DV 2015 Oceania winners

[reeko]

On the Medical test, is there any way of reducing the time this will take? For example - getting the vaccinations separately/in advance and presenting the documentation?

Just conscious of ‘time away from the office’ - 2 hrs plus for a doctors visit might raise some suspicion! (Yes, aware that its trivial given what’s at stake, but also conscious of not souring ties with current place of employment given there’s no guarantees of what’s going to happen with the DV).

 

[Kiel]

@CBDK, @Kiel, @FBO, @SophiaP, did you all get an email today from the Consulate in Sydney regarding documents to bring etc?

If so, just a reminder that I converted the PDF checklists into Word and saved the word documents (for both principal and derivatives) into our Dropbox. We've lived in a few places over the years so it made the previous addresses section, in particular, alot easier to navigate by typing, as opposed to writing, it all in.

Thought I had that email somewhere but it went missing. Thanks for this. Just some clarification required as to the US address for the green card to be sent... Is that a requirement? I thought it would get sent in the 3kg post bag back to my Australian address to take with me on the plane... Confused now

 

[guestgulkan]

THAT Sort Of Comment And The Height ID The aus dollar, Makes Me Think Australia Will Hit A Rough patch...

The comment you quoted it was for Auckland New Zealand..

imho the low dollar provides an economic cushion of sorts. Means we get more dollars for exports and our goods are cheaper.

 

[Aucklander]

The comment you quoted it was for Auckland New Zealand..

imho the low dollar provides an economic cushion of sorts. Means we get more dollars for exports and our goods are cheaper.

I must admit Auckland is one the worst examples you would find.
But I am sure a lot of the Aussies would attest to the fact income to loan ratios are starting to get pretty tough even in OZ.
Last I checked trying to buy a property in Sydney is hard yakka

 

[SusieQQQ]

Thought I had that email somewhere but it went missing. Thanks for this. Just some clarification required as to the US address for the green card to be sent... Is that a requirement? I thought it would get sent in the 3kg post bag back to my Australian address to take with me on the plane... Confused now

Not sure what 3kg post bag you are talking about, but you need a U.S. street address for your green card to get delivered to. If the post bag is what you get from the embassy, it has your passport with visa and visa packet in. You don't get a green card until you have landed in the U.S. and entered on your immigrant visa.

 

[Maisy]

Saw this on Ozbargain today - cheap return flights to LAX. Thought some of you guys would appreciate.

Air New Zealand

MEL $790
SYD $806
BNE $805
Gold Coast $867
ADL $984
PER $1039​

Valid for travel 12/06/15 to 15/09/15. Offer ends 22/04/15.

 

[Kiel]

Not sure what 3kg post bag you are talking about, but you need a U.S. street address for your green card to get delivered to. If the post bag is what you get from the embassy, it has your passport with visa and visa packet in. You don't get a green card until you have landed in the U.S. and entered on your immigrant visa.

OK, that makes more sense. It has on the list of things to take to the embassy in Sydney a 3kg 'self addressed post bag'. But knowing that my immigrant visa is in the bag and the green card is issued after I arrive answers my question. I guess I should put in here my friends address of which I intend to live with once I arrive? How do people go that don't have an address in the US yet?

 

[alwaysrose123]

I must admit Auckland is one the worst examples you would find.
But I am sure a lot of the Aussies would attest to the fact income to loan ratios are starting to get pretty tough even in OZ.
Last I checked trying to buy a property in Sydney is hard yakka

The Nz dollar is equal to Australian dollar this week. New Zealand economy is doing better than Australian. It was on the news last week. Yes our cost of living is high n house prices are rocketing high. We bought our house, brand new, 4bd, 2.5 bathrooms, brick n tile, Internal excess garage for $475,000 during recession 8 years back, similar houses are in their $690,000s . I gathered if we do get selected and get to migrate to USA, we will easily be able to buy a nice place in Texas, mortgage free. I think in the long run one needs to think about the quality of life and family.

 

[alwaysrose123]

This is definitely something we need to look into. We would be in the same situation, the rent would defiantly cover the mortgage. I just worry about tax as stated as from what I can work out you would have to include your Australian income on your US tax return and then again your US income in Australia. And Australia being a high tax

 

[alwaysrose123]

If we did rent out our home, I think the only issue I would have is whether the tenants take care pf your property. What if you get tenants from hell! [/QUOTE]

 

[EmilyW]

Thought I had that email somewhere but it went missing. Thanks for this. Just some clarification required as to the US address for the green card to be sent... Is that a requirement? I thought it would get sent in the 3kg post bag back to my Australian address to take with me on the plane... Confused now

Yes, Kiel, you get a 3kg Express Post and address it to yourself. They use that to send back your passports as well as the envelope for each of you to present when you first activate the visa at your POE.

On the checklist you fill out before the interview (check our dropbox which has the checklist in both PDF and Word format), you have to fill in the address AND the phone number you want the GC sent to. I am having mine sent to my brother, who lives in Boston. I think others who don't have anyone to send it to either put any address on the checklist and then change the address at the POE to one they can access.

 

[EmilyW]

On the Medical test, is there any way of reducing the time this will take? For example - getting the vaccinations separately/in advance and presenting the documentation?

Just conscious of ‘time away from the office’ - 2 hrs plus for a doctors visit might raise some suspicion! (Yes, aware that its trivial given what’s at stake, but also conscious of not souring ties with current place of employment given there’s no guarantees of what’s going to happen with the DV).

In my experience, getting some of the vaccinations done in advance didn't reduce the time at all. Husband had his done at the panel doctors and he was out quicker than me who had them done beforehand with our GP. This is in Melbourne though.

 

[james mathers]

Hi guys,
I am about to activate my visa in Hawaii, what is the procedure in terms of departure Customs forms in Australia and arrival Customs forms in USA if i'm only going on a 2 week activation trip? Do i fill in "leaving Australia permanently"? or state my reason for departing to USA as "temporary or vacation"? [as it is only a visa activation trip]. On the USA arrival side, do i need to fill in an arrival customs form stating "temporary stay"? [or do most people not fill in a form and just hand the embassy package at POE?]. Lastly, do i queue up in the visitors section as i would on a visa waiver?, or do most major USA airports have a "new immigrant" line? Just slightly confused as i'm only doing an activation trip with a plan for a move there within 6 months.

 

[Essey]

Hi guys,
I am about to activate my visa in Hawaii, what is the procedure in terms of departure Customs forms in Australia and arrival Customs forms in USA if i'm only going on a 2 week activation trip? Do i fill in "leaving Australia permanently"? or state my reason for departing to USA as "temporary or vacation"? [as it is only a visa activation trip]. On the USA arrival side, do i need to fill in an arrival customs form stating "temporary stay"? [or do most people not fill in a form and just hand the embassy package at POE?]. Lastly, do i queue up in the visitors section as i would on a visa waiver?, or do most major USA airports have a "new immigrant" line? Just slightly confused as i'm only doing an activation trip with a plan for a move there within 6 months.

When I did my activation only trip, I just put 'vacation' or whatever the temporary option is. I didn't put leaving permanently until my final move.

When you get to POE, unless there's a specific 'New Immigrants' sign, you just go in the Visitor line not the Permanent Resident line. There were only 2 options (other than citizen) for queuing at LAX, so I don't imagine Hawaii would have a separate new immigrants queue given they would get even less people entering there so most like you'll need to go to the Visitor queue and hand your package over. I think you still need to fill out a customs form but I can't remember what's on it although I don't remember it being confusing for me.

 

[martinskypemartin]

It just occurred to us that the DS260 form we filled out last year has the old address of mailing and GC address (our US relatives moved) - can we change this pre-interview, or at interview?

 

[martinskypemartin]

The other thing I noticed on the DS260 form done online nearly a year ago now is that it is more about personal and family details. When you google DS260 some of the samples show pages of intended employment in US etc as well - can't remember filling those in originally??? Do we only fill in the DS260 once, and there is one format? Or do other aliens fill in a different one if they are not DV like us?

 

[martinskypemartin]

@james mathers
we have picked POE as Honolulu also - let us know how you go : )

 

[EmilyW]

You can change the US address at any point up to POE.

There is nothing about intended employment in the US in the DS260, just current and past employment.

 

[AussieGemma]

Our POE is also Honolulu on 8 June so I'll let you know how we go.

 

[martinskypemartin]

To change info on the DS260, do you email Kentucky?