CAIRO: The sweat continues to flow down the arms of Ahmed Goma’a as he waits in front of the American Embassy in Cairo for news on his visa application. It is an extremely hot late summer day in Cairo, but Goma’a is tense with anticipation, the lines of water beginning to take form on his pristine and pressed white shirt. Like Goma’a, hundreds of Egyptians take up positions on the sidewalk across the main gate to the American Embassy, waiting their turn to get their permission, or denial, to travel to the United States. For over $100, it is a nerve-wracking process that takes much time, effort and often more than one-month’s salary from the thousands of Egyptians like Goma’a who hope a trip to the U.S. will open new horizons. “I really want to go to America. It has always been a dream of mine and finally, we have enough money to do it and do it with a lot of fun,†says the long-time law professor. “It hasn’t been easy, but we know it will be worth it to experience something new,†he continues, his English showing more confidence as the day progresses. According to American statistics for its “random†migration lottery for 2010, Egypt tops the list of people applying for residency. Goma’a says he has thrown his hat into the lottery, but wants to at least travel to New York even if he and his family do not “win†an American Green Card. The lottery process began on October 2 and runs through the end of November. Overall, the U.S. will welcome in some 55,000 new residents to the country and Egyptians look to make their imprint on the process. Donny Phillips, program director for the Visa Office of Consular Affairs, said at a press conference at the foreign press center in Washington, on Friday, that the program chooses randomly, but only after ensuring that all applicants “meet all the conditions required for the program, the most important, educational level.†He added that the program does not discriminate based upon race, religion or gender and applicants are not subject “to any influence by the U.S. government and that the lottery is not affected by political stances against certain countries.†Phillips warned of manipulation in the name of migration to the United States and explained that the “progress of the program is conducted electronically through the website, which is free [and] does not call for payments by the applicants†and warned of fake companies being established that are fraudulent and prey on possible immigrants. A number of those companies have charged thousands of dollars to “help†possible applicants get visas and resettlement to Western nations, most notably the U.S., Australia and the United Kingdom. “We know of many companies that charge more than $2,000 to assist people in attempting to get visas and residencies in foreign countries, but this is not how it is supposed to work,†said an employee at a Cairo-based immigration firm. The official admitted that a number of Egyptian-based firms claim to promise success, “but they cannot guarantee if someone will get a visa.†Phillips confirmed that these promises do not follow any government policy or program and do not affect the status of any applicant. Goma’a believes that the lottery works. And statistics show that many other Egyptians also adhere to this assumption, as they have topped the list of persons applying for American passage. Rounding out the top five are Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Phillips said that over three million people applied for the lottery in 2008. From Egypt, thousands of people have applied for the lottery and around four thousand are expected to “win†their dream of living in the United States. “Sure, we talk bad about what [former President] Bush did over the past few years, but this hasn’t stopped us from wanting a better future for ourselves and our family,†added Goma’a. With little hope remaining for many Egyptians of a more prosperous life here, they are looking for alternatives and the United States is that future. For Goma'a, the lottery awaits, but at least he will get his dream of visiting New York after he received word that he and his family had been approved for an American visa. BM
