Today I am flying to Sydney, as my interview with the US Consulate is tomorrow. In Sydney, the US Consulate only holds K1 visa interviews on Tuesday mornings, and I was lucky to get my interview date for April 7 at 10.15AM. I’m flying out today to spend the night in Sydney, rather than on the red eye Monday night (that would arrive early Tuesday morning) to avoid issues with tiredness or flight delays.

My return ticket to Sydney was free (!) as one of the benefits my credit card gives me is a free domestic flight each year on Virgin Australia. I haven’t flown Virgin Australia in years and was surprised when I called the credit card hotline and was able to book this redemption ticket for my visa interview! I had checked in case tickets weren’t available, and the return flight was going to cost me around A$650, so I was super delighted.

The US consulate is located in the middle of Sydney, a city I’m very familiar with, having lived and worked there before. I am staying at Travelodge Sydney, and was able to book online for a rate of A$106.25 at their 30 day non-refundable advance purchase rate. I caught the train to Museum Station and walked to the hotel to check in.

I also paid the DS-160 fee, which is the fee for one of the online immigration forms the US Consulate requires. It cost A$344.50 (or US$265) at the US Consulate’s self assessed exchange rate of US$1  = A$1.30, which is not too far off the current exchange rate.

Cost of ticket to Sydney: Free! (Thanks, American Express)

Cost of hotel in Sydney: A$106.25 (US$80.75 at US$0.76 to A$1)

Cost of train ticket from the airport to the hotel: A$17

Cost of DS-160: A$344.50

Total: A$467.75 / US$355.49