VIVA la VISA AMERICAN!...PART I

Summer time is visa time! eya 7ad 3andu forsa ye safer, hai safer. AKHHHHHH...dakhlna keda fee el visa interview. Taba3an since 9/11 (september 11) fee mashakel gamda inak takhod visa to the States. Wa gheir keda, delwaty be da'a'u 3al language. No English No Visa ya shater. So you really have to improve your English as much as possible abl el interview.

* Some Tips (nasayeh) for obtaining (getting) a visa:
1. Establish a motive and reason to show that you're coming back to Egypt. Awil sabab le rafd el visa in el gada3 el american ili 3al shobak da, hasis in ili udamu mish nawee yerga3 baladu.

2. Be specific and concise. El interview da mish film hindee...kol el hekaya is just a few minutes. Ya3nee inta 3andak just a few minutes inak tiqna3 el gada3 el american yedeek el visa. Mat tawilsh fee el kalam kiteer...ya3nee geeb min el akher.

3. Language. Surprise!! el interview mish hay koun bil 3arabee...takhayal? It's in English ya nas!!

4. Be honest. el nas dee mesahsaseen fa don't even THINK of saying something not true. They will see through your lie.

BASIC QUESTION AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS:

Q: Hi, how are you?
A: I'm fine, thank you.

Q: What do you do?
A: I'm a student at Cairo University. I'm in my third year and I'm majoring in Economics. (masalan ya3nee. Please note that 'what do you do' ma3nitha be tishtaghal eh. Malhash ma3na tanya gheir keda.)

Q: And why do you want to go to the States?
A: Tourism. I have relatives there and I'd like to visit them. (NOTE: khodo balkom in fee nas be oulu in ye koun ahsan mat oulish in 3andak arayeb henak wa fee nas betoul in ahsan te oul. De tirga3 lil no'ata el awalaneya inak lazem te waree inak nawee tirga3 le masr.) (of course fee nas tala business or for medical reasons...hasab inta wa awra'ak).

Q: How will you support yourself there?
A: My parents are paying for this trip.

Q: What do they work?
A: My father is the manager of an IT company. (masalan) ( te'oul el laqab wa fein). And my mother is a housewife. (sit beit).

Q: Do you have any siblings?
A: Yes, I have a brother and a sister. (siblings ya3nee ikhwat wa hat laee el kilma dee in application forms wa fee el kalam).

Q Are you travelling with a spouse?
A: No sir, I'm not married. (kilmit spouse ya3nee a wife or husband. Maktouba fee el application aktar min tit'al...but you must learn these two words, siblings and spouse.)
Lou inta fa3lan married and your spouse (ur wife) mish mesafra ma3ak, they will ask you how is she going to support herself while you're away. Lou has inak hat safer 3ashan tishtaghal wa tiba3tlaha money...insa el visa! You'll be denied the visa.

Q: Have you ever travelled before?
A: Yes. I've travelled to (place) in (year).

I'll try to give you more tips and advice...bas mish fadyalkom delwaty!:)