers for your time ...."
Hmmm..an unfortunate turn of events, but not without something to learn from. Appropriate finances and ties with one's country become vital for a visitors visa to the USA - basically giving the offices enough reasons that you will have reasons o return.
Here are some of my suggestions:
1. One thing he could do is supplement low income / finances by demonstrating additional sponsorships from a relative (maternal / paternal uncles) in Egypt accompanied by a sponsorship letter from the relative- which will be reasanably accepted given the loss of the primary guardian
2. A current employment status is advisable
3. Current employment accompanied by a letter from the employer expressing a strong interest in rehiring upon return- or that he has taken a leave from his current position
The same points will also suggest ties with home country.
Additional suggestions from fellow IMGs are welcome !
Region: Cairo (Egypt) : EXPERIENCE VII:
Published with Permission from:
An Anonymous Egyptian IMG
Experience Date: Jan 2008
CSprotocol blog continues to get lucky with readers eager to contribute in the spirit of helping. Here's a very detailed write-up about the visa rejection experience at Cairo in Egypt. The contributor chose to remain anonymous and would like to have inputs from people who could have any tips to guide him.
So, thanking him for sharing, Here's the experience:
"I reached the embassy at 9 :10 am. Met a guy outside Who asked me "how can I help you?" I said I've a visa interview, asked for name, found it, asked to see, the CIB receipt for the interview fees, the online form and a photo ..
Got me in to the reception, there was a line where I stood for a while, then the guy asked for my papers, he took the online form, the CIB receipt & the Form DS -157 and stapled all together and then asked me to proceed to Window 2, where I handed over the application, the passport, took my token & waited.
After my token was called - I went there, had my finger prints taken I was then asked to wait again.Then around 11:30 , A guy called my name to window 5 please .. went there and the interview started.
He: Hello
Me: Hello
He: How u r doing today?
Me: (Smiled) Fine thank u
He: OK , why do u wanna go to usa?
Me: I've to appear for the USMLE step2cs exam and handled him the visa letter & the appointment date
He: And what is that USMLE exam ?
Me: United states medical licensing exam Step2 Clinical skills exam
He: So did u do step1?
Me: I did this step and showed him the Step2ck score report
He: Clinical Knowledge , clinical skills what is the difference?? Wondering
Me: CK is an MCQ exam. Computer based, while CS is on standardized patients
He: oh I see
Me: got it?
He: Yes , and how many of these steps r there ??
Me: There is Step1 , step2 CK and CS and Step 3
He: and when do u gonna do step3 ??
Me: I've to do step1 & CS 1st, but I don't have to do it
He: and how this test is going to help u??
Me: it is going to help me continue my postgraduate medical education in usa
He: u were born in UAE ?
Me: yes
He: why did u come to Egypt??
Me: coz I'm Egyptian
He: said, oh I see, u were staying there?
Me: yes
He: who will finance u?
Me: Myself , I've a bank account & …
He: interrupting , can I see that ?
Me: handled him the bank account and continued and I 've an apartment here in ..... , do u wanna see that??
He: no thank u … checked the papers , what does ur dad do for a living ?
Me: I said he is dead
He: ooh, I'm sorry
Me: it's ok
He : and u r working in … ?
Me: I answered ……………….. , & then added but I'm in a vacation ( But I think he didn't notice that last sentence)
He: and u r graduated from …? Since …. ?
Me: i answered .................. , ....................
He: and since graduation u r working in this ........... ???
Me: yes, but I had an internship in ..................... for a yr 1st
He: and how much is ur Salary ??
Me: ........... , but I won't depend on that, I'll depend on this bank account and pointed to it ( he ignored this part ) &
He: showed amazed face and asked, but this is a lot of money you've , from where is this difference?
Me: it's inheritance, as I said my dad is dead
He: and where did ur dad worked b4 his death??
Me: He was working in ........... , but b4 that he was working for a while in Dubai and he had inheritance too from his dad ( my Grandpa )
He: your mom is still living??
Me: yes
He: where ?
Me: in .........
He: do u have any brothers ?? how many ?
Me: Yes, only 1 Brother , he is a Dr. too
He: I see that u had an immigrant visa b4 ….
Me: interrupted … yes , DV lottery
He: showing an amazed face and asking , what happened for that ?
Me: I was temporary exempted from the army , but by the time the visa got issued for me, my exemption expired, so I had to join the army, couldn't travel and the visa expired
He: I c , did u traveled any where else ?
Me: yes to Spain
He: why ?
Me: I had a clerkship in surgery in SAN CARLOS Hospital in Madrid, it was in arranged by the student exchange program held by my faculty , I spent there for 1 month
He: 1 Month ?
Me: yes, I've a certificate, do u wanna see it ??
He: No .. he thought a little and then asked me to wait a lil bit in front of the window .. he closed the mic then turned to his right to another counselor who just refused to issue a visa for another applicant on window 6 beside me, chatted with her a little bit , then thank some while, then turned back to me .. opened the mic and said : sorry for that, thanks for waiting
Me: it's ok
He: he handled me the passport without any stamps and said : I can't issue a visa for u today, as I can't find strong ties for u here in Egypt , but u r welcome to apply anytime soon …
Me: Wondering , what other ties could u accept more than that ??
He: Handled me a booklet and said, u can check and u'll find what u r asking for
Me: Can I stick for a while for any inquiries??
He: No , just read it
Me: Is there any e-mails where I can inquire about anything
He: No , just read it & u r welcome to apply any time soon, you have a plenty of time, your test is still in july ….
Me: Thanked him and left
N.B.: the salary i mentioned from my job is too little amount, it was the basic salary without bonuses and shifts, i wasn't ready for that Q and i didn't want to lie and say a big amount and i didn't remember my exact salary since am in a vacation since couple of yrs preparing for the tests, got sick for a while then joined the army .... now preparing for the tests again .... That's all .... I'm not sure what i did wrong?? And I'm not also sure what i'm gonna do next time when i apply for visa again??? All i know is that my previous immigrant visa is a big obstacle in my processing since a lot of my friends who went with only Step1 score and less ties than me i.e. less bank account balance and didn't travel abroad before like me and the interview was so short and got the visa 5 yrs multiple entry , so Any advice, would be much appreciated ....
Thank you readers for your time ...."
Hmmm..an unfortunate turn of events, but not without something to learn from. Appropriate finances and ties with one's country become vital for a visitors visa to the USA - basically giving the offices enough reasons that you will have reasons o return.
Here are some of my suggestions:
1. One thing he could do is supplement low income / finances by demonstrating additional sponsorships from a relative (maternal / paternal uncles) in Egypt accompanied by a sponsorship letter from the relative- which will be reasanably accepted given the loss of the primary guardian
2. A current employment status is advisable
3. Current employment accompanied by a letter from the employer expressing a strong interest in rehiring upon return- or that he has taken a leave from his current position
The same points will also suggest ties with home country.
Additional suggestions from fellow IMGs are welcome !
Labels: Step 2 CS Visa, Step 2 CS Visa Experience
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posted by Digitaldoc, MD at 7:08 PM
COMMENTS ON ""
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elixir said ... (4:11 AM) :
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Digitaldoc, MD said ... (7:49 AM) :
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Digitaldoc, MD said ... (1:07 AM) :
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Post a commentHi there !
Definately a day that went wrong for our egyptian friend . The Visa issues can be tricky and as mostly covered by Digital doc in his excellent blogs , the indiviual experiences can be very similiar . For example in my visa viva ( i call it so because it went on for ages ) i too had to explain the concept of USMLE and Step 2 CS and 3 to the visa officer . However the fact that I was employed in a govt hospital , renowned one , and that i was a superspecialist here made her sure that I would return. Another thing , I showed her both my step 1 and step 2 CK marksheet , and this confused her further . Therefore , my advice is , only answer what is asked , and dont offer too much , after all the desicison has to be taken in 10-15 minutes and you shouldnt get stuck at a thing you havent prepared . Be honest and tell them the reasons if you want to return , or atleast believe for a few months before hand that you will return back , as this helps you in getting into a comfortable state of mind !!!
Best of luck for you next interview . Please remember that not going to US is not the end of the world and neither is getting a residency at Harward going to change one bit in your life .
I can safely say this as I struggled and toiled to get into india's leading college , only to realise that there are still lots and lots of things that make you a better clinician than being a "brand bearer " !
Dear digitaldoc...
Thanks a lot for all your efforts, could you please expalin more of no. 1 of your suggestions...
BTY, i had a letter from my job stating that i'm still working with them and that i'm currently in a vacation but he didn't ask for it ...
I'm planning now to do my step1 exam. 1st then go for another interview, so i'll be closer to my CS exam. date and will be done with all the steps that could be done outside the usa, what do you think of that???
Thanks again for your time & support.
Thanks Elixir for your excellent advice - I shall post clarification on my point 1 as soon as I am done with this one team assignment I am obliged to do :-(
:-)
By point 1 - I meant that you could have a relative endorse a letter saying that he/she will support you financially during the trip and pledge so and so amount for the trip for your use. You can easily find such sample sponsorship letters for visitors visas online - google it
firat of all am so sorry my friend for wat happened
my sorrow is two fold the normal cause am egyptian too
but i would like to ask digi if applying to the us dv lottery minmizes chances in cs visa?
No, they don't know in the embassy that u applied to DV lottery, there is no qs that refer to that, the only chance that they know is like this case ... however, if u won it, u won't need to apply to any more visa ... even if they know, u still have a chance, u've to present strong ties though to ur home country... GL
thnx man for ur kind reply
hope u all the best