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2013 DV Australian winners

Hi badabingbada

First off, congrats on winning!

At this stage, I wouldn't stress, and definitely not do anything like selling your car. You have time!!

When you get your interview will largely depend on when you complete the next stage, which is completing the paperwork and posting it to Kentucky. Some people have completed this step immediately, and have gotten early interviews. I was selected in the lottery in May last year, but didn't send any paperwork in until October (I was travelling), and ended up with my interview in late March this year. I think it may also depend on your number - mine was below 50 - so I think that might have helped me get an interview close after sending in the paperwork. But I'm not too sure.

And secondly, I don't think at any stage during the process, I actually had to prove that I was financially stable. I never had to provide bank statements, or show my income, or anything! I think the financial side is more for yourself for when you move there - not for the interview. I definitely didn't get asked any financial information during the interview.

Someone else may want to confirm, but I really don't think you need financial info at the interview!!!

Congrats again, and I hope this all works out for you!
 
badabingbada said:
How much time do i have to make myself like the financially independent person I need to be on paper? Should I sell my car immediately?
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First, congrats! :) You should take a deep breadth and relax. Yeah it can be scary but you should enjoy it first, and plan little later. I'd personally wait a week or two, 'cause you know the glitch in 2011 made everybody antsy. When I won last year, I did not celebrate it for two weeks until I was sure it was not another glitch.

Do not sell anything yet :) Taking a second job on the other hand is a good idea; all you need to show is enough money in the bank, they won't care how many jobs you have been through, or your taxes. So start saving right away.

If your case number is low enough, there is a chance you may end up getting your interview in October. I'm sure other Aussies will tell you how much money you need to show, and it kinda depends on the Embassy, but in general according to the poverty guidelines, you should show around 13-15K, if you are single that is.
 
bella8188 said:
Someone else may want to confirm, but I really don't think you need financial info at the interview!!!
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Wow, I had no idea US Embassy in Oz does not care about finances. Well I'm not an Aussie so I have no clue, but for a lot of other countries out there, financials are big part of the deal.
 
Thanks

"but for a lot of other countries out there, financials are big part of the deal. "

Haha.. all I can do is give a wry grin... I've been up all night, all night, reading about the financials. Lots of mixed messages. I will get some sleep, calm down, and deal with it in the coming days. To those who said I have some time to get it together, thank you. I will try my darnedest. I'd like to know how far they go back into your financial history, etc.

I've seen so many varied posts all over the internet. I've seen wide eyed young Aussie girls who managed to win and convince the embassy they were going to turn up in the USA with their guitar and be music stars, I've seen people with hundreds of thousands in assets, I've seen people who are still students, I've seen it all, and boy does it just make me more confused and worried.

Oh..... I can only try.
 
badabingbada said:
...Today is the start of May. How many months at the earliest, between now and then, will I be standing before someone in a consulate having to provide financial docs?

Some of the stuff on the internet says you can find out you won on May 1 (today) and be having an interview in October of the SAME YEAR? Yes??!!!! Is this true? And then some other people on this forum I read, and they had like a year, or even 18 months before finding out they were seclected in the lottery and actually having the interview.........
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Interview date depends on your case number mostly. Low case number, earlier interview date but only as long as you've sent in your forms to register your intent to pursue the visa. High case number means you get interviewed later, i.e., some time in 2014. My case number was 2013OC000007xx, so my interview was in March 2013. They publish a Visa Bulletin every month where they say what case numbers are current, so everyone with case numbers below that number get scheduled for an interview.

What's your case number? Don't write the whole number. "X" out the last couple of digits, i.e., if it's DV2014OC00001250, type DV2014OC000012xx.

And stop stressing about your financials - most Australians don't get asked. You've gone through the hardest part: getting selected. :D
 
aos13 said:
Wow, I had no idea US Embassy in Oz does not care about finances. Well I'm not an Aussie so I have no clue, but for a lot of other countries out there, financials are big part of the deal.
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Hey, we're just so special, don't ya know ;)
 
badabingbada said:
"but for a lot of other countries out there, financials are big part of the deal. "

Haha.. all I can do is give a wry grin... I've been up all night, all night, reading about the financials. Lots of mixed messages. I will get some sleep, calm down, and deal with it in the coming days. To those who said I have some time to get it together, thank you. I will try my darnedest. I'd like to know how far they go back into your financial history, etc.

I've seen so many varied posts all over the internet. I've seen wide eyed young Aussie girls who managed to win and convince the embassy they were going to turn up in the USA with their guitar and be music stars, I've seen people with hundreds of thousands in assets, I've seen people who are still students, I've seen it all, and boy does it just make me more confused and worried.

Oh..... I can only try.
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I had my interview in November and pretty much just went with the docs that they asked for. I had no financials, no degrees or anything. just had to show I had finished High School and that was pretty much it. they asked about finances and I told them I would have enough to get by in the US by the time I moved. I was worried about not having time to get things organised but it has been fine. so honestly don't stress about any of it. if your interview is early (later this year) then you can change the date to a later one I am pretty sure. and then once they issue the temporary Green Card in your passport you have 6 months to land in the US. I did that within the 6 months obviously. went for a week and came back just in case and to get that part over and done with. and am now moving in August this year.
relax and enjoy it all :)
 
Congrats badabingbada!
Vichel is correct, it depends on your number. Vichel's number was 000007xx and interviewed in March. For comparison, my number was 0000098x and I was interviewed in late April.
If you number was 2014OC00000001 then your interview would be in October and the higher it is, the later it would be.
Your case number is the best bet as to when you will have an interview and hence the best time to start making bigger decisions and adjust according to how much money you need to save (not to prove anything to the Sydney consulate, but rather just savings to move).

You will need to send the paperwork back to KCC and then simply wait until you are contacted via email for your interview date.
You should then organise a medical, get your police certificate, and any other documents you need for the interview, prepared. You will have around two months warning before your interview, so it can be a good idea to prepare documents beforehand if you've lived overseas for more than a year and require police certs from there etc (but have your Australian police check and medical done ONLY once you have an interview date, as your medical is only valid for six months and if you have it done two months before your interview date, you may only have four months to move after the interview). It is also a good idea to go to your GP and get any extra vaccinations done by him/her as early as you're able to (eg you'll need all your hep a, b needles, pertussis, measles, rubella and stuff like that done, so it's easier to pay them off as you go rather than get slapped with a huge bill at your medical. Also, some needles require boosters, so it's good to start them as early as possible)

Reply to us with your case number (as Vichel said, make sure you 'x' out some numbers) and we can help you get an idea of when you'll have an interview and a rough plan to get organised :)
 
thanks mushy

good reply from you too

the case number is in the two thousands.

Sydney huh? So if I live in another state do I have to fly to Sydney for this interview thing hey?
 
aos13 said:
:D I'm really curious though how the full set of immigration rules do not apply to you. Does Oz government provide public assistance if you can't find a job in US ? :)
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The full set does apply to us, as it does to all: High School diploma or 2 yrs out of 5 in an approved job. That's it. No, no dole for us, from Oz if we find ourselves without work in the US ;)

I'm sure the fact that English is our first language, we are from a similar culture and our bona fides can be trusted, that helps us. They actually did ask my husband about his financials since he's early retired. But they didn't want to see our proof.
 
Still no word from Qewty?

I woke up at exactly 2am randomly! Grabbed my phone and jumped on the forums haha, but I fell back asleep right away so I didn't see any posts :(

I'm glad the family based route worked out for me - cause I wasn't selected today haha... Then again, I would have felt terrible had I been selected today, after just getting approved for family based... My mum said she'd be mad too if I got selected today, cause then they wouldn't have moved haha. :\
 
Vichel said:
The full set does apply to us, as it does to all: High School diploma or 2 yrs out of 5 in an approved job. That's it. No, no dole for us, from Oz if we find ourselves without work in the US ;)

I'm sure the fact that English is our first language, we are from a similar culture and our bona fides can be trusted, that helps us. They actually did ask my husband about his financials since he's early retired. But they didn't want to see our proof.
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See, that is not the full set though :) Law is pretty clear about this public charge issue, so you do get a free ride on that. :)
 
aos13 said:
See, that is not the full set though :) Law is pretty clear about this public charge issue, so you do get a free ride on that. :)
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I just think they believe Australian's are not at risk of being a public charge. I am sure there is some kind of evidence or story behind their decision to not want financials.
 
aos13 said:
This is not their year. She wrote in an other thread.
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Oh no :(
Thinking of you Qewty. There is always late selections later in the year.

Badabingbada, yes you will certainly be traveling to Sydney for your interview. They're all conducted at the consulate there (I think it's kind of amazing how every person who has received this visa (or any visa) has gone through there!)
In the two thousands, well you have heaps of time! At LEAST a year until your interview, at leeeeeast!
So it's up to you now if you want to get a second job and start saving to move or if you want to continue as you are for 6 months and then get a second job? I wouldn't sell your car until you have the visa.
Really, the odds are that you'll have an interview around July-ish 2014 (that is a guess, it's not guaranteed at all) and if you have had your medical done in, say, June, then you won't have to move until December 2014. And even then, all you have to do by December 2014 is enter the US to activate the green card and you can come back here for 6 months or so and finish preparing to leave. So, if you do it that way, you may not have to properly relocate until mid 2015! You have SO much time :)
That being said, don't get lazy or anything. I would recommend you still send your papers off ASAP and slowly start gathering your documents and begin getting any vaccinations you need. Once you have the documents and vaccinations, you can just wait until you receive correspondence about your interview date, then just book your medical and police certificate and that's mostly it!
 
To all the new Aussie winners, hang on for the ride!! A huge congratulations to you all :) The folks on here who have won and are in the process of moving over will be a huge help to you - any question, just ask, they will be there for you.

Thanks so much to everyone for their happy thoughts. Karma has other ideas for us at the moment, and that's fine. Understand, I am in the middle of my degree and at almost 51, I kinda want to get this done! My rational side says that it really is "ok" not to win, and standing at my graduation in 2 years time will feel fantastic. My emotional side had a bit of a rough night but I've woken up with fresh eyes.

Unlike many others on this forum, us Aussies have the E3 at our disposal, plus looking at a Masters I may choose F1. Don't be disappointed for me, I am an industrious little thing :)

I will get back to Macy's, Trader Joes and the Farmers Market at San Francisco on a Saturday morning. It will just be in a couple more years from now.

Oh....and if there is another lottery, I will be in that too.

I will probably step back from the forums now. Better I log into study sites than immigration at the moment. Feel free to send me a message if you want to let me know how it is all going, it will pop up in my email.

All the very best to the old winners, the new winners, and the rest of our little virtual community here.

Take care

Q
 
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