Ambassador's Speeches

Diversity Visa Press Conference (06 feb 09)

Members of the media, welcome.

We are so pleased to see all of you here for this very exciting announcement.  It occurs at an auspicious time just as President Obama and Secretary Clinton have re-affirmed the importance of partnership and diversity.

As many of you know, the U.S. Embassy here in Freetown resumed processing non-immigrant visas here about two years ago, eliminating the need for over three thousand Sierra Leoneans per year to travel to Guinea for their visa interviews.  Since then, we have been pleased to issue all non-immigrant visas right here.  That means that for the last two years, all Sierra Leonean tourists, business travelers, students, exchange visitors, and other non-immigrants have been able to get their visas without leaving Sierra Leone.  The transition was a huge undertaking on our part, involving additional staff, resources, and equipment, as the processing of visas had changed dramatically since before the civil war here.  Now that transition is complete, and we are moving forward with the next step.

The Diversity Visa (DV) is an annual program by which the United States Congress has authorized up to 50,000 people world-wide to immigrate to the United States without any prior U.S. connections.  Diversity is one of the aspects of American culture that we value most dearly.  The inception of the DV program started with the notion that we should strive to increase our diversity by offering opportunities to people of underrepresented national origins to immigrate.  For years, this program has enhanced the vibrant tapestry of American society and made it multicultural and rich in human resources.

Sierra Leoneans have participated in the DV program since its inception, but until the 2008 DV cycle, applicants have had to travel to Abidjan for their visa interviews.  While many considered it a worthwhile investment, we understand the hardship it placed on applicants. 

I am very pleased to announce that beginning with the 2009 cycle, Diversity Visa interviews will be conducted right here, at the U.S. Embassy in Freetown.  Sierra Leoneans will be welcomed, in their own national capital at our Consular Section.

Other immigrant visas, for now, will continue to be processed in Dakar, but I assure you we are working diligently toward resumption of full visa processing operations here in Freetown.  We appreciate the cooperation and patience of the people of Sierra Leone.
I will now turn the podium over to our Consular Section Chief Mr. William Douglass to answer specific questions about the Diversity Visa application process.

Thank you all for joining us for this announcement, and for helping us reaffirm our commitment to a strong U.S.-Sierra Leone bilateral relationship and to our partnerships around the world.