DV 2011 AOS Only

[khayat]

Izzy120,
Thank for the details. I called up USCIS twice both times they told me apply for AOS when your number is current and they said there is no need for me to go to the local office at any point. Called KCC twice and they told me I have to go to the local office and they will tell me what to do. I don't know if I actually need to go to the local office or not. Did you go to the local office and did it help? did they say anything different from the central USCIS?

Thanks

Zahidal,

To clear any confusions, I think the best thing you can do now is to call KCC and USCIS (or even better get an infopass on your local USCIS) to learn about the next step, if you are doing AOS. Not all people in USCIS are well informed about the DV AOS. I was in the same situation as you are now, I called up KCC and USCIS 5 different times in 5 different days so I could get a consistent answer about what the next process should be, some told me (KCC), that I need to send both forms, some said, send pictures too and some said, just go to USCIS. So, when it comes to people in KCC and USCIS, they also don't have a better idea about this DV thing. To be on the safe side, I sent both forms, and pictures, to KCC included a cover letter saying that I will be doing AOS (although I still mentioned "BCIS" on DSP 122 q. #4). The thing is that you need the 2nd letter from KCC confirming your intention to pursue DV via AOS, AND you need the receipt for the DV fee you pay to DOS in St. Louis plus the NL1 & NL2 when you send your AOS package to USCIS. I suggest you read the instructions for the I-485 forms, things will clear up for you (it will ask on what basis you are filing AOS, if you answer DV, it will ask you to include the winning notification letter). Not all people from DV 2010 AOS thread received the information package, I spent days and nights reading that thread and it has been BEYOND useful. Like you, I also consulted a reputed lawyer not knowing what to do at first, wasted my money, he told me up front, his firm does not handle that many DV cases. He basically told me what I could easily find elsewhere on the internet. This is my opinion and I am just trying to help you out as I have been in the same situation. KCC and USCIS are definitely THE place to start calling to clear up confusions.

Take care.

 

[sundaram]

To Izzy120 and Every one,

Thank you for your valuable insights. I did the same thing as everyone did just to be in the safe side (sent both DSP-122 and DS 230 and photos to KCC). And will wait until I get NL2 to pay fee to DOS. I am planning to get all my documents compiled and ready and include everything (just to be in the safe side eg. copies Birth certificate both original and translated, copies of all degrees earned, copies of both NL1 and NL2 etc.). I am hoping that the visa bulletin of September which will be published around the 15th of August will provide some insight to when is our no. most likely going to be current. I still have a question though that is it ok or not to file AOS once the no. is shown on the second table where the cutoff date for the month after is shown.

AS00009xxx

Good luck to everyone.

 

[khayat]

No, You send your stuff right when your number is current. I asked USCIS. Send it overnight on the first day of the months. any idea on the local uscis local office question of mine?

To Izzy120 and Every one,

Thank you for your valuable insights. I did the same thing as everyone did just to be in the safe side (sent both DSP-122 and DS 230 and photos to KCC). And will wait until I get NL2 to pay fee to DOS. I am planning to get all my documents compiled and ready and include everything (just to be in the safe side eg. copies Birth certificate both original and translated, copies of all degrees earned, copies of both NL1 and NL2 etc.). I am hoping that the visa bulletin of September which will be published around the 15th of August will provide some insight to when is our no. most likely going to be current. I still have a question though that is it ok or not to file AOS once the no. is shown on the second table where the cutoff date for the month after is shown.

AS00009xxx

Good luck to everyone.

 

[sundaram]

Khayat,

Although I have never been to local USCIS office, I don't think they will provide us with any thing new that we are not aware of. And from what I have heard so far most of the local USCIS personal are not familiar with the DV AOS process. But, you can try and see if you have time and let us know if you learn anything new.

 

[Sand2010]

2011AS00012xxx

I received my letter from KCC and currently working on a H1 visa. I'm worried that my case # is too high for Asia region and can’t decide if I should go for CP or AOS. From my understanding if I go for AOS my case # will be current in next year April or May and I'm worried that by that time I'm getting too close to Sept 2011 deadline to receive a GC and run out of available GC by that time.

Anyone who had a high case # and received their GC through AOS advise me?

Can some please explain how Consular processing works? And if I have a high case # does that impact Consular processing?

Thanks for your help!

 

[sdang003]

hi

What qualification do you have at the moment? Use that even if you are currently pursuing a degree program. If there is space for you, you can write both your primary and middle schools over there. There is no instruction about which level to start.

So i should check the box college no degree ..since i am doing college right now..and its not finished...or should check both the high school diploma and college no degree...or just high school diploma? please reply..Thank you for your help..

 

[Moye]

Does anybody know of someone who got the GC application rejected after having won the lottery? What are the most common reason why Immigration would deny your green card application?

 

[zahidal]

Izzy120, Khayat and ALL,

Today I went to local USCIS office in NJ. That guy was not that much informative about the DV/AOS. He was telling me the 'its immigration office' they know about i-485 and corresponding forms. Then I asked him what about the DPS and DS forms he said those are Department of State forms so contact with them. Then I told him that in the website it was mentioned that for next instructions go to local USCIS. But he clearly told me that he only knows about i-485, he has now idea about the instructions I should ask DOS. So it looks like they are making a "circular reference" which looks like endless loop for me. Thats why I have also decided to send DPS-122 and DS-230 forms to KCC.

Now I can tell we as a whole contacted with every possible contact person and tried every possible ways.

A different question: my serial number is 15XXX. I have seen people are asking if some one has high serial number in that case should he go for AOS or CP? Is there any relation between high serial number and AOS/CP? If it is proven that CP process is faster or has high priority than AOS in that case I might think of going back to my country for CP.

Thanks

 

[sundaram]

Zahidal,

AOS normally takes about 3 to 5 months after you submit I-485 and CP normally takes about 1 month at your home country, so the decision is yours. Since everything must be completed with in Sept. 30th 2011, if you think your no. will not be current within May, June I would think AOS would be the better option if not CP.

 

[umuteren]

Izzy120, Khayat and ALL,

Today I went to local USCIS office in NJ. That guy was not that much informative about the DV/AOS. He was telling me the 'its immigration office' they know about i-485 and corresponding forms. Then I asked him what about the DPS and DS forms he said those are Department of State forms so contact with them. Then I told him that in the website it was mentioned that for next instructions go to local USCIS. But he clearly told me that he only knows about i-485, he has now idea about the instructions I should ask DOS. So it looks like they are making a "circular reference" which looks like endless loop for me. Thats why I have also decided to send DPS-122 and DS-230 forms to KCC.

Now I can tell we as a whole contacted with every possible contact person and tried every possible ways.

A different question: my serial number is 15XXX. I have seen people are asking if some one has high serial number in that case should he go for AOS or CP? Is there any relation between high serial number and AOS/CP? If it is proven that CP process is faster or has high priority than AOS in that case I might think of going back to my country for CP.

Thanks

Hi zahidal,
it was very bad to hear that NJ local uscis office was not konwledgable about AOS. I am also going to follow my AOS process in NJ.If your case number is high, then you will be current on the visa bulletin later than the people whose case number is low. That means, you will have less time to finish your AOS process. You have to adjust your status in U.S until the end of fiscal year of DV2011 LOTTERY YEAR, which is end of September 2011. After that date, you will not be able to get your green card.
So its very important to start the AOS process as early as you can. But another fact is that you can not start your AOS process before your case number is current on the visa bulletin.There are many information on earlier AOS pages regarding CP versus AOS.Godd luck

 

[Izzy120]

2011AS00012xxx

I received my letter from KCC and currently working on a H1 visa. I'm worried that my case # is too high for Asia region and can’t decide if I should go for CP or AOS. From my understanding if I go for AOS my case # will be current in next year April or May and I'm worried that by that time I'm getting too close to Sept 2011 deadline to receive a GC and run out of available GC by that time.

Anyone who had a high case # and received their GC through AOS advise me?

Can some please explain how Consular processing works? And if I have a high case # does that impact Consular processing?

Thanks for your help!

Sand,

The details about CP process is outlined in the DOS website:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_4759.html

Look at step 2, 3, and 4 and it will give you a clear idea, if not you can always contact KCC and ask what you need to do if you are doing CP. You will need to indicate your local country's consulate office on DSP 122 q. #4. Whether doing CP or AOS, we all need to wait until our number becomes current, per 2010 VB, your number became current in March/April. Presuming the same for 2011 (which can change of course), you will have enough time (give at least 4 months) if you want to do AOS. I am not that experienced to say if your number is high/low, so I suggest you get some idea from 2010 AOS thread. Keep an eye on the VB and you will get an idea. If you want to go via CP, you still need to wait for your number to become current and KCC will inform you 6-8 weeks before your interview date in your country. Either way, you should go with what you feel more comfortable with. We all have plenty of time before FY2011 and we can utilize this time by doing research on our options, depending on our individual situation, this way we will learn better and help us make better decisions, and of course we are all here to support each other.

 

[Izzy120]

To Izzy120 and Every one,

Thank you for your valuable insights. I did the same thing as everyone did just to be in the safe side (sent both DSP-122 and DS 230 and photos to KCC). And will wait until I get NL2 to pay fee to DOS. I am planning to get all my documents compiled and ready and include everything (just to be in the safe side eg. copies Birth certificate both original and translated, copies of all degrees earned, copies of both NL1 and NL2 etc.). I am hoping that the visa bulletin of September which will be published around the 15th of August will provide some insight to when is our no. most likely going to be current. I still have a question though that is it ok or not to file AOS once the no. is shown on the second table where the cutoff date for the month after is shown.

AS00009xxx

Good luck to everyone.

Sundaram,

Khayat is right, send your AOS package only when your number becomes current (for eg, if your number becomes current in Oct/Nov, send it so that it is delivered to the Chicago lockbox on the 1st or 2nd of the month in which your number becomes current). However, there has been much debate on the fact that you could send AOS package 90 days before your date becomes current. I do not want to confuse you, but it is not really written in stone, and no one knows if there is any such policy followed by USCIS. However, you cannot file before FY2011. One of the USCIS personnel I spoke with mentioned this too but he didn't have much details to offer when I asked. So, I am going to play safe and send mine only when my number becomes current, as there is a chance your file might be rejected or even denied for filing early. I read from 2010 or 2009 (I can't really remember which year) that one person's file got rejected for sending it a day early (the person intended to have it delivered on the 1st, but the courier delivered a day early).

 

[Izzy120]

So i should check the box college no degree ..since i am doing college right now..and its not finished...or should check both the high school diploma and college no degree...or just high school diploma? please reply..Thank you for your help..

Sdang,

Your qualification is high school+, even if you finished your college or not. When sending your application, request and send transcripts for your college so that they know you are pursuing a college degree, indicate when you started and when you expect to complete it (put it on a separate sheet if you want). I think you will be OK to send documentation since your high school and beyond but I have seen few people send paperwork before high school. All they want to know is if you are qualified for DV (which is completion of at least high school).

 

[Izzy120]

Izzy120,
Thank for the details. I called up USCIS twice both times they told me apply for AOS when your number is current and they said there is no need for me to go to the local office at any point. Called KCC twice and they told me I have to go to the local office and they will tell me what to do. I don't know if I actually need to go to the local office or not. Did you go to the local office and did it help? did they say anything different from the central USCIS?

Thanks

Khayat and Zahidal and everyone else,

USCIS is right in saying that you should apply "when your number becomes current" and it is frustrating that they won't say anything more than that. AND KCC is right in saying "contact local USCIS to see if you are eligible." But that really does not help us. I do not know for what reasons, both KCC and USCIS refuse to fill in on the process in between. No, I did not go to the local USCIS office because I wasn't expecting a better answer than that. I have read from 2010 thread that once people started getting NL1 and went to local USCIS offices, all they wanted to know was if they had received the NL2 and paid the DOS fee, if they had, THEN they would start talking, and even then, they won't do anything more than give you a huge bundle of AOS package and say "send it when your number becomes current."

Luckily, on my several attempts in calling USCIS, I spoke with one lady (who in fact was from DV Dept.). She explained the process to me. I basically expressed my frustration with the runaround both KCC and USCIS was giving me. Acting ignorant, I asked her, how would I know if I am eligible to apply for AOS, and she said that as long as you have been in legal status in the US, you can adjust to status, not satisfied, I told her, I am on H4, so I am eligible right? And she said, yes, as long as you have been in a legal non-immigrant status. Then I told her about the KCC instructions on the NL1, and she told me, do what they are asking you to do, you need to inform them that you will be adjusting to status, they will ask you to pay the DV fee, send the fee, and keep the receipt as you will need it to send it with the AOS package (so that the USCIS VO working on your file will know you are adjusting to status based on DV, also include the winning letter, that is your proof that you are a DV winner). This in fact is outlined on the 485 instructions. Then she said, once you pay the fee, KCC will forward the file to USCIS and will no longer be responsible for your case (which is also outlined in the DOS webpage for AOS). And she told me, then you basically wait for your number to become current. She asked me if I knew how to read the VB, I said yes. She asked me if I wanted her to explain the AOS process, I said, sure. So, she said that when your number becomes current, make sure you have all the documentation for AOS (which is outlined on the USCIS DV AOS webpage) and send the complete application to USCIS as soon as possible and you will receive notice of action sometime later, then you just wait for further instructions on biometrics, the date and place will be assigned to you for that.

I must admit that although most people working in USCIS and KCC are overworked frustrated people, who are always grumpy and not willing to say more than they are required to, there are in fact, very few people who are willing to help. There was another guy I spoke with, he was nice and was willing to help too, but he was not that well informed and basically read to me from some document or something. After that, I basically started doing my research, put the pieces together, I suggest you all definitely do some reading on the USCIS webpage for DV AOS, including all the forms and the instructions, you will be able to put the pieces together. You would think that this would be an easier process, but it is once you know the basics.

Again, in my case, I sent both the forms, plus pictures, plus a cover letter to KCC indicating in bold that I will be doing AOS. This is what I did because it felt right and safer than not sending anything to KCC. Sending these forms back to KCC basically means that you want to pursue the DV thing and it lets KCC know about it and about your decision whether to do AOS or CP, then they will take it from there.

Hope this helps guys...

 

[dv2011]

Hi all,

I have recently mailed the DSP122 & 2 Photos & Barcode Sheet to KCC. I am single, and I thought only married applicants were supposed to send DS230. Do you think KCC may reject my initial application?

 

[keepkeep]

Guys,

I sent the DSP-122 and the photos to KCC and the tracking number stated that it has been delivered.
Will the KCC confirm with us that they have indeed received the package?
Thanks.

keepkeep

 

[lucky2011]

Hi all,

I have recently mailed the DSP122 & 2 Photos & Barcode Sheet to KCC. I am single, and I thought only married applicants were supposed to send DS230. Do you think KCC may reject my initial application?

Why are you worrying that much ?? You did the exact right thing by sending only DSP122 + 2 photos+barcode to KCC. There's no reason for KCC to reject you

 

[Freedom_N]

Question eligibility on for AOS after being out of status but grandfathered from LIFE act

Hello,
I received the NL on May 11th and my number is 2011EU00029xxx
I'm in the US for 11 years now, out of status.
However, i was here in 2000 and applied for Labor certification before that April 2001 deadline to qualify for LIFE act (245i). Years later i applied for a visa when my date became current, but the employer was not financially sound and my I-140 and concurrent I-485 was denied.
I searched the web and found in many placed that the fact that i applied and my application was "approve-able when filed" makes me grandfathered such that i would be qualified/eligible to AOS. Of course, along the I-485, I would have to also submit I-485-A section 245(i), and additional $1000 fine.
I would like to know what you guys think. I would appreciate if someone actually managed to do AOS with being not in status but got the GC by being "grandfathered" from the LIFE act/ 245(i).

 

[dv2011]

Why are you worrying that much ?? You did the exact right thing by sending only DSP122 + 2 photos+barcode to KCC. There's no reason for KCC to reject you

lucky2011,

Thanks for soothing answer... I got worried for a while as I read somewhere in this thread that both forms had to be sent to KCC. I guess, there is not a specific guideline on that one!

 

[keepkeep]

DV fee of $375

Guys,

I am confused again.
Some people said that we need to pay the DV fee for $375 first before you can get the 2nd NL.
Some people said you can wait until you get the 2nd NL before paying the fee. Which is the right one? What if we already paid the fee but do not get the 2nd NL?
Please help, thanks.

keepkeep