I am Nawid Ahmad Abedi, a 2019 DV lottery winner from Afghanistan with the case number 2020AS36XX. From the day that I had known I was selected for DV lottery till the day I received my US visa, my life has changed drastically. because during this time, based on the assumption that I will move to the US, I have made some decision that somehow changed my life but at the end I was not able to travel to the US because PP 10014 which is still in place currently and this made really desperate.
I want to start from beginning, in May, 2019 when I had known that I was selected for DV, I was a university student and at the same time I had part-time job at printing-house with a salary that was only sufficient for my university fees and as my father’s income was not enough to meet all needs of our family, I would also give a little amount of my salary to my father to use it for our family. so, I had to work more hours of time at the printing-house to save some money for DV process related expenses. My Salary was 7000 AFGs per month which is equal to almost $100. Out of this 7000 AFGs, I had to pay half of it for my university fee each month which would leave me only 3500 AFGs. When I had to do the first medical test for the interview, I was holding 20000 AFGs equal to almost $300 in my personal saving, the price for medical test in American Medical Center in Kabul is $415 for each individual, plus as I am living in Herat province of Afghanistan and the AMC is in Kabul; I had to travel there and as it is really unsafe and dangerous to travel through land in Afghanistan, I decided to travel by air which would add to me expenses. I needed more money to pay all that so I lend some extra money from my uncle and I did my first medical test. After medical test it was time for the interview, which it also needed almost $330 and I paid at time of interview at the embassy.
During that time while I was waiting for my visa be issued, because of low income and lack of job opportunities and with the awareness that I going to leave Afghanistan and a certain amount of our family’s income will be cut, my father decided to move to Iran which is neighboring country of Afghanistan to find a job that at least could meet my family’s needs. My father sold the little house of ours and gave me $1500 to use for my travel expenses. So, they left Afghanistan and I in the hope travelling to the US stayed to collect my passport after visa issuance and move to the US. For the time being I moved to paid room with a group of my friends to pay a small amount of money for house till time I leave Afghanistan. At this time the pandemic of covid-19 has also began and as it has affected all people around the world I also lost my job, for a period of almost 8 months that I had been living alone in Afghanistan and apart of my family I had no new about my visa process and as I had no job I would spend the money that my father gave me for travel. Finally, after almost 8 month I received and email from embassy stating that my medical test had expired and in order to they continue my visa processing I have to take another medical test; meaning I had to pay another $415 and travelling to Kabul! So, I spend all remaining money from the $1500 that I mentioned and after that I had no money.
Finally, I received my visa and I collected my passport from US embassy in Kabul, but with a note! Stating based on PP 10014 I cannot travel to the US until end of 31 Dec, 2020. So again I waited for that time to pass and in the mean time as I had no money for travel expenses, my mother in Iran sold a little gold that she had to provide money for me, also here in Afghanistan I lend some extra money from my uncles to prepare myself for the travel.
The expiration date of my visa was January 11, 2021. The situation gotten worse when EX-President Trump has extended the PP 10014 for another 3 months till March 31, 2021 which would make unable to travel to the US. I sent an inquiry the travel section of US embassy in Kabul and asked them what should I do, they replied me back that DVs are falling under the PP 10014 and I can travel before my visa get expired! I was happy and thought that finally I am done and can travel to the US so I booked my flight the US and packed my things and travelled to Kabul. But after the day I booked my flight to the US I received an email form embassy that I should disregard their previous email and I cannot travel to the US until the PP 10014 is in place!!! So, I cancelled my tickets and I was charged $225!! As I was in Kabul I decided to personally go to embassy and ask them what should I do, I went to the US embassy and asked them; they told me that there is nothing that can do and can reapply for DV program again!!
Right now, I am really really desperate and don’t know what to do, I have spent a lot of money during this process and almost a year of my time I have not proceed to another plan and lived apart my family I the hope of that I am going to move the US.
I hope what I wrote will help you do something about my and other plaintiffs cases that are harmed because of PP 10014.
Nawid Abedi – from Afghanistan
