₦airaland Forum

Malcolm28: Happy New Year everybody. This is wishing us all a brilliant year ahead. To all forumites awaiting 2NL, interview or relocation to the US and to those already in the US and searching for jobs etc, the Lord will favor us all and make it easy for us.

Amen Malcolm28: happy new year....you have scarce on the forum, how far with your preparations? regards to the family

ako1234: Please forumites i'm new hear,can someone pose or share some of the questions n response during his/her interview.This would help others to prepare well ahead of their upcoming interview.

@ako1234: happy new year and welcome to the forum. congratulations too on your selection. as to your question....i will strongly advise that you read through this thread possibly from page one....all the possible questions and suggested answers are fully loaded on those pages even the very most recent ones from forumites still present here. i hope this helps.

Happy new year to all my e-family. As you move into 2014, the blessings and the favour of the Lord shall distinguish us and make our path smooth IJN-amen. The purpose for our meeting shall not be in vain. God shall satisfy our dream of relocating to our land of promise and settle us early over there IJN - amen. I also want to use this medium to wish all those going for their visa interview this January God's favor and divine success IJN - amen.

Many thanks to @justwise for your views....but I believe we have gone past whether we need the new thread or not...the issue here is actually the right topic to call the new thread. but like Darhmee has rightly pointed out, we can't just bump into that thread you mentioned and start asking questions. We are familiar with ourselves and wud be willing to sacrifice for each other where need be. Also, there is absolutely no way the new thread can be scanty because about 70% of us are still in Nigeria and of coz at the preparatory phase.

I wish everyone of us a happy and favor filled 2014!

See you next year family....

Obatide: Greeting to Everybody
Thanks for the intelligent we have all displayed to analyze one of my posts, I duly appreciate both reactions, at least, it makes people to contribute and share their honest feeling, God bless us all.
In summary
1. It shows we are all one big family and need more information to succeed on this journey whilst keeping in touch as mates even in America.
2. Those who argued against creation of the new thread, said so not to abandon this current one while those in support share that too, but in addition, they considered rules guiding posting on Nl as well.
What prompts me to suggest a thread for ‘that’ purpose are:
I Observed that
1. Most of members who have had their visas approved are not that active on the thread unlike their activities before interview except very few of them. Do u notice that too?
2. This thread, ‘2014 Dv winners meet here’ deals with necessary process needed to have a successful interview
3. The thread; ‘Diversity visa immigrant? Welcome to America’ contains information we need after arriving America (I have been a regular poster there too, pls read). Hence, the stage between Successful approval of visa and Arrival in USA has not been comprehensively discussed like the two mentioned threads.
4. Most of 2013 people do try their best to assist on information there but work don’t give them that total freedom as in my personal chat with some of them to ensure they contribute regularly on 2014 thread, you will hear something like ‘You wouldn’t understand until you get here, because time is money here in America, but I do reply those who mailed me’ my concern is what happen to people who don’t have their mail or social medial handle but need such info too?
5. There is need to graduate the processes, which I believe will keep us together. Say
a. 2014 Dv winners meet here; process towards interview
b. Yet to be created thread; planning Migration after successful Interview
c. Diversity visa immigrant? Welcome to America; settling down in USA
My submission
1. I appeal and promise that this thread will not suffer as a result of graduated process
2. Having a graduated process will bond us together the more and give each segment a full sense of belonging
3. There will not be deviation from Subject matters of each thread; hence NL rule will be kept.
Conclusion
I have no inferior motive behind creation of the thread and don’t think NL pays those who have created topics before, so my motive is to enable us rub mind together on every stage of the process to avoid extortions and exploitations by Agents.
Therefore, I suggest that if anybody could edit this topic; ‘Preparation for Migration after Diversity visa Approval’ before it’s finally created, I will appreciate it.

Thanks and Wishing you all a Happy and Properous Year 2014!

Thanks for this exhautive exposition....i give it to you that you are a true leader....thanks for not imposing a new thread on us but seeking the opinion and carrying everyone along. like i said in my earlier post on the subject matter, i do believe that creating a new thread to handle specific topics like the suggested one will not only fine tune our focus but will also bond us together even after we have all arrived America. Having said this, i suggest that Obatide can go ahead to create the new thread and make an elaborate publicity on the other relevant threads so that members will be fully aware of this thread and make their contributions and share their much coveted experiences with the forumites here.

@Obatide: since majority has accepted the creation of a new thread....please go ahead and adopt the topic you have suggested because it passes the message across to even a novice....truth is if you leave the topic for all forumites to edit or suggest....we may find ourselves in another dilemma. my good friend @komakan was the first to react to this post and he has also suggested a sound topic so by the time everyone of us will suggest, it might cause another logjam on which topic to name the new thread.....so my opinion is adopt "PREPARATION FOR MIGRATION AFTER DIVERSITY VISA APPROVAL!"

My plea however....let all active members of this thread whose visas have been approved not abandon this thread please.

god bless us as i wish everyone a wonderful new year ahead.

@Thanks for this exhautive exposition....i give it to you that you are a true leader....thanks for not imposing a new thread on us but seeking the opinion and carrying everyone along. like i said in my earlier post on the subject matter, i do believe that creating a new thread to handle specific topics like the suggested one will not only fine tune our focus but will also bond us together even after we have all arrived America. Having said this, i suggest that Obatide can go ahead to create the new thread and make an elaborate publicity on the other relevant threads so that members will be fully aware of this thread and make their contributions and share their much coveted experiences with the forumites here.

@Obatide: since majority has accepted the creation of a new thread....please go ahead and adopt the topic you have suggested because it passes the message across to even a novice....truth is if you leave the topic for all forumites to edit or suggest....we may find ourselves in another dilemma. my good friend @komakan was the first to react to this post and he has also suggested a sound topic so by the time everyone of us will suggest, it might cause another logjam on which topic to name the new thread.....so my opinion is adopt "PREPARATION FOR MIGRATION AFTER DIVERSITY VISA APPROVAL!"

My plea however....let all active members of this thread whose visas have been approved not abandon this thread please.

god bless us as i wish everyone a wonderful new year ahead.

ukemeglitter: wow!!!
@ItyRoyal thank you very much, its been a while though,

Xup, Hope all is fine.

Happy New Year in Advance

All is well my Man! i wish you a new year filled with great blessings IJN - Amen.

cheers.

komakan: Anyway, I can see many pple prefered d idea of new thread. Lets give a trial, may God be with us.

amen bro.

gokman4u: I dnt need to be bothered,make good use of what is currently available to you.
In my own opinion,the two most important thing to consider when taking decision on accomodatn as a new immigrant in the US are:
1. The crime rate (gun violence etc) in that particular state
Which means,how safe is the state?. You don't wanna live in a state with high rate of gun violence.
2. How channel and effective is public transportation system.
This determines hw u move around even wen u eventually get a job.
Believe me,these 2 factors come first & very important.
You can easily relocate later @least after you must have settled down a bit.
In my case,I was initially bothered about New jersey bcoz of the high rate of accommodation but after I did some research about the state I understand the reasons behind it considering its proximity to new york,the industrial strength of the state,fairly good weather within the east coast,tourism etc.
So consider those points & research about the two choices presented before you before making your decision.
Hope am helpful?

@All.....these and such similar issues as sighted by gokman4u are what i feel that should be exaustively discussed in the new thread that has been suggested by Obatide....in my opinion though

Cyprian kosiso: @ obatide u hv don great. But in my own opition plz do nt creat another tred bcs if u do. (1) u will led sum ppl away or astray frm this our own tread. 2) it wil b a duplication of tread in which new ppl on dis tread will nt knw abut it bcs they dnt knw u hv created dem, plz mr obatide any infomation u feel is vital drop dem here wit hyper link if needed so that evey body here must go thru it y reading d post evry body posted, plz do nt . I dnt knw if my CN is too high, 14***, is there any body wit cn above my own or iam d last born. Pateint dog is my name, hapy new yr!!!!

@Cyprian kosiso: compliments of the season! you did not say if you have forwarded your documents to KCC? anyway, like fancywendy and komakan have said....you have nothing to worry about your case number....there are others with higher CN than yours. mine too is 16*** so just make sure you use this time to prepare all your documents and save plenty of money. you will definitely need to be handy before you settle down in the US. i hope your mind is calmed now?

komakan: Infact, your analysis is very okay but which side are you in support? As U hv rightly said and to my point of view we should maintain dis thread so that it won't be abandoned to d new one. Goodluck!

thanks @komakan: but the answer to your question is in my opinion no. 2 & 3. i'm very much in support of the current thread being maintained but it will cause a lot of mix up and loss of focus if those post interview issues are discussed here.....so for that reason i am also in support that the new thread be opened to discuss these post interview issues. i'm my opinion is clear?

ukemeglitter: wow!!! its good to be back again

Welcome back @Ukemeglitter....Compliments of the season.

Obatide: Happy Last Sunday of year 2013 and as we enter the year 2014, I pray for more Favor for Visa approval and other goodies from God..
Pls, I would like us to extend our discussions to ‘Life after successful interview’.
Flight booking; how do we book at cheaper rate? I do visit wakanow.com, Flight experience, stop-over, luggage allowance and other experiences
Comprehensive list of what is expected to travel with: Such as the kind of food stuff (dried fish, dried locust beans, poundo yam etc)

Clothing and wears; Pull-over, booths etc.

What of life and career in USA? I’m aware that IT, Health sector and others thrive there.

Driving procedure: Importance of Driving, Process, Driving manual, exams etc.

Issue of Hosts; over dependence on hosts which do go sour especially if ones host is a blood relation while some hosts want their guest to follow their steps, even when you are more informed and the Host might not be vast on internet, So how do one manage? (I thank GOD for mine, who is an IT expert)
Other relevant information that may help pls
Let the discussions continue as I say A Happy new Year

@Obatide: first of all i want to thank you for this ingenuity....the mere fact that you are thinking ahead shows you have the welfare of our people at heart. however, i must say that i love the opinions of my fellow forumites. the ones for and the ones against creating a new thread. But let's attempt to marry the two schools of thought in these summaries....
1. the forumites that don't want a new thread are saying so because they don't want to miss out from the rich experience of others that have scaled thru interview and would be more concerned with the issues Obatide raised. in other words, they still prefer every info/forumites here as one family without diversion of attention and focus.
2. those that want a new thread created are also saying so not because they want to get out of this thread...but because they want the originality of this thread preseverved, and the focus to remain helping forumites out with interview preparations and success.

My Opinion:
1. We cannot overemphasis the usefulness of this thread to the several DV winners so this thread with all contributors should remain until the last forumite is interviewed successfully.
2. the suggested thread may be created to address those very important issues raised in Obatide's write up while we are still here. it will help eliminate unnecessary mix up and confusion if it is created to discuss different issues and also serve as a forum that would still unite us after 2014 immigrants have all moved to the States.
3. i want to make a special plea not just to Obatide but to all other forumites especially those that have successfully had their interviews not to abandon this thread for those of us that are yet to be current. Let the new thread be like a resource centre where we go and get specific info about any post interview need..............it's just my opinion!

samolaniyi: Thank you soo much i got it.i av seen your mail.now i understand how to send it.Thanks.

You are welcome man!

samolaniyi: pls house ,how do i check my pm?

@samolaniyi: when someone sends you a pm, check your email that you used in your registration at this forum. Click on reply and send your message, the person will get your message and hook up with u. Check I've just sent you one. Hope this helps?

kennex89: House i received my 2nl through this website https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/Esc/Secure/StatusCheck.aspx but it hasnt gotten to my email yet, i dont know why. Please should i wait for KCC to send it to my email or i can still go with the one gotten from the websites.

Congratz kennex89 on the arrival of your 2NL. Pls ensure that all your documents are intact. Pls feel free to ask whatever you are not sure of. The Lord will grant you favour before your interviewers IJN - Amen.

buklan4real@yah:
Hello my ppl, a wonderful morning greetings to u all.

@buklan4real@yah: good morning and compliments of the season!! happy new year in advance. i pray that 2014 will do us good and fix a permanent smiles on our faces IJN - Amen.

ineco: @all,tnx much pls can someone tell me the dv lottery mail address so th I can mail them.tnx

You may send email to KCCDV@state.gov. Good luck bro.

@ineco: Atandaishola794's, Timimoyegun's and principo have given you the IRLS - (Initial Red Light Signal). Truth is that no forumite here can lay claim of receiving such email. And please note that the US Dept. Of State will not ask you to make any payment for winning the Lottery. Please like my fellow forumites have said, don't be in a hurry to pay any kobo because it is a 99% chance of this being a scam. My suggestion however....I may wrong....why don't you send an email to KCC stating your case and asking for the authenticity of this email? That may just put to end all the fears and doubts. Other gurus should still have better counsel to offer. Cheers.

G2Glory: Hello Forumities. I am glad to inform you that I & my family successfully landed in Houston, Texas on Tuesday 24-Dec-2014 by 14.05 pm local time via Emirates airline. It was a very long flight (7hrs from Lagos to Dubai & another 16 hrs from Dubai to Houston). We are all tired & just managed to come online to say a big thank you to all for your prayers & encouragement.

To Obatide, i say a very big congratulations to you. I wish you all my fellow Forumities Merry Xmas. It's a bit cold here we are trying to aclamatise.

Will come online again to share our travelling exprience

@G2Glory:I thank the Almighty God for granting you journey mercies. I hope the children were not too stressed up? Please share your experience about the children to help those of us that will be traveling with them. The Lord will favour you in that land. You will make it early. The God of mercy shall break protocols to favour you. God bless you bro. Please when you settle down do reply my mail so we can pick up from there. Love to madam and the kids.

To all my e-family, I wanna say A VERY MERRY CHIRSTMAS TO YOU ALL! It's been a year of great victories for me and my family.....I am delighted to share with my e-family some of the great victories of the year.....this year alone, The Lord started our year in February a with a glorious baby boy, sometime in July The Lord help me to bury my father gloriously and of course He crowned the year with us being selected among the millions that applied for the lottery! Not to forget that on the 16th of December our marriage turned 7th years.....I WANT TO SAY TO HIM ALONE BE GLORY AND PRAISE IN THE NAME OF JESUS - amen,

geogec: congrats my big Brother our good Lord will continue to bless u and ur family in Jesue Name Amen. I want to use this medium to inform the e family that we just receive our 2NL for February interview

@geogec: Congratulations on your 2NL. the Lord shall grant you your own testimony and we will celebrate you right here IJN.

Pipsland78: ^^^ Let me be the first to officially congratulate you, been waiting to hear from the horse's mouth.
Congrats!! And may the blessings continue to flow without ceasing.

@all, I would recommend we keep this relationship going by meeting once every year in the US. I wouldnt mind hosting the first meeting once I'm settled. It would be an avenue to network and form synergies, and pull one another up in God's Own Country.

May God continue to bless our hustle in the Land of Opportunities.

@Pipsland78: this is a good suggestion. i guess we will have to workshop on this and accertain the workability....the meeting should be organised at a later time next taking cognizance of those that may not be traveling immediately and may need to settle down too.....well it's just my thots

Obatide: Good day my people, thank you all for your prayers, encouragements, supports and every other thing I can’t mention because of space. I was overwhelmed with the encomium and the way you celebrated us, May ALMIGHTY GOD repay you in many folds beyond your imaginations. On the thread here, my whatsapp, BBM, series of phone calls, I know it’s only God that can appreciate you, you gave me and every other members (now and future), reasons to do more.
On behalf of my family, we say a big thank you
Merry Xmas and happy New Year

Appreciation
To God ALMIGHTY, whose Glory cannot be shared with anybody, we say thank you sir
Im specially grateful to the following people (Batch one):
Sendtodeji, Malcolm28, okeymen, seubis, ItyRoyal, Kevwe-flex, baba-ajala, femishow2005, G2Glory, Roodboy, timimoyegun, candytos, XYZZ, odewenwa, TCPonly, buklan4real@yah, lagbabe, lagdude, mr-Rule, Apex555, justdre, kaybaba65, firewami, fancywendy, Madu77, daudsmart, komakan, bamidelealayo, gokman4u,adeboy007, temmytanny and friend - Gentiger, olutola1, amedino, atandaishola794, rantileye, Godsspeed, westcodes, akingenge, onye-baresi, Adesojiaderemi, Leripa, agbeke17, darmhee, chinny2014, akiayo, kennex89, coop, sayonara01, geogec, bukiemma, samolaniyi, penielnig, elena22, Leripa, doublegold, thuyahky, gius idowu, pipsland78, jollywin, justwise(the moderator) God bless you all.

Very special thanks to The Visa Officer on https://www.nairaland.com/1359935/u.s-consular-officer-ask-me and seun osewa (the brain behind Nairaland) God bless you the more

The making of our America Project:
It all started on October 23, 2012 when the four of us in the family as of then, entered for the lottery.
I checked mine on May 1, 2013 and was not selected, and then on May 4th, I checked my lovely First Lady’s status and discovered we have been selected for further processing.
At this point, we had no idea of the processes; hence, I started searching Google for resources and later found NAIRALAND 2013 & 2014 threads, which signified the new era.
Twice in that Month of May, I mailed KCC, requesting for additional information and medium of submission of our documents, they replied that both hard and soft copy are acceptable (detail posted sometime ago in one of my responses)
On July 4, 2013, we finally sent our forms via e-mail to kccdv@state.gov (note that we updated twice after this). We were current in November’s bulletin for interview on December 23, 2013 for 7am.
We received our 2nd NL on October 18, a day after birth of our new baby-Princess. We notified the embassy and invited them for naming, to my greatest surprise, replies received in both my mail and VO’s thread were word for words, then the waiting game continues as I always pray for easiest interview which came to pass on the 23rd.

Documentations:
I practiced what I always advice on the thread, we secured all documents before October, except for the new baby that was done after her birth in that month. Medicals and Police Certificate (#2500) were done on December 12th, this enable us to relax a bit.

The ‘D’ Day.
We lodged in a 20minutes drive location close to the embassy, got to the embassy around 5:40am.
Did all necessary security check as you are all aware of, paid the total sum of #272,500.00 being processing fee.
Window 17 called for documentations, to my surprise, the woman seeing us for the first time just asked a familiar question which Looks like those people are spy on NL (can’t ascertain though,so don’t quote me)
Then around 9am, the white Lady called us at window 14 for the real thing
CO: Good morning ma’am
We: Good morning and how was your night?
Co: very ….., thank you
We: Merry Xmas and she responded as well
Then Finger prints for both of us.
CO: raise your right hand and …………(swearing)
We: we do
After this, I lifted my first son (whose name is of one of America president’s name, to say Good morning to her) she called his name, and the laughing began, then the second son did the same and I was joking with her that, the new baby want to say Hi too, then laugh again.
CO: turned to my wife and asked, what’s your highest qualification?
My first Lady: AAAAAAA
CO: when did u finished
My first Lady: AAAAAAA
CO: She’s typing and was explaining that she think my wifey does not performed to her best in her first result, that’s why she submitted the second one
My first Lady: Yes
Me: I said ‘As if you know’ and she laughs again.
While I was trying to carry my children, who are playing around, she said your VISA is approved smiling and the rest of pick up infos. & we say thank you and God bless America
That’s it oooooooooooooooooooo, it was just like a chat

Till now, we are still thanking GOD

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!! Again my brother and family, i want to say congratulations again! somehow when my wifey i were speaking to you and your 1st Lady that Sunday night, i knew we were speaking to American citicens...lol. Myself and family are tapping into this easy and simple miraculous interview IJN. i am truly happy for you Obatide...the Lord shall make your ways to and in the USA simple and easy IJN- Amen!! congratz bro...enjoy a different Christmas ever!!!

kennex89: congrats obatide.... abeg make you post your interview experience.

@kennex89: the big Masqurade is never in a hurry to dance to the beat of the village drummers.....lol

Good morning e-family. i trust we are all geared up for the Christmas break? I wish everyone here a merry Christmas and a glorious 2014 and I want to thank God again for all the successes the He alone has granted to the members of this forum and pray that those who are awaiting their interview and those of us who are yet to be current will also share our success story in this forum and be celebrated by our e-family members IJN.....and to OBATIDE and DOUBLEGOLD....just a simple question? HOW WAS YOUR SLEEP LAST NIGHT?

Doublegold: I wanna say a very big thank u to all forumites. I must confess, I've benefited immensely from questions, answers and observations on this forum. May God bless y'all. Now the interview exerpts: After the usual security checks, we got in, and paid the processing fee, at about 5mins later, i was called for documents submission. At about 9:30am, my ticket number flashed on window 17, where a young black lady was waiting to interview me. Exerpts: Co: Morning. Me: Good morning ma'am. Co:can i take ur finger prints. Me: sure, u can. Co: Do u swear to say the truth. Me: yes, i do. Co: have u played the visa lotttery before this. Me: yes. Co: which university did u attend. Me: obafemi awolowo university. Co: which course. Me:mgt & acct. Co: Congratulations. Ur visa has been approved. Me: Thank u, merry xmas in advance. That was it.

Wow!! Congratulations bro. This is one of the sweetest interviews I have read on this forum...May the Almighty God make your ways as simple and favored IJN - amen.

Obatide: This is for all forumites, pending when I will comment fully. Full Gist comming very soon as the interview was more of a chat.
HIP! HIP! ...............

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!! Congratulations ObaObatide......my family and i are veryyyyyyyy happy at your success!!!! let me be the 1st to partake in the Champaign....we cant wait to hear your full gist bro.....Congratz man!!! my family taps into this success story IJN - Amen!

okeymen: Men my trip to PH lasted 2 days oº°. Not because of bad roads this time but rather the recklessness and impatience of our drivers

Anyway thanks for all the support. We all share the same testimony of God's goodness to us

Merry christmas my dear brother

@Okeymen: thank God you finally arrived home safely. when do you plan to move to the USA? do give my love to madam and the kids.

Malcolm28: Traveling in the 2nd week of february. Got lots of stuff to clear before leaving. Thanks Man.

You are welcome @Malcolm28: i wish you God's direction and favour in all your preparations. Merry Christmas man.

okeymen: I paid my USCIS fees last night using my Fidelity bank VISA card. Any visa or master card issued by any nigerian bank will do. However if u have a visa card, u may need to set it up for internet use first. If on the other hand, u already use it to pay for airline tickets or to buy things from Jumia, Konga or any online shop, then ur card is already set up.

The most important thing is to get ur account name correct exactly as your bank has it in their system. No abbreviations, no short forms no ommitted or added middle names; it must match exactly. Secondly, u must use the same address that was used to open the account. Don't use office address when it was house address that was used to open the account and vice versa.

Once you follow what I have written, you will be able to pay straight from your naira account and the money will be changed at CBN rate with zero charge. In my case I paid $660 for 4 people and N105,600 was taken from my account which means the exchange rate was N160 to the dollar. Embassy rate was N165 and black market is over N170.

Now all I need is travel date and a plane ticket

@Okeymen: how was your trip to PH? Congratulations for all the successful processess. the lord will grant you safe trip to the USA. Merry Christmas my man.

Doublegold: I just left the embassy...visa approved! Interview lasted for just a minute. Thank u my e-family. Ddetails later

@Doublegold: Congratulations and God's favor in your remaining phases IJn - Amen.