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2014 DV Australian winners

Keep entering guys! For as long as the DV is around, you have a chance. Good luck and don't give up!
 
If I were you, I would try the student visa route. It's not impossible to get admitted for a graduate level degree with financial aid. That's how I got to the US and later switched to work visa and ultimately won the DV Lottery.
 
The OC numbers that were actually called to interview didn't surpass 1450.

I was 700 short. F*%k.
 
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DV-2014. A WASTE OF TIME FOR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS IN 2015, 2016, OR LATER, AND YOU HAVE AN OC NUMBER ABOVE 1600, YOU'RE SCREWED. YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE. LEAVE NOW BEFORE YOU THROW TOO MUCH TIME IN THE BIN.
 
I also think its wise to have a pessimistic outlook. There's no point hanging around for a year and a half just to find out you have no chance of getting a green card even though you've been picked in the lottery. Above 1500, I think it's wise to make other plans and if your number looks like it's going to come up in a years time, then take steps towards the interview / medical etc
 
I'm so sorry Mijoro, (and everyone else with a high number). This past year, reading everyone's posts and witnessing the horrendous emotional ups and downs that the dv brings, I think it has taught us all a lesson or two about the real nature of lotteries. There certainly is as much 'fairness' as there is 'probability'. Although I am sure it is zero consolation, those of us yet to be selected will be ever more cautious in our own journeys ahead because of what has happened over the last year, and I am certainly hoping those missing out this year will get re-selected next time around.

Warmest of wishes to all of you,

Q
 
Excuse my ignorance as I've recently joined but how are the numbers allocated? I'm assuming they are seeded based on the application but I guess they could also be random or in order of application.
 
Excuse my ignorance as I've recently joined but how are the numbers allocated? I'm assuming they are seeded based on the application but I guess they could also be random or in order of application.

Seeded? This isn't a tennis tournament. It's a lottery. Random.
 
Hi All,

As I have posted in the past, I was a lucky winner. I recently activated the Visa in June before coming back to Aus to finish my degree (Apr 2015).

As far as I understood, you had to make the permanent move within a year of initial activation (otherwise you had to apply for extended absence but this is only an option if living in the US at the time). The plan was to move at the end of April however we have just found out my wife in now pregnant with an expected due date in mid May. Obviously this complicates things dramatically as this will be right on the 12month time span. We are really looking for advice on what is possible without forfeiting our visas?

The best solution would be to move there now, however this isn't really an option due to university study + the instant healthcare situation that we would face as a result of the pregnancy, so we are pondering if any of the following would work;

1. Go for another US based holiday for 2 or so weeks in Feb'ish then come home and hope that this is enough to show intent to move, and then actually move a couple of months after baby pops out (July'ish).
2. Contact the embassy explaining the circumstances and ask for any special consideration exception be made the 12 months after activation deadline.
3. Do nothing, then after baby is born move over a couple of months later (being around 14months since activation) and hope that it wont be an issue?

If anyone have any experiences or advise in relation to the enforcement of the 12 month after activation thingy, it would be much appreciated .
 
Hi All,

As I have posted in the past, I was a lucky winner. I recently activated the Visa in June before coming back to Aus to finish my degree (Apr 2015).

As far as I understood, you had to make the permanent move within a year of initial activation (otherwise you had to apply for extended absence but this is only an option if living in the US at the time). The plan was to move at the end of April however we have just found out my wife in now pregnant with an expected due date in mid May. Obviously this complicates things dramatically as this will be right on the 12month time span. We are really looking for advice on what is possible without forfeiting our visas?

The best solution would be to move there now, however this isn't really an option due to university study + the instant healthcare situation that we would face as a result of the pregnancy, so we are pondering if any of the following would work;

1. Go for another US based holiday for 2 or so weeks in Feb'ish then come home and hope that this is enough to show intent to move, and then actually move a couple of months after baby pops out (July'ish).
2. Contact the embassy explaining the circumstances and ask for any special consideration exception be made the 12 months after activation deadline.
3. Do nothing, then after baby is born move over a couple of months later (being around 14months since activation) and hope that it wont be an issue?

If anyone have any experiences or advise in relation to the enforcement of the 12 month after activation thingy, it would be much appreciated .

Number 3 is a complete no no and number 2 is going to be a waste of time.

You could do a version of number 1 but apply for the re-entry permit while you are there. You need to do bio etc while you are in the USA but you can leave after that - so 2 weeks won't be enough time - but you may not need much more.
 
Thanks for the advise, are there any accurate sources that report estimated waiting periods for the biometrics to be completed? This would be useful if we go that route as we could choose to apply in that state.

For example I recall a forum member reporting their green card arriving only a matter of weeks after activation as they were processed in Hawaii, whereas everyone processed in LA appears to wait 6+months?
 
Hi All,

As I have posted in the past, I was a lucky winner. I recently activated the Visa in June before coming back to Aus to finish my degree (Apr 2015).

As far as I understood, you had to make the permanent move within a year of initial activation (otherwise you had to apply for extended absence but this is only an option if living in the US at the time). The plan was to move at the end of April however we have just found out my wife in now pregnant with an expected due date in mid May. Obviously this complicates things dramatically as this will be right on the 12month time span. We are really looking for advice on what is possible without forfeiting our visas?

The best solution would be to move there now, however this isn't really an option due to university study + the instant healthcare situation that we would face as a result of the pregnancy, so we are pondering if any of the following would work;

1. Go for another US based holiday for 2 or so weeks in Feb'ish then come home and hope that this is enough to show intent to move, and then actually move a couple of months after baby pops out (July'ish).
2. Contact the embassy explaining the circumstances and ask for any special consideration exception be made the 12 months after activation deadline.
3. Do nothing, then after baby is born move over a couple of months later (being around 14months since activation) and hope that it wont be an issue?

If anyone have any experiences or advise in relation to the enforcement of the 12 month after activation thingy, it would be much appreciated .

Just to add to what britsimon said. An absence of longer than 12 months means you are automatically deemed to have abandoned residence.

I think 1 would work, you won't need a reentry permit if you do that. However - you are cutting it quite fine in terms of time out the country from June, you will get questions when you re-enter particularly if you are only back for a couple of weeks. Have your story straight for the officer (by which I mean tell the truth but know what you will tell home).

Also be sure to file a tax return with the IRS by the April 2015 deadline for this year, as you have activated your green card. Even if you will not have any income to be taxed on, file it. It is an important part of showing intent to return.
 
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Just to add to what britsimon said. An absence of longer than 12 months means you are automatically deemed to have abandoned residence.

I think 1 would work, you won't need a reentry permit if you do that. However - you are cutting it quite fine in terms of time out the country from June, you will get questions when you re-enter particularly if you are only back for a couple of weeks. Have your story straight for the officer (by which I mean tell the truth but know what you will tell home).

Also be sure to file a tax return with the IRS by the April 2015 deadline for this year, as you have activated your green card. Even if you will not have any income to be taxed on, file it. It is an important part of showing intent to return.

Yep that's a good point, in theory a quick holiday would reset the clock so the next absence could be up to 12 months. However there is bound to be a bit if a grilling upon return, but baby in hand should be a pretty obvious excuse....
 
Did anyone else on here go current for the last 2 months or are the Aussies all done for the 2014 DV? Just wondering if we have to wait until October to hear any more interview stories...
 
Yep that's a good point, in theory a quick holiday would reset the clock so the next absence could be up to 12 months. However there is bound to be a bit if a grilling upon return, but baby in hand should be a pretty obvious excuse....

The other thing people need to remember about resetting the clock is naturalization one day. Any absence longer than 180 days does reset the clock on that - so the earliest date from which you can count your five years becomes the first entry after any absence longer than 6 months, rather than after your first entry which it would otherwise,
 
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I have to say, this is the one thing I wasn't expecting throughout the whole winning thing - is the stress. Whilst it's been exciting to win, just so many unanswered questions, and not getting information available quickly enough etc... all that plus the fact you don't actually know whether your gonna get it at the end of the whole process even an interview date etc...


HI. SO have you already been interviewed yet or not with that high case number? and what do you have to say to people with that high case number, any chance or not? Thanks
 
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