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DV 2016 AOS Only

Sussie QQQ
Are you from S.A? I never had a bad experience with home affairs. There's a lady I know at the embassy let me see if she can pull some strings.
I'm not the winner , my wife is and she's Zimbabwean.
 
Sussie QQQ
Are you from S.A? I never had a bad experience with home affairs. There's a lady I know at the embassy let me see if she can pull some strings.
I'm not the winner , my wife is and she's Zimbabwean.

Your wife also needs the long form BC, hope you're aware of that?
 
Sussie QQQ
Are you from S.A? I never had a bad experience with home affairs. There's a lady I know at the embassy let me see if she can pull some strings.
I'm not the winner , my wife is and she's Zimbabwean.

Doesn't sound like you ever asked them for much judging by what you said you currently have ;) ok, I gave my advice, use it, don't use it. (The lady at the embassy is DIRCO not DHA btw.)
 
Sussie QQQ

I'm not saying I won't take your advice . If that person is in S.A then how long it will take to get here . They always say two weeks but in most cases it takes longer than that.
 
Mom!
She does have a long one and my son as well. I'm the only one who needs it.
Wamkelekile nice one :D :D.
 
Sussie QQQ

I'm not saying I won't take your advice . If that person is in S.A then how long it will take to get here . They always say two weeks but in most cases it takes longer than that.

Who "always" says 2 weeks? An unabridged certificate is officially 8 weeks.

Are you aware they changed regulations for travel with children that led to a massive backlog in issuing unabridged birth certificates?
 
Sussie QQQ
I mean to weeks to post it here not two weeks to make an unabridged, read my post again. I know unabridged takes time. I did one for my son when I was in S.A. It took like a month and two weeks. I used to work at Department of Justice in South Africa and I used to do criminal cases and maintenance so I used to deal with DHA a lot with cases regarding child's maintenance. I also read about the precedence of travelling with children and their requirements, that children travelling with single parent must have unabridged birth certificate and a single parent need to furnish the certificate before boarding.
I'm not opening an argument or something, I just need help on how can I get it in a reasonable time when I'm here. Thank you.
 
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Who "always" says 2 weeks? An unabridged certificate is officially 8 weeks.

Are you aware they changed regulations for travel with children that led to a massive backlog in issuing unabridged birth certificates?
Wamkelekile :D:D:D
Wamkelekile :D:D:D
I just called the South African Embassy and they say an unabridged certificate can take up to 6 months. They also say, they normally give out a letter that states the applicants has applied for an unabridged certificate and they're still waiting for it and so far that letter is been acceptable at USCIS. Have you ever heard of that?
 
I just called the South African Embassy and they say an unabridged certificate can take up to 6 months. They also say, they normally give out a letter that states the applicants has applied for an unabridged certificate and they're still waiting for it and so far that letter is been acceptable at USCIS. Have you ever heard of that?

As far as I know the letter only works for SA border officials, for the child transportation issue. You'd have to ask uscis if they accept it. (I'd be surprised to be honest.)
The agents manage to get the certificates issued faster usually.
 
As far as I know the letter only works for SA border officials, for the child transportation issue. You'd have to ask uscis if they accept it. (I'd be surprised to be honest.)
The agents manage to get the certificates issued faster usually.
Sussie QQQ
That's a good advice. I'm dealing with USCIS not DHA, although I need them now. Let me confirm with USCIS first.
Thank you.
 
Hi,

Just found this forum and spreadsheets today and all the information is very helpful, thanks for putting it together.

I've been selected for DV2016 and I'm in the U.S on h1b, planning to submit an adjustment of status and have all the documents ready.

I'm very confused about steps 2 and 3 in the AOS process spreadsheet on the AOS process tab. These steps talk about submitting the DS-260 online which I wasn't aware of. Since my number is low, I was hoping to submit my application when the bulletin will be available but now I'm not sure if I should complete the DS-260 and wait for the email before I submit my AOS or not.

I understood from dvselectee.state.gov that I will not need to contact the KCC if I do adjustment of status. On travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions-for-selectees/adjustment.html it says: "It will not be necessary for you to contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for any further information or instructions if you are eligible and apply to adjust status in the United States.". I also didn't see it in any other place in the instructions that DS-260 is required for AOS. It's only mentioned for those who submit through consular processing. It is also the information I received from the lawyer I went to for consultation. I also went to an appointment at the local infopath and showed them my case, they didn't mention anything about DS-260 and instructed me to submit the documents I have when my number is current.

Is the DS-260 a new requirement for AOS? Could you point me to the place on a government website that instructs AOS applicants to submit it?

Thank you,
Alex
 
I just called the South African Embassy and they say an unabridged certificate can take up to 6 months. They also say, they normally give out a letter that states the applicants has applied for an unabridged certificate and they're still waiting for it and so far that letter is been acceptable at USCIS. Have you ever heard of that?

I don't know whether such a letter is acceptable or not (and I would be pleasantly surprised if USCIS accepts it as claimed by the SA Embassy). If I was in your shoes though, I wouldn't accept that explanation as given by whoever it was you spoke with. Susie says there are agents that can facilitate it's production within a shorter time frame, why are you not exploring that option?
 
I don't know whether such a letter is acceptable or not (and I would be pleasantly surprised if USCIS accepts it as claimed by the SA Embassy). If I was in your shoes though, I wouldn't accept that explanation as given by whoever it was you spoke with. Susie says there are agents that can facilitate it's production within a shorter time frame, why are you not exploring that option?
Mom & Sussie QQQ
I'll go for Sussie's option. How can I get them?
 
As far as I know the letter only works for SA border officials, for the child transportation issue. You'd have to ask uscis if they accept it. (I'd be surprised to be honest.)
The agents manage to get the certificates issued faster usually.
Sussie QQQ
can you please give me their details.

Sussie QQQ
can you please give me their details.
My e-mail is vistablaze4@yahoo.com
 
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Hi,

Just found this forum and spreadsheets today and all the information is very helpful, thanks for putting it together.

I've been selected for DV2016 and I'm in the U.S on h1b, planning to submit an adjustment of status and have all the documents ready.

I'm very confused about steps 2 and 3 in the AOS process spreadsheet on the AOS process tab. These steps talk about submitting the DS-260 online which I wasn't aware of. Since my number is low, I was hoping to submit my application when the bulletin will be available but now I'm not sure if I should complete the DS-260 and wait for the email before I submit my AOS or not.

I understood from dvselectee.state.gov that I will not need to contact the KCC if I do adjustment of status. On travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions-for-selectees/adjustment.html it says: "It will not be necessary for you to contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for any further information or instructions if you are eligible and apply to adjust status in the United States.". I also didn't see it in any other place in the instructions that DS-260 is required for AOS. It's only mentioned for those who submit through consular processing. It is also the information I received from the lawyer I went to for consultation. I also went to an appointment at the local infopath and showed them my case, they didn't mention anything about DS-260 and instructed me to submit the documents I have when my number is current.

Is the DS-260 a new requirement for AOS? Could you point me to the place on a government website that instructs AOS applicants to submit it?

Thank you,
Alex

Assuming you never came across the spreadsheet and you go strictly by the directive that says you do not have to contact KCC for any further information if processing AOS, how would you have known about how to make the DV administrative fee? Were you planning on just submitting your AOS package without making the $330 DV administrative fee? KCC only sends out the directive on how to make the payment following their awareness of a selectee's intention to process AOS, and if you never bothered to contact them that means they don't get to send you what we refer to as the 2NL and they wouldn't bother to release your case file when your FO eventually requests for it to be sent. But of course we've gone ahead and unveiled the entire process which makes it a lot easier for some of the steps to be by-passed by those who do not consider them to be necessary.

I do not have any listed government website instructing AOSers to submit the DS-260 form, however there is a government issued Memo that says "Beginning with DV-2015, all diversity visa (DV) applicants must submit the electronic DS-260 “Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application” accessible through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC)." The Memo does not differentiate between AOS or CP
http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/policy_updates/DS_260_Rollout_DV_2015.pdf

Also if you call KCC, they will confirm the need to still submit the form regardless of what's written on the DOS website. Technically speaking, the requirement to submit the DS-260 for those processing AOS isn't new. Prior to the use of DS-260, DV selectees processing CP submitted both forms DSP-122 and DS-230, while those processing AOS only needed to submit DSP-122 (although some still went ahead and submitted the DS-230 form in addition).

At the end of the day, the decision to submit the DS-260 form (or not) is yours anyway.
 
Mom & Sussie QQQ
I'll go for Sussie's option. How can I get them?

Best place to ask for recent recommendations is on the SA in the US Facebook page I think. Or on sausa.org forums.

I'm really not sure about USCIS accepting a letter like the embassy says, I mean, (1) what's to stop someone applying for what they know is an invalid document that they won't eventually get, but they will still get a letter saying they've applied which USCIS accepts?? but also (2) don't USCIS need the confirmation of who is actually named on the certificate first?
 
Best place to ask for recent recommendations is on the SA in the US Facebook page I think. Or on sausa.org forums.

I'm really not sure about USCIS accepting a letter like the embassy says, I mean, (1) what's to stop someone applying for what they know is an invalid document that they won't eventually get, but they will still get a letter saying they've applied which USCIS accepts?? but also (2) don't USCIS need the confirmation of who is actually named on the certificate first?
Sussie
Give me the one you yourself use.
 
Assuming you never came across the spreadsheet and you go strictly by the directive that says you do not have to contact KCC for any further information if processing AOS, how would you have known about how to make the DV administrative fee? Were you planning on just submitting your AOS package without making the $330 DV administrative fee? KCC only sends out the directive on how to make the payment following their awareness of a selectee's intention to process AOS, and if you never bothered to contact them that means they don't get to send you what we refer to as the 2NL and they wouldn't bother to release your case file when your FO eventually requests for it to be sent.

Thanks for replying. I knew about the $330 fee from the instructions on the dvselectee.state.gov, I paid the fee as soon as I won and received the receipt in the mail. The relevant paragraph is here travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/diversity-visa/instructions-for-selectees/adjustment.html:

"If USCIS determines that you are eligible to adjust status you will be required to pay a non-refundable diversity visa fee directly to the Department of State. This fee is assessed to cover the cost incurred by the Department in running the DV Program and is separate from any fees you will need to pay USCIS as part of your adjustment application. You must pay the diversity visa fee for yourself and for each member of your immediate family who plans to adjust status with you in the United States. You must complete payment of the Diversity Visa fee before processing your case can continue. Follow the instructions on the Adjustment of status fee payment webpage. Bring the receipt that is mailed back to you to your interview at USCIS. Please include your DV case number on your cashier’s check or postal money order. The address on the receipt form should be used only for fee payment."

The fee is also mentioned on this checklist from the USCIS website - of items to attach to the I-485 uscis.gov/green-card/other-ways-get-green-card/green-card-through-diversity-immigration-visa-program/green-card-through-diversity-immigrant-visa-program

Now that I found out about the DS-260, I'll submit it today. Do I need to wait for some kind of a response before I submit my AOS? Or can I submit it regardless of the DS-260 response? How long does a response to DS-260 usually take?

Thank you
 
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