• Hello Members, This forums is for DV lottery visas only. For other immigration related questions, please go to our forums home page, find the related forum and post it there.

DV 2015 Oceania winners

SuicideBlonde said:
POE Experience:

We have now been in LA for 24 hours!
We woke up at an ungodly hour of 3.30am on the 10th Feb as we had to be at the airport at 5am for our 7am flight to Sydney. Unfortunately Virgin stopped flying MEL-LAX direct in October last year so we had a layover before our international flight. We were flying business courtesy of some sneaky point accumulating over the last year or so! Our check in agent in Melbourne was well versed in the DV Lottery as she has also been applying for the last 3 year or so, as she wants to move to NYC where her boyfriend lives. We had 3 checked bags each (1 over the limit) and were prepared to pay the extra $150AUD each for the extra 2 bags, but our lovely check in agent said "don't worry about it" and kindly sent them through for free! :D
19 hours later we arrived at LAX around 6.30am. The immigration area was virtually empty, it seemed everyone else went to the left for citizens and visa waiver entry and we went through the "Visitors" line. We only had a minutes wait behind one person before being called up to the desk. We handed over our "Do not open" envelopes and passports and had our fingerprints taken. We were then escorted over to another area, handed over our passports & envelopes again and were told to wait for another officer to process us. After a short wait he asked us to sign both sides of a form and took an ink print of our right index finger on each side too. Another short wait while he did some paperwork (we assume) and then he handed our passports back with a "Welcome to the USA" slip of paper about our green card and that was it!! We collected our many bags, anwent and caught our transfer van to Echo Park where we have an AirBNB house for a month! Our dog arrives on Thursday (We delayed her flight for a day as it was very hot in Melbourne on Wednesday).
Our friend took us out the afternoon we arrived and helped us get new cell phone numbers and I think that was the moment that it all felt real for me!!!
Now to work on bank accounts, SSN and car licence...
Click to expand...


Welcome to the US of A!
 
SuicideBlonde said:
For those of us already in the US - how long did it take to get your SSN number?
Click to expand...

Some people get their SSN within a couple of weeks (based on them selecting the option on the DS260).

However, some don't get it - and it is a pain in the but not having one. If you don't want to just wait and see, you can go to the SSA and request one - but you need to be in the country a few days to show up in their system.
 
SuicideBlonde said:
POE Experience:

We have now been in LA for 24 hours!
We woke up at an ungodly hour of 3.30am on the 10th Feb as we had to be at the airport at 5am for our 7am flight to Sydney. Unfortunately Virgin stopped flying MEL-LAX direct in October last year so we had a layover before our international flight. We were flying business courtesy of some sneaky point accumulating over the last year or so! Our check in agent in Melbourne was well versed in the DV Lottery as she has also been applying for the last 3 year or so, as she wants to move to NYC where her boyfriend lives. We had 3 checked bags each (1 over the limit) and were prepared to pay the extra $150AUD each for the extra 2 bags, but our lovely check in agent said "don't worry about it" and kindly sent them through for free! :D
19 hours later we arrived at LAX around 6.30am. The immigration area was virtually empty, it seemed everyone else went to the left for citizens and visa waiver entry and we went through the "Visitors" line. We only had a minutes wait behind one person before being called up to the desk. We handed over our "Do not open" envelopes and passports and had our fingerprints taken. We were then escorted over to another area, handed over our passports & envelopes again and were told to wait for another officer to process us. After a short wait he asked us to sign both sides of a form and took an ink print of our right index finger on each side too. Another short wait while he did some paperwork (we assume) and then he handed our passports back with a "Welcome to the USA" slip of paper about our green card and that was it!! We collected our many bags, anwent and caught our transfer van to Echo Park where we have an AirBNB house for a month! Our dog arrives on Thursday (We delayed her flight for a day as it was very hot in Melbourne on Wednesday).
Our friend took us out the afternoon we arrived and helped us get new cell phone numbers and I think that was the moment that it all felt real for me!!!
Now to work on bank accounts, SSN and car licence...
Click to expand...
Ahhhh that's so awesome. Good idea with the AirBnB housing, that's something I'll definitely have to think about till I find something permanent.
 
Even though I know the 2NLs won't come out for a week or so, I've still checked the website twice already. Anyone else go through this? Every stage of this process brings a new type of neurosis :confused:
 
CBDK said:
Even though I know the 2NLs won't come out for a week or so, I've still checked the website twice already. Anyone else go through this? Every stage of this process brings a new type of neurosis :confused:
Click to expand...

EVERYONE goes through some level of that.....
 
Hi everyone
I am new to the forum but already I have found it an amazing resource!
I was selected in the 2015 lottery (2015OC6xx) but I only found out a couple of weeks ago because I forgot to check the results! I didn't get my DS 260 in until last night because I was waiting on a new passport as my old one had expired.
I am encouraged by the fact that my number is already current but I am worried about how long it will take to process my DS 260 given the delays that have been happening this year.
I am so excited about the prospect of moving to the US but at the same time I know how disappointed I will be if something goes wrong and I don't end up with a visa. I feel like I am in a weird limbo land where I am scared to make plans.
 
miani24 said:
Hi everyone
I am new to the forum but already I have found it an amazing resource!
I was selected in the 2015 lottery (2015OC6xx) but I only found out a couple of weeks ago because I forgot to check the results! I didn't get my DS 260 in until last night because I was waiting on a new passport as my old one had expired.
I am encouraged by the fact that my number is already current but I am worried about how long it will take to process my DS 260 given the delays that have been happening this year.
I am so excited about the prospect of moving to the US but at the same time I know how disappointed I will be if something goes wrong and I don't end up with a visa. I feel like I am in a weird limbo land where I am scared to make plans.
Click to expand...

Congrats and welcome.

Read this for some idea of timing now you have submitted your DS260

http://britsimonsays.com/ds260-time-running-submit/
 
guestgulkan said:
Great work Simon.

Does late January count as February? Wondering if I should have submitted my DS260 in December now. There's a chance my number will be current in July. (I delayed due to a passport change and awaiting some more information.)
Click to expand...

So far the DS260s processed have been "roughly" at the end of the month - some give and take. So - a Feb 1 submission could be as good as Jan 29/30.

I really do expect there to be some improvement - and we might see that in about a week or so - but I didn't want to have people bet on that assumption!
 
SuicideBlonde said:
For those of us already in the US - how long did it take to get your SSN number?
Click to expand...
I entered USA January 18th and received the Green Card in Priority Mail 3 weeks later. I was shocked as on POE the paper received stated that if the Green Card hadn't by 11 months, to make enquiries. In regard to the Social Security Card, although identified that I wished to apply for SSN, it hadn't arrived so I went to Social Security Administration in Olympic Boulevarde and applied. On checking, there had been no 'automatic' notification to obtain a SSN. I strongly suggest that you go to Social Security and apply. (They do not take phone calls regarding this matter). Be prepared to wait inline quite a while with interesting characters.. when you get through the security and take a 'ticket' ask for the application form for SSN and fill in the one page form (very simple) so it is done before you reach the counter. Take with you all documents e.g. passport birth certificate and Green card if it arrives before the SSN. I have a letter stating I have applied that is recognized by DMV and will be delivered within 1.5 to 2 weeks. I can go back to Social Security in 3 days if I need the number and the card hasn't arrived. I don't quite understand why Social Security looks after disability and unemployed persons and SSN… but hey… they were very nice to me…
 
AussieGemma said:
We received our passports and immigration packs back today! Only took 2 days from Sydney which was fast!

@Carolineinthecity the passport photos were still taped on the front of the passports so you don't need to worry that they gave yours back.
Click to expand...

I got mine back on Thursday too! It actually feels real now that I have my passport back. Im so glad that they didn't need the photo, I was worried that it would cause a delay for me. It's all systems go!
 
Thanks all for posting.

For all those who have already got their greenies, congratulations and thanks for sharing the insight on this forum.

My number is 2015OC000020xx. I am kinda counting on an interview this year as I've been in the U.S. for the past 2 years and I'm running out of funds. I've lost hope but stumbled on your site and although my number is probably high up I guess I should not give up all hope seeing Oceania is still current.

I've lived in several countries including NZ, Japan and the U.K and the U.S. and I guess I will need Police Checks. I'm not looking forward to filing away for those but watching the VB numbers.

What are my chances, anyone? I didn't know we could apply every year.
 
Rosalinda Taipu said:
Thanks all for posting.

For all those who have already got their greenies, congratulations and thanks for sharing the insight on this forum.

My number is 2015OC000020xx. I am kinda counting on an interview this year as I've been in the U.S. for the past 2 years and I'm running out of funds. I've lost hope but stumbled on your site and although my number is probably high up I guess I should not give up all hope seeing Oceania is still current.

I've lived in several countries including NZ, Japan and the U.K and the U.S. and I guess I will need Police Checks. I'm not looking forward to filing away for those but watching the VB numbers.

What are my chances, anyone? I didn't know we could apply every year.
Click to expand...


Honestly, your chances are not good at all (to be blunt, to save you waiting pointlessly, your chances are close to zero). Out of 2111 cases (for the 3500 people) you are in the last 270 cases. The visas for OC will be exhausted before your number goes current. I can explain the ins and the outs but there are several OCers here who have done their own studying and the most optimistic estimates are the axe falling at about 16XX.

You should at least consider the plan B options. The final cut off will be announced in July, so maybe you should wait until then to be certain, but don't bank on this - particularly if you are budgeting on getting this...

On the plus side the chances of being selected again are very high - OC entries win about 1 in 20 times - much better tha the rest of the world.
 
Congrat guys. My situation seems to be like the problem with the passport office printing machine since December becouse my name was wrongly spelt on the first one we did and we sent it back for correction till now and my case was even arond cxxxxx800 but I can fill the Ds 260 as the passport is not in or sld I use the old passport whose is to be corrected no to fill it becouse of time.also ist current and when is the cut off date for submmission the DS 260 for 2015 winners.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top