DV 2016 OC Selectees

[violetion]

Hi I had a question about vaccinations.

How did you guys go about obtaining your vaccination history? I have a booklet with some of my vaccinations but I don't think it is complete.

I have referred to this government website to obtain the list of required vaccines.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/vaccinations.html

Thanks.

I still have my immunization book from when I was young and I'll probably ask my GP for a statement of the other vaccines I've had done in more recent years. I believe at the medical we'll get a blood test to determine which vaccines we need and get them administered then, so it's not a huge issue if you don't have your complete records.

 

[EmilyW]

You won't necessarily get a blood test at the medical and, if you do, you'll pay for it (and none of it is claimable )

I had my childhood records and got a free blood test done at my GP. I had a couple of them done at the GP subsequent to that test, so that I saved on the panel doctor costs.

 

[PennyR]

Hi there

Really happy to have found this thread! I am hoping to get some passport advice for the 2016 DV..

I am case number 3XX and submitted my DS260 application recently.

My current passport is due to expire in July 2016. This is the passport which I included in my application, which is in line with the requirement to be valid for six months from intended travel date. I really just wanted to get my application in ASAP... but I am planning on renewing my passport so when I leave towards the end of the year, if all things go to plan, it will be current for a long time. I have confirmed with the Australian government that I will still have my old passport (should I choose to renew) so does anyone know if I am able to bring that to my visa interview? It clearly supports the details that I provided in the application. Do you recommend that I do this? Or just wait until after I have an interview (which I am guesstimating to be October or November) to renew my passport? And then the visa be transferred to that passport, should I be successful in my application..

Any advice would be appreciated!

Kind regards

 

[Britsimon]

Hi there

Really happy to have found this thread! I am hoping to get some passport advice for the 2016 DV..

I am case number 3XX and submitted my DS260 application recently.

My current passport is due to expire in July 2016. This is the passport which I included in my application, which is in line with the requirement to be valid for six months from intended travel date. I really just wanted to get my application in ASAP... but I am planning on renewing my passport so when I leave towards the end of the year, if all things go to plan, it will be current for a long time. I have confirmed with the Australian government that I will still have my old passport (should I choose to renew) so does anyone know if I am able to bring that to my visa interview? It clearly supports the details that I provided in the application. Do you recommend that I do this? Or just wait until after I have an interview (which I am guesstimating to be October or November) to renew my passport? And then the visa be transferred to that passport, should I be successful in my application..

Any advice would be appreciated!

Kind regards

Yes the normal thing is submit using the current passport. Then apply for the new pp. Once you have that new pp, you can unlock and update the DS260 - and take both old and new passports to the interview.

 

[PennyR]

Yes the normal thing is submit using the current passport. Then apply for the new pp. Once you have that new pp, you can unlock and update the DS260 - and take both old and new passports to the interview.

Thank you very much! I didn't realise I could update the DS260. I really appreciate your response.
Kind regards

 

[violetion]

Thank you very much! I didn't realise I could update the DS260. I really appreciate your response.
Kind regards

Congratulations and welcome, Penny! I've added you to our list.

Cogger - 1xx (AUS)
Emily_E3 - 1xx (AUS)
gemka - 1xx (AUS)
DV2016LOST - 2xx (AUS)
PennyR - 3xx (AUS)
violetion - 3xx (AUS)
sarahvw - 4xx (AUS)
s362596 - 5xx (AUS)
MelbourneBen - 6xx (AUS)
Teyliana - 6xx (AUS)
eskimokisses - 8xx (AUS)
alwaysrose123 - 9xx (NZ)
connectedspace - 9xx (AUS)
innerwestern - 9xx (AUS)

 

[PennyR]

Hi again,
A few questions hoping to be answered;
1) I travelled for 7 months throughout Europe when I was younger. I was not in one particular country for six months so I just want to confirm that I don't need to say Yes to "Since turning 16, I have resided in another country for 6 months or more"?
2) I have a trip planned to the U.S in August / September this year for a family wedding which I did not disclose on the application as it hasn't occurred yet, I want to make sure there are no issues with this?
3) I've applied for an Australian police check (fingerprints) but read in a blog that I require one for individual states. I have only ever lived in Queensland since I was 16 so will I also need to obtain a Queensland police check?
4) Hopefully if all things go well, I will be living in the U.S by the end of this year. I need to come back June 2016 for a wedding and I just want to confirm that there are no issues leaving the U.S so quickly?
Thank you in advance for any assistance!

 

[SusieQQQ]

Hi again,
A few questions hoping to be answered;
1) I travelled for 7 months throughout Europe when I was younger. I was not in one particular country for six months so I just want to confirm that I don't need to say Yes to "Since turning 16, I have resided in another country for 6 months or more"?
2) I have a trip planned to the U.S in August / September this year for a family wedding which I did not disclose on the application as it hasn't occurred yet, I want to make sure there are no issues with this?
3) I've applied for an Australian police check (fingerprints) but read in a blog that I require one for individual states. I have only ever lived in Queensland since I was 16 so will I also need to obtain a Queensland police check?
4) Hopefully if all things go well, I will be living in the U.S by the end of this year. I need to come back June 2016 for a wedding and I just want to confirm that there are no issues leaving the U.S so quickly?
Thank you in advance for any assistance!

I can't answer #3 but all the others are fine.
(I had a similar thing to your number 1 by the way albeit for a full year and it wasn't an issue at all.)

 

[EmilyW]

Re 3#, the formal instructions say to get the AFP check. So one check that covers every state, making sure it is a full disclosure check (so you have to select option 33 when you request the check).

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/AS.html

 

[Tebby]

Hi everyone, I just joined today as I found out about my success in the lottery while I was travelling in South America and have only just settled down to start sorting through everything! My CN is 7XX and I'm from Australia.
I'm having a lot of issues already as my situation is complicated! My boyfriend is American and has been living in Aus with me for the last year and a half, his visa ran out so we decided to move over to his side of the world for a while. He lives close to the Canadian border so I just decided to get a Canadian working visa which was easy, and we will just pop over the border to visit his friends and family. I applied for DV-2016 on a whim, thinking it would make things a lot easier if we could just live state-side with his family! Now as I look into it, it seems like things may be harder.. We have intentions of returning to Australia within a few years, and going back and forth but I've noticed that if you leave the US to live in another country, you are abandoning your permanent resident status and will lose your green card. I just don't know if it's even worth enduring the process? It looks like it will cost hundreds all up and we may only stay in the US for a couple of years before returning to Aus for a while. I'm so confused about what to do.. I can't even begin to fill out my DS-260 as I don't have a permanent address at the moment as we are staying with his Mum until we find an apartment in Canada and all my certificates are back in Sydney!

 

[EmilyW]

With a number of 7XX, you have time to think about things. It's unlikely you would get interviewed before early 2016.

You're right, the Green Card isn't a souped up tourist visa. And the process can cost thousands, not hundreds. You can always just submit the DS260 now and then think about it over the next few months. By the time your case is ready to process, you might be clearer about what you want to do.

 

[Tebby]

Thanks EmilyW! The first fee to pay is at interview stage right?
I think I'll just push forward with it and see how things turn out in Canada in the mean time!

 

[SusieQQQ]

Thanks EmilyW! The first fee to pay is at interview stage right?
I think I'll just push forward with it and see how things turn out in Canada in the mean time!

Well, the first reasonably sized outlay will be the medicals, but those would only be done if you knew for sure you were going to interview.

 

[violetion]

Thanks EmilyW! The first fee to pay is at interview stage right?
I think I'll just push forward with it and see how things turn out in Canada in the mean time!

Congratulations, I'll add you to our growing list of selectees! Keep in mind if you do submit the DS-260, you've officially declared immigrant intent which, if you decide ultimately to not go through with the visa, can make it a lot harder to obtain non-immigrant visas for the U.S. in the future (student visas, temporary work, extended business/tourism visas, etc). You should be reasonably sure that you don't have plans to apply for a non-immigrant visa at a later date, as the consular officer will see that you have previously declared intent to immigrate which would be reasonable grounds for them to deny you the visa if they suspect you could be attempting to stay in the U.S. permanently on an illegal basis.

 

[Tebby]

Congratulations, I'll add you to our growing list of selectees! Keep in mind if you do submit the DS-260, you've officially declared immigrant intent which, if you decide ultimately to not go through with the visa, can make it a lot harder to obtain non-immigrant visas for the U.S. in the future (student visas, temporary work, extended business/tourism visas, etc). You should be reasonably sure that you don't have plans to apply for a non-immigrant visa at a later date, as the consular officer will see that you have previously declared intent to immigrate which would be reasonable grounds for them to deny you the visa if they suspect you could be attempting to stay in the U.S. permanently on an illegal basis.

Oh wow, thanks for letting me know that! There would be a lot of tourist visas in my future if we are planning on trips to visit my boyfriend's family and I don't want to jeopardise that in any way. If I don't go through with it, we may attempt for a spousal visa in a few years time anyway depending on how things go so I guess it's not the be all and end all! Thank you for your help everyone, I really hope I haven't come off as being ungrateful for this amazing opportunity!

 

[SusieQQQ]

Oh wow, thanks for letting me know that! There would be a lot of tourist visas in my future if we are planning on trips to visit my boyfriend's family and I don't want to jeopardise that in any way. If I don't go through with it, we may attempt for a spousal visa in a few years time anyway depending on how things go so I guess it's not the be all and end all! Thank you for your help everyone, I really hope I haven't come off as being ungrateful for this amazing opportunity!

I'd suggest you sit down and think properly about it. A spousal visa is not as easy as it may sound for the U.S. ..DV is way cheaper, easier and faster. Remember your spouse has to be present in the U.S. to sponsor you (show appropriate affidavit of support with US earnings etc) but you cannot enter the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa or visa waiver with intent to adjust status to immigrant, so you may end up being separated for a year or two during the process. This has happened to many people. Something else for you to think about.

 

[partoh]

From those who are experienced or has gotta knowlegde pertaining this...
During the interview....does the embassy get so concerned with the type of job one is currrently doing and by any case those who happens to be employed by the government of that country one is living in......what happens on the case of that person.........
What does the embassy do or recommend in the case of that person ?

 

[EmilyW]

I work for for a state government agency and they didn't care in the interview. However, I was not the principal applicant but the derivative. But my work is highly sensitive and I have security clearances that the average person would not have, so I had imagined I would be someone they would have a look at.

By the time your case gets to interview, they have done background checks on things like your employment. Unless you are from high risk places (e.g. Iran), working for government isn't an issue.

 

[partoh]

@EmilyW ....thanks very much for that information.....sooo you mean even after goin for the interview they already have your background data so even when one intends to cheat them they wil probably know it afta all ?.

 

[SusieQQQ]

@EmilyW ....thanks very much for that information.....sooo you mean even after goin for the interview they already have your background data so even when one intends to cheat them they wil probably know it afta all ?.

They start preliminary background checks when you submit the DS260, then further ones are conducted after an interview is scheduled (befor the interview takes place). This ranges through a whole bunch of things eg security issues like above, some countries will send employees to question neighbors if they suspect a fake marriage, etc. For most people the checks have been completed by the time of interview. Sometimes something arises in the interview that raises questions or suspicions, and then (if they don't deny outright) they will place the applicant on "administrative processing" while they conduct further checks.