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2013 DV Australian winners

Thanks Bella and Nicole!
With my address I ended up asking a friend (who travelled to the States a couple years ago) and he gave me the name and address of the people he stayed with. Not ideal but I was so happy and thankful to him!

Thank you Qewty! I truly hope that for you too. The collective energy we will all be sending you on May 1st will be enormous!

kester said:
Had my interview today, with success!

So happy and relieved that it's over. The woman who interview me was so nice and made me feel so relaxed, and that view from the window is pretty cool.
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Congrats Kester! We probably saw each other there!
The lady was so nice, I agree!


Thank you Peta! Yes it does seem similar for most experiences at Sydney. I'm off to Los Angeles September 3rd! Booked my flights today - such an amazing feeling! Still on a post-interview-high right now!
 
Ah, so glad the address got sorted out! How exciting for you to now be confidently planning your move. I would be feeling the same way.
 
mushy11 said:
Yes it does seem similar for most experiences at Sydney. I'm off to Los Angeles September 3rd! Booked my flights today - such an amazing feeling! Still on a post-interview-high right now!
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Not sure if I've come down off of mine yet! :D It's probably all the packing and prepping we're doing right now, which keeps it front and centre in our lives. Boxes and packing material all over the place, less than 2 weeks til we leave! I usually hate moving but this one's not so bad.
 
I leave in September but I'm sure ill still be on a high then! I love it! Over the past few months, throughout the day my mind would wander to the DV and all it's uncertainties, and now out of reflex I still think about it but then remember I have it! Best feeling ever, so incredibly happy :) Received my passport back today which is fantastic, considering my interview was only on Tuesday + there was a public holiday + I live way out in the country! So I'm very surprised to have received it so early but ecstatic to hold it in my hands and see it!
 
I must admit I often get out my passport and stare at the visa. Hard to believe it is real sometimes.
 
Well, I am off in the morning! It's midnight right now, and my flight is at 10am, but I am too excited to sleep right now.

Just finished packing too; not easy trying to decide what to bring with me, but I know I'll be back in Aus in Sept for a few months, and can bring more of my stuff for the next trip to the States. Hard deciding how much of my stuff to sell or toss though.

Sometime this week, I will be sure to post about how my travel went, and what it was like arriving and going through immigration. My POE is LA, however I then have a flight to Michigan after that and then another flight from there to Boston - all up about 27 hours travelling, going to be a long day for me! Just loaded a heap of new books onto my Nook though so I should be all set.
 
bella8188 said:
Well, I am off in the morning! It's midnight right now, and my flight is at 10am, but I am too excited to sleep right now.

Just finished packing too; not easy trying to decide what to bring with me, but I know I'll be back in Aus in Sept for a few months, and can bring more of my stuff for the next trip to the States. Hard deciding how much of my stuff to sell or toss though.

Sometime this week, I will be sure to post about how my travel went, and what it was like arriving and going through immigration. My POE is LA, however I then have a flight to Michigan after that and then another flight from there to Boston - all up about 27 hours travelling, going to be a long day for me! Just loaded a heap of new books onto my Nook though so I should be all set.
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Wow, already?? How times flies! I can sense your excitement, afterall this won't be the same as any other old trip to the US. This is when you become a legal resident. Pretty special. We're 12 days away now. Still packing, got 52 boxes packed already. Probably another 40 by the time we're done, living on the basics from now, sold everything but one item so far.

All the best!
 
Time is dragging on! We fly to Sydney Monday night for interview Tues morning! .... I don't think my mum has all the stuff we're supposed to bring to the interview though (family based), so I'm stressing a lot now! We've all got our interviews on Tuesday, me and my mum for family based GC, and my little brother will be claiming his US citizenship :) (his birth right with USC father). BUT, I don't think mum brought all stuff with her... Like in family based you're supposed to prove the marriage etc, I guess same with DV, but my parents did the whole "we have a 10 year old son together, I'm sure they'll see it's a bonafide marriage" ... I still just feel stressed they have nothing else to bring with them...
 
Jess, is there a checklist you have like there is for the DV?
They seemed very thorough with documentation so if it says to bring a marriage cert, they'll most definitely want to see it. If you can't get it now though, worst case scenario I'm sure is that you would need to obtain it and send it in post-interview. They're very helpful and nice there but thorough, so if there's any way you can get the marriage cert before then that would definitely be a good idea and ease your mind.

Good luck by the way! I'm sure it will be fine and if there's any problems you will just need to send it in afterwards! Will be thinking of you on Tuesday!
 
mushy11 said:
Jess, is there a checklist you have like there is for the DV?
They seemed very thorough with documentation so if it says to bring a marriage cert, they'll most definitely want to see it. If you can't get it now though, worst case scenario I'm sure is that you would need to obtain it and send it in post-interview. They're very helpful and nice there but thorough, so if there's any way you can get the marriage cert before then that would definitely be a good idea and ease your mind.

Good luck by the way! I'm sure it will be fine and if there's any problems you will just need to send it in afterwards! Will be thinking of you on Tuesday!
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Yeah we had to send all those things to the NVC a couple of months ago, all our originals! Couldn't be copies. So the US consulate has all our original copies, so all that stuffs fine, but it also asked to bring tax return things/pay stubs to the interview from the person on the affidavit of support... But they didn't bring that. Nor do they have anything showing they live together, have spent the past 11+ years together etc... They're just insisting that the marriage cert & the 10 year old son is enough proof.. I feel like embassy will want more though. Or maybe more from me even, I dunno. We have no photos to take, there's no photos of me & my step-dad at all, nor of me & my mum - I don't do photos! Haha. Speaking of photos.. I don't have US sized passport photos.. I'll have to get them tomorrow before we head to the airport! I don't think mum has US ones either! Stressful. The biggest problem I'm worried about though is the child/adult category thing now that I'm 21 and we had the problems already... Big stress! Must stop hyperventilating.. :\
 
Jess I think Mushy is probably right on this one. If there is anything missing, they will conduct the interview and just hold over the deliberation until all the paperwork they need (and is missing) is sent on.

Big breaths girl, you are nearly there, and you have this whole 'virtual family' thinking good thoughts for you :)

Q
 
I'm sure it will be fine, they will let you know if they want to see anything else. As much as we all stress, it's not a 'you have one chance once you're in the front doors of the consulate to show us you're worthy!' kind of thing, they will ask for anything else if they need it :)
As for stressing about your age, I understand that must be so stressful, but on the positive side, once you have your interview they seem to work very fast on their end, so even if they do need extra documentation - if you get it sent back to them ASAP, then it should be sorted very quickly. (I had my interview on Tuesday and was holding my visa by Friday! And that includes the public holiday slowing it down AND I live wayyyy out in the country! They're quick once your interview is up!)
What time do you get to Sydney, and what time is your interview? There is a place that does photos about a 1 minute walk from the MLC centre, you can get them rush printed (15 mins) for (I think) $35 for two photos. (102 King Street, if you're interested). They're guaranteed as well, so it's one less thing to worry about :) I had mine done the arvo before but if your interview isn't too early you could get it done the morning of if it suited you.
 
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I've arrived!! I'm actually writing this post from the LAX airport, while I wait for my next connecting flight.

But anyway, when I arrived and got off the plane and walked through the loooong hallway to the customs area, I queued up in the US Citizens line (it is for citizens and residents, but is labelled 'US Citizens'), and it took maybe ten minutes for me to get to the counter - the queue was long, but they are pretty efficient, and they had about seven or eight counters open.

The woman at the counter congratulated me on being lucky enough to win the lottery, took digital fingerprints and a photo, then took my sealed packet and passport, and directed me to sit in some seats at the end of the customs area. I sat there for about fifteen minutes, then a man called me over to do an ink fingerprint (just my right index finger), and then I sat back down for another five minutes. He then called me back over, gave me my passport, and I was all set!

All up, from getting off the plane, to walking into the rest of the airport to go to my next flight, it took less than an hour. I was expecting longer, so of course I booked a flight with a five hour layover in LAX - at least they have free wifi!

Good luck with your interview Jess!
 
That's fantastic Bella! Glad you're finally there! :)


So will it be 2am Thursday morning for the DV2014 check (Sydney time)?
Getting my positive vibes ready for you Qewty!
 
Yep, we're anxiously awaiting that clock to tick over to 2am AEST tomorrow night. Maybe this is why I haven't been getting to sleep before 2am for the last few weeks? haha
 
Qewty said:
Jess I think Mushy is probably right on this one. If there is anything missing, they will conduct the interview and just hold over the deliberation until all the paperwork they need (and is missing) is sent on.

Big breaths girl, you are nearly there, and you have this whole 'virtual family' thinking good thoughts for you :)

Q
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I'm done! I just arrived home after a very long day D:

We had to go in for my brother's 9.30am appt to register his birth abroad/get his citizenship etc. Even though my mum & I's appointment wasn't until 11am, they let us in as well. We were able to do the first part like handing in the passport, envelope etc, but we still had to wait until after 11 before we got interviewed.... Very long wait for us, but that's because we were there early, so I didn't expect us to get fast-tracked, but my parents thought we would :\

Anyways! Yes, window 1 has an incredible view of the harbour/bridge! Woah! Wish they'd let me have my phone up there to take a photo! Haha.

The interview was pretty simple.. I was definitely dreading being rejected because of the whole age issues I've had so far with the application... They treated me like a child in the interview, didn't ask me anything until "And what are your thoughts on the move?".. We had to sign something, and the lady asked me "and how old are you?" I said 21..... "Oh, well then you can sign your own form then." .... Sucks that I look 15! Haha.

But, in the end, she said from our applications and interview, everything seems to be fine, and we'll get our passports back in a few days! :D She gave us the little piece of paper saying congratulations & your name & been approved etc. So now we wait for the passports back!

Definitely a huge weight off my shoulders... Now I probably should really get into all these assignments due in the next few weeks.. Then I can get back to planning! Haha. Very excited everything went okay :D


Many fingers crossed for you tomorrow Qewty! And everyone else who really needs & wants this! GOOOOD LUCK!



mushy11 said:
What time do you get to Sydney, and what time is your interview? There is a place that does photos about a 1 minute walk from the MLC centre, you can get them rush printed (15 mins) for (I think) $35 for two photos. (102 King Street, if you're interested). They're guaranteed as well, so it's one less thing to worry about :) I had mine done the arvo before but if your interview isn't too early you could get it done the morning of if it suited you.
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We ended up getting our photos done on the Monday afternoon, post office did do them luckily! We wouldn't have had time this morning! But it all worked out... thankfully!
 
OMG Jess congratulations!!!!! I have been waiting to see a message from you since this afternoon. I even said to hubby "no news from little Jess yet!". I think I adopt everyone as my "extra" children or grandchildren lol

Cannot begin to tell you what wonderful news this is. Try to get some sleep and begin your planning tomorrow. Your new adventure starts here :)

Big virtual hug from Perth. Please keep in touch (if you don't have my email, msg me). I would love to know how you go.

DL
 
Congrats Jess! I'm so happy for you!!!! Such a relief, isn't it? So much weight is lifted when you hear 'congratulations' :)


Aw Nicole, I know the feeling! Sending positive thoughts your way!
 
Congrats Jess, that's fantastic news! I think it's natural for everyone to feel stressed before those interviews, even if you're sure you have everything in order. I know I did for my E3 visas. But the weight of the world lifts off your shoulders the moment you walk out with that little piece of paper.

I look forward to hearing the next steps of your journey Jess. Did I read that you're aiming for LA/film industry? That's my aim too.

Thanks Mushy, I'll take everything I can get at this point :D

See you all tomorrow as we report in on our results!
 
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