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Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2002 10:49:37 +0100
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You got to love the Swiss... It's not like in all those other US embassies around the world!
I was in Bern 2 weeks ago.
-Only 3 people waiting in line.
-They have umbrellas there in case it rains
-Waited maybe 20 minutes to get the receipt
-Picked all up the same afternoon
If you don't have the forms, you fill them in on the street, but you can get
the forms on the Web site. Make sure you paid the fee, otherwise you have to
walk to the post office (8 blocks). Just come prepared. If your paperwork is
ok, it's a one day thing.
I was in London and flew to Bern just for the Visa (can only do that if you are
Swiss or Swiss Resident), as in London it takes at least 2 weeks and I needed
it sooner.
Note, only applicants can enter the embassy, so don't bring your grandmother
along, she will have to stand (no seats) outside until you are back (why would
you bring your grandma anyway, but that's what people did when I was there).
Louis
PS: The DS-157 they have on the Web is probably illegal. The note of the
paperwork reduction act (or whatever it is called) on the top right is expired.
You are not required to fill in a government form if it is not approved by that
agency that writes on the form how long it takes to fill it in. Anyone willing
to challenge this? Anyway, it took me hours to fill it in, they want a list of
all the countries you visited in the last 10 years, all education, many
organizations you belonged to, etc. Good all schools in CH now have Webpages,
so you can find their address.
PPS (and off topic, but still of some interest to this list of expats) (no more
work permit required to work in the UK thanks to the bilaterale Abkommen. No
more landing card). Just walk through the short line on immigration. Finally!
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Received on Fri Oct 25 2002 - 15:41:30 PDT
