Visa application Results

Monday, 12th December
I'd asked a friend of mine to collect my Visa from the embassy. My flight out of Georgia was booked for the 16th. I had to be in Tbilisi by the 14th. I couldn't travel all the way to Tbilisi for the 12th, back to Batumi, and then back to Tbilisi by the 14th.

I gave her my receipt and informed the guys at the embassy that she would pick the visa up for me. Let's call her D. I sent her a text Sunday afternoon reminding her. I called her monday morning, she assured me that she hadn't forgotten. Nevertheless, I called her again, in the afternoon. No answer. The nerves started! My stomach was turning, I was so anxious.

I remember being on the phone with my friend Michelle and asking if I could call her back because I realised it was before 5 and my visa appointment was at 4:30pm (obviously). I called D. No answer! I sent her a text, asking if she got it, and called again thereafter! I was freaking out. It was done! Either she had received it or not. The latter would have killed me! I'd already made so many plans, my friend and her husband were expecting me. I was going to have my first white Christmas. I kept calling, the calls were not answered. I had funny thoughts. 'What was I thinking trusting someone my visa? What if they took it and travelled with it? Oh my Lord! I was dying!

She called! I quickly apologised to God for accusing this chick of being a thief. 'Brook! Call me back'. SURE! I must've called her back before she even hung up: SO? DID YOU GET IT?
'No. They did not give you! I'm sorry my sister! I was so upset! I scattered the whole embassy. I told them to take it back! You already have a ticket! What are you going to do? ....'. She was so worried about me. How sweet. I sat there, eyes popping out of my head. I was in shock! Utter shock! I thought I was dreaming. The worst thing that could happen, happened. I had 4days left. No time to appeal or re apply or anything. I was screwed!

On asking her why the visa was not granted, she said, 'I asked them and they told me to read the rejection letter! I kept asking him, and asking him, he just told me to read the letter'. So I asked HER to read the letter for me. She told me, 'it's better you come her and read it yourself. Maybe I'll leave something out'. I asked her if it's a long letter. She said 'no, but I don't want to be the one to bread this bad news to you. But I think that the person that's inviting you over did not provide sufficient documentation'. Okay, but can you just read me what's on the letter? 'Ok, Brook, I'm on the way, right now, I'm about to take the bus, call me in 2 hours. I've to view an apartment, call me later'.

FCKKKKK! Darn it! Now, I've to wait a few hours to find out why I was rejected. Not that it was going to change anything, but still! It would be nice to know. I called K the lady in charge of flights. I'd already told her when they asked me to submit my flight request for the Christmas holidays that I was in the process of applying for the visa. I told them I wanted to wait for the results first, they insisted on my confirmation because they had a deadline. We then went ahead and bought a flight ticket to France. Without a visa! I called and told her that my visa application was rejected and I needed a ticket home, to South Africa instead. She was very sympathetic. Telling me she had been through the same before. She told me to appeal and move my flight date or re-apply. She said to first find out what the reason was and take it from there. I told her how ready I was to get the heck out of that place, I couldn't wait another day if they were going to pay me. I didn't just want to get the heck out, I needed to! It was vital that I left! ASAP! She told me she'd call the travelling agent and ask them to start making the arrangement as we didn't have much time. She told me that my other option would be to stick around and leave in January. SAY WHAT? You mean I should spend Christmas AND. New Year's in this hell hole? I don't think so Madam! She promised to at least inform the travelling agent in the meantime and update them.

At 9 o'clock, 2 hours later, I called D again, to see if she 'had' my rejection reason. She picked up the third time and told me she was about to get home, to call her back. Great! More waiting! I asked her to rather copy whatever was the 'reason' and text it to me. 15 - 30mins later, I tried her again. She told me she was done rewriting it on the text and was about to send it. I thought that if she had finished typing what was on the letter, she'd know what it said and asked her to tell me. She said, 'it's all on the sms, hang up, you can read it yourself'. No problem, I've waited 2.5 hours, I'm sure I can wait a moment longer. NO TEXT! I was dying of impatience. 15 minutes later, she sent me a blank text. WHAAATTT! WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON!
I waited a bit and got nothing. I texted her that the text was blank. I was getting more and more anxious. If she spent 45 minutes typing this text, why is it blank?
Dear Lord! It was late, I still had to get back to K. About 5 minutes later, I got the text. It read: The information submitted regarding the justcation for the pupose and condition of the intended stay was not reliable.

3 Lines! I waited 5hours for a 3 line text! Can you say weird? Spell check and forward to K. I spent the rest of the night thinking about things, how you can plan this and end up being dished up that! I was still in shock, I was hoping there was a mistake somewhere. I had to tell the family and my friend that was going to host me that it wasn't going to happen. Nobody could understand why I was rejected. My sis had got a visa to the very same destination 3months ago. And about 3 years ago. No questions asked. The only difference was that she applied in South Africa and I in Georgia. One more reason I love that place so much. It makes possible impossible.