Immigration is a dream for many Yemenis who seek to escape the deteriorating of economic and political conditions in the country. Therefore, winning the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Lottery) is a rare opportunity to fulfill this dream. However, winning the lottery does not always mean that the dream will be realized. Many Yemeni winners faced significant challenges during their journey to Djibouti for the interview at the U.S. Embassy, as they were then rejected for various reasons.
Back to zero
In preparation for their trip to Djibouti, the lottery winners gathered the necessary documents and prepared themselves for the interview, which required a great deal of time and effort. The journey to Djibouti was filled with hope, as the winners believed they were on the verge of a new beginning in the land of opportunity, the United States of America.
Many of the lottery winners decided to sell their assets, including homes and land, to raise the money needed for travel. Some even quit their jobs, driven by the hope of a better life.
One of the applicant says: "I left my job for the trip and the interview. A whole year passed while I waited for a response. I postponed my wedding and stopped looking for a job because I was hopeful about living and settling in the land of opportunity, but I was unfortunately rejected for reasons I did not understand. Now, I am trying to continue on my path."
“My losses were considerable, starting with the travel from Sana’a to Aden to obtain passports, followed by the travelling to Djibouti, and giving up on all the cases I had been working on. The cost of living in Djibouti, from apartment rent (which cost $1,500) to expenses for food, water, and electricity, added to the financial strain. I returned with neither a job nor money, and now I’m rebuilding myself from scratch”. This is how lawyer Ali Ghalib describes his journey to “Khuyut” since he was announced as a winner in 2023, along with his family. He had prepared well for the trip and interview, ensuring all his academic certificates, background checks, birth certificates, and all necessary documents were in order.
Ghalib adds, "I traveled with my wife and my three children to Djibouti. The interview was straightforward, except for one question about the difference between the Ansar Allah (Houthis) government and the former government. We waited a whole month for a response in Djibouti, but the costs were so high so we returned to Sana’a from Aden Airport. After continuous communication with the consulate, we received a negative response due to the end of the year and the issuance of all visas."
Rejection and Acceptance
Ali Ghalib’s experience reflects the painful reality of many people face in their pursuit of the immigration dream. "Hameed Fathi," 32 years old male, works in marketing, shares his story with Khuyut: "I am satisfied with my fate, despite the disappointment of losing. My experience is less difficult than what others endured during the journey to Djibouti. Many lost significant amounts of money and faced emotional losses, especially those traveling with their families."
Hameed had applied in 2022, and his announcement of winning came shortly after his engagement. This led him to postpone his wedding until now. He adds, "I left my job for the travel and interview. A whole year passed, and I was waiting for a response. I postponed my wedding and stopped job hunting because I was hopeful about living and settling in the land of opportunity. But, I was unfortunately rejected for reasons I couldn’t understand. Now, I am trying to continue my path."
Mohammed Naji, a software engineer who has been registering applicants for the U.S. lottery for over seven years, tells Khuyut: "The number of applicants has increased by 100% since the war, particularly in the last five years, which reflects the ongoing hope of immigration despite the difficulties that winners may face."
Last year, he registered between 700 to 800 people from various demographics (boys and girls), entire families, and even the elderly. However, there is no specific number for the winners from Yemen or any other country, as the results are confidential and often not disclosed. The numbers circulated on social media about the number of applicants and winners are inaccurate, though they can be estimated.
According to U.S. immigration law, the rejection of a lottery visa under Section G 221 means that basic information is missing or the application requires additional administrative processing.
The Land of Opportunity
Approximately 50,000 visas are issued each year to individuals from various countries around the world, selected randomly from those who meet the required qualifications, as stated by the U.S. Department of State.
Winners often leave their villages, families, and friends, believing that their visa is guaranteed upon arrival in Djibouti. Many sell everything they have, hoping for a larger reward. But when rejection comes, many are devastated and worried about what others will say when they return.
Ali Al-Attab, who works in an office for translating documents and files in Djibouti, tells “Khuyut” about several reasons for rejection after the interview. These include lack of educational qualifications, such as a high school or university degree, and failure of the applicant to answer academic or technical questions during the interview or his nervousness.
The number of applications entered into the lottery is estimated to be approximately 50 thousand applications from all governorates, with approximately 4,000 thousand people being selected, nearly 80% of those entered. As for those who receive embassy appointments, they do not exceed 500 people, approximately 10% of those selected.
Al-Atab adds that other reasons for rejection may include a lack of sufficient educational proof, discrepancies between the application form and the documents presented at the interview, mismatched birthdates or places of birth on the passport and other documents, while there may be political reasons. As for the number of rejections and acceptances, as Al-Attab explains, the rejection rate is higher than the acceptance rate, most likely due to the applicants’ lack of knowledge of the application conditions.
The number of Yemeni immigrants in the United States of America is estimated at 200,000 immigrants, according to data published on the Internet (on Wikipedia), the accuracy of which could not be verified, as the reasons for immigration are due to economic crises, wars, and political tensions in Yemen, which has also witnessed a significant increase in levels of violence since 2015, which prompted many to seek safe life in other countries, such as the United States.
The Lost Hope
Some winners receive the news of their rejection after the interview with feelings of frustration and despair. They may experience significant psychological and social pressures, leading to a huge shock, especially after all the sacrifices they made.
Mubarak Rowida, a former employee at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, tells “Khuyut”: "The number of lottery applications from all governorates is estimated at around 50,000, from which about 4,000 people are selected, nearly 80% of those entered. However, only about 500 of them get embassy appointments, which is roughly 10% of those selected. Among them, around 200 succeed in obtaining a visa, meaning that only 0.5% of those entered end up reaching the United States."
Rowida notes that the largest group applying for the lottery is young people, followed by families and women, and most applicants and winners come from the central regions in Yemen, especially from Ibb Governorate.
Many families lose their assets and are unable to return to their previous financial state, which deepens their suffering. The experience of Yemenis who won the lottery but faced rejection after their interview in Djibouti reflects the enormous challenges individuals and families face in their pursuit of their dreams. It is crucial to provide sufficient support to these individuals and their families and raise awareness about immigration issues to prevent such suffering in the future.
