DV 2015 Oceania winners

[CC1]

Enter in January and then come back to finish your study. You have up to 12 months after you first activate to make the permanent move. We activated in June but won't be making the permanent move until January / February.

In the meantime, you just need to meet the obligations of a lawful permanent resident (filing tax returns etc).

Hi Emily, could I rack your brains on the back and fourth movement between Aussie and USA, we were going to move permanently this coming January 2016, after activating in Jan 2015 but I have to come back to Aussie for an unexpected eye surgery which they cannot give me a date for yet, I'm on the Queensland health waiting list they have said it will be within the next 7 months, we still plan to go over in January 2016 so we don't disrupt the permanent residency status but would like to then come back to Aussie and work whilst we wait for my surgery day probably another couple of months May/ June 2016, do you know of anyone who has gone back and forth after the first year and had any issues, the homeland security page says you can't leave for more than a year but I'm really nervous we may be stopped and questioned at the boarder, I may just be being neurotic but any helpful advice would be really appreciated

 

[SusieQQQ]

Hi Emily, could I rack your brains on the back and fourth movement between Aussie and USA, we were going to move permanently this coming January 2016, after activating in Jan 2015 but I have to come back to Aussie for an unexpected eye surgery which they cannot give me a date for yet, I'm on the Queensland health waiting list they have said it will be within the next 7 months, we still plan to go over in January 2016 so we don't disrupt the permanent residency status but would like to then come back to Aussie and work whilst we wait for my surgery day probably another couple of months May/ June 2016, do you know of anyone who has gone back and forth after the first year and had any issues, the homeland security page says you can't leave for more than a year but I'm really nervous we may be stopped and questioned at the boarder, I may just be being neurotic but any helpful advice would be really appreciated

(Not Emily but) sounds risky to me. It's not a case of touching down once a year, but showing intent to reside. Coming back after a year for a presumably short time then going to live and work somewhere else again for some indeterminate number of months - to a CBP officer that will probably sound a lot like you're abandoning residency. I do think you're right to be concerned about being questioned at the border. At the very least ensure you have filed with the IRS for 2015 tax returns and keep an address, bank account etc in the US, stuff that will help convince the guy that you haven't abandoned residency, because I expect by the time of your entry in mid-2016 or possibly later judging by what you said, you will need it.

 

[CC1]

(Not Emily but) sounds risky to me. It's not a case of touching down once a year, but showing intent to reside. Coming back after a year for a presumably short time then going to live and work somewhere else again for some indeterminate number of months - to a CBP officer that will probably sound a lot like you're abandoning residency. I do think you're right to be concerned about being questioned at the border. At the very least ensure you have filed with the IRS for 2015 tax returns and keep an address, bank account etc in the US, stuff that will help convince the guy that you haven't abandoned residency, because I expect by the time of your entry in mid-2016 or possibly later judging by what you said, you will need it.

Thanks SusieQQQ I read where a guy had gone over to check out the kids schools after activating then came back to Aussie, he was on this forum but I cannot find the thread where he mentioned he was going to do that, if anyone remembers the thread could you let me know

 

[SusieQQQ]

Thanks SusieQQQ I read where a guy had gone over to check out the kids schools after activating then came back to Aussie, he was on this forum but I cannot find the thread where he mentioned he was going to do that, if anyone remembers the thread could you let me know

Yes,lots of people activate then go back for up to a year before making a permanent move. But you're talking about activating, staying out for a year, then only coming back to the US briefly, then staying out for another long time. That will cause questions. Judging from our own experience, you will already be getting questions on your first trip back after an absence of almost a year, and don't forget the CBP officer will be able to see your air ticket details so will know that after that long absence, you're only there briefly and on another return ticket out. How are you going to explain that? When you tell him the truth, that you're there for a week or whatever but will then be going back again to live and work in Australia - if you're lucky you'll just get away with a lecture about residency requirements. It may be a better idea for you to make your activation trip longer and apply for a re-entry permit during it.

 

[EmilyW]

I'm pretty sure that was @martinskypemartin who did the recon trip for kids' schools on his activation trip and has come back.

I would err on the side of caution and showing good faith, and get the re-entry permit myself. Then you don't have to worry about any issues upon re-entry.

 

[CC1]

I'm pretty sure that was @martinskypemartin who did the recon trip for kids' schools on his activation trip and has come back.

I would err on the side of caution and showing good faith, and get the re-entry permit myself. Then you don't have to worry about any issues upon re-entry.

Thanks for your replies, we already have activated our green cards in January 2015, so my question is can I still apply for a re entry permit this time we go over in January to come back May/June or will that be looked at unfavorably, between finishing study and now this blasted unexpected eye surgery not to mention my hubby having to sit the NCLEX exam for his nursing equivalency my head is swimming

 

[SusieQQQ]

Thanks for your replies, we already have activated our green cards in January 2015, so my question is can I still apply for a re entry permit this time we go over in January to come back May/June or will that be looked at unfavorably, between finishing study and now this blasted unexpected eye surgery not to mention my hubby having to sit the NCLEX exam for his nursing equivalency my head is swimming

You normally need to be around for 1-2 months to apply for a re-entry permit.

 

[CC1]

Ahh ok thats not going to work as we are looking at only 3 weeks to enable hubby to register with the board of nursing in Virginia so he can sit the NCLEX exam so he can then start applying for jobs as up until he does that he can not apply for work, the nursing board does not make it easy thats for sure, so looks like i will just let them know at the boarder that between study, surgery and meeting the requirements for my hubby's work it just has to be this way , thanks for the advise

 

[SusieQQQ]

Ahh ok thats not going to work as we are looking at only 3 weeks to enable hubby to register with the board of nursing in Virginia so he can sit the NCLEX exam so he can then start applying for jobs as up until he does that he can not apply for work, the nursing board does not make it easy thats for sure, so looks like i will just let them know at the boarder that between study, surgery and meeting the requirements for my hubby's work it just has to be this way , thanks for the advise

You do know they have surgeons in the US, right? And you'd be on healthcare insurance anyway in the US. I realize it would probably still end up being more expensive, but from the viewpoint of not jeopardizing uour green card, and of not having to wait interminable months for the surgery, that surely is something to consider. And qualifications or not, it's going to be much easier for your husband to apply for jobs from within the US than outside.

 

[CC1]

You do know they have surgeons in the US, right? And you'd be on healthcare insurance anyway in the US. I realize it would probably still end up being more expensive, but from the viewpoint of not jeopardizing uour green card, and of not having to wait interminable months for the surgery, that surely is something to consider. And qualifications or not, it's going to be much easier for your husband to apply for jobs from within the US than outside.

Very good point SusieQQQ, we have been talking about it this morning, we really want to get started on our new life in the USA, I'm not sure how the healthcare insurance works over there but I'll spend some time googling it to see if I can get onto a waiting list for my surgery, we don't want to jeopardize our green cards and I can always fly back for the surgery if it happens quicker in Aussie than within 8 months as they predicted , thanks again for the advise

 

[kellie_jane]

Hi lovely people, this may seem like a daft question, but someone asked me and I thought I should check. We're leaving the UK for NY on the QM2 next week- not an activation trip, we will be staying (how nostalgic, I'm super excited!!) BUT do we need a ticket out again even though we'll be residents? A friend said they won't let you in unless you had a ticket out, but it doesn't make much sense to me as we're moving permanently... I did think it was best to ask though, better to err on the safe side! X

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi lovely people, this may seem like a daft question, but someone asked me and I thought I should check. We're leaving the UK for NY on the QM2 next week- not an activation trip, we will be staying (how nostalgic, I'm super excited!!) BUT do we need a ticket out again even though we'll be residents? A friend said they won't let you in unless you had a ticket out, but it doesn't make much sense to me as we're moving permanently... I did think it was best to ask though, better to err on the safe side! X

What that friend is saying is BS! Why would they expect someone coming in as a LPR to have an outward bound ticket on hand?

 

[kellie_jane]

My thoughts also! But I thought it best to make sure. Thanks!

 

[violetion]

Hi lovely people, this may seem like a daft question, but someone asked me and I thought I should check. We're leaving the UK for NY on the QM2 next week- not an activation trip, we will be staying (how nostalgic, I'm super excited!!) BUT do we need a ticket out again even though we'll be residents? A friend said they won't let you in unless you had a ticket out, but it doesn't make much sense to me as we're moving permanently... I did think it was best to ask though, better to err on the safe side! X

They sound confused, it's true that it's wise for people that are on the visa waiver or perhaps on a short term non-immigrant visas to have a ticket home to prove they are not planning on sticking around after their visa expires, but definitely not for LPR's as Mom said! Have a great trip

 

[SusieQQQ]

Very good point SusieQQQ, we have been talking about it this morning, we really want to get started on our new life in the USA, I'm not sure how the healthcare insurance works over there but I'll spend some time googling it to see if I can get onto a waiting list for my surgery, we don't want to jeopardize our green cards and I can always fly back for the surgery if it happens quicker in Aussie than within 8 months as they predicted , thanks again for the advise

The beauty of private healthcare - the flip side of paying for it - is that you don't need waiting lists, certainly not for months on end. You can normally get non-emergency surgery within a week or two, depending how popular the surgeon is. One thing you'd need to watch for though is your insurance's policy on pre-existing conditions.

 

[Permutation]

For our activation trip, on landing:
- do we need to have prepared any other than family customs 6059B form?
- we take "non-citizens" queue, right? (and citizens anytime after being admitted as LPRs)

 

[guestgulkan]

For our activation trip, on landing:
- do we need to have prepared any other than family customs 6059B form?
- we take "non-citizens" queue, right? (and citizens anytime after being admitted as LPRs)

• The 6059B will probably be handed out on the plane.
• Yes take the non-citizen queue, but many airports don't differentiate and just process everyone together.

 

[Permutation]

I see this thread is dying out... still let me ask a last silly question: for Green card delivery address - "Final address in the U.S." - did you put your name as recipient or the name of the actual person that lives there? I put the other name, because I thought we will not be physically there to receive it.

 

[SusieQQQ]

I see this thread is dying out... still let me ask a last silly question: for Green card delivery address - "Final address in the U.S." - did you put your name as recipient or the name of the actual person that lives there? I put the other name, because I thought we will not be physically there to receive it.

The person that lives there. Ours came addressed with both names, ours first then the person.

 

[Permutation]

Do you need to inform Aussie banks that you became LPR in the States?
I remember I opened a bank account a few days before the visa was issued and one of the last questions was "Are you USA citizen or Green card holder?"... ah!- well, at that time checked No that was factually true.