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Deadline to enter and activate Diversity Visa

Macavity

New Member
I have an interview in September (in London for an Oceania case number). Some sites suggest that the visa has to be issued and that you have to have entered the USA at the nominated Port of Entry to "activate" the visa before 30 September. It's not clear whether the deadline to enter (and have the single-use entry visa convert into a temporary greencard) is the same as the deadline for the visa to be issued.

A helpful member on this site suggested that:

The visa has to be issued to you by September 30, but will have a separate expiry date (either 6 months after the medical or 6 months after the Consulate interview - whichever comes first).

Does that mean that an interviewee in September will have until March to enter at the port of entry?
 
My question might be a duplicate of the recent question about "last date to travel":

http://forums.immigration.com/threads/an-inquiry-regarding-my-last-date-to-travel.321832/

Would love to hear from previous winners who successfully entered the USA after the 30 September deadline.

Yes, it is a duplicate of the question on the thread you quoted. The question was already answered on that thread, you can enter the US anytime after Sept 30th as long as your issued visa hasn't expired.

One of the people who responded on that thread, Susie also cited her case as a reference. She was a DV2013 selectee/winner, had her family's visas granted on July 1st, 2013 with expiry of Dec 31st, 2013; they made their first entry on Dec 26th, 2013, 3 months following the end of the applicable FY.
 
You have 6 months to enter the visa from issuance (unless they issue a shorter visa due to your medicals). There's no such thing as having to enter by Sept 30.

Think about it logically: the last date to receive a visa is Sept 30. So how would someone given a visa on Sept 30 get to the US before Sept 30?? It's impossible.
 
If you are having interview in London, your visa expiry date will be 6 months from your medical. Also they will clearly indicate that it is the last day you can enter US.
 
Your questions are well answer above - but I am interested in your interview being in September - why is it so late - did you reschedule?
 
With an OC 12XX number, we only recently became current (eligible for the interview).

Also, we didn't submit our forms until early July.
 
With an OC 12XX number, we only recently became current (eligible for the interview).

Also, we didn't submit our forms until early July.


OK - so you were eligible for a August interview, but given that August interviews were scheduled in mid June, your late submission is what caused the late interview. Fingers crossed for you.
 
With an OC 12XX number, we only recently became current (eligible for the interview).

Also, we didn't submit our forms until early July.

Wow. Having only submitted in July, you're pretty lucky you've been scheduled an interview at all given how visa numbers seem to be in short supply. Hope it goes well and you get a visa.
 
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