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DV 2015 Oceania winners

Nikilee_nik said:
Hi everyone! I have just found this forum and it is such a wealth of knowledge! Thank you everyone. I am just wondering, as I have not read it anywhere, whether the interview letter has gone out for those whose number has just got current? My number went current for the month of May (2015OC000010XX) however I have still not received any further information. Is this normal? I only completed the form in November last year. Will this hinder my chances in ever getting an interview even if my number has gone current?

Thank you everyone for your help :):):)
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In addition to the response provided above by @EmilyW, it's possible to be scheduled for an interview without receiving the email notifying you you've been scheduled. So if you haven't already checked, I suggest you check the ESC site to see if your notification letter has been replaced by an IL. If there's no IL uploaded there, then it means you've possibly missed out on being scheduled for May and you have to wait for the June notification to come out.
 
Hershal said:
I guess I just thought there would be all information regarding it. There was no congratulations or welcome the USA. a little disappointing ha.

Is the stamp that you get that's valid for a year just look like an entry stamp? As that's all it seems we got.
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Yes, the entry stamp on the visa is the "endorsement" they refer to.

Surprised you didn't get someone saying 'welcome' but in general yes, no questions and no info...
 
Hershal said:
I guess I just thought there would be all information regarding it. There was no congratulations or welcome the USA. a little disappointing ha.
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@Hershal

welcome_2438.gif

Welcome-USA-english.gif
 
Awwwwwww. Guys and gals. How nice is that. Ha. See that's what I was expecting at the entry gate. A flag a banner some exploding fireworks. How dare they be professional and formal. Maybe it was because there was another family there after us that didn't really speak good English and another woman that has a really bad cough. More interested in them than us. End of the day. Doesn't matter. Here now. Did our POE. So now to tackle SSN and a bank account.
 
Hi it is Martin here, wife n kids waiting for May interview...

Regarding Hershel's bank account - We are still aussie foreigners, but I have been doing business in usa (2 US companies there) and filing my IRS tax there for 3 years now - but using an EIN for my personal bank account, using my US company as a reference, and even then I had a contact at the bank. I was unable to get a US credit file without a SSN. They really clamped down on secured credit card loans - and for the time it takes to find the right bank and right person in the right branch - (you might be lucky) I would just wait for my SSN - banking in the US is a bit archaic - when I moved my company details from CA to TX - I had to open another (Bank of America) account - different state laws etc - not like aussie 100% portable. Maybe things have improved in the last few years, and in different states. But anyway if you are bored - go try - they can only say no - and at least you may be able to do the paperwork and have it sitting ready to go when the SSN arrives. (it's a security fall out from the 911 changes).
 
PS: here is a tip - choose the bank brand you want, then go to the biggest and busiest branch in the city area - they are more likely to just push it through and be more accustomed/experienced to new residents etc. The toll free lines are useless unless they can understand your accent - probably ok in NY etc, but down in TX - I don't speak Spanish and don't have a southern drawl - very difficult to communicate at first. I now have Mexican contacts with spanish and drawls that can assist when required!
 
@martinskypemartin
Thanks for the information. We are over here for two weeks so we were hoping to get SSN and maybe a bank account sorted. Bank account and getting a credit history would be great. But maybe not as easy as first thought. We may have hit a hurdle in getting our SSN as we only have our passports. We didn't bring our original birth cerificates with us ( I know. Bad mistake. But I was just not thinking about it ). Might not even be able to get our SSN sorted. Going to go in and ask anyways. If not. We have Citibank and hsbc in Australia so was thinking of setting up accounts with them and maybe be able to get "some credit history" transferred across. Every bit counts I would say. Can only do what you can do.
 
martinskypemartin said:
PS: here is a tip - choose the bank brand you want, then go to the biggest and busiest branch in the city area - they are more likely to just push it through and be more accustomed/experienced to new residents etc. The toll free lines are useless unless they can understand your accent - probably ok in NY etc, but down in TX - I don't speak Spanish and don't have a southern drawl - very difficult to communicate at first. I now have Mexican contacts with spanish and drawls that can assist when required!
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Funny you say regarding the accent as I was in a Denny's diner in Miami the other day and the guy though I was from New York from my accent. When I told him I was Australian he couldn't believe it.

I do have no idea what bank to go with at this moment. And honestly I don't really care too much. Except for the the fact I will want to continue doing business in Australia so I need some one international so was thinking Citi or hsbc.

Oh and it doesn't help either that I don't have a proper usa address yet. I am using an address from the agent that submitted my application last year ( don't judge me as my wife had been going through the same german agency (American Dream) for years and her family too, and honestly they have sent a heap of information regarding filling in ds260 and also allowing us to get our green card and SSN sent to their office in New York)
 
Hershal - don't worry about the address - as long as you have a physical one anywhere in the USA - to be honest, my office is in MS, not CA or TX - I don't do core business in MS at all - it just happened at the time back then to be a great place to set up an office with reliable people I trusted to do my company registrations / renewals, emails, scans, read my sensitive mail if necessary, and all those kind of services that if an important bill comes then you know about it before it is overdue and someone slaps a tax lien on you - and ruins your credit history before you even get one! Do not use an internet PO Box forwarding service - banks and Govt agencies hate them because they are often used for scams and they are often red flagged as dodgy by the agency.
 
Sm1smom said:
In addition to the response provided above by @EmilyW, it's possible to be scheduled for an interview without receiving the email notifying you you've been scheduled. So if you haven't already checked, I suggest you check the ESC site to see if your notification letter has been replaced by an IL. If there's no IL uploaded there, then it means you've possibly missed out on being scheduled for May and you have to wait for the June notification to come out.
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Thank you @EmilyW and @Sm1smom for your help. I submitted my form on the 19th of Nov and just checked the ESC site however do not have a IL. Hopefully it'll be there in June :)

Thank you once again.
 
We opened a Bank of America account (in Texas) when we were travelling in the US for an extended period of time. It was very easy, not sure how different it will be for immigration.

I'm still following on here when I can. Just trying to sell all our stuff and have everything done by the 25 April for our SA, WA, NT trip. We are departing for Hawaii on 8 June which is our POE.
 
martinskypemartin said:
PS: here is a tip - choose the bank brand you want, then go to the biggest and busiest branch in the city area - they are more likely to just push it through and be more accustomed/experienced to new residents etc. The toll free lines are useless unless they can understand your accent - probably ok in NY etc, but down in TX - I don't speak Spanish and don't have a southern drawl - very difficult to communicate at first. I now have Mexican contacts with spanish and drawls that can assist when required!
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I try and lift my voice and avoid the aussie-mumble. And speaking a bit more english-y helps with understanding.

In states with non-rhotic accents like Massachusetts there is no problem at all.
 
If I need to contact the embassy in sydney in regards to whether or not they have received my police records... What's the best way to do that? The number on the appointment interview sheet is no help.
 
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