Visiting the US Embassy in Bern
Today I went to the US embassy in Bern to apply for visa.
My appointment was scheduled for 09:00 and I arrived as in good Swiss manner a little early at 0830. 
After waiting for 1.5 outside of the embassy I finally was allowed to enter the (security-check) building. First they did a detailed security check. Whereas I had to walk three times through the metal detector (without a beep) and then the woman scanned me additionally with the hand detector. After this check I took my documents and a book to read (thanks to David for the tip) and left the first building to walk to the second building. Even this pathway is behind fences they did another security check when I entered the main building.
Then I went to the allotted desk (#7) and deposed my documents and took place in the waiting area. After only one minute they called me to desk #6. There I had to make finger prints off all my fingers (electronically… nothing with ink and dirty fingers :-D). It took about 1 minute. Then I had to wait for a few more minutes till a voice announced that I should go to the desk #8.
There a very friendly man asked me (after finger print check) how long I would stay in America. I answered for about one and a half year. Then he told me a few things about Pittsburgh with all the Universities and that it is a great city. He told me that my visa will arrive at the beginning of the next week and wished me good luck and fun for my study.
After waiting for 1.5h hour which I assume is normal I had a brief, friendly, and pleasant visit at the US Embassy to get my visa. So now I really looking forward to meet more Americans. 
What I did not mention till now was that I certainly was well prepared and had filled out every document clean and truthful including all the confirmation they needed.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
no problem. I had to wait longer inside the building, somehow only one desk was serving non-immigrant visa requests for the first 2 hours, and so I was very glad to have something to read with me.
Another hint:
“was good prepared” -> “was well prepared”
July 19th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I read over 50 pages outside of the embassy
But I was really surprised that once I was inside everything went so fast…
Thanks
July 24th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Trackback http://pratchettfan.blogspot.com/2008/07/7-days-till-departure.html
July 25th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Manual trackback… nice
July 11th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
throw the metal detector -> through…
electroniclly (missing ‘a’)
I took about 1 minute -> It took…
very friendly man ask me -> asked me
July 11th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Thanks
=> changed