Arrival to Bangladesh - third visit. January 2022
[from FB post: December 29, 2011]
Tiger Airways is having a sale on tickets to Dhaka, Bangladesh. Today I went to the Bangladesh High Commission. "Can I get a tourist visa if I am a tourist myself in Singapore?" ... "absolutely not, but you might ask Mr. XXX for an exception" So I approached said person. "Can I get a tourist visa if I am a tourist myself in Singapore?" ... "absolutely not, but why do you want to go...?" bla bla bla... a few minutes of conversation and he says, "oh I can give you an exemption no problem, just have me sign off on your application" I'm thinking it's just not like this in most other consulates and embassies
The story of my SECOND visa for Bangladesh was no less astounding (though far more nail-biting) than the first.
As the pandemic dragged on I wondered if I would ever find a job. Through a friend of a friend, I heard that Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh was hiring as a lot of their foreign staff had quit during the pandemic. I interviewed and got the job PROVIDED I could get the visa before classes began! Time was short. It was late November and they wanted me there in early January. So it began...
I had to wait to get an invitation letter from a certain Bangladesh Government Office. After that letter was finally issued, I could begin. I waited about a week and the very day I received it, I went to the embassy (I was in DC due to the never ending support of friends PM and DV). There I questioned EXACTLY what documents I needed so as not to lose time. The man at the embassy told me I needed a letter of invitation from the university and that my signed contract was not acceptable. Back home to email AUW and they responded they were on it. After a few days, I received the invitation letter and THEN I had to fill out a very confusing online form with all the required information. The worst part was uploading a photo to their specifications. After I was certain it was all filled out correctly, I had to submit it with a cashier's check.
COVID Omicron cases spiked in DC and the embassy closed to all in-person services!
I had to complete the process by mail and ONLY by USPS Priority Mail. Meanwhile January was creeping closer. I filled in the form and printed it out only to find that the photo I struggled to upload did not print out on the form. That's OK because the website explained if that happened (which I assume was ALL THE TIME), one could paste a passport photo in the space. I took a "homemade" passport photo which PM printed for me on photographic paper and all the documents were sorted. After THAT, I only had to get a certified check and post all the documents. Done! It was December 31, 2021 and my "new life" was on the way to the embassy from the Brentwood Post Office.
Then an early January, rare DC substantial snowfall hit. Mail service was basically suspended for two days in the District. Finally, I got confirmation of delivery. I waited 24 hours and then checked the online system. My visa status was "rejected". I knew that couldn't possibly be correct so I tried to call the embassy. No luck there, just a machine. I emailed them and surprisingly received a prompt reply. My application HAD been received (they even included a photo of the envelope) and would be processed the next day and here was ANOTHER link to check on its progress. Again I waited a day and checked. It was due to be issued in TWO WEEKS! I emailed again and I was told the visa had just been issued. I checked again and it had been issued (in just one day) and was in the post. However, the tracking number was not activated for another two days.
Finally, the envelope DID arrive, but not to PM and DV's house, but to their neighbor's! That finally sorted, I opened the envelope and saw the stamp. I had received Bangladesh visa number two and was now ready to rise like a phoenix one more time and start a job overseas. I did arrive at least by the first day of classes...
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