2013 DV Australian winners

[JESSJAME5]

So you emigrated to the US with hardly any savings and need to sleep in your car or a tent with your dog? I wouldn't call that a successful start...not judging but how do you pay for all the other things? Do you have health insurance cover? Didn't you save at least 10 to 20 grand in Australia before coming...or do you have a job lined up that you had organized beforehand? Where are you heading to, or where do you intend to settle? - I wish you all the best.

I responded to this last week but it appears my reply didn't go through... Anyways..

I never said I came here without any savings. I transferred over a certain amount of AUD to USD in my first transfer. That bought my car, car insurance & fees, medical insurance, things I needed for the first few weeks etc. By the time I left my family and got to where I was going, I was low on the amount I'd transferred over. My next lot of money to transfer over hadn't yet arrived when I was staying in the hotel, so I went back to the camp site - I got 3 nights at the camp place for the price of 1 night at the hotel. I had no problem staying in the tent or in my car. Call it a vacation/experience if you will.

And no, I came by family based green card, so I didn't have to show any savings - not that it mattered. I'm not stupid. I didn't move here with no money.

It's been a very successful start, I'm incredibly happy here. Regardless of what you may think.



Now, to other issues. I'm unsure if I need to change my address with USCIS or whoever. My address I gave them is for where my parents are in Arkansas. I'm in Nebraska though for just under a year to study here. Not sure if I need to change my address then with them. I know I didn't have to change my car registration or anything because I'm just here temporarily as a student... Any ideas?

 

[Sm1smom]

I responded to this last week but it appears my reply didn't go through... Anyways..

Now, to other issues. I'm unsure if I need to change my address with USCIS or whoever. My address I gave them is for where my parents are in Arkansas. I'm in Nebraska though for just under a year to study here. Not sure if I need to change my address then with them. I know I didn't have to change my car registration or anything because I'm just here temporarily as a student... Any ideas?

The site was hacked a couple of days ago, site administrators restored postings back to Sept 1st.

There's no need to update your address with USCIS since you're only in Nebraska temporarily. Leave your permanent address as your parents' for now, atleast until you graduate, formerly move out of their home and have a place of your own.

 

[NicoleMack]

Glad to see an update from you Jess, and that you explained you situation for OnTheGo. I did attempt a reply suggesting they go back and read the thread to get your full story, but it too didn't go through. Love how people just make assumptions without all the facts.

Anyway, I agree with Sm1smom - my friend won the lottery several years ago (she's now a citizen, in fact!) and she said it took an incredibly long time to get her green card because she was moving around a lot for the first year, and therefore constantly updating her address. I dare say it was more than a year before her card showed up, but I may be remembering wrong. So yeah, I say the longer you can keep a mailing address, the better. Once you get that card, it won't matter so much.

 

[OnTheGo]

Glad to see an update from you Jess, and that you explained you situation for OnTheGo. I did attempt a reply suggesting they go back and read the thread to get your full story, but it too didn't go through. Love how people just make assumptions without all the facts.

Just to clarify - I wasn't making assumptions or a judgement, just expressing my surprise at the situation and yes - based on what I was reading mainly in that particular post...you can't expect for people to read 20+ pages of a thread and not allowed to tune in to ask questions based on one of the last few posts - that's not how a forum works, it's not a two-way private message system where nobody is allowed to express their thoughts. I didn't mean to judge, I also stated I wasn't (even though I said that I wouldn't call it a successful emigration ... but that was obviously based on the doom described in that post - I mean c'mon: "First night was in the car, past two nights were in a hotel but now I'm out of $$ and back at the camp ground"!). Maybe for the sake of a 20+ pages thread it could have contained some more info on the personal situation so people don't get the wrong idea. And Jess - I never said you were what you stated you weren't.

 

[bella8188]

Argh, I also posted last week, but it disappeared! That explains why I couldn't get onto the forum the other day though.

Jess, glad to hear you're all moved over safely and settled in Nebraska. Good luck with your studies!

Mushy, your move would have happened a few months ago, how's life going?


As for me, I spent an awesome five months in the US (as a resident, yeah!), and am now back in Australia to do my teaching internship. It goes til December, then I have my formal graduation in February, and from there on it will be working like crazy here to save up extra cash, while applying madly for jobs online, til I get hired, then I'll pack up and make the final permanent move. I'll be moving in with my fiancee, but as soon as we get approved for a home loan (hoping that won't take long), we'll be buying a house together.

Question about cash, if anyone has any ideas - how do you go about taking large amounts of cash into the US? Like, amounts of over $10,000? Is there a good online transfer site, or best to do it over a few trips in cash, or another way? I'm trying to research the best way to do it without losing much on the exchange rate or fees, because every cent I can bring over is going onto the house deposit.

 

[Britsimon]

Argh, I also posted last week, but it disappeared! That explains why I couldn't get onto the forum the other day though.

Jess, glad to hear you're all moved over safely and settled in Nebraska. Good luck with your studies!

Mushy, your move would have happened a few months ago, how's life going?


As for me, I spent an awesome five months in the US (as a resident, yeah!), and am now back in Australia to do my teaching internship. It goes til December, then I have my formal graduation in February, and from there on it will be working like crazy here to save up extra cash, while applying madly for jobs online, til I get hired, then I'll pack up and make the final permanent move. I'll be moving in with my fiancee, but as soon as we get approved for a home loan (hoping that won't take long), we'll be buying a house together.

Question about cash, if anyone has any ideas - how do you go about taking large amounts of cash into the US? Like, amounts of over $10,000? Is there a good online transfer site, or best to do it over a few trips in cash, or another way? I'm trying to research the best way to do it without losing much on the exchange rate or fees, because every cent I can bring over is going onto the house deposit.

Regarding taking cash to the States. Generally speaking taking "cash" is not a good idea. There are obvious security concerns but also you will generally pay more commission/fees/spreads converting money into currency than you would do doing a wire transfer or forex transfer.

It's nice to have some US dollars in your pocket of course, but having a bank account there already and transferring money to that account is more realistic.


When you convert currency you either might pay commission or you would have a company who advertise "no commision, no fees" and it sounds great until you realise that they sell you currency at a different rate to their buy rate. The sell rate is lower than the actual exchange rate and the buy rate is higher than the exchange rate. You should move the money AT the exchange rate (which is often possible through your own bank). If you have a large sum to move you are better off to deal with a Forex broker that will move an amount of money at the best exchange rate without any hassle. Certainly if you are moving amounts in excess of $10k Forex starts to be the way....

 

[Vichel]

Question about cash, if anyone has any ideas - how do you go about taking large amounts of cash into the US? Like, amounts of over $10,000? Is there a good online transfer site, or best to do it over a few trips in cash, or another way? I'm trying to research the best way to do it without losing much on the exchange rate or fees, because every cent I can bring over is going onto the house deposit.

Hey bella, great to hear from you.

I wouldn't bring cash. If you bring more than $10k you need to declare it. Keep it in Oz as long as you can, earning some decent interest income as interest rates are rubbish here.

Transfer the bulk of it after you get here and need it for the house. Wire transfer is the safest. Every wire transfer will garner a fee though, so try to do as few transfers as possible. If it's a large amount, ask for a better rate on the exchange from the bank, or better yet as britsimon says, look into Forex.

We have found it very useful having a Citibank account in both Oz and the US as you can do online transfers from and to your own accounts, no fees and their exchange rates are very good. We do this all the time.

 

[Vichel]

I responded to this last week but it appears my reply didn't go through... ...

It's been a very successful start, I'm incredibly happy here. Regardless of what you may think.

Hey JessJames, I got to read your reply before the hacking issue and was real glad to hear from you and about your adventure. You did it your way, good on ya! And I'm thrilled to hear how much you're enjoying yourself.

Your previous message mentioned that your dog was happy too - as a dog-person, I can relate to that. Ours recovered quickly and well too, and has been enjoying Florida, except for the fleas here - they're psycho fleas, seemingly resistant to the regular flea preventatives we've always used. We've found vet costs to be higher here, which is a surprise as Oz is known to be so expensive for everything. Electricity is cheaper thankfully as we run the aircon every day, although not as cold as most people around here. Enjoying the sunshine and warmth, glad we have this opportunity versus staying in Canada. I'd have probably headed back to Perth if this chance hadn't come up - "sorry, hubby, not as thrilled with your birth country anymore!"

Anyway, keep us posted everyone.

Vichel

 

[Qewty]

I read your post Vichel and smiled My hubby is Canadian, and despite my occasional "maybe we could go to Vancouver or Victoria?" he says no way will he return to Canada - too cold! Having spent 15 years in California, and now here we are here in Perth, I doubt very much I will get him to budge on that one. The only thing that will budge him from here will be a Green Card back to the States In the meantime, he just clocked 4 years here in Australia, so time to grab him citizenship while we have the opportunity (see what I did there? such optimism I have that we will be selected this time )

Warm wishes

Q

 

[Vichel]

I read your post Vichel and smiled My hubby is Canadian, and despite my occasional "maybe we could go to Vancouver or Victoria?" he says no way will he return to Canada - too cold! Having spent 15 years in California, and now here we are here in Perth, I doubt very much I will get him to budge on that one. The only thing that will budge him from here will be a Green Card back to the States In the meantime, he just clocked 4 years here in Australia, so time to grab him citizenship while we have the opportunity (see what I did there? such optimism I have that we will be selected this time )

Warm wishes

Q

Hey Qewty,

So funny about your husband. I guess mine had to experience it all again because he forgot how it was. Don't get me wrong though, I'm quite fond of Canada for many reasons and we really enjoyed our year there. We did quite a bit of exploring and travel in that short time - something we missed being in Perth due to its isolation. But one winter was enough! Not just the cold but the miserable, depressing grey and wet of coastal BC. It was also more expensive than we expected so there was little financial advantage, unlike the US.

I so hope you come through on DV2015. And yes, he should definitely get Aussie citizenship. Mine did. All the best!

Vichel

 

[Matap]

I responded to this last week but it appears my reply didn't go through... Anyways..

I never said I came here without any savings. I transferred over a certain amount of AUD to USD in my first transfer. That bought my car, car insurance & fees, medical insurance, things I needed for the first few weeks etc. By the time I left my family and got to where I was going, I was low on the amount I'd transferred over. My next lot of money to transfer over hadn't yet arrived when I was staying in the hotel, so I went back to the camp site - I got 3 nights at the camp place for the price of 1 night at the hotel. I had no problem staying in the tent or in my car. Call it a vacation/experience if you will.

And no, I came by family based green card, so I didn't have to show any savings - not that it mattered. I'm not stupid. I didn't move here with no money.

It's been a very successful start, I'm incredibly happy here. Regardless of what you may think.



Now, to other issues. I'm unsure if I need to change my address with USCIS or whoever. My address I gave them is for where my parents are in Arkansas. I'm in Nebraska though for just under a year to study here. Not sure if I need to change my address then with them. I know I didn't have to change my car registration or anything because I'm just here temporarily as a student... Any ideas?

JESSJAMES, my understanding is that any non US-citizen is obliged to let USCIS know about the change of address within 10 days except for certain categories (diplomats, traveling abroad, etc.).

Please read the information here http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

 

[mushy11]

Mushy, your move would have happened a few months ago, how's life going?

It was just this month actually Moved over on the 3rd!
Been a crazy couple of weeks! Still looking for the right apartment/roommate which has been an interesting process.. haha

Have had a few driving lessons, because I was a little nervous just jumping onto the roads here without some guidance!
Hopefully have a driving test in the next few weeks as well as get a car.

Trying to budget and work everything out like health insurance, apartment, car, work and all of that fun stuff. Happy to be here but it's a massive amount to deal with. Considering going home for six months, now that I've sussed the area out and have a MUCH better idea of how to prepare myself when I came back over but I don't know if I should just stick it out. It's VERY hard to find a job (in my position at least, I'm only 21 and don't have a degree or anything).

That's my biggest problem at the moment.. do I go home with what money I have left and save and work out a better game plan or try to struggle along and hope things work out? Tough decision.

As for the money transfer, what everyone else is saying is on point - do it in as few transfers as possible UNLESS your bank doesn't charge for the transfer. I've already lost money needlessly in that process :/

 

[JESSJAME5]

Hey JessJames, I got to read your reply before the hacking issue and was real glad to hear from you and about your adventure. You did it your way, good on ya! And I'm thrilled to hear how much you're enjoying yourself.

Your previous message mentioned that your dog was happy too - as a dog-person, I can relate to that. Ours recovered quickly and well too, and has been enjoying Florida, except for the fleas here - they're psycho fleas, seemingly resistant to the regular flea preventatives we've always used. We've found vet costs to be higher here, which is a surprise as Oz is known to be so expensive for everything. Electricity is cheaper thankfully as we run the aircon every day, although not as cold as most people around here. Enjoying the sunshine and warmth, glad we have this opportunity versus staying in Canada. I'd have probably headed back to Perth if this chance hadn't come up - "sorry, hubby, not as thrilled with your birth country anymore!"

Anyway, keep us posted everyone.

Vichel

Hello!

Yeah, my dog is doing well. He's been going to doggy daycare, having a blast there making new friends. I just picked him up actually from another long day there... He's passed out on the couch. I'm so glad he's here with me and doing well. My parents dog though was having a few issues for awhile, just constantly sick (back in Arkansas), mum suggested perhaps he's allergic to America haha. My dog though is loving it. Can't wait for it to snow & take him out to play in it! He'll have no idea what to think of it! Haha. Haven't had any fleas yet thankfully, we've been lucky so far his whole life so... touch wood.. haha. I was very excited when I got my electricity bill this month and it was only $25! Even with running the AC. I've noticed the vet costs though from what I've been told.. that surprised me as well.

It was just this month actually Moved over on the 3rd!
Been a crazy couple of weeks! Still looking for the right apartment/roommate which has been an interesting process.. haha

Have had a few driving lessons, because I was a little nervous just jumping onto the roads here without some guidance!
Hopefully have a driving test in the next few weeks as well as get a car.

Trying to budget and work everything out like health insurance, apartment, car, work and all of that fun stuff. Happy to be here but it's a massive amount to deal with. Considering going home for six months, now that I've sussed the area out and have a MUCH better idea of how to prepare myself when I came back over but I don't know if I should just stick it out. It's VERY hard to find a job (in my position at least, I'm only 21 and don't have a degree or anything).

That's my biggest problem at the moment.. do I go home with what money I have left and save and work out a better game plan or try to struggle along and hope things work out? Tough decision.

As for the money transfer, what everyone else is saying is on point - do it in as few transfers as possible UNLESS your bank doesn't charge for the transfer. I've already lost money needlessly in that process :/

Yay! I'm finding driving here really easy, like it makes sense! You'll do fine in your test Although.. it is LA..

You've only been here 2-3 weeks? I'd stick it out longer... But that's just me. Then again, finding a job in the industry would be difficult regardless. Pilot season will be early next year, I think? Or is it the end of this year? Either way, I'm hoping the best for you!! I've been rethinking my move to LA as well actually. I mean, I'm still going to do it eventually, but maybe not next summer. Maybe later next year. Or the year after... Who knows! So exciting though, hopefully you find your feet soon!

 

[mushy11]

Yay! I'm finding driving here really easy, like it makes sense! You'll do fine in your test Although.. it is LA..

You've only been here 2-3 weeks? I'd stick it out longer... But that's just me. Then again, finding a job in the industry would be difficult regardless. Pilot season will be early next year, I think? Or is it the end of this year? Either way, I'm hoping the best for you!! I've been rethinking my move to LA as well actually. I mean, I'm still going to do it eventually, but maybe not next summer. Maybe later next year. Or the year after... Who knows! So exciting though, hopefully you find your feet soon!

Apparently it's much easier to take the test in Culver City - so I'll definitely be doing it there!

You're right, pilot season is January! Thank you for your well wishes, hoping for the best for you as well! It's an amazing place. A lot of people say negative things about LA but it depends on how you look at it and where you're from. I'm a rural girl so the city always impresses me. Yes, there's a lot of dodgy areas etc but it's like that in every city! I really love it here and I know this is where I want to be, I just don't know if it's the right time yet. I think I'm going to go home for 3-6 months and work non stop and come back stronger and smarter. This is my first trip overseas since I was 5, and I'm literally moving out of home to come here - so it's a very new experience for me and I've learnt so much from it already. I know that if I go home just to recollect myself, I can come back smarter.
I don't think that should create any problems with my green card (shit, I hope not. It won't be longer than 6 months max.. that's ok right?! D
I've got to be smart.. and as much as it's going to kill me to leave this place, if I know I'll come back more prepared, then I think that's the right thing to do for me.

 

[Qewty]

Make sure you get a re-entry permit even though you only plan to come back home for a little while, just to make sure you are covered. Now that you have that 'golden ticket', you don't want to risk losing it. I think you're an incredibley brave young Aussie and you will do brilliantly once you have everything sorted

Q

 

[bella8188]

How's everyone doing?

I'm back in Australia, and will be finishing my teaching internship in four weeks. Then I have my uni graduation in Feb, and plan to make the permanent move asap after that. Already house hunting online and have seen some good, affordable places!

How are you all going in regards to getting a credit rating? Anyone thought about it, or made steps to start building a good credit rating? Can our Australian credit history count towards a good US rating?

 

[Vichel]

Ciao bella!

Sounds like you'll be busy. All the best with your internship and uni graduation.

We applied for a credit card a few months ago but got rejected due to not having a credit history here. We talked to the manager of our bank at Citibank and asked her for advice. We explained our situation and pointed out we had money at her bank, so she fixed it up for us. We got the card. I'd pick a bank, if you haven't already, and talk to the manager for advice and establish a relationship, hopefully long-term, with them. I found ours very helpful and approachable. I thought ours in Oz were good too. I think bank managers have a bad rep due to stereotypical portrayals by Hollywood.

An option that's used by many new immigrants is to get a secured credit card and use that wisely over 6 - 12 months, building up a good credit or FICO score. Credit unions can sometimes be easier to get these. Secured credit cards have annual fees, so shop around for the best one. I've heard good things about the Capital One Secured MasterCard. You use the secured card until you build your credit history.

Some tips we were told:
- don't apply for every credit card under the sun as every inquiry to your credit history is a negative for a year;
- don't have lots of credit cards with small balances on all of them;
- never take cash advances on your credit card;
- don't max out your credit card(s) either - keep the balance to about 30% of your credit limit and pay on time, in full.

If you have an Aussie Amex (not a bank Amex) you can transfer it to a US Amex quite easily, as long as you've been using that wisely all along.

Good luck. Nice to hear from you bella.

 

[JESSJAMES]

Hey all!

I haven't made any attempts at a credit rating yet... Unless paying rent & phone/internet/electric bills counts towards that? But I'm not sure if it does.. I haven't got a credit card, or a secured one - mostly haven't got a secured one because I don't have the $300 or so to spare to put on the card in the first place haha.

My money went fast though since I got here. So many start up costs, my monthly expenses are averaging out alright now but at first it just all disappeared, furniture, new installations, deposits, insurance, blah blah... so many things. But I'll get back on track soon, hopefully going to find time to have a job next semester too... Not sure at this point what I'm going to do after next semester of my exchange is over, I'd hoped to move out to Los Angeles next summer but if I don't get a job I won't have the money to move out there yet.... Not to mention I'm also supposed to be going to Europe for a few weeks next year too... Haha. Who knows, maybe I'll end up stuck at my parents place in Arkansas for awhile before saving up enough money to move out to LA.. ugh. For awhile I started thinking "is LA really where I want to move to?" "Will I be happy there?" but then I think where else would I move to? And I can't come up with anything else. I've always wanted to move to LA so it just seems right. Just waiting for the money! Haha.

Hope everyones doing good

 

[Mijoro]

bumping so I can check back later.

 

[hgavin]

When's the next bulletin announcement out? May I believe. Doesn't look likely for us 1800's and up i reckon