Hi everyone,
since other people were good enough to share their interview experiences, I'd like to share mine too:
Interview location: Paris, France.
Result: Awaiting Result, but hopeful
I arrived at the consulate at about 1pm, showed my passport and appointment letter and went through the security checkpoint (it's similar to airport security).
Inside the building there was a desk with a guy sitting at it. I showed him my appointment letter and he printed me out a ticket with a number on it. After this, my experience is very similar to what other people have experienced:
1. My number came up and I got called to a Window for the first time. Here I showed my passport and appointment letter. The guy checked off my name and gave me a piece of paper to bring to a different window to pay the fee ($US775).
2. Went to second window and paid the $US775. The second guy gave me a receipt and asked me to sit down and wait again.
3. My number came up and I was called to the first window again. This time I was asked for all my documentation, one-by-one. I gave my birth cert, my passport, a passport photo (US size), police certs from all the countries that I had lived in, proof of my education and proof of my financial resources. I was also asked for the self-addressed Chronopost envelope (1Kg) for them to send the reply to me.
I was photographed and fingerprinted (both hands) using a fingerprint scanner and asked to sit down again.
4. I was called to a different window, where I was fingerprinted again. I was asked to sign the second part of the DS-0230 form. After this, I was asked some questions like:
-how many times have you entered the lottery?
-If successful, what will you work as in the US?
-If successful, where will you go first?
-Do you have any family in the US?
Finally I was asked, "Do you have any questions?"; I asked "Does this mean that my application is successful?" and the reply was "If all goes well with your application!"
I was told that I should receive a reply in 7-10 days. The whole process took about an hour and the embassy staff were very friendly and professional the entire time.
So - it's not certain I'll get it, but I am hoping for the best!
I think that if have all the documentation that they request (with photocopies), nicely ordered, it is very straightforward.
Best of luck to everyone else...
Breandan.
since other people were good enough to share their interview experiences, I'd like to share mine too:
Interview location: Paris, France.
Result: Awaiting Result, but hopeful
I arrived at the consulate at about 1pm, showed my passport and appointment letter and went through the security checkpoint (it's similar to airport security).
Inside the building there was a desk with a guy sitting at it. I showed him my appointment letter and he printed me out a ticket with a number on it. After this, my experience is very similar to what other people have experienced:
1. My number came up and I got called to a Window for the first time. Here I showed my passport and appointment letter. The guy checked off my name and gave me a piece of paper to bring to a different window to pay the fee ($US775).
2. Went to second window and paid the $US775. The second guy gave me a receipt and asked me to sit down and wait again.
3. My number came up and I was called to the first window again. This time I was asked for all my documentation, one-by-one. I gave my birth cert, my passport, a passport photo (US size), police certs from all the countries that I had lived in, proof of my education and proof of my financial resources. I was also asked for the self-addressed Chronopost envelope (1Kg) for them to send the reply to me.
I was photographed and fingerprinted (both hands) using a fingerprint scanner and asked to sit down again.
4. I was called to a different window, where I was fingerprinted again. I was asked to sign the second part of the DS-0230 form. After this, I was asked some questions like:
-how many times have you entered the lottery?
-If successful, what will you work as in the US?
-If successful, where will you go first?
-Do you have any family in the US?
Finally I was asked, "Do you have any questions?"; I asked "Does this mean that my application is successful?" and the reply was "If all goes well with your application!"
I was told that I should receive a reply in 7-10 days. The whole process took about an hour and the embassy staff were very friendly and professional the entire time.
So - it's not certain I'll get it, but I am hoping for the best!
I think that if have all the documentation that they request (with photocopies), nicely ordered, it is very straightforward.
Best of luck to everyone else...
Breandan.