November 2015 l i-29f Filers

[Spenese 0]

Hello VJ family been awhile....how's everyone doing..? I called BBC yesterday for the first time and I got my case# and invoice id....the lady said it just came through, she was really nice .....

Now waiting for the mail from NVC..on what to do next.

Please does anyone knows the NVC website where I can track my case

[Rileybrynn25 5]

The email notification says they mailed my RFE January 15th but I still haven't received it. I know Monday was a holiday but thought I would receive it by now. Hmmm...maybe tomorrow.

[Jaime & Aisha 46]

I don't have the knowledge that you are seeking Grasshopper but what I have been able to come up with do diligence is the following. The way I see it, you two have a little more work in securing a BC. If the answer from Ethiopian Government authorities is they can't do anything for her then you can try your hand with the CO with an explanation and as they say let the chips fall where the are. Does her passport indicate a birth date? That possibly can help if it does but I think you still need to be touch with the nearest local city hall to her home.

As always, keep me posted. And now please pass the popcorn and beer.

Registration of birth

A 15 April 2008 article published by PANApress (PANA) states that, at a consultation workshop in Addis-Ababa on the same date and concerning the creation of a national registration system for vital events, the representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ethiopia stated that [English version] "Ethiopia was the only African country with no law that demands for the registration of vital events" such as births (PANA 15 Apr. 2008). The website of the United States (US) Bureau of Consular Affairs of the US Department of State states that registration of births is not automatic in Ethiopia, as the procedure is relatively new and it is largely confined to urban areas (US n.d.).

Procedure for issuing birth certificates

Information further to that reprinted below from Response ETH100912.E of 23 January 2006 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

An applicant wishing to obtain a birth certificate must contact a city hall in Ethiopia (Ethiopia 16 Jan. 2006). The applicant needs to arrange for a family member or friend in Ethiopia to obtain the birth certificate on their behalf from the city hall (ibid.). If the applicant does not have a family member or friend in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian embassy can provide the applicant with the telephone number and mailing address of the appropriate city hall so that the applicant can make direct contact with the city hall (ibid.).

The United States Bureau of Consular Affairs website provides the following information regarding the procedure to obtain an Ethiopian birth certificate:

[birth certificates are] available only to those resident in Ethiopia. Requests for copies of previously issued birth certificates should be addressed to the Office of Region 14 Administration, Vital Statistics Service, Municipality of Addis Ababa, P.O. Box 356, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; or to the equivalent office or any other municipality in which the birth was registered.

For children under ten years of age, a hospital birth certificate, court document confirming parentage, or a baptismal certificate and acknowledgment from one's "kebele" (urban neighborhood association) are sufficient documentation for issuance of a birth certificate. For children between the ages of eleven and thirteen, the above mentioned documents and school records are required for issuance. Any of the above documents and an identity card are satisfactory for issuance of birth certificates for persons over the age of eighteen.

Persons applying for original birth certificates should contact the appropriate municipal authorities and present hospital birth records, which have been authenticated by their "kebele." Because of the nature of the "kebele" system, the birth certificate may be issued by the municipality where the person presently resides rather than where the birth actually took place. (25 Aug. 2005)

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

http://www.refworld.org/docid/4b7cee7ac.html

Great research. Thank you. I read that UN report.

I spent a lot of time checking out how to do this, on internet including VJ. And every source said the same thing concerning "non-availability" letter, and 2 relative witnesses. Mostly this seems like a common issue in India, or maybe they just talk about it more for US visas.

http://www.***removed***/birth-certificate/non-availability-birth-certificate.html

Finally I ran across this:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/diversity-visa/if-you-are-selected/prepare-supporting-documents.html

Unobtainable birth certificates: Some birth records may not be obtainable if, for example:

• The applicant's birth was never officially recorded.
• The applicant's birth records have been destroyed.
• The appropriate government authority will not issue one.

In these cases, please obtain a certified statement from the appropriate government authority stating the reason the applicant's birth record is not available. With the certified statement the applicant must submit secondary evidence. For example:

• A baptismal certificate that contains the date and place of birth, as well as both parents' names (providing the baptism took place shortly after birth).
• An adoption decree for an adopted child.
• An affidavit from a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parents names, and the mother's maiden name. Note: An affidavit must be executed before an official authorized to take oaths or affirmations.

Her cousin, the recent law school graduate (lawyer), is the one that contacted the local 'city hall' (Kebele). He obtained the "non-availability" document, and the 2 relative witnesses (mom/aunt), all legal like. The Kebele is the one that issued her the identification card. It took him almost 2 months to get the letter through their system, along with broken printers, and no electricity. He has all three letters in Aramaic, and translated to English.

Kebele provided the document required by the Ethiopian Federal government to issue the passport. Yes the passport has her date of birth.

***Based on your advise, I will see if he can get more witnesses; just in case. Also, should the translated documents be stamped by the government? He did the translations.

Of course, I will keep you posted. I am getting stressed again.....where is that paper bag when I need it

[Jaime & Aisha 46]

Just found this on the information from the Embassy in Addis:

Unobtainable Birth Certificate: In rare cases, it may be impossible to obtain a birth certificate because records have been destroyed or the government will not issue one. In such cases, you should obtain a statement that effect from the civil register’s office and proceed to obtain secondary evidenced birth. A baptismal certificate may be submitted for consideration provides it contained the date and place of applicant’s birth and information concerning parentage and provided the baptism took place shortly after birth. Should a baptismal certificate be unobtainable, a close relative, preferably the applicant’s mother, should prepare a notarized statement giving the place and date of the applicant’s birth, the name of both parents and the maiden name of the mother. The statement must be executed before an official authorized to administer oaths or affirmation. In such cases, please bring any secondary evidence you might have concerning your birth.

[CRB 25]

The email notification says they mailed my RFE January 15th but I still haven't received it. I know Monday was a holiday but thought I would receive it by now. Hmmm...maybe tomorrow.

I feel your pain...same exact timeline for me, minus the holiday. I'm pretty sure you'll get it tomorrow. I got the email notification on a Friday and had the hard copy in my habd the following Friday

[MsLucky 9]

Do you guys fill out DS160 and schedule interview as soon as you find out the case number from Nvc?

Yeap, but pay attention that rules are different in each country.

[sanzz 1]

Mr. Great Greenbaum, another question if is possible please.

Good for posterity sake of future generations reading this thread, and for my own well-being.

Aisha does not have a birth certificate. Born at home, and never got one formally issued. In rural Ethiopia it is not an uncommon occurrence, in fact I have found a UN report that addresses this topic with Ethiopia.

Of course, as you know, there is a procedure for addressing this issue. Even for US citizens it is the same procedure.

She had to get:

1) a government stamped letter (affidavit) from the government office that registers births that states that they have no record of the birth;

2) a letter (affidavit) from her mother stating that she is her mother, and confirms her date of birth and location (not required to state she was present during the birth)

3) a letter (affidavit) from a aunt stating she is her aunt, was present during her birth, and confirms her date of birth and location.

*She has no school records, muslims don't have records like Catholics, no doctor records with her name (doctor office is country).

**She also has a national identification card, which is the basis for being a Ethiopian.

So my question: Is this all we should have, or do you think we need more letters from relatives? Have you seen this be an issue? If so what was resolution.

Thank You for your thoughts and wise opinions---

. i dont have the birth certificate too, but the embassy states its okay to have birth registration for my country. may be its same:) ure so well prepared!

[Emmylou151 44]

The email notification says they mailed my RFE January 15th but I still haven't received it. I know Monday was a holiday but thought I would receive it by now. Hmmm...maybe tomorrow.

Are you expecting it in the UK? If so, allow 10 business days!

[steph&max 13]

you do realize there are some of us who are 'hating' on you guys right now? Ears buzzing, feeling any stabbing pains (not acid indigestion).....

Lol ? I'd trade places, I wish I could go to the interview as fast as you guys will! Even the process is going super fast we can't do anything about it yet.

The email notification says they mailed my RFE January 15th but I still haven't received it. I know Monday was a holiday but thought I would receive it by now. Hmmm...maybe tomorrow.

I'd give it a week and half, they sometimes take their time

April or May for my fiance and me... same reason.

I concur. Thought it would take much longer. Instead, it was like a lightning round of Jeopardy.

Haha exactly! We might be the only ones going in May in this group haha

Edited January 22, 2016 by sandminlove

[Ted & Janine 31]

you do realize there are some of us who are 'hating' on you guys right now? Ears buzzing, feeling any stabbing pains (not acid indigestion).....

Yes. I. am. realizing.

Not one of my most intelligent posts Well, not many are.

I'm having this vision of people printing my picture and using it for a dartboard. Hey, there's another event for the reunion. Of course I won't be attending unless I invest in full body armor.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Ted & Janine

[LoveinUganda 20]

NVC keeps quoting me 35 days, I feel like they aren't even inputting the information I give them before they tell me to wait 35 days. They immediately ask for case number then say when was the approval notification and then jump to saying 35 days....

[steph&max 13]

NVC keeps quoting me 35 days, I feel like they aren't even inputting the information I give them before they tell me to wait 35 days. They immediately ask for case number then say when was the approval notification and then jump to saying 35 days....

Remember...wait at least 2 weeks to start calling...

[steph&max 13]

Hello VJ family been awhile....how's everyone doing..? I called BBC yesterday for the first time and I got my case# and invoice id....the lady said it just came through, she was really nice .....

Now waiting for the mail from NVC..on what to do next.

Please does anyone knows the NVC website where I can track my case

Hey congrats on getting the case number! Here is the website:

https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx

[Abisflores 6]

How can I retrieve a copy of my DS-160 confirmation page? I tried retrieving it using my phone but i can't open my application. I want to print another copy of my confirmation. I have 2copies on hand. One for medical and another one for the interview. I might need a nother copy for the CFO.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Jaime & Aisha, on 22 Jan 2016 - 12:57 AM, said:

Just found this on the information from the Embassy in Addis:

Unobtainable Birth Certificate: In rare cases, it may be impossible to obtain a birth certificate because records have been destroyed or the government will not issue one. In such cases, you should obtain a statement that effect from the civil register’s office and proceed to obtain secondary evidenced birth. A baptismal certificate may be submitted for consideration provides it contained the date and place of applicant’s birth and information concerning parentage and provided the baptism took place shortly after birth. Should a baptismal certificate be unobtainable, a close relative, preferably the applicant’s mother, should prepare a notarized statement giving the place and date of the applicant’s birth, the name of both parents and the maiden name of the mother. The statement must be executed before an official authorized to administer oaths or affirmation. In such cases, please bring any secondary evidence you might have concerning your birth.

I feel that you have met their requirements and yes I would make sure that the documents are notarized. We need to be to safe to be right.