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DV-2012 winners from South Africa??
- Thread starter saunj11
- Start date
How to get a copy of your Matric Certificate URGENTLY!
Can anyone point me in the direction of a company that can arrange a copy of my matric certificate before the 18th? I know that this seems to be rather last minute but it seems as though I have been messed around by the company that applied for mine. Surely it does not take 6 weeks for mail to reach their offices?
If I don't get my original in time for my interview, should I rather postpone the interview date or go in without the document stating that I am waiting for the original to arrive? What would be the best way to handle this unfortunate issue that I am faced with at this last minute?
Can anyone point me in the direction of a company that can arrange a copy of my matric certificate before the 18th? I know that this seems to be rather last minute but it seems as though I have been messed around by the company that applied for mine. Surely it does not take 6 weeks for mail to reach their offices?
If I don't get my original in time for my interview, should I rather postpone the interview date or go in without the document stating that I am waiting for the original to arrive? What would be the best way to handle this unfortunate issue that I am faced with at this last minute?
Ice Queen,
You could try www . docassist . co . za
Looks like they might be able to help
Thanks for that. I have sent off an email.
Ice Queen,
You could try www . docassist . co . za
Looks like they might be able to help
Very efficient! If you need any documents completed, I would highly recommend this company. My new application has been submitted already and the person whom I communicated with was very professional and quick in responding.
How much did they quote for a copy of your matric certificate?Can anyone point me in the direction of a company that can arrange a copy of my matric certificate before the 18th?
Their website quotes R7000 for an Unabridged Marriage certificate (with expedited mail service)!! I hope that is just a typo and should be R700.
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Our interview is on Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi. Finally we have all documents on hand.
Its almost time to find out if we get this green card or not!
All the best! Do come back with ur sweet talk script.
azharkhalid
Registered Users (C)
Good Luck Ice Queen. Do come back with your complete experience from step in embassy to step out. As i am also in Dubai, so would like to know the details.
Once again Good Luck...
Once again Good Luck...
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Bittersweet moment!
Hi All,
We had our interview this morning. The process was very similar to the processes that others have been posting about so I won't go into detail.
My daughter and myself were successful but my husband has been placed under AP. I had the option to take the visa immediately for us but chose to have them give the visas once my husband's AP is complete. So now we just have to wait. Hopefully we get it before the numbers for Africa run out and the processing is complete before 30 September 2012.
Hi All,
We had our interview this morning. The process was very similar to the processes that others have been posting about so I won't go into detail.
My daughter and myself were successful but my husband has been placed under AP. I had the option to take the visa immediately for us but chose to have them give the visas once my husband's AP is complete. So now we just have to wait. Hopefully we get it before the numbers for Africa run out and the processing is complete before 30 September 2012.
azharkhalid
Registered Users (C)
Gratz Ice Queen...hope ur husband's process finishes ASAP...Congrats once again
Finally Success!
By chance I went on to the Abu Dhabi website to check the status of our case last night and it states that our visa is ready to issue! I thought the AP would take much longer than that. My guess is that my husband went under AP when we applied for our tourist visa 3 years ago and that took over 4 months then so this time it was much quicker. The wheel is now in motion.
Going to be a rather interesting year for us. We going to India on 25 January for a few days. Plan to go to Kenya in February for a masai mara. US in March to activate our green cards and then South Africa in April to have baby 2 who is due in Jun/Jul. Hopefully we will get all baby docs ready in time to come back to Dubai in September.
How long can one be out of the country after you activate your green card? By my calculation it looks like it will be at least 7 months as we plan to activate in March (probably around the middle of the month) and then move by the end of September or beginning of October.
By chance I went on to the Abu Dhabi website to check the status of our case last night and it states that our visa is ready to issue! I thought the AP would take much longer than that. My guess is that my husband went under AP when we applied for our tourist visa 3 years ago and that took over 4 months then so this time it was much quicker. The wheel is now in motion.
Going to be a rather interesting year for us. We going to India on 25 January for a few days. Plan to go to Kenya in February for a masai mara. US in March to activate our green cards and then South Africa in April to have baby 2 who is due in Jun/Jul. Hopefully we will get all baby docs ready in time to come back to Dubai in September.
How long can one be out of the country after you activate your green card? By my calculation it looks like it will be at least 7 months as we plan to activate in March (probably around the middle of the month) and then move by the end of September or beginning of October.
According to the "rules" you may be out of the US for up to 12 months.How long can one be out of the country after you activate your green card? By my calculation it looks like it will be at least 7 months as we plan to activate in March (probably around the middle of the month) and then move by the end of September or beginning of October.
In practise though, absences of more than 6 months are looked at closely by CBP officers for possible abandonment of permanent residency. In light of this it would is adviseable to not exceed 6 months. I was out for 5 months and was given a lecture by the CBP officer when I returned.
Here is a link to the USCIS website about maintaining your Permanent Residency and International travel as Permanent Resident.
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According to the "rules" you may be out of the US for up to 12 months.
In practise though, absences of more than 6 months are looked at closely by CBP officers for possible abandonment of permanent residency. In light of this it would is adviseable to not exceed 6 months. I was out for 5 months and was given a lecture by the CBP officer when I returned.
Here is a link to the USCIS website about maintaining your Permanent Residency and International travel as Permanent Resident.
Thanks Superkruz. I'm hoping that the fact that I am going back to SA to have baby would be reason enough for them to accept that we will be out of the country for longer than 6 months. Would be impossible for us to tie up everything here plus plan having a baby in another country.
Hi
Am a dv winner from kenya....41*** and will be doing my interview in Abu dhabi. I have few questions for you regarding procedures;
1.How many photos did you take along with you
2.Where did you go for your medicals?Am in dubai.
3.What else is required differently from other embassies
Just received an email notifying me of my 2nd NL. Logged on and my date has been set for December 18. Am already so excited and nervous!
Am a dv winner from kenya....41*** and will be doing my interview in Abu dhabi. I have few questions for you regarding procedures;
1.How many photos did you take along with you
2.Where did you go for your medicals?Am in dubai.
3.What else is required differently from other embassies
As I said you are putting yourself at risk if you are absent for more than 6 months. US immigration is different than other countries in the sense that the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has a lot of discretion, which may work against you if he is in a bad mood on the day of your arrival. Fortunately, a CBP officer does not have the authority to take away your Green card if he suspects abandonment - he may admit you "on parole", which means you must appear before an immigration judge to plead your case why the Green Card should not be taken away. Only an immigration judge has the authority to strip you of your Green card.I'm hoping that the fact that I am going back to SA to have baby would be reason enough for them to accept that we will be out of the country for longer than 6 months.
To you and me it sounds fair to be away for more than 6 months, but our opinion does not matter... the CBP officers' (and possibly the Judge) opinions are the only ones that really matter. There are certain things they look at when considering abandonment, and if you should fall foul of these you could be in strive.
Maybe I am being alarmist here, but I guess it is better that you are informed, rather than ignorant, of the possible problems you may encounter.
You obviously have good reasons for having you child back in SA but I was wondering why you don't have the child in the US. From an immigration point of view this would be better as the child would then automatically be a US citizen by birth. I just thought I would mention this to you in case you did not know it.Would be impossible for us to tie up everything here plus plan having a baby in another country.
Am a dv winner from kenya....41*** and will be doing my interview in Abu dhabi. I have few questions for you regarding procedures;
1.How many photos did you take along with you
2.Where did you go for your medicals?Am in dubai.
3.What else is required differently from other embassies
Hi there. The process was pretty simple and straightforward from what I could see.
Answers to your questions:
1. I took 2 extra photos per person. Since we sent 2 pics per application to KCC they were already stapled to the forms. The guy who was collecting our documents did ask for another one for me since one was slightly damaged.
2. I scheduled an appointment at NMC. It was cheaper than Prime Medical center. If you don't drive, you can take the metro (green line) to Abu Hail station. Its right in front of the station. There is only one Dr. that does medicals so I would suggest going in early as it took over 4 hours for us. Cost at NMC was Dhs425 whereas Prime quoted Dhs1125. All excluding vaccinations.
3. There was nothing different required. Don't worry about the 3/4 frontal portrait pics. They didn't even ask me. I think its mainly for other visa categories.
Good luck. I have updated by interview process in the Abu Dhabi thread.
As I said you are putting yourself at risk if you are absent for more than 6 months. US immigration is different than other countries in the sense that the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has a lot of discretion, which may work against you if he is in a bad mood on the day of your arrival. Fortunately, a CBP officer does not have the authority to take away your Green card if he suspects abandonment - he may admit you "on parole", which means you must appear before an immigration judge to plead your case why the Green Card should not be taken away. Only an immigration judge has the authority to strip you of your Green card.
To you and me it sounds fair to be away for more than 6 months, but our opinion does not matter... the CBP officers' (and possibly the Judge) opinions are the only ones that really matter. There are certain things they look at when considering abandonment, and if you should fall foul of these you could be in strive.
Maybe I am being alarmist here, but I guess it is better that you are informed, rather than ignorant, of the possible problems you may encounter.
You obviously have good reasons for having you child back in SA but I was wondering why you don't have the child in the US. From an immigration point of view this would be better as the child would then automatically be a US citizen by birth. I just thought I would mention this to you in case you did not know it.
Thanks for letting me know about how CBP works but will have to take the chance and fight in front of an immigration judge if need be. Right now I have already made arrangements to have baby in SA in a birthing center. I also have my own personal reasons as to why I'm having the second in SA. First was all alone in a foreign country with no support and ended up in an unnecessary c-sec and am planning natural and not in a hospital environment. US rates of c-secs are extremely high and I won't get an intervention free birth as hoped. They love cutting people up to suit schedules and after all the unnecessary interventions. And to top it all off, I don't have insurance and costs might go up to $50k! Don't want to start in a new country like that. We have weighed all the pros and cons and it would be extremely difficult to have the second one all alone with no support and fighting for a VBAC. Of course it would make sense to just have the baby there and get the US citizenship for him/her immediately but we all will be waiting for 5 years in any case. I think having a baby in US for those without green cards works but since we will hold ours in won't make a big difference.