• Hello Members, This forums is for DV lottery visas only. For other immigration related questions, please go to our forums home page, find the related forum and post it there.

2013 DV Australian winners

Qewty, your positivity and grace is so admirable. I have so much respect for you and I truly believe that such a kind person like you will get what you're hoping for. I think the universe must just want you to finish your degree and then move! You will get to the US eventually, you're absolutely right.
I really appreciate your help, advice and encouragement and I know so many other posters here do too.
Thanks again and all the best :)
 
I agree with Mushy. I'd probably be a wreck right now if it was me! But you have other options too that luckily you'll be able to go for if you choose to, F1, E3 etc. Hopefully once you graduate you'll have your pathway paved for you to the US! We'll all be waiting for you there :D



... Hate to take the vibe away from the winners and stuff today... But has anyone seriously looked into medical insurance in the US? I just spent the whole morning looking into pet insurance for my dog, then thought "oh, I kinda need this for me too..." I know it's come up a couple of times in discussion but I spent the whole time thinking I'd get covered on my parents, but I don't think that'll happen now.. D: I can get one at the uni I'll be going to but I won't be covered for about 2 months before I start classes then... :S
 
Hi everyone,

So I am one of the lucky ones who got selected for DV2014 with a case number of 2014OC000028xx.

I am just trying to get my head around the wording and meaning of the Visa Bulletins.

If I take a look at the May 2012 cut-off number for OC it is 1,150 so obviously my number is too high for this. The advance notification for June 2012 says 'CURRENT' rather than a cut-off number, so does that mean all case numbers have become current and my secondary processing would commence? Or does it mean the allocation of visas is exhausted?

Any information around this would be extremely appreciated - stoked after applying for 11 years it finally paid off!
 
neko83 said:
Hi everyone,

So I am one of the lucky ones who got selected for DV2014 with a case number of 2014OC000028xx.

I am just trying to get my head around the wording and meaning of the Visa Bulletins.

If I take a look at the May 2012 cut-off number for OC it is 1,150 so obviously my number is too high for this. The advance notification for June 2012 says 'CURRENT' rather than a cut-off number, so does that mean all case numbers have become current and my secondary processing would commence? Or does it mean the allocation of visas is exhausted?

Any information around this would be extremely appreciated - stoked after applying for 11 years it finally paid off!
Click to expand...

Hi Neko- I have the same question! Im in low 2000's but cant work out when Im likely to be current after looking at the Visa Bulletins?? Im hoping to be current prior to my OPT visa expiring early June 2014..
 
neko83 said:
Hi everyone,

So I am one of the lucky ones who got selected for DV2014 with a case number of 2014OC000028xx.

I am just trying to get my head around the wording and meaning of the Visa Bulletins.

If I take a look at the May 2012 cut-off number for OC it is 1,150 so obviously my number is too high for this. The advance notification for June 2012 says 'CURRENT' rather than a cut-off number, so does that mean all case numbers have become current and my secondary processing would commence? Or does it mean the allocation of visas is exhausted?

Any information around this would be extremely appreciated - stoked after applying for 11 years it finally paid off!
Click to expand...

Congrats. Current means rat race! :D Everybody can send their applications regardless of case number.

Everybody so far reported high numbers, what's up with this year's lottery?
 
Oh no i really had hopes for you Qewty... You will get there other ways i am sure.

Has anyone heard from Sukie?

Very strange the 2000 numbers - I dont think any of the past records i have seen for Oceania have ever been that high. My guess is that after 1000 they all go current for the last few months of processing. I was in the 800's and interviewed early march.

My hubby and I only have 2 more sleeps before we take off! Yay! But totally run off my feet with last minute planning! We are using Honolulu as our POE. Will jump on and update when i can about that.
 
Hi
I'm another Australian who has been select for 2014 (through my wife). Case No. 2014OC00001XXX (between 1200 -1400). I'm guessing if all goes well we will get our interview late next year. We were originally looking at a E3 vista's, so we're super exited at the possibility of a permanent visa. I just hope our number isn't to high.

Case No. 2014OC00001XXX
 
Does anyone know - do you each get a yellow envelope to take with you to the US for POE, or is it one envelope for the family??
 
JESSJAME5 said:
... Hate to take the vibe away from the winners and stuff today... But has anyone seriously looked into medical insurance in the US? I just spent the whole morning looking into pet insurance for my dog, then thought "oh, I kinda need this for me too..." I know it's come up a couple of times in discussion but I spent the whole time thinking I'd get covered on my parents, but I don't think that'll happen now.. D: I can get one at the uni I'll be going to but I won't be covered for about 2 months before I start classes then... :S
Click to expand...

UGH insurance. Seriously.

Honestly, I'm in the States right now... without insurance. I know that's risky, and I should have it, but it's so damn expensive, and also confusing - I tried researching into it but there's so much information, so I took a break from it and never resumed. I start work at camp in a month and a half, so if I was to get injured at camp, I'm covered for workers comp, but otherwise, I'm just trying to take care of myself.

I'll return to Australia in Sept for my teaching internship, then hopefully when I return to the States after that, I will get a job soon and can get good health insurance through that. When my partner and I get married next August, I can go onto her family health insurance that she has and it's quite good cover and won't cost to add me to it.

At the moment, trying to look into car insurance too, but it's nearly impossible to find a quote unless you own a car, which I don't yet. Grr insurance is just a whole complicated issue.
 
bella8188 said:
UGH insurance. Seriously.

Honestly, I'm in the States right now... without insurance. I know that's risky, and I should have it, but it's so damn expensive, and also confusing - I tried researching into it but there's so much information, so I took a break from it and never resumed. I start work at camp in a month and a half, so if I was to get injured at camp, I'm covered for workers comp, but otherwise, I'm just trying to take care of myself.

I'll return to Australia in Sept for my teaching internship, then hopefully when I return to the States after that, I will get a job soon and can get good health insurance through that. When my partner and I get married next August, I can go onto her family health insurance that she has and it's quite good cover and won't cost to add me to it.

At the moment, trying to look into car insurance too, but it's nearly impossible to find a quote unless you own a car, which I don't yet. Grr insurance is just a whole complicated issue.
Click to expand...

That is risky! ... But I think I'll be doing the same thing. I can get the uni's health insurance thing when I start in August (but arrive in US in July..), but it's like $642 for Fall semester & $992 for Spring/Summer semester? Seems awfully high. I found a few new immigrant insurance things and they seem around $400-600 a year?! So I'm really confused now haha.

Yeah! I haven't even begun looking into car insurance as well! I'm trying to make myself a budget to figure out how much I can spend on rent... Tough. Lucky you can go on your partners insurance though! That'll be very handy! But you better keep on top of your health until then haha.
 
The insurance is confusing because it says it will cover a certain amount of $$$ for treatment X etc. With no idea how much treatment X is, it is really confusing.

I have planned to just have my travel insurance cover me until I start work, but I was given some good insurance links a few pages back in this thread that more reasonable. I think they were the new immigrant ones.
 
Yeah, I'm aware I'm taking a risk, but I'll see how I go. I'm also finishing off my final assignments, so am more focused on that at the moment, but next week I want to properly research it more. If I can find something that's not too expensive, then I might go for it.
 
I saw on the Australian in LA facebook group there was a good discussion on health insurance options. I know there were companies and individuals named that can help new residents to get insurance. Just do a search in the group :)

An FYI on car insurance: when I last moved to LA, I bought a car and of course got it insured (I believe comprehensive insurance is required by law?). I did my calling around to all the big name insurance co's that are advertised on TV, and then found out that AAA - American Automobile Association (aka RACQ, RACV etc) did insurance. Their quote won by at least a couple hundred dollars, from memory. I know it was significantly cheaper.

Keep in mind, this was in Southern California, so naturally rates vary across states and country.

Another thing for those still in Australia - to help get your car insurance cost down, get a letter from your state transport authority that lists your driving history. I know there's a form on Qld Transport website that you can fill in to request this. Basically it says whether you've had any fines etc, and if your driving record is clean. AAA got me to submit that as proof that I was a reliable driver, and it helped lower my insurance cost.

Also, if you rent the place you live in right now, get a letter of reference form your current property manager/landlord. This will also help with securing a new rental in the US.
 
Had my POE experience yestersay at LAX. All went well. But LAX queues, after a long-haul and when racing to meet a connection, are not for the faint-heated.
6.30am disembarked incoming Sydney flight at LAX and started the trek to immigration.
6.50am reached the immigration queue.
7.30am reached the front of the immigration queue. Q: What do you do for a living? They scanned my fingerprints and took photo. Told to proceed to a different counter.
7.40am reached second counter which was unattended at first. Q: How much cash are you carrying? Where will you live? They took ink fingerprints. Told to wait.
8am was called up to counter and handed my passport back with an A4 sheet that read "Welcome to the United States" and which explained that my actual green card would be posted later (approx six months, but up eleven months later) and that until then the new stamp in my passport is proof of permanent residency.
8am collected bags from incoming flight carousel and joined flight connections queue.
8.20am dropped bags for connecting flight to JFK and joined security check queue.
8.45am cleared security and started very fast walk to departure gate.
8.50am boarded connecting plane to JFK. As I boarded I heard onboard announcements apologising for the delay caused by late connecting passengers.
Made it just in time! Not a chance of a drink in the Qantas Club during transit, or god-forbid a shower.
As I sat in my seat and caught my breath, it sunk in that I was now a US person!!

In hindsight, a longer transit time would have been less stressful. It may have helped that I was on the same flight number QF107 SYD-LAX-JFK, and every passenger who was doing both legs faced the same queues at LAX, so Qantas delayed the onward flight departure somewhat for them.

On a speparate note: Qewty - thinking of you.
 
So hard to stay away :) Just popping on to see how everyone is 'landing' - either from their cloud 9 or literally in the US!

I have had my head well and truly in visa websites today (oh ok, I went to uni too so it was a full day :p). Hubby and I are possibly considering an H1B visa for him which would mean I could continue my studies on an H4. It's all about timing I guess (did I mention I was industrious as well as tenacious?)

Thank you for your thoughts Darlinghurst :) I received many private messages today and it was lovely to hear from everyone. My heart is particularly going to Sukie today too.

Well, I will pop back off and throw myself back into my text books (with an occasional glance at uni's in CA :) lol)

Warm wishes

Q

aka - DL
 
Well done Darlinghurst - glad you made it! I had booked a flight with a 5 hour layover, expecting the process to take a couple hours (I really didn't know) and it took me less than an hour. I ended up sitting in the terminal for three hours waiting for my flight to even start boarding.
 
Bittersweet thread these days ... feeling so bummed for Qewty and Sukie. :( I hope their other options come through.

For all us successful DV2013s, our journeys through the GC process are coming to an end, with more and more of us making the move. This thread has been immensely helpful, not just for the technical details of what exactly to do or not to do but for the camaraderie and emotional support. Thanks so much to everyone!

As far as health insurance, we just can't bring ourselves to take the risk of not being insured. A brother-in-law ended up with a $62,000 bill for a couple of stents while on holiday in the US. We're both healthy and fit but stuff happens. It's so confusing though so we'll get something temporary while we wade through the dog's breakfast that is American health insurance. And we'll go see an insurance broker when we get there.
 
NicoleMack said:
I saw on the Australian in LA facebook group there was a good discussion on health insurance options. I know there were companies and individuals named that can help new residents to get insurance. Just do a search in the group :)
Click to expand...

I'll have to go do a search now! Thanks :)


NicoleMack said:
Another thing for those still in Australia - to help get your car insurance cost down, get a letter from your state transport authority that lists your driving history. I know there's a form on Qld Transport website that you can fill in to request this. Basically it says whether you've had any fines etc, and if your driving record is clean. AAA got me to submit that as proof that I was a reliable driver, and it helped lower my insurance cost.

Also, if you rent the place you live in right now, get a letter of reference form your current property manager/landlord. This will also help with securing a new rental in the US.
Click to expand...

Ahhhhhh...... How far back in driving history do they want? My car was a write off just over 3 years ago, some lady ran a red light & hit me while I was turning at an intersection - but I got charged, cause I was the P-plater & also turning across traffic etc.... And I had a few speeding fines last year.... My bad!

I tried to get a letter of reference from my landlord where I just moved out of a few months ago - mostly I wanted a reference to say I lived with my dog & my dog wasn't a problem etc, cause I know people want references for pets! Anyways, the jerk wrote me like two lines, mentioning nothing about the dog either. I moved out of there cause of mold infestation! I was so sick! So was the dog! Not happy about the letter or the whole situation... so I might just get my friend who I'm staying with in the meantime to write me a letter haha.
 
Vichel said:
As far as health insurance, we just can't bring ourselves to take the risk of not being insured. A brother-in-law ended up with a $62,000 bill for a couple of stents while on holiday in the US. We're both healthy and fit but stuff happens. It's so confusing though so we'll get something temporary while we wade through the dog's breakfast that is American health insurance. And we'll go see an insurance broker when we get there.
Click to expand...

Yeah after seeing my sisters bill a few weeks ago from not even a days visit to the ER for food poisoning/gastro, it was $18,000+. That's not a risk I can afford, at all. Nor can she, no idea how she's going to pay it. Sounds pretty stressful there for medical.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top