DV 2015 Oceania winners

[alwaysrose123]

Sure, here you go:

1. Source of number of visas issued in each year: here

2. Source for 2014 max CN is at Britsimon's site, here. That data was extracted by a script that mines the Department of State's CEAC website. The highest called CN in 2014 was 1448

3. The 2013 max CN is trickier. You'll find it if you search for 2013 DV CEAC data on google and do some sifting. It was, however, very close to 1630.

Good luck! And if you are drawn in DV 2016, you want your number to be below 1400. I'm praying for this very thing to happen to me!

Somehow I wish I didn't have so much info... I know people who won the lottery without knowing which number was high or low.. however, fingers crossed on the day... Some things are meant to be... somewhere someone looking down on us and making sure all our dots connect in this journey of life.

 

[guestgulkan]

you want your number to be below 1400.

 

[GANDT-SYD]

On another note, @GANDT-SYD and @Hershal has your USCIS payment been acknowledged yet? Mine is still in process

Still says optimized for both of them.

 

[connectedspace]

I think we'll go to 1580 this year. Below 1400 makes one comfortably certain!

 

[alwaysrose123]

40 something days to go .... yay... the countdown is yet to begin... can we start checking now... I can't wait!!!!

Just waiting for April to come and go... it will go quickly if we keep ourselves busy... its always at the back of my mind... would be nice to get it over with... could be here the whole year of 2015...

 

[EmilyW]

You'll be right, @guestgulkan.

 

[alwaysrose123]

40 something days to go .... yay... the countdown is yet to begin... can we start checking now... I can't wait!!!!

Just waiting for April to come and go... it will go quickly if we keep ourselves busy... its always at the back of my mind... would be nice to get it over with... could be here the whole year of 2015...

you'll be ok... keep calm and have patience.... have a little faith.... they say most of our battles are fought in our heads.

 

[guestgulkan]

I think we'll go to 1580 this year.

You'll be right, @guestgulkan.

 

[Deb7a]

Still says optimized for both of them.

I'm thinking Optimized is okay. Meaning we're good to go. Maybe it will say closed once we land. Who cares, it's paid and they have acknowledged receipt, that's good enough for me. They'll have to deport me from LA if it's not good lol

 

[Smeeggy]

Hi all,

for those who have been to the interview already, did you have to JP the copies to provide at the interview if you have the originals?

cheers,

 

[GANDT-SYD]

Hi all,

for those who have been to the interview already, did you have to JP the copies to provide at the interview if you have the originals?

cheers,

Take the originals with you. They sight them, no need to JP.

 

[EU2015]

I like that approach. We kinda figured we'd do the same.

As it is with flights it looks like we can take 2x 22kg each. That seems like a lot of stuff, 4x 22kg bags plus carry-on.

Our cruise ship allows us to take as much as we can fit in our cabin so long as each piece doesn't weigh more than 20kg each. We have now packed everything up and are taking 4 boxes 2 big suitcases and 2 backpacks. Hopefully the port has some trolleys both here in the UK and in NYC.

 

[Hershal]

I'm thinking Optimized is okay. Meaning we're good to go. Maybe it will say closed once we land. Who cares, it's paid and they have acknowledged receipt, that's good enough for me. They'll have to deport me from LA if it's not good lol

Well, like I said I am optimised, my wife is the bubble before... I hope thats ok

 

[Britsimon]

Our cruise ship allows us to take as much as we can fit in our cabin so long as each piece doesn't weigh more than 20kg each. We have now packed everything up and are taking 4 boxes 2 big suitcases and 2 backpacks. Hopefully the port has some trolleys both here in the UK and in NYC.

That is cool! I still think yours is the most stylish/romantic way to activate the GC!

 

[Carolineinthecity]

I like to be portable, and it's not the airport I'm worried about. Its all the traveling around I will be doing before I get to my destination. And you have to get to a trolley before it becomes helpful

[/QUOTE]

I know exactly what you mean Deb!! I hate traveling with 2 large suitcases and a carry on! You would need to be pushing two trollies with all of your suitcases and i find it hard enough to navigate one trolly

 

[reeko]

Interview date sorted! 12th May in Sydney. Now to make sense of all the paperwork requirements.

Do I recall that someone (months back) created a more 'user friendly' checklist of everything you need for the interview?

 

[EmilyW]

@reeko, there is a checklist(s) that Sydney require you to complete.

http://canberra.usembassy.gov/selectedapps.html

I've converted the PDF checklists to Word (for those who would rather type than write) and saved it into our Dropbox file (see signature below).

 

[CCHessie]

We just got an apartment in LA and had to put down double security deposit (2 months rent) as we didnt have credit history plus 1 month rent up front. So be prepared for some initial outlay $$$!! We had set up a bank acct and transferred our AUD to USD into it - we paid electronically as our apartment block has a system to do that and e-cheques . I imagine if not that , they would want a cheque or money order.
We rented an apartment AirBNB initially for a few weeks so we had time to house hunt. Perhaps consider doing that. That way you can use that address to get a phone contract (what we did first - again had to put down a hefty deposit as no credit history) then used our phone contract with address on it to get a bank account. Also need a deposit for our electricity account set up. Seems the norm until you build credit!
Hope that helps!!

Thanks for the info,that definitely helps! It must feel great to have your place and getting more settled in everyday.
Unfortunately we're still about 6-8 months away from making our move but have been busy making plans. We plan to settle somewhere between Orange County and San Diego. It will primarily depend on where hubby gets work. He is a boat captain and there's plenty of marinas along the coast so hopefully it won't be too difficult to land something good.
Good luck with everything!!

 

[tom thumb]

@connectedspace, thanks, those links have helped me get my head around it. So if the OC quota is around 800 then it certainly doesn't look good.

One thing I wondered about is the possibility of an overflow from another region beefing up the OC quota. This is what it says in the relevant legislation (I can't post the link because I have less than 5 posts here, but it is available on Britsimon's blog under 'The regional quota mystery'):

(iv) Redistribution of unused visa numbers. - If the Secretary of State estimates that the number of immigrant visas to be issued to natives in any region for a fiscal year under this paragraph is less than the number of immigrant visas made available to such natives under this paragraph for the fiscal year, subject to clause (v), the excess visa numbers shall be made available to natives (other than natives of a high-admission state) of the other regions in proportion to the percentages otherwis e specified in clauses (ii) and (iii).

Just looking back through some of the previous years, I noticed that OC only tends to go current after (or at the same time as) one or more of the big regions goes current. Could this be because we have often been receiving an overflow from the bigger regions that pushes us up above our quota? But then we didn't receive the boost last year because the big regions didn't go current?

And if so, what is the likelihood that the big regions will go current in 2015?

It's just a theory.

 

[CBDK]

Hi - I just received a note from the Sydney Consulate saying that there was a system error and all Australian interviews were scheduled for the 14th April...they have asked for all NSW interviews to be rescheduled to the 28th April.

Did anyone else get this?

We have booked flights for the 28th April so this blows!