I have been select for 2014 (through my wife). Case No. 2014OC00001XXX (between 1200 -1400). I'm guessing that we might get an interview in July-Augusts 2014 with a number this high.
Case No. 2014OC00001XXX
2NL:
Medicals:
Police Check:
Interview:
Can someone tell me if I am allowed to holiday to america before my interview?
I'm in Australia and am in the low 200s. I've read the bulletin and other pages on this message board but I'm still a little confused. Does my low number mean I can expect an interview soon? Or will all interviews take place in 2014?
Also, another question, for someone waiting for an interview and to find out my outcome, am I eligible to apply for other US visas such as tourist visa or J1 cultural exchange visa while I'm waiting? I had plans to travel to the US in November 2013 for a while to study or travel, should I consider those plans cancelled now while I concentrate on the DV processing...?
Any advice/help would be super appreciated. Thanks.
You cannot get a J1 visa if you are in the process of getting your green card through the lottery. You could go ahead and get your J1, and do the travel, and then start your paperwork for the lottery visa afterwards, but once the process is started, a J1 visa will not get approved, as the DV lottery visa proves that you have intent to stay permanently in the US.
I won the DV lottery last year, however travelled to the US on a J1 visa first (to work at summer camp), and then started the process after I returned. That way, I was fine!
For this year, I planned to return to camp, but I didn't know if I would have my interview/green card in time, so I went to re-apply for the J1, thinking I would just cancel it if my green card did happen in time. However, the organisation that I apply through for camp said that no, I couldn't apply for a J1, but it ended up working out fine that I got my interview in March (I hadn't sent my paperwork in til late October last year, but my case number was below 50, so that got me in an earlier interview).
I'm in Australia and am in the low 200s. I've read the bulletin and other pages on this message board but I'm still a little confused. Does my low number mean I can expect an interview soon? Or will all interviews take place in 2014?
Also, another question, for someone waiting for an interview and to find out my outcome, am I eligible to apply for other US visas such as tourist visa or J1 cultural exchange visa while I'm waiting? I had plans to travel to the US in November 2013 for a while to study or travel, should I consider those plans cancelled now while I concentrate on the DV processing...?
This is a fuzzy area. Probably no problem but who knows for sure? I've heard conflicting advice on this. If you have the visa already then it's supposed to be okay but if you've submitted forms for the DV then apply for another visa that's a temporary one ... I'm not so sure about that. It's all about answering questions truthfully, and "intent".
Having spent a few hours going over the visa bulletins for the last few years, I think we're fine.
Oceania region cutoff goes into "Current" by August each year, which means they have enough visas allocated remaining for everyone selected that hasn't been processed (to my understanding).
Thank you so much for your response, it really helps. Do you know how long you can delay completing the process for the DV? I was planning to go for my J1 and arrive in the US on J1 visa in November this year. Can I return to Australia mid or even late-2014 and then complete the paperwork for the DV then?