violetion
Active Member
Name check is fine, as long as all names you've ever used are listed.
DV 2016 OC Selectees
- Thread starter Sm1smom
- Start date
Name check is fine, as long as all names you've ever used are listed.
guestgulkan
Well-Known Member
Make sure it's the full name check. Name check 33 is the one I think.
violetion
Active Member
Don't think it's necessary to rock up too early. The Sydney consulate recommended not getting there earlier than 15 mins before.
violetion
Active Member
A little over a month until I leave now and I couldn't be more excited! I'm doing a bit of travel through Austin, New Orleans, Miami, Nashville and Washington DC before settling either in LA or NYC. I haven't been to any of those cities yet so I'm looking forward to exploring my new home some more. 
Carlos/Maria
Member
thanks guys....
gemka
Member
Hi all,
It's so exciting reading your stories here. What a rad bunch of adventurers.
So today I have a story, and a question:
Story:
I thought I'd quickly recount our interview story (a little more) as there was a weird issue at the start.
We got to our interview on time and were asked to wait outside until they were open (it was early morning). Then into the first room, which is the security checkpoint – they asked for my name and my husband's, and then they asked him to wait outside. We were both pretty surprised, because obviously he's coming with me to the US and needed to be interviewed, but he waited out in the waiting area with his documents (I asked if I should take them up to the consulate, but they said no). Then, when I arrived upstairs, the woman behind the desk asked for my passport, and then she said 'There's supposed to be two of you here today.' I said, 'I know! My husband's waiting downstairs!' She looked at me strangely, and asked, 'Why would they make him do that?' 'I have no idea,' I answered, and then she was on the phone ordering the people downstairs to bring him up immediately. Which they did, and then we were admitted to the consular area, and then our interview went pretty much as smoothly as everyone else's: First window, pay, fingerprints, second window, a couple of questions about where we were going (New York) and if we'd ever been in trouble with the law (nope – apart from a speeding ticket a long time ago). Then, the CO said that our doctor had filled out the forms incorrectly, so we were put on AP while we waited for her to complete them properly, and once that had been done (about a week later) we received our passports with the visas in them pretty quickly.
Just thought I'd share that story, as I thought the fact that they wouldn't let my husband in initially was weird. There was no explanation in the end, and it all turned out fine, so it must have just been a human error, I guess.
Question:
My work has asked me to stay past my visa expiry date, so we have to do an activation trip to Hawaii before April. Is one week long enough there? I want to go into a social security office and get that stuff underway, too.
Thanks guys!
It's so exciting reading your stories here. What a rad bunch of adventurers.
So today I have a story, and a question:
Story:
I thought I'd quickly recount our interview story (a little more) as there was a weird issue at the start.
We got to our interview on time and were asked to wait outside until they were open (it was early morning). Then into the first room, which is the security checkpoint – they asked for my name and my husband's, and then they asked him to wait outside. We were both pretty surprised, because obviously he's coming with me to the US and needed to be interviewed, but he waited out in the waiting area with his documents (I asked if I should take them up to the consulate, but they said no). Then, when I arrived upstairs, the woman behind the desk asked for my passport, and then she said 'There's supposed to be two of you here today.' I said, 'I know! My husband's waiting downstairs!' She looked at me strangely, and asked, 'Why would they make him do that?' 'I have no idea,' I answered, and then she was on the phone ordering the people downstairs to bring him up immediately. Which they did, and then we were admitted to the consular area, and then our interview went pretty much as smoothly as everyone else's: First window, pay, fingerprints, second window, a couple of questions about where we were going (New York) and if we'd ever been in trouble with the law (nope – apart from a speeding ticket a long time ago). Then, the CO said that our doctor had filled out the forms incorrectly, so we were put on AP while we waited for her to complete them properly, and once that had been done (about a week later) we received our passports with the visas in them pretty quickly.
Just thought I'd share that story, as I thought the fact that they wouldn't let my husband in initially was weird. There was no explanation in the end, and it all turned out fine, so it must have just been a human error, I guess.
Question:
My work has asked me to stay past my visa expiry date, so we have to do an activation trip to Hawaii before April. Is one week long enough there? I want to go into a social security office and get that stuff underway, too.
Thanks guys!
EmilyW
Well-Known Member
One day is enough to activate!
You don't need to go into the Social Security. The number automatically goes to your POE address. Trust me, the wait in the SSO is interesting from an anthropological perspective but it's not somewhere you want to spend any length of time.
You don't need to go into the Social Security. The number automatically goes to your POE address. Trust me, the wait in the SSO is interesting from an anthropological perspective but it's not somewhere you want to spend any length of time.
EmilyW
Well-Known Member
Dress code varies. Some have turned up in full suits. Others (like @AussieGemma's husband) have turned up in casual shorts. Both were approved without issue.
As long as you are clean, I think dress code is pretty irrelevant in Sydney (Sydney is a relaxed consulate though). For us, I wore a dress with flats, my husband wore a short sleeve collared shirt and chinos, the kids were in jeans and shirts. Tidy but definitely not business attire.
As long as you are clean, I think dress code is pretty irrelevant in Sydney (Sydney is a relaxed consulate though). For us, I wore a dress with flats, my husband wore a short sleeve collared shirt and chinos, the kids were in jeans and shirts. Tidy but definitely not business attire.
mlily1224
Member
Thank you
I was considering just wearing tidy jeans and like a dressier top & blazer and it would look tidy. But I wasn't sure if that was a no and I should just dress fully business like. Thank you I stress about the tiniest things
guestgulkan
Well-Known Member
Thank you
I stress about the tiniest things
If a CO is pondering someone's finances or employability, dressing poorly could push a 50/50 call in the wrong direction. I think it's better to dress-up to fractionally improve your chances.
guestgulkan
Well-Known Member
Strange story. Must've been someone's first day at work!
mlily1224
Member
That's what I was worried about. I have some more formal stuff that I'm thinking I should go just to be safe. Don't wanna take any risks at all with this.
SusieQQQ
Well-Known Member
But does wearing a cheap $200 suit make you look better for those purposes than a $600 pair of designer jeans teamed with $200 t-shirt?
Personally, unless your clothes are threadbare and your toes are poking through the worn fronts of your shoes I really don't think it makes any difference at all, but people need to do what they feel most comfortable with at interview. Some people dress like it's a job interview, if that makes them feel better/more confident then that's great.
gemka
Member
Yeah, I thought it was really weird. Who knows? But we got the visas so all good!
violetion
Active Member
Thank you
I stress about the tiniest things
I wore black jeans and a blazer to my interview and all was good, so go for it! You'll knock 'em dead.