DV 2015 Oceania winners

[SusieQQQ]

Thanks Britsimon. Just another question out of curiosity, since you mentioned background checks. What background checks do they do anyway? Considering you have to provide them with your police checks, I wouldn't think there would be anything else. I can understand if you were from a "high risk" country or on some USA national or international alert list they might look at you closely, but if you're just an average aussie with no criminal history and no links to high risk countries I wouldn't think there would be too much to check.

Um, aren't some "average Aussies" busy fighting for ISIS at the moment?
Anyway part of the background checks is on fingerprints - checked against all border crossings that they will have access to so previous US visits and friendly countries with whom they share info; photo recognition software on same basis; plus both vs international databases, etc.

 

[Britsimon]

Um, aren't some "average Aussies" busy fighting for ISIS at the moment?
Anyway part of the background checks is on fingerprints - checked against all border crossings that they will have access to so previous US visits and friendly countries with whom they share info; photo recognition software on same basis; plus both vs international databases, etc.

Quite.

Zarab, In reality they don't publish the detail of the checks (because doing so would make it less secure) and I would imagine it varies by country and might vary on name and so on - which is why I keep mentioning that not all DS260 processing times will be the same.

 

[OC_EMS]

Yes as ready as we will ever be. Just printing some final 'evidence' now...probably going waaay over the top. I keep wondering if I am missing something basic though - thank goodness I have your super dupa checklist Going back over the DS260 its not as complicated as we were making out in our heads (also thanks to Simon and his kind advice).

Well thats it! I have now completed all my supporting docs. Its do or die, nothing more I can add.
I havent counted the pages but the file is about 2 inches thick.
This time tomorrow Ill be in Syd.
See you there. Ill be the one in jeans white top black jacket white teeth file in one hand change of undies in the other.

 

[EmilyW]

Ahhh the time has come for our OC_EMS. The Class of OC2015 is right behind you friend. Go and get that Green Card.

 

[CC1]

Hey Guys, just a quick update - my spouse just received his GC exactly a month after POE.

Full timeline:
CN - 2015OC000003xx
2 Oct (NZ): Interview (success!) Auckland
7 Oct (NZ): Passport with Visa arrived by Courier
10 Oct (US): LAX POE
31 Oct (US): Applied for SSN in person at Brooklyn SSN office (he did request one on his DS260 but after three weeks we were feeling impatient...)
5 Nov (US): SSN arrives
10 Nov (US): Green Card arrives

EmilyW - feel free to update your spreadsheet with his details

Wow that's fast, I have heard before it takes a while for the SSN, I too applied on the ds260, when I went onto the website to pay our USCIS fee they said they would send it to the above address but there was no address on the letter so I think we will hit some issues when we arrive into lax in January. I think we will also go down to the SS office in LA when we arrive

 

[zarab]

Um, aren't some "average Aussies" busy fighting for ISIS at the moment?
Anyway part of the background checks is on fingerprints - checked against all border crossings that they will have access to so previous US visits and friendly countries with whom they share info; photo recognition software on same basis; plus both vs international databases, etc.

Quite.

Zarab, In reality they don't publish the detail of the checks (because doing so would make it less secure) and I would imagine it varies by country and might vary on name and so on - which is why I keep mentioning that not all DS260 processing times will be the same.

Good point Susie!! I guess I don't consider the average aussie as off fighting over there. Yes I figured they would run fingerprint checks/ facial recognition on the information the US held, since I've had the pleasure of having them take my mugshot at customs more than a few times. I just didn't think about possible agreements they have with other countries, and waiting for the exchange of information. As you mention Britsimon DS260 processing varies, and I'm just trying to figure out how long so I know when I need to put in my application, IF I think I may become current. Its all too confusing.

 

[OC_EMS]

Ahhh the time has come for our OC_EMS. The Class of OC2015 is right behind you friend. Go and get that Green Card.

Awwwww thanks Emily. Its been a looooooooooooooooong time coming. I think I can taste that little green card and I do believe it may be spearmint.
Now where did I put that valium?

A big thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point. You all have been tremendous!
Simon......... you are a trooper. Raising my glass to you ol boy. Thanks for everything!!

BTW Aimlk I think are the appointment before me so a big 'go get em tiger' for you guys.

 

[zarab]

Awwwww thanks Emily. Its been a looooooooooooooooong time coming. I think I can taste that little green card and I do believe it may be spearmint.
Now where did I put that valium?

A big thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point. You all have been tremendous!
Simon......... you are a trooper. Raising my glass to you ol boy. Thanks for everything!!

Good luck, but I have a feeling you'll be just fine!!! And I agree everyone on the forum has been so helpful.

 

[OC_EMS]

Good luck, but I have a feeling you'll be just fine!!! And I agree everyone on the forum has been so helpful.

Thanks zarab, my application and AimLK is through work experience so a little trickier than rocking up with the year 12 cert.
Please keep that good feeling you have coming our way.

 

[SydSteve]

Hi everyone! After reading through 91 pages of replies I feel like I know you all intimately, haha.

Like most of you, I'm a lucky selectee for DV2015.

I have a couple of questions about the medical I'm hoping for some advice on:

• Can I get my immunisations sorted before the medical if I know I'll need some? Say I go to my GP and get jabbed there, then bring the immunisation record to my medical?

• Also, has anyone with private health cover (in Australia) successfully claimed anything back from the medical?

Thanks!

Steve

 

[OC_EMS]

Hi everyone! After reading through 91 pages of replies I feel like I know you all intimately, haha.

Like most of you, I'm a lucky selectee for DV2015.

I have a couple of questions about the medical I'm hoping for some advice on:

• Can I get my immunisations sorted before the medical if I know I'll need some? Say I go to my GP and get jabbed there, then bring the immunisation record to my medical?

• Also, has anyone with private health cover (in Australia) successfully claimed anything back from the medical?

Thanks!

Steve

Hi Steve sorry but I dont have too much time to answer your Q's but most will be covered in page 80 and 81. Check it out. depending on how old you are you will require boosters even if you have been vaccinated. I posted my bill so you can see. Im doubting insurance would cover the medical but then again maybe they do. They will cover your Dr visit for the serology test but in my opinion its not worth it. Just do it all at the medical. Good luck and check out those pages.

 

[OC_EMS]

Hi everyone! After reading through 91 pages of replies I feel like I know you all intimately, haha.

Like most of you, I'm a lucky selectee for DV2015.

I have a couple of questions about the medical I'm hoping for some advice on:

• Can I get my immunisations sorted before the medical if I know I'll need some? Say I go to my GP and get jabbed there, then bring the immunisation record to my medical?

• Also, has anyone with private health cover (in Australia) successfully claimed anything back from the medical?

Thanks!

Steve

Steve check out page 76 also.

Thats it from me folks, until after my interview. ciao

 

[SydSteve]

Thanks Ems, I'll re-read the pages you recommended. Good luck!!

 

[Britsimon]

Well thats it! I have now completed all my supporting docs. Its do or die, nothing more I can add.
I havent counted the pages but the file is about 2 inches thick.
This time tomorrow Ill be in Syd.
See you there. Ill be the one in jeans white top black jacket white teeth file in one hand change of undies in the other.

You'll be fine!

 

[AussieGemma]

I'll be thinking of you today EMS and AimLK, you both sound like you have everything in order so it should all run smoothly for you. I look forward to hearing all about it.

 

[Kiwione]

Good luck to you both Ems and Aim! Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[SuicideBlonde]

Will be thinking of you guys Tuesday, and can't wait to hear back from you

Hi everyone! After reading through 91 pages of replies I feel like I know you all intimately, haha.

Like most of you, I'm a lucky selectee for DV2015.

I have a couple of questions about the medical I'm hoping for some advice on:

• Can I get my immunisations sorted before the medical if I know I'll need some? Say I go to my GP and get jabbed there, then bring the immunisation record to my medical?

• Also, has anyone with private health cover (in Australia) successfully claimed anything back from the medical?

Thanks!

Steve

Hi Steve, welcome!
Yes you can get your immunisations sorted before the medical, if you choose. I chose to get bloodwork done first, as I preferred to know what I already had, and get whatever I didn't with my local doctor (and claim it through health cover) rather than getting perhaps unnecessary ones again at the medical. But as OC_EMS said, you may need boosters at a certain age regardless.
I plan to take the blood test results and my immunisation record to the medical as proof. Previous posts on this thread will show which immunisations are the relevant ones that Sydney asks for from memory i think it is MMR, DTP, chickenpox.

As far as I am aware you cannot claim anything through your health insurance for the medical. On the Melbourne Medibank website, who does visa medicals, they state "Visa medicals are an 'assessment of health' and are not covered by private health insurance"

 

[SuicideBlonde]

I imagine this time tomorrow @OC_EMS and @AimLK will both have green card approval good luck, I'm sure it will all go smoothly !!

 

[Deb7a]

Well thats it! I have now completed all my supporting docs. Its do or die, nothing more I can add.
I havent counted the pages but the file is about 2 inches thick.
This time tomorrow Ill be in Syd.
See you there. Ill be the one in jeans white top black jacket white teeth file in one hand change of undies in the other.

Good luck mate. My fingers are crossed

 

[Deb7a]

Ems and Aim I really mean good luck tomorrow. Hope your work experience does the trick. Will be anxiously awaiting the outcome since thats my route as well. Good luck. Im feeling positive.