Chitter chatter....
Villain: I am sorry, but you said you are traveling on an advanced parole document back to the US?
Man: Yes, I am
Woman: Why? Is there a problem?
Villain: Actually ma'am, Indian passport holders will have to get a transit visa if transiting through the UK, especially if you do not have a valid visa stamping in your passport
Man & Woman: blink blink
Woman: I am sorry, but I don't think you understood us right. We DON'T have a valid visa stamping and we aren't getting out of Heathrow , we are just transiting through UK for 2 hours.
Man: An approved nod
Villain: No ma'am, What I mean is, you do need a transit visa even if you are just going to be in the airport. This is a mandatory requirement because you will be re-entering US on an advance parole document and don't have a valid visa stamping on your passport
Woman: But, this is absolutely ridiculous. I was given to understand from your US BA 1800 number that I was all set to travel on an AP and didn't need a transit visa
Man: Looks at the woman and then at the Villain
Villain: Oh really, I don't think they would have said that
Woman giving a look saying " &*%%#%)(*"
Villain: Just give me a minute ma'am.
Calls someone on his walkie talkie ( oh-- I really love saying these 2 words, long time since I used it). Villain #2 comes, quickly looks at the monitor long and hard and looks at both of us, then goes back to the monitor again.
Villain#2: Okay ma'am I am sure there was some miscommunication on the part of the US BA team when they said you didn't need a transit visa. Unfortunately you do need one.
Man with a look that says " Are (as in Hindi), somebody-isa-gonna-get-a-hurt-u now" (Russell Peters fan that I am, had to use it here :)
Woman: Okay, we need a transit visa but we don't have one. What do we do now?
Villain: I am afraid you will have to go to the UK high commission and get a transit visa. What I could do for you is cancel this existing ticket and then once you get your visa, you can rebook your tickets.
Passes on one sheet of paper which clearly states what he just said about the UK authorities needing a transit visa and the exceptions doesn't list an AP holder
Great! Now, what do we do??
For all of those with toddlers and are familiar with the cartoon "My friends Tigger and pooh", the most famous line in that is when Darby, the adorable little girl says " now, we have a problem. So, think think think!"
And, I am in the think think think mode while Manohar is seriously stroking his goti while trying to see what other options we have. Oh boy-- men are from mars and women from venus :D
A few hours pass and we are back in our old familiar bed and goti is still being stroked while I am looking at the ceiling while the think think think is happening.
8.25AM on the 1st of July and we awake from the little less than 3 hours sleep that we have had.
Make a round of calls and find out that this recent development has been in effect from Dec of 2007. Okay, the transit visa requirement is a fact and I am a little satisfied that the villain and villain #2 murders will not be in my conscience :)
UK high commission informs us that it will take us a minimum of 2 weeks to get a transit visa issued. Ok-- that will not work, so we make another set of calls and try to get 2 tickets arranged through Cathay pacific. Cathay doesn't fly out on Tuesdays. So, Wednesday it is then.
Less than 12 hours to go for the 'hopefully happening flight'
If you don't see another sequel within the next 12 hours, means I have been accepted on the flight. If not-- another blog is in the offing
Eventful.. at its best
