Hi all,
Today was the interview date for me and my family. Beyond what I have ever imagined, my family was granted the visa without even a single question. My family has no words to thank God and dear forum members, please thank God for His deeds and unimaginable gifts. What is really amazing is that God just gives to everyone, good or bad. We are all His children and He loves us all despite our dirts. God, who has done for me and my family, will also do for you. Thanks God!!
Here is the story:
Our appointment was at the US embassy in Addis Ababa on December 27 at 8:00 am. Me, my wife and my two daughters (6 and 4 years old) reached at the embassy at 7:00 am when they just started to let people into the embassy's compound. They check the 2nd NL and passports of every family member at the gate.There is only one security check and after we passed that we gave our documents at a counter where they accept documents of DV winners (not other visa applicants.) We then sat at the waiting area and after about 20 minutes, DV applicants were told to come back in the afternoon at 1:00 pm for the interview. Before we left we were given a sheet of paper which serves as an ID for the afternoon session and also states that if for some reason the DV is denied, then we will not be given the application money back. We signed on that paper (a sort of consent paper) and went back home.
In the afternoon, we reached at the embassy at 12:30 pm and were admitted to the embassy. They checked the sheet of consent paper they gave us in the morning to let us in. We did that single security check and were given serial numbers and were made to sit at the waiting area. There were around 25-30 DV applicants for that afternoon. There are 15 windows where interviews are done but not all had consular officers. My family was called to one window at about 1:30 pm where we met a very nice Ethiopian gentleman who took our finger prints. He told us to pay $819 USD (13,550 Birr) for the primary applicant (my wife.) We did that, gave him the receipt and sat back at our chairs with our kids. Thirty minutes later, we were called to another window where there was an American gentleman. He saluted us and told my wife to sign at her DS 230 part II. He then asked her if she is ready to pay for all the family. She said 'yes.' He then gave her a sheet of paper with the amount of the money written on it and she went to pay at the cashier. I stayed with him. He then told me to sign my DS 230 part II and the DS 230 part II of my two daughters. He then just kept on arranging documnets separating the originals from the photocopies. He then told me that (even before my wife returned from the cashier) we will be collecting our visas from Abyssinia Bank in a week. He told me to pay 200 Birr for the agent of the bank at the gate of the embassy (50 Birr per head.) While returning our original documnets to me, he casually asked me where we will be going in the US and I told him the answer. That was it folks!! We just got our visas like that. When my wife got back from the cashier, he wished us a safe travel. We thanked him a lot and left. My wife, who is the primary applicant, was not asked even a single question. At the gate we met the agent from Abyssinia bank, paid 200 Ethiopian Birr, took receipts and got appointment for next Monday to take our visas from the bank. That was all!!!!
God has done a miracle for me and my family. I am short of words to thank him enough and again please thank Him for my family sake. I wish forum members who will go to the interview all the best. Thank you everyone for teaching me a lot of lessons through our discussions. I love you all and wish you happy endings in your dv processes. God be with all of us.