I returned from Sydney last night with lots of good news to share!

 

Firstly, for other DV winners, I stayed at the Travelodge Hotel on Philip Street near Martin Place. This is located above the NSW Leagues Club. It was fine and in a great location... except they don't provide facewashers or handtowels! You can view photos of the room here.

 

I got to the MLC tower at 7.40am and proceeded straight to the lifts to get to Level 10 which is the 'US Consulate Reception' is located.

 

Here, there were already five people ahead of me in the queue to go through the metal detector - none of those people had the package of 'stuff' that I had - they were all in the queue for non-immigrant visas. Lots of Qantas staff!

 

I lined up and I noticed another guy who came in after me - he had a whole heap of paperwork as well so I figured that he was a DV winner too!

 

I finally got up to the metal detector. The security staff checked my passport and appointment letter than ushered me to the x-ray where I had to take my boots off and put my handbag and all my documents through.

 

My bag was then checked into a pigeon hole (all bags were checked) and given a pass with a number on it that would allow me to collect my bag. I quickly remembered the magazine I had to keep me occupied while I waited so he let me take that up with me. I was then instructed to sit on the 'end seat' in the 'front row'. The other non-immigrant people were seated in other seats. The other guy with the documentation was about three people behind me and he was instructed to sit beside me. I was talking to the security guard and he did say that today was very quiet and the day before had been extremely busy. After about 10 minutes of nervous waiting we were told we could go up in the lift. I let the non-immigrant people who were in front of me go first then us two DV people followed. We were put in the lift and taken up to level 59.

 

Once the lift doors opened there were another set of instructions to get out to the 'left' and stand behind a red line. Even though I was first to get out, I let all

the non DV people go in front in the same order that we were originally as I knew they wouldn't extend our time there.

 

I finally got to the next reception desk where the person checked my appointment letter and passport again. I then had to remove my boots while she wrote details down and walk through another metal detector and back to her desk.

 

She then told me to grab my things and walk through the glass doors.

 

Upon entering the glass doors, I saw the device that prints tickets. I pressed immigrant visa and out popped the ticket number 001! YAY! The guy behind me got 002. I sat down and within 2 minutes was called to window 2.

 

The lady was SOOOOO nice. She asked for my appointment letter and then voila! Out came a folder that looked like a manila folder for medical records. It had name typed on the side and when she opened it there were all the forms that I had filled out after the 1st NL as well as my actual entry for the DV that I sent through from the DV2008 webpage!

 

She then stapled some papers together and asked for all my paperwork. I had divided them with post it flags to make it easier and she checked that I had copies and originals all in order. She then instructed me to go to window 8 and pay my fee and then bring the receipt back to her. I went to the lady at window 8 and paid by credit card and then took the receipt back to window 2. She put that with all my paperwork and then told me that she would now have to check my paperwork and instructed me to take a seat and wait.

 

If any of you get the chance to do CP in Sydney, forget the nerves of the interview and check out the view of Sydney Harbour while you are there. It is stunning. I expected to now be waiting a long time so settled in and kept chatting to the other DV winner. I had been sitting there for about 5 minutes when I was called back up to window 2. I immediately thought there must be a problem... but instead she said something along the lines of "I have checked your documentation and I recommend that you be approved for the visa. I have to ask though have you ever been or are you a member of a terrorist organisation?" I replied no. She then asked when I planned on arriving in the USA and I said "Around August". She then said that she had to pass my paperwork onto her colleague for him to assess and then I would be called to see him and he will also take my fingerprints. Before I sat down she asked me to fill out my name and address on the express post satchel so that my passport could be sent back to me. She also handed me back all my original documentation and gave me a brochure on immigration and instructions for what will happen when I enter the country.

 

So then I thought that this must be the part where I must have to wait the long time. So I went back to my seat and waited another 5 minutes. But then, I heard the alert tone and looked up and I was being called to window number 5. There was a lovely guy there who told me that he felt my application was fine and he could start fingerprinting. The fingerprinting machine was being temperamental so we had to engage in small talk while the system rebooted. He asked me when I was planning on leaving Australia, where I was planning on going and what I do. I told him I was a Librarian and he remarked that he read something about it being one of the boom jobs. Anyway after all this talk the machine rebooted. I had my left hand scanned, my right hand and then my thumbs. He then gave me a sheet of paper detailing the delivery of my passport and documentation with my express post number stuck on the front. I was then free to go. This was at 8.40am! I was back at the hotel at 8.45am and absolutely exhausted and in shock. I actually hardly remember even returning to the hotel as I was just running on pure adrenaline.

 

I should receive my passport via express post by Friday (my interview was Tuesday).

 

In reality the interview was so uneventful and quick and nothing like I was expecting. I was preparing myself for somewhat of an interrogation seeing as I had no sponsor or job offer. I have actually been questioned more when I have been entering on a normal visa waiver when I have been going on holidays!

 

All in all, I cannot believe that it is over!