2014 DV Australian winners

[Britsimon]

I guess in a way it's correct as you must be able to meet the minimum training requirements IF you don't meet the educational requirement.

No that is not correct either (sorry, not trying to be picky with you - just avoiding the incorrect info). The requirements are either the US High school education as we discussed OR the work experience route. For work experience you need to have 2 years experience (out of the last 5) in a job that normally requires two years training or experience and that job should meet a certain standard on O*Net. However, you do not need the two years training/experience, ONLY the experience in the job itself, meaning that if you had somehow managed to get the right level of job WITHOUT the training - that is OK.

So, any way you want to say it, Canberra US Embassy have "cocked it up".

 

[Mijoro]

Yes I agree with that... Sorry had a brain fart I guess. And yes I agree that they have cocked it up.

 

[ozmaddie]

Hi guys, so I just got the Visa in my hands! But need to ask a question if anyone knows: I am planning on heading over to move permanently in March 2014, BUT I want to go to Hawaii for a small holiday this December before and then obviously return to Australia before making the move to the US. Does anyone know if I can enter Hawaii and get my visa activated there in December then head to the mainland in March? Or can the visa only be activated on the mainland? Is it also ok to just enter the US for a week and then leave straight away? I believe you can do this but you have a year to re enter again. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mijoro]

First of all congratulations.

Yes you can activate it but you will need a valid address to send your ss and gc to.

 

[Mijoro]

How did your interview go? Can you tell us a little about your experience.

 

[badabingbada]

Need to know how fresh the police check has to be by interview time, can a police check be 5 months old? 6 months old? how old can the police check be by the time you get to the interview?

Also, has anyone got a police check, which one do you get? How long did it take, and does it include traffic fines etc? Or only serilous stuff?

]

 

[tonis]

Tonis, did he finish year 12?

Yes he did, but only gained School Certificate (NZ) not University Entrance which is what you need to enter university in NZ.

 

[tonis]

Very sorry to read that. Before you get too down, be specific about his education level attained and also the work he does.

He is a Senior Wastewater Operator and only scores a 6-7, not an 8 to qualify under employment status.:-(

 

[Crawf33]

How did your interview go? Can you tell us a little about your experience.

Maddie had her interview last week, the same day as me. She's already posted about it.

Need to know how fresh the police check has to be by interview time, can a police check be 5 months old? 6 months old? how old can the police check be by the time you get to the interview?

Also, has anyone got a police check, which one do you get? How long did it take, and does it include traffic fines etc? Or only serilous stuff?

]

The police check is valid for 12 months. If I recall you're in the 2000s somewhere - honestly I wouldn't even chance getting the police check (or medical) done until you have a decent idea when your interview will be (i.e. when your case number just misses the cut-off but you're pretty sure you'll be in the next month's rotation).

Mine took about three weeks to be returned to me, I'd say. I consulted the Queensland Police website and saw that the check required for visa processing was $184 (or so) and included fingerprinting etc. There were other cheaper ones but the website specified that was the one necessary for foreign visas. I went to the local police station and it took about half an hour to get done, fingerprints and all.

Mine came back clean but I doubt it includes traffic fines because it said there are "no court outcomes in the processes of the Australian police services". I take that to mean no charges have been ever laid against me that I've come into the court system to deal with. Speeding tickets and parking fines etc I would assume are okay because you don't go to court to pay those.

 

[ozmaddie]

Hi badabingbada I think it may depend on which state you are from. I'm from NSW and I only needed the standard one (no fingerprints required). It only cost around $54 to get and took around 1 week from application till it arrived in the mail. Hope this helps.

Need to know how fresh the police check has to be by interview time, can a police check be 5 months old? 6 months old? how old can the police check be by the time you get to the interview?

Also, has anyone got a police check, which one do you get? How long did it take, and does it include traffic fines etc? Or only serilous stuff?

]

 

[tonis]

Yes he did, but only gained School Certificate (NZ) not University Entrance which is what you need to enter university in NZ.

After investigating further is appears that School Certificate is equal only to Year 11 schooling. "NCEA replaces the previous qualifications of School Certificate (Year 11), Sixth Form Certificate (Year 12), and Bursary and Higher School Certificate (Year 13)"
The bright side is if I win next year (thinking positive) I will qualify through schooling as I have Sixth Form Certificate.

 

[Britsimon]

He is a Senior Wastewater Operator and only scores a 6-7, not an 8 to qualify under employment status.:-(

"Senior" sounds hopeful. The job title is not the whole story. If he supervises/manages staff or projects that can help so you might be able to show his seniority makes him a manager. Qualifying on work experience is harder, but a well prepared case has a chance to go through. There was a case in DV2013 of someone (Australian)with marginal experience and they got approved.

 

[Mijoro]

"Senior" sounds hopeful. The job title is not the whole story. If he supervises/manages staff or projects that can help so you might be able to show his seniority makes him a manager. Qualifying on work experience is harder, but a well prepared case has a chance to go through. There was a case in DV2013 of someone (Australian)with marginal experience and they got approved.

Once again Simon is right, there is still hope. I guess now it's up to you if you want to persue it further. Me personally I would be as there are no guarantees you will be chosen again.

 

[Mijoro]

Anyone in here opened an American Citibank account while still in Australia. I have been trying to do it with no luck

 

[badabingbada]

"Hi badabingbada I think it may depend on which state you are from. I'm from NSW and I only needed the standard one (no fingerprints required)."

Well thank you , but this begs the question, how did you know? I'm in vic. What one do I need? I will try adn find out myself but as usual, the kind and generous selfless and amazing people of this forum might tell me, worth a shot.

Thanking yous all. Bonza mate.

(I'm laying on the Aussie slang thick because you're gonna miss it, or not, when you exit this country)

 

[Crawf33]

You don't just open an American Citibank account - you open an account here and put cash in it, then go to a Citibank branch in the US and open one there. The bank then facilitates the transfer, seeing that you're already an account holder. That's the way I understand it to work.

Anyone in here opened an American Citibank account while still in Australia. I have been trying to do it with no luck

 

[tonis]

"Senior" sounds hopeful. The job title is not the whole story. If he supervises/manages staff or projects that can help so you might be able to show his seniority makes him a manager. Qualifying on work experience is harder, but a well prepared case has a chance to go through. There was a case in DV2013 of someone (Australian)with marginal experience and they got approved.

Thanks for the ray of hope britsimon. What would we need to do to improve his chances, contact a good immigration lawyer?

 

[Britsimon]

Thanks for the ray of hope britsimon. What would we need to do to improve his chances, contact a good immigration lawyer?

You don't need an immigration lawyer - they really do not know the DV process (because they get little, if any, exposure to it) and you could end up spending money on a fruitless effort.

The trick is this...

On the O*Net database each job has a rating as you are aware (the level needed being Job Zone 4, SVP Range, 7.0 to < 8.0). You need to find a role that matches what he does, not what his title is. You can be a bit creative with the titles because they don't match.

So - I did a search for Waste water and hey presto here is one that matches (AND QUALIFIES!). So, Your hubby is now a Water/Wastewater Engineer!!! The operator tag would kill it, so engineer is what he would have to be described as. There may be others that are better for him, so have a browse around O*Net.
http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/17-2081.01

By the way that role says Bright Outlook meaning it there are good prospects for someone in that job...

If you look at the summary and details of the tasks perfomed by a wastewater engineer, you can almost go down the list and tick off how close his role is to that description. IF you get a good level of matching, then you should be able to build a case around that. You would need a detailed CV, affadavits from managers/workmates etc. You would need to build a picture of him doing an engineering role, rather than standing knee deep in crap. I'm sure you see what I mean. Have a think and a chat with hubby. I'll find the thread of the couple that were successful just a couple of months ago and I am sure they would be able to help you compile a file if you wanted to go ahead.

EDIT: Here is the other case I was thinking of... http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?559396-Qualifying-for-DV-by-Work-Experience

 

[Vichel]

Anyone in here opened an American Citibank account while still in Australia. I have been trying to do it with no luck

I doubt you can do that. While I was still living in Perth, I opened a Citibank account there. When I was next in the US (not as a Green Card holder, but on a B1/B2 temp visa), I opened a Citibank account in San Diego.

I found their exchange rates to be excellent and could do online transfers from Oz to the US myself, avoiding wire transfer fees.

 

[Mijoro]

You don't just open an American Citibank account - you open an account here and put cash in it, then go to a Citibank branch in the US and open one there. The bank then facilitates the transfer, seeing that you're already an account holder. That's the way I understand it to work.

I doubt you can do that. While I was still living in Perth, I opened a Citibank account there. When I was next in the US (not as a Green Card holder, but on a B1/B2 temp visa), I opened a Citibank account in San Diego.

I found their exchange rates to be excellent and could do online transfers from Oz to the US myself, avoiding wire transfer fees.

Awesome thanks guys, I wanted to start transferring money into an American account, but I will just use my aus citibank account as a small savings account till I open one over there and then transfer it across.