Seven members of the American Diversity Visa Victims Association (ADVVA) have been on a fast-unto-death since April 10 demanding that the American Embassy “refund the money they spend to appear for visa interview, along with necessary compensation”. On an average, the victims claim to have lost Rs 55,000 each during the application process; some have reportedly spent upwards of Rs 3.5 lakhs. Granted, many of them might have not taken the trouble to go through the paperwork (if available) elaborating the nitty-gritty of application and interview processes. What is undeniable, though, is that a sum of Rs 50,000 is big money for an average lower-middle class Nepali family.

The American Embassy has every right to fix visa application fees for those seeking entry into the United States. But there should be some room for discretion. The DV winners cannot be compared on a par with, say, the students, who make for the bulk of applicants. The latter choose to go abroad because they can afford to do so. But for most of the lottery winners, it is just that — a lottery, once won, might be drawn with no strings attached and no additional expense. Clearly, this is a case of misunderstanding resulting from a gap in information. In this respect, the American Embassy needs to make its visa procedure more transparent and easily understandable (making it available in Nepali might not be a bad idea). Meantime, government representatives, embassy officials and ADVVA members need to sit down and find an amicable way out of the current impasse.