sujath2012
Registered Users (C)
thanking you Nuvf & Perera....
2013 DV Winners from Srilanka
- Thread starter raja.raja
- Start date
Hi All,
Here comes our Complete DV 2013 Experience in Colombo!
We had the interview on January 3rd week. The visa officer was a young Asian American male. During the interview he asked some questions from my wife (how did you meet your husband? what is his mother's name? father's name? brothers or sisters? when did you have the wedding?) to verify our relationship because she applied to the lottery couple of weeks before we got married. Actually we both applied together and it's her who got selected. Anyway at the time she got selected (2012 May) we were already married.
The interview went on without any issue but at the end the visa officer issued us a 221g form indicating that they need the DV Lottery Application reply (the printout you get as soon as you complete the application). I guess they needed it to verify that she was actually single when she applied. And they had not also collected my wife's OL certificate it seemed. We were bit worried by that time and we didn't have the document they requested. It was in my email so I went out of the embassy to get in printed and handed it over to the visa officer just 10-15 minutes after the interview. He kept all our documents (police clearance, birth certs, marriage certs, School OL certificate, medicals) but gave our passports back saying that they will contact us in due course. We were in doubt about what's going to happen.
Two weeks went by and we did hear nothing from the embassy. I sent them an email last week with our Case # indicated, and surprisingly they replied asking us to submit the passports to the Embassy. So we did.
Y'day we got a call from the embassy (to the land line - I don't know why they didn't call the mobile even though we had given it) to come and collect visas today. We went in through the security into the embassy and the lady there asked me if it's OK if they cancel the current business visa I had and she cancelled the business visa that i received couple of years back by putting a stamp on it "Cancelled Without Prejudice", bcos it was valid till 2016. They do not allow you to posses two kinds of visas at the same time - well that's logical!
For DV visas issued after Feb 1st we have to pay another $165 per person online before entering USA. We were also given a handout explaining that process.
At the end we are a happy couple!
For all Sri Lankan winners here, if you provide all documents right and follow the process correctly you must get it. No doubt. even though it can get late you will get it.
thanks.
Here comes our Complete DV 2013 Experience in Colombo!
We had the interview on January 3rd week. The visa officer was a young Asian American male. During the interview he asked some questions from my wife (how did you meet your husband? what is his mother's name? father's name? brothers or sisters? when did you have the wedding?) to verify our relationship because she applied to the lottery couple of weeks before we got married. Actually we both applied together and it's her who got selected. Anyway at the time she got selected (2012 May) we were already married.
The interview went on without any issue but at the end the visa officer issued us a 221g form indicating that they need the DV Lottery Application reply (the printout you get as soon as you complete the application). I guess they needed it to verify that she was actually single when she applied. And they had not also collected my wife's OL certificate it seemed. We were bit worried by that time and we didn't have the document they requested. It was in my email so I went out of the embassy to get in printed and handed it over to the visa officer just 10-15 minutes after the interview. He kept all our documents (police clearance, birth certs, marriage certs, School OL certificate, medicals) but gave our passports back saying that they will contact us in due course. We were in doubt about what's going to happen.
Two weeks went by and we did hear nothing from the embassy. I sent them an email last week with our Case # indicated, and surprisingly they replied asking us to submit the passports to the Embassy. So we did.
Y'day we got a call from the embassy (to the land line - I don't know why they didn't call the mobile even though we had given it) to come and collect visas today. We went in through the security into the embassy and the lady there asked me if it's OK if they cancel the current business visa I had and she cancelled the business visa that i received couple of years back by putting a stamp on it "Cancelled Without Prejudice", bcos it was valid till 2016. They do not allow you to posses two kinds of visas at the same time - well that's logical!
For DV visas issued after Feb 1st we have to pay another $165 per person online before entering USA. We were also given a handout explaining that process.
At the end we are a happy couple!
For all Sri Lankan winners here, if you provide all documents right and follow the process correctly you must get it. No doubt. even though it can get late you will get it.
thanks.
sujath2012
Registered Users (C)
Congratulation Mr. Ruwan
I have one query about your interview, when were you filled your entrance form of DV lottery what is your marital status? if you won the Dv lottery with single status, then did you inform you merriage to the KCC? because when i was enter to the lottery i am single and i have got married just one month before my DV interview as per instruction of colombo consular centre and i have prepared all those required documents to my spouce as well.
However we both have faced the interveiw on last week of January, all documents are accepted by consular officer except i-134 form because of my sponsor's annual income is lower than poverty guide line of US and then he gave us to white paper with mentioned that bring new i-134 and W2 with minimum annual income of 25000 $, Finally i have found another sponsor with annual income of more than 50000 $ and i have submit both our passports,copies of completed i-134 form,W2 and my new sponsor's US passport on 05/02/2013, its almost two weeks finished but no any reply from the Embassy so that i sent an e-mail to the Embassy to know my visa status, then they have rapidy reply to my e-mail with quote "The case you mentioned below is still pending due to additional administrative processing. This process may take few weeks or few months. We advise that you do not make any travel plan to the United States until after you have received your visa. We will contact you once the case is ready to be finalized"[
Now i would like to know by you, how long it will take the additional administrative process(221g process)
i highly appreciated your reply. thanks
Sujath
I have one query about your interview, when were you filled your entrance form of DV lottery what is your marital status? if you won the Dv lottery with single status, then did you inform you merriage to the KCC? because when i was enter to the lottery i am single and i have got married just one month before my DV interview as per instruction of colombo consular centre and i have prepared all those required documents to my spouce as well.
However we both have faced the interveiw on last week of January, all documents are accepted by consular officer except i-134 form because of my sponsor's annual income is lower than poverty guide line of US and then he gave us to white paper with mentioned that bring new i-134 and W2 with minimum annual income of 25000 $, Finally i have found another sponsor with annual income of more than 50000 $ and i have submit both our passports,copies of completed i-134 form,W2 and my new sponsor's US passport on 05/02/2013, its almost two weeks finished but no any reply from the Embassy so that i sent an e-mail to the Embassy to know my visa status, then they have rapidy reply to my e-mail with quote "The case you mentioned below is still pending due to additional administrative processing. This process may take few weeks or few months. We advise that you do not make any travel plan to the United States until after you have received your visa. We will contact you once the case is ready to be finalized"[
Now i would like to know by you, how long it will take the additional administrative process(221g process)
i highly appreciated your reply. thanks
Sujath
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi Sujath,
Yes, when we (me and my wife) applied for the DV Lottery (in October 2011) we applied as 'single' because we ere not married then.
But when they selected the winners on 1st of May 2012 we were already married, and my wife won.
Therefore we sent both DS-230 forms to the KCC, together with a covering letter explaining the situation.
To ensure that, we called the KCC after they received the forms and they asked to send them the Original Marriage Certificate and it's English Translation also.
We e-mailed the scanned copies of those documents to the KCC.
So when she received the interview letter (2nd NL) they had included me also there as the beneficiary.
For us administrative processing took around 3 weeks. In your case I guess it's not a problem with the new I-134 you provided but they might be verifying your marriage certificates and all. When I talked with the people who came up to pick visas at the embassy, some people said they waited 2-3 months before visas are approved. And I found in a thread people waiting for 6 months to get visa approved.
If your documents are alright and if you did nothing wrong you must get it. So don't lose hope!
Embassy will contact you once it's finished, and keep in mind they might call the land-line (if you have given in DS-230) when things are ready.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Ruwan
Yes, when we (me and my wife) applied for the DV Lottery (in October 2011) we applied as 'single' because we ere not married then.
But when they selected the winners on 1st of May 2012 we were already married, and my wife won.
Therefore we sent both DS-230 forms to the KCC, together with a covering letter explaining the situation.
To ensure that, we called the KCC after they received the forms and they asked to send them the Original Marriage Certificate and it's English Translation also.
We e-mailed the scanned copies of those documents to the KCC.
So when she received the interview letter (2nd NL) they had included me also there as the beneficiary.
For us administrative processing took around 3 weeks. In your case I guess it's not a problem with the new I-134 you provided but they might be verifying your marriage certificates and all. When I talked with the people who came up to pick visas at the embassy, some people said they waited 2-3 months before visas are approved. And I found in a thread people waiting for 6 months to get visa approved.
If your documents are alright and if you did nothing wrong you must get it. So don't lose hope!
Embassy will contact you once it's finished, and keep in mind they might call the land-line (if you have given in DS-230) when things are ready.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Ruwan
sujath2012
Registered Users (C)
Thanks Mr.Ruwan for your usefull information
I had a GCE O/L Qualification with more than 13 years professional
qualification in IT field. So it is enough to me qualify to get visa.
NuvF
Member
Are you a 'notified by KCC' DV winner? (or are you saying that you got the visa already, showing just O/L?, bit confused)
Anyways,
For immigration purposes to US from SL, as far as academics are concerned, US high school equivalence IS O/L qualifications, meaning you should have PASSED O/L with such qualifications allowing you to go on doing A/Ls if you wanted to. (even in more than 1 sitting). However you MUST have passed Math and 1st Language!
If not O/L qualified as above, the other is via 'qualified by work' for a DV route. However it is bit tricky and you need to follow the US imm. guidelines in properly showing/justifying your work qualifications. Check the DV 12 (or 11?) SL winners forum and see 'sanjaydiene' 's journey in getting a DV.
Best!
Last edited by a moderator:
NuvF
Member
Good, congrats!! and you probably will be ok.
Did you pass the O/L satisfying the reqmts I mentioned?
Best!
G C E (A/L) is required ?
I have given here two links of the us embassy colombo where they ask for GCE(A/L) certificates for DV winners. But don't know the effective date.
http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/visas/diversity-visa-lottery-program.html
Important changes to educational standards required for Diversity Visa Applicants
In compliance with U.S. immigration regulations, U.S. Embassy Colombo has changed the educational standard required to qualify for the Diversity Visa. Successful completion of 6 GCE O-level subjects is no longer sufficient to qualify. Instead, successful completion of 3 GCE A-level subjects is required to qualify for the Diversity Visa.
If you do not meet that standard, you may be able to qualify based upon your work experience. Under the DV Lottery rules, you must have completed at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training to perform.
Please note that most of these kinds of jobs require the equivalent of a U.S. university degree. Few people qualify for the DV based on their work experience alone. Therefore, we recommend that you verify whether you can qualify based on your work experience before proceeding with your application
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/sri-lanka/5/pdfs/Check_list_for_Diversity_Visa_applicants.pdf
Documents necessary ONLY for DV Winner
1. Apply for your G.C.E A/L certificate from the Examination Department at Pelawatte, Battaramulla.
Every applicant at the Examination department is given a card to collect the results sheet.
Please do not collect your results sheet.
I have given here two links of the us embassy colombo where they ask for GCE(A/L) certificates for DV winners. But don't know the effective date.
http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/visas/diversity-visa-lottery-program.html
Important changes to educational standards required for Diversity Visa Applicants
In compliance with U.S. immigration regulations, U.S. Embassy Colombo has changed the educational standard required to qualify for the Diversity Visa. Successful completion of 6 GCE O-level subjects is no longer sufficient to qualify. Instead, successful completion of 3 GCE A-level subjects is required to qualify for the Diversity Visa.
If you do not meet that standard, you may be able to qualify based upon your work experience. Under the DV Lottery rules, you must have completed at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training to perform.
Please note that most of these kinds of jobs require the equivalent of a U.S. university degree. Few people qualify for the DV based on their work experience alone. Therefore, we recommend that you verify whether you can qualify based on your work experience before proceeding with your application
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/sri-lanka/5/pdfs/Check_list_for_Diversity_Visa_applicants.pdf
Documents necessary ONLY for DV Winner
1. Apply for your G.C.E A/L certificate from the Examination Department at Pelawatte, Battaramulla.
Every applicant at the Examination department is given a card to collect the results sheet.
Please do not collect your results sheet.
They haven't specified the effective date on this.. and i don't think this going to effect the 2013 winners, since we are not notified earlier...
I134 availability...
Hi,
I know a person who about to face the interview by 7th of March, but unfortunately he couldn't get a chance to get a I134 form with hand.
He is trying his best but, known fact is people are not willing to give unless they are very close or family members.
he lack with your Advices... in worse case what else can be done ??
Farook..
Hi,
I know a person who about to face the interview by 7th of March, but unfortunately he couldn't get a chance to get a I134 form with hand.
He is trying his best but, known fact is people are not willing to give unless they are very close or family members.
he lack with your Advices... in worse case what else can be done ??
Farook..
The check list is , the one which is available on line now. Suppose its effective now. Someone who faced the interview last week told me that they asked for GCE(A/L) and he also submitted the A/L certificate, not the O/L
Better to call the embassy and find it , if you want to get it confirmed
By an I-134 form what they want to ensure is that the person will not become a Public Charge (A person who depends on government welfare or become a burden to the economy). In this case I guess the best thing would be to go to the interview with his financial details - account balances, property valuations, bank statements - (I guess he must have at least around 2-3 million LKR balance available, not sure) and show the visa officer that he can get on his own for some time in USA until he gets settled and finds a job.
But whether he gets the visa or not depends on how the visa officer takes these facts. So I'm not sure 100% if it'll work or not.
best!
But whether he gets the visa or not depends on how the visa officer takes these facts. So I'm not sure 100% if it'll work or not.
best!
Hi Ruwan,
I had a check on this earlier , when i was searching for this Form, they clearly replied me saying it's " Mandatory "
But still i feel sorry about that Friend, hence finding some alternative or trying minimize the Risk.
below the response from CC
## You must provide an I-134 from a US sponsor. This is a mandatory requirement. ##
Best Regards,
Consular Colombo
I had a check on this earlier , when i was searching for this Form, they clearly replied me saying it's " Mandatory "
But still i feel sorry about that Friend, hence finding some alternative or trying minimize the Risk.
below the response from CC
## You must provide an I-134 from a US sponsor. This is a mandatory requirement. ##
Best Regards,
Consular Colombo
case number:AS00008xxx
Medicals done
Visa fee paid to uscis
I am planning to change from AOS to CP if my number does not get current in march visa bulletin. Looking at the rate i am sure i will be current in April. I am in student visa right now and this is my third semester running in USA. When doing CP do i need to show my financial situation as i have already shown them in my student visa interview. I am not sure what i need to do when i am changed to CP. I am ok to pay edv fee again and do my medicals in my country. If my number gets current in April will i be interviewed in june because i don't want to get interviewed in may as my classes will be going on.. Help me
Medicals done
Visa fee paid to uscis
I am planning to change from AOS to CP if my number does not get current in march visa bulletin. Looking at the rate i am sure i will be current in April. I am in student visa right now and this is my third semester running in USA. When doing CP do i need to show my financial situation as i have already shown them in my student visa interview. I am not sure what i need to do when i am changed to CP. I am ok to pay edv fee again and do my medicals in my country. If my number gets current in April will i be interviewed in june because i don't want to get interviewed in may as my classes will be going on.. Help me
azharfarook
New Member
Hi Raja - I am Azhar , I am also wiaitng , Have you got the Visa ,
Hi Raja - i am also struggling to get a sponcer or a job to show to get the visa, how much money have to show as self, if I dont prodcue the sponcer or job , am i will loose the chance, pls reply me
Hi Raja - i am also struggling to get a sponcer or a job to show to get the visa, how much money have to show as self, if I dont prodcue the sponcer or job , am i will loose the chance, pls reply me
azharfarook
New Member
Hi Ruwan,
I am Azhar, I am also wiaitng for the number , but please tell me about the sponcer or a job letter, I am unable to produce these 2 becuase no one is their for me to get this , am I loose the DV chance , if need to show money how much need to show , Please help me on this ruwan , Than ks
HI Mr. Azhar...
First let us know few things about your interview process , based on that will try to help on your issue.
1. Have you received your interview date ? if so when ?
2. Do you have GCE A/L
3. Are you working or self employed
please answer those , will try to see , what can be done ...
Regards,
Farook
First let us know few things about your interview process , based on that will try to help on your issue.
1. Have you received your interview date ? if so when ?
2. Do you have GCE A/L
3. Are you working or self employed
please answer those , will try to see , what can be done ...
Regards,
Farook
azharfarook
New Member
Hi Mr farook
Dear Mr Farook,
Thanks for the quick reply , yah this is for my wife, and she got he chance and we are waiting for the intrview date, may be it will be in may or June,
Yes she got the AL passes
and I am working in overseas with family, can I have your mobile numebr I ll call you, but I tried my level best to find one to get me the sponcership ,unfortunatly no one is their , but I tried for employment too, still tring
pls let me on this , it will be a great help
Reagrds
Azhar
Dear Mr Farook,
Thanks for the quick reply , yah this is for my wife, and she got he chance and we are waiting for the intrview date, may be it will be in may or June,
Yes she got the AL passes
and I am working in overseas with family, can I have your mobile numebr I ll call you, but I tried my level best to find one to get me the sponcership ,unfortunatly no one is their , but I tried for employment too, still tring
pls let me on this , it will be a great help
Reagrds
Azhar