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DV 2015 Oceania winners

martinskypemartin said:
@guestgulkan - was just going to ask that question about driving tests - my teenage daughter has noticed that in some States of the US you can get a driver license a way lot younger than in Oz - you know where this is heading right? lol
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I know in Colorado you can talk on your phone while driving, turn on red lights, not wear a seatbelt in the back seat, no helmets required on motorbikes or bicycles. Not sure about driving age..

SusieQQQ said:
Here in CA it's 16, but there are certain restrictions (like not driving after a certain time at night) till you are 18. Then, drinking age is only 21. So kids drive themselves to high school which is wonderful for parents, and get a good 5 years driving experience before they are (legally) allowed to drink, which to my mind makes more sense than giving kids the car keys and the liquor cabinet keys on the same day...
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I love the 21 year old drinking age. It makes bars and clubs much more pleasant not having all these aggressive drunk children ruining the vibe. No wonder we have so much trouble with one-punch deaths in Australia.
 
guestgulkan said:
I know in Colorado you can talk on your phone while driving, turn on red lights, not wear a seatbelt in the back seat, no helmets required on motorbikes or bicycles. Not sure about driving age..



I love the 21 year old drinking age. It makes bars and clubs much more pleasant not having all these aggressive drunk children ruining the vibe. No wonder we have so much trouble with one-punch deaths in Australia.
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Yeah, there are pros and cons. One downside of the 21 year old rule for alcohol is that you get a lot of children that are running around in 22 and 23 year old bodies. 22/23 year Olds here are really childish.
 
james mathers said:
Thanks for your help guys. When going through customs in Australia on the way out, if you tick "vacation" for activation trip, don't they look at the USA immigration visa in your passport and wonder what's going on? A few other quick questions:
1. can you get your SSN sent to your Aussie address instead of the address that your Green card is being sent to? I plan to go in to an SSA office in HNL during my activation trip.
2. How do you open a USA bank account without a fixed address there first, and do they ask for ID of this address? [ i don't want to use the address i'm using for my Green Card otherwise my friend will start thinking i'm using it for everything lol if he starts getting mail from banks, companies etc.]
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No the people who check those things are separate and it never comes up. Plus there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing an activation trip anyway so it's not like you'd get in trouble even if they somehow did ask you about it. Seriously, you're overthinking it, just make sure you have your valid passport with visa inside and your sealed envelope at POE and it'll take care of itself!

Re SSN, I highly doubt it but you could ask I guess. It only takes 1-2 weeks for them to send you your SSN so even if you want til you permanent move it shouldn't hinder you.

Not sure about the bank situation, someone else will have to answer that one.
 
CC1 said:
Has anyone done the activation trip come back for the 300 odd days to their country of origin, then entered with their green card to USA again before exciting again for a few months to country of origin before returning for good to USA, we have just had a work opportunity come up which we would be nuts to refuse but it would mean living in Aussie for another 2 years, I really don't want to give up this green card and wondered if anyone had done the double trip across a 2 year period:)
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I am in a similar boat having been promoted this week itself. Having worked my way upto this role it would be just wrong not to do it for an year before I leave.plus would help the CV immensely.i was thinking of exactly the same questions
 
Being part Indian myself, the worst I experience is that people assume I work in a call centre. Nope.
 
Aucklander said:
I am in a similar boat having been promoted this week itself. Having worked my way upto this role it would be just wrong not to do it for an year before I leave.plus would help the CV immensely.i was thinking of exactly the same questions
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I did similar and an almost-year out before you move back is fine, but almost a year out, a quick trip back and then a long absence again after that... not so fine, I'd think.
 
SusieQQQ said:
I did similar and an almost-year out before you move back is fine, but almost a year out, a quick trip back and then a long absence again after that... not so fine, I'd think.
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SusieQQQ -since you were out for 6+ months after the activation , wouldn't that delay your naturalization process by a further 6 ? Also - for the time you spent out post -activation - do you still report yourself as an immigrant on the tax filings.
 
SusieQQQ said:
Lol, mine was slightly more complex than that, but not difficult. I'd guess btw no difference between manual and auto and no hill starts because most drive automatics...
I think they also do different tests depending on if you are experienced or not. I had no parking tests but first time drivers were given them.

Hershel re where the indicators are... That is car dependent not side of the road dependent !! German and Japanese cars have them on different sides. I'm driving the same make of car I used to and the indicators are still on the same side of the steering wheel, even though the steering wheel is on the other side of the car ;)
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I have a Holden, a Toyota and a Alfa Romeo- all have indicator and wipers in different places. Went to a Hot Rod car Show few weeks back, sat in a left hand mastang, quite cool!
 
guestgulkan said:
I know in Colorado you can talk on your phone while driving, turn on red lights, not wear a seatbelt in the back seat, no helmets required on motorbikes or bicycles. Not sure about driving age..



I love the 21 year old drinking age. It makes bars and clubs much more pleasant not having all these aggressive drunk children ruining the vibe. No wonder we have so much trouble with one-punch deaths in Australia.
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Kids will still drive, whether they have restrictions or not!
 
streejab said:
SusieQQQ -since you were out for 6+ months after the activation , wouldn't that delay your naturalization process by a further 6 ? Also - for the time you spent out post -activation - do you still report yourself as an immigrant on the tax filings.
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I actually popped back for a week in the middle but my husband didn't - so yes it affects his naturalization. And yes, as soon as you become an LPR you need to file for tax from that date - no matter how much time you spend outside the U.S. after that - and do not report as a non-resident as that is taken to show you have abandoned residency.
 
EmilyW said:
In my experience, getting some of the vaccinations done in advance didn't reduce the time at all. Husband had his done at the panel doctors and he was out quicker than me who had them done beforehand with our GP. This is in Melbourne though.
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Gosh, I hate injections.
 
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