So you’re saying my visa expired?
So, for several countries, I applied for a transit visa for several reasons. One, it was easier, two, it was cheaper, and three, it offered some flexibility for changes. Well, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, the dates you put on your transit visa are the dates you need to actually transit the country. Well, if you have been following along, I was supposed to start the trip on June 6th, so my dates were definitely off.
Daily Diary
Really it doesn’t make any sense because the time should not start until you have the stamp at the border, but apparently the guy at the border didn’t have the right stamp.
Trip #1 – Heading to the Consulate
Well, google had the location all wrong.
I was due to arrive at exactly 8AM, now it looks like a few minutes late because I have to sprint for more blocks.
Turns out, they don’t open until 9AM, thanks again google! I was wearing my motorcycle gear because I thought all I would need is the stamp.
Trip #2 – Heading Back to Hotel
I didn’t check out of my hotel because I had until noon, but I did empty out my room just in case I wouldn’t be back before noon.
The security guy had no issue watching my bike while he was busy trying to repair a washing machine.
I went back into my room took off my riding gear and cranked up the A/C to cool down. I had about 20 minutes before I needed to leave again, so I just did some work.
Trip #3 – Back to Consulate
I headed back to the consulate right at 9, and the guy welcomed me in and just pointed to a piece of paper taped to the window. A woman came out and said you absolutely cannot get a transit visa as a non-Angolan and I should leave. Great. Stuck again. The guy asked about the standard visa, and she said “wait, please” and ran inside. A minute later she came out and said, “yes”.
Whatever, just follow the instructions:
No, I did not overlook the 72-hour hold. I already had all of the copies, except for two of my vaccination card, I only had one. Time to find a copier.
Trip #4 – Yellow Fever Copy
Now where am I going to find a copier? Oh, that’s right, every hotel has to make copies of your passport! I hoofed it back to the hotel, got a copy made of my yellow fever certificate (vaccine card) made and ran back. No, I am really sweating.
Trip #5 – Hotel Booking Copy
Well… the paper does not say you need a copy of your hotel booking, it just says you need to have one. Turns out, you need a copy. I headed back to the hotel, emailed my reservation to the guy and he printed two copies for me. Done, right?!
Trip #6 – The $100 Problem
The fee was $100, which make no sense. In fact, I didn’t even pay for mine in the US and all they needed was copies of my passport and two passport photos. They said the information would be entered into the system and I would get my stamp at the border. Enough about that already. I had $100 in twenties, but they wanted a single $100 bill. This is pretty typical for the border, but the consulate is literally 100-feet from a bank. Whatever, I walked over to the bank.
Let’s just say the situation in the bank was like a greyhound bus station. People sleeping on the floor and only two tellers working, well, standing there. I couldn’t figure out what was going on because I waited in line for 20 minutes and nothing was moving. I decided to go to the next bank.
Trip #7 – The $100 Solution
By now, the temperature was about 85 degrees with 80% humidity. I was really starting to sweat through my clothes. Luckily, the bank I chose was air conditioned and there was only one person in line – “no photo” said the security guard and also made me remove my hat for the cameras.
I waited for the person at the counter to complete their transaction and moved to next in line. All of a sudden, three women show up. One with a baby, and two pregnant others. The sign said “Priority for” and had pictograms of a pregnant person, a person holding a baby, a person walking a kid, and a person with a half a leg. Looks like this is going to take a while. Luckily, someone just came off of lunch – she sat down in her seat at 11:22 and just stared at everyone in line for eight minutes and then said “next” – and started helping others. When I got up to the counter I simply took out my money and said “cem dolares”? Showing them the 5 twenties. She just laughed and said “no dollars”.
Ok, now what? I remembered the cambistas or “change guys” as they are called. I was headed to the hotel when some suit wearing guy came up to me and asked me if I needed change, I said si! Well, I didn’t need change, I just need a $100 bill. Well, that was going to cost me $10., but I also needed a 500kza bill as well, so I gave him 200kza and he gave me the $100 and the 500kza bill.
Trip #8 – Back to the Consulate
By now it’s 12PM. I am really worried about the 72-hour hold because that would mean Wednesday at the earliest. I went back and gave my papers to the “gatekeeper”, just some guy sitting in the outdoor entryway to the consulate. I never even went in.
He went though my papers and $$ for the fourth time, smiled and walked inside. He then came out with another paper:
He then asked me for 2,000kza. Whatever, luckily I had it!
I completed the paperwork, and he gave me back half my copies. Of course.
He was smiling the whole time. Made a new friend. They told me I can pick up my visa on Monday at 1PM. Sounds good to me. The border closes at 5PM, so I’ll check out and head out right after. The ride to Pointe-Noire is only 45 minutes, so I’ll still have some of my day left, right?
Trip #10 – Back to Hotel
I walked back to the hotel and passed the tourist sign sponsored by Cabship, the people who were working the port the night I arrived. Hilarious.
I passed the small flea market by my hotel – lots of “Brad’s” wives standing around….
