Refugee/Asylee following-to-join family members

The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa does not process new applications for refugee or asylee status. The Embassy only processes applications for those with a valid I-730 petition on file from a refugee or asylee immediate family member already in the United States.

V92: Follow-To-Join Asylee applications
The Consular Section receives I-730 petitions from the National Visa Center (NVC). Beneficiaries of such petitions are spouses and children under the age of 21.  Each applicant must be the beneficiary of a separate Form I-730 filed by the petitioner.
Once the National Visa Center has completed its processing of the follow-to-join asylum relative’s petition and forwarded it to the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, applicants are expected to read and follow all Interview Preparation Instructions.

The hard-copy of the file, which includes any original supporting civil documents submitted by the petitioner, is sent to the U.S. Embassy consular section. Beneficiaries are expected to bring the petitioner’s full and current address and phone number when they come for their interview.

Scheduling a Consular Interview
The beneficiary should schedule his or her own interview appointment with 60 days as instructed in the NVC’s Notice of Case Transfer letter. If the beneficiary does not appear for the interview as scheduled the U.S. Embassy will try to contact the beneficiary or petitioner for another appointment date, in which case applicants should contact the consular section within 45 days. After two attempts, the file will be sent back via the National Visa Center (NVC) to a USCIS service center for further action. Please reschedule your appointment if you miss it.

Please use the following e-mail address to schedule/reschedule your case or inquire about your case with the Embassy:  addisV92-93@state.gov, and make sure you provide all of the information requested as follows when sending as an e-mail:

Asylum/Refugee Follow-to-join

Please provide all the below information in order for the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa to schedule an interview appointment for you. Include the information which is written on the paper you received from the National Visa Center.
1. Case Type:_______________________________
2. NVC Case Number :________________________
3. Name of Beneficiary:_______________________
4. Phone Number : Mobile:__________________________  Home :____________________
5. P.O. Box Number : ______________________ City_______________
6. E-mail address: ______________________________

Medical Exams
Medical examinations are required for all follow–to-join asylum relative visa applicants.  Individuals must go to one of our approved panel physicians and complete their medical examination before the interview. There will be a payment for the medical processing.
Your medical report will be delivered to the Embassy consular section UNOPENED.  Medical examination report will be valid for the purpose of the visa issuance for six months, if no ineligibility exists.

Fee information
There is no payment for follow-to-join Asylee relative visa processing.

After the Interview
If your application is approved, you must arrange for delivery of your passport with the transportation foil and sealed package of your documents, directly with the Bank of Abyssinia agent located at the Embassy entrance.  Bank of Abyssinia will deliver the passport, visa, and your visa packet to any branch of Bank of Abyssinia in Addis Ababa.  Bank of Abyssinia collects a service fee of 50 Ethiopian birr per passport for this service. You may then pick up your passport and visa from your selected Bank of Abyssinia branch at your convenience.

Contact Us
Please contact the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa again (addisV92-93@state.gov) if you do not receive an appointment paper within 30 days of submitting the above information.

V93:  Follow-To-Join Refugee applications
Follow-to-join refugee relatives will go through a series of case processing.

After the interview, the consular officer will advise the applicant to contact IOM (International Office for Migration) for your medical examination and give you a letter saying “V-93 pending for travel arrangements”.  In the mean time the office will request a sponsorship assurance from a voluntary resettlement agency in the United States in which the process takes four to five weeks.  Then the consular section will also contact IOM for your travel arrangements, which takes one or two months.  Applicants will then be contacted and be informed about their travel date and advised to come to the consular section.

Some cases require additional administrative processing, and will take longer time than the time mentioned above.  This is common in follow-to-join refugee cases.  Applicants who do not have a passport will be advised to get an Emergency travel document (from the Ethiopian Immigration Authority) when they are ready for travel. The U.S. Embassy will write a letter to Ethiopian Immigration in support of the applicant’s travel. Validity of the travel document is only 30 days.

Scheduling a Consular Interview
The beneficiary should schedule his or her own interview appointment with 60 days as instructed in the NVC’s Notice of Case Transfer letter. If the beneficiary does not appear for the interview as scheduled the U.S. Embassy will try to contact the beneficiary or petitioner for another appointment date, in which case applicants should contact the consular section within 45 days. After two attempts, the file will be sent back via the National Visa Center (NVC) to a USCIS service center for further action. Please reschedule your appointment if you miss it.

Please use the following e-mail address to schedule/reschedule your case or inquire about your case with the Embassy:  addisV92-93@state.gov, and make sure you provide all of the information requested as follows when sending as an e-mail:

Asylum/Refugee Follow-to-join
Please provide all the below information in order for the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa to schedule an interview appointment for you. Include the information which is written on the paper you received from the National Visa Center.
7. Case Type:_______________________________
8. NVC Case Number :________________________
9. Name of Beneficiary:_______________________
10. Phone Number : Mobile:__________________________ 
                       Home :____________________
11. P.O. Box Number : ______________________
                   City_______________
12. E-mail address: ______________________________

Medical Exams
Every follow-to-join refugee must complete a medical examination.  After you finish your interview, the consular officer will advise you to do medical examination by contacting the IOM office. The medical exam is free of charge. Please contact IOM office with the below address.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICE FOR MIGRATION (IOM)
Bole Kefle Ketema, Kebele 02
Behind Bole DH Geda , Erkata building
Tel: +251-11-661-11-17/28/71/75
        +251-11-611475/77 / 
        +251-116611096/97/98
Fax: +251-11661-11-76

Your medical report will be delivered to the U.S. Embassy consular section UNOPENED. Medical examination report will be valid for the purpose of the visa issuance for six months.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will also assist in arranging for your departure to the United States and provide you with an interest-free travel loan for your airfare.

Fee information
There is no payment for follow-to-join Refugee relative visa processing.

Contact Us
Please contact the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa again (addisV92-93@state.gov) if you do not receive an appointment paper within 30 days of submitting the above information.