Getting US Visa for Malaysians

Argh, another one of the items I want to write about that will hopefully help me in the future and maybe at the same time help others.

As usual, the first place I started was at the embassy page (God bless the internet). Just click on the "Visas to the U.S." link and select the appropriate option. In my case it was the non-immigrant visa service. Here, there's pretty much all the info u need.

Basically, there is an online form to fill out (U'll need Adobe Reader 5.0 and above for this). Complete the form with the needed particulars. When ur done, submit the form and print it out. You will need to do this because the form is needed for when u attend an interview at the embassy. Promptly after (or maybe during the process) filling up the form, u will need to schedule an interview. For male applicants, they are required to print out and complete a supplemental form that needs to completed and brought along for the interview.

Next, head down to the closest RHB bank and pay RM380 and you'll get a pink slip. Guard this with ur life.

They recommend bringing supporting documents that shows you have no intentions of staying in the US as an immigrant. In my case, I brought my J form, EA Form, payslips, home loan documents, car loan documents, bank statements, insurance policy and some other stuff I can't recall.

My interview was scheduled to be at 8.30 in the morning. The place is at the US embassy, Jalan Tun Razak for those who don't know. You have a buffer of 30 minutes before and after that time to appear for the interview. When you reach the embassy, you'll need to show ur documents to the the guard at the entrance and surrender your IC in place of a security tag. There'll be a pretty long queue so be prepared.

Once you are in, there'll be two security checkpoints before you reach the chancery. take a number, surrender your passport and documents, and wait. When ur number is called head to the counter and proceed with the interview. To be honest, my interview was pretty quick. He pretty much asked why I want to go there? Then he asked me what am I working as. He told me that US is an exspensive place to go and wanted to see my payslip. Before I could flip through my folder and get to my payslip, he saw my J Form and wanted to see that instead. He took a quick look at it, and approved my visa. I got a blue card, and was told to collect before 3pm the next day.

Next afternoon I went and collected my visa (which is laminated in my passport) with no problems. Except maybe being the heat that caused me to sweat like a pig :)

Thats it.