Before the world turned upside down

Like everyone else in the world, I had plans this year. Very specific, time sensitive plans.

In May 2019, I was selected in the Diversity Visa Program, commonly know as the Green Card Lottery. I remember the night where I finally got onto the website (it was crashing because of the heavy online traffic). That night I had been at dinner with friends, where I had announced that I was planning on moving to Canada in the next 6-12 months - clearly the universe had other plans. I remember reading and re-reading that letter over and over again. I wasn't really sure how excited I should be - it didn't say I had won, it said 'I had been randomly selected for further processing'. It wasn't until I told my friends that I realised how big it actually was. I had won the green card lottery!

I started working on my paperwork, and stressing over how to answer questions (like everyone else completing paperwork for the United States). Luckily I found an amazing blog called BritSimonSays, who has the answer to every questions you could ever need to know. I slowly completed all the steps necessary, and researched previous Visa bulletins to see when I could expect an interview. My research told me that I would be interviewed somewhere between Feb and May 2020. In the beginning of November, I received my notification of my interview. It had been scheduled for December, far earlier than I every would have expected. I suddenly became very stressed. I was concerned about having enough money in my account to prove I would not become a public charge, and now needed to meet a new Health Insurance requirement, which was to take effect on the 1st December. I completed my medical, and worked non stop - sometimes three jobs a day - right up until the date of the interview. The Health Proclamation was blocked the day before it was to come into effect, but I still needed to prove a strong financial position.

Then came the day of the interview. I was lucky that I knew what to expect of the consulate, as I had been there before for a different type of visa interview. We all waited outside until our 2pm time slot, and then turned off our phones and went through security. I was then escorted in the lift to a very high floor (I'm not sure exactly what level, but you have a view of the entire city from Martin Place). I was very organised, and very prepared. I walked into the interview with a wad of extra documents about an inch thick. The process was a little like going to Centrelink or Service NSW - take a number and take a seat. I was called to the window three times to provide documents, answer some questions and pay for the visa, and then told to take a seat again while the officer prepared for my interview. I remember looking up at the window to the officer who I assumed was preparing my case. He opened the folder with my documents, and then looked up and around the room. He saw me and smiled, which made me feel a lot more comfortable. They say that the officer who process your case is the most important part of the whole process, so knowing that he was friendly made me feel instantly calmer. He then called me up to the window, and my heart started pounding. He asked me a few basic questions - "what do you do for work here?", "what will you do over there?", "when do you want to go?", "where are you going to live?" and the dreaded "how much money do you have saved up?". I answered every question, and was waiting for the interview to start. Surely these were the preliminary questions before we get into the nitty gritty. He looked at me, and said "congratulations, you have been granted your Green Card today". I remember the shock I felt run through my body! I thanked him, and asked if there was anything else I needed to do. He said that was it, and that I was free to leave (my Passport would be posted in the next week). I couldn't stop smiling. I started crying, but no tears were coming. The lady escorting me down in the lift looked at me in a very concerned way, and I had to reassure her that I was happy, not sad! I was in such a state of shock and disbelief, I called my parents and contacted everyone who had been on this journey with me to give them the news. A week later my passport arrived, along with my immigrants package (a big yellow envelope that I am not to open under any circumstances). In January I booked my one way flight, and was preparing to pack up my life and move.

"So I put my hands up, they're playing my song, my green card got approved!!!"

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Then came March.

On the 12th March, I was working at Samsung in Paramatta. I remember my mum called me, as told me she was concerned that I wouldn't be able to go to America in May. I told her she was being ridiculous. If my flight gets cancelled, then they will have to reschedule it. I can still get travel insurance, and there is no way that they can stop me. Four hours later, Tump placed a ban on people entering the United States from Europe, and that night I was looking up flights to make a quick activation trip in Hawaii. A week later, my my flight was cancelled. A few days later, the outbound Australian Travel Ban came into affect. I decided to move to Queensland and live with my parents, as I was not able to afford to pay rent without a job (lost due to covid). In the space of 2 days, I went from a full calendar leading up until May, to one promo job which would soon be cancelled. I planned on moving the following week, but Qld closed the borders before I could make it up there.

There was nothing left I could do. I could book a new flight, but couldn't leave the country. I contacted the Consulate to see if I could apply for an extension, and their response was far from reassuring. They basically said that they might issue extensions, but they also might not. Needless to say that it was a very stressful, emotional, rollercoaster of a time. A week or two later, I received an update from the consulate. They said that there was an application to request an exemption from the Australian travel ban, if I should choose to travel. I booked myself a new flight a few days later, and applied for the travel exemption. Then I waited. I felt like I was in limbo. I had done everything I possible could to get to the US. If it didn't work out, maybe it wasn't meant to be after all. Three weeks before departure, Trump Announced his immigration ban. A few days later I found out that I was exempt, as I had already been issued my visa. Another rollercoaster of emotion. Two weeks before my flight, I had a call from a mobile number. I almost didn't answer. When I did, I found out it was a man from the Australian Border Force, wanting to ask me some questions about my exemption application. He was very nice. I told him I also had a job and an apartment lined up, which I believe were major factors in being approved. His main question, was about my 'intention' once arriving in the US. Was I staying, or coming back? I told him I was staying at least until the end of the year, after which he advised me that I should have my application approved by the end of the day. Sure enough, an hour later I had the email!

Now it was real. I had nothing standing in my way. I really do feel like the universe had cleared a path through the chaos to get me to where I needed to be. It was definitely the most stressful, anxious, emotional time of my life, but in the end, it worked out perfectly.