administrator

I am a South African winner of DV2005.
First package recieved 27 April 2004 with case number AF000102xx.
Email sent to KCC August 2004
Reply - contact us in a few weeks
Email sent to KCC 7 October 2004
Reply 14 October 2004 Interview set for 8 November 2004 in Johannesburg
Second Package arrived 14 October 2004
Contains:
2nd Notification letter
Fee Notice $435 per person
Interview and medical info
List of qualifying doctors (2 in JHB, 1 in Pretoria, 2 in Cape Town, 1 in Durban)

The following ORIGINALS need to be presented in this order at the interview:
Appointment Letter
Passport
Birth Certificate
Death Certificate (If Applicable)
Divorce Decree (If Applicable)
Marriage Certificate (If Applicable)
Police Certificate (If Applicable)
Military Certificate (If Applicable)
High School Diploma/Work experience
Evidence of Financial Support
Photo

Medical:
Chest X-Rays
HIV test
VDRL Test
Physical Exam

On the 8 November 2004 we had our consular interview which consisted of the following:

Handing in all our documentation and being told that we had the wrong version of our birth and marriage certificates. (South Africa has 3 types of each, we had ordered all but the one type had not come yet. Can take up to 6 months)
I was also asked how many weeks pregnant my wife was, 20 weeks.

We were then told to pay the required fee in Rands or Dollars, we paid in dollars. The consulate exchange rate was not good.

About an hour later we were called to the interview. I was asked what job I was in and let them know that I am in IT and my wife is a nurse. For the public charge requirements I had submitted a property evaluation from a real estate agent for the house we own and a current morgage balance from our bank, nett asset value $50,000. I also had the surrender values of 3 endowment poilcies, about $4,000.

We each then had to swear that everything submitted was the truth and sign the form, I signed on behalf of my 2 year old daughter. Our index finger print was also scanned.

The consul told us that the visa's were approved but that we would need to obtain the correct birth & marriage certificates before they would be issued. We were given a rejection letter stating the above.

Now followed 4 frantic weeks trying to get the certificates out of the South African Department of Home Affairs. After spending 10-15hours in various queues over the 4 weeks I eventually got them all. After phoning the consulate on the 6 December we scheduled an appointment on the 14 December.

After phoning to confirm the appointment on the 14 was told that it would have to be posponed until our numbers came up again. Briefly because it was a new month we had lost our numbers and had to wait for new ones to be allocated as other applications were canceled or rejected. Eventually the consulate phoned lunch time 21 December informing me to hand in the certificates 22 December at 8:30am and then should be able to collect our visas.

So at 2am we set off to Johannesburg 500km's from where we live. At 8:30 I handed in the certificates and was informed that the visa's would be ready at 2:30pm. So I took my wife and daughter to the Johannesburg zoo to kill 4.5 hours. They came along just incase but ended up not even having to enter the consular building.

At 2:25pm I went along to the immigrant visa window and after about 15min was issued with the 3 passports containing the immigrant visa valid for 6 months and 3 letter size sealed envelopes to be handed in at port of entry.

Home at last @ 8pm after covering 1000km's in one day. And the reward: 3 immigrant visas!

Landed in Seattle 30 January 2005 and recieved Green Cards about 2 weeks later.

Hope this helps.

Scott