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DV 2015 Oceania winners

EmilyW said:
Not long now. I was so paranoid about our chances that I re-entered for DV2016. It's all academic now, but I will be checking as well!
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We also re entered for DV 2016, I am looking forward t seeing the results, however I will feel a bit sorry if I get selected again and some one misses out.
 
james mathers said:
Thanks for your help guys. When going through customs in Australia on the way out, if you tick "vacation" for activation trip, don't they look at the USA immigration visa in your passport and wonder what's going on? A few other quick questions:
1. can you get your SSN sent to your Aussie address instead of the address that your Green card is being sent to? I plan to go in to an SSA office in HNL during my activation trip.
2. How do you open a USA bank account without a fixed address there first, and do they ask for ID of this address? [ i don't want to use the address i'm using for my Green Card otherwise my friend will start thinking i'm using it for everything lol if he starts getting mail from banks, companies etc.]
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In regards to getting your SSN sent to Australia. I don't think they will directly send it from the office. We even had issues getting it sent to New York while attempting to apply for it in Florida. (However we have been told that this is lies as it can be done, anyways sending internationally I don't know).

We applied for the DV through a German Agency, as my wife has been doing it for years. To be honest they have been extremely helpful. We were able to use their address in New York to send our green cards and SSN. (Still Waiting) then they will forward them off to Australia for us. We couldn't of done it any other way as we didn't know any one in the US or have a postal address.

Now when it comes to the bank accounts. Yes you will need a postal address. They don't want to see proof, just it can't be a PO Box or anything like that. The only mail that comes to the address is our Debit Cards and our Secured Credit Cards. We then asked for everything to be paperless. We had to set up a mail forwarding postal address for this. Again people have said no to do this but we really had no other option if we wanted our secured cards sent to Australia and our Bank Account setup. You don't need your SSN to open your Bank Account, however you will need to attach it to the Secured cards once you have them so you can start building a credit score (if you are going to go down this path).

Once we have received all our Cards etc we will be shutting down our mail forwarding address.

WE managed to get these things sorted on our activation trip. Make sure you go to the SSA (Social Security Agency) and make sure that they have been processed. We had to redo our as the auto fill on the DS-260 didn't work (Surprise). It apparently only takes 2-3 weeks to be issued and sent.

I know its a lot of fussing around, but I do believe it will be beneficial for us so we can build our score while we are in Australia for the next 8 months.

On a side note and don't know how true it is I was told by the agency that handled our DV Visa and who is forwarding our green card and SSN to us that you can apply for a SSN at a US embassy in your home Country. If someone could confirm the accuracy of this it would be great. For us the information came after we already went to the US to activate and apply so it was pointless for us.

Hope it helps
 
hi everyone - i've been on my farewell tour across Australia and am now back in Sydney (Australia is so fricken amazing....highly recommend ticking some places you'd like to see in Oz off the list before heading to the US)! Currently sitting on the floor of our empty apartment waiting to move into a hotel...will stay there for the next 4 days before flying to Toronto. Toronto is then my POE so will report back on whether or not it is as straightforward as having the POE actually in the US.
p.s i have looked at my visa stamp countless times....thank god I managed to take a good photo now that i'm stuck with it for the foreseeable future!
2nls this week! That's where the fun begins!
 
CC1 said:
I'll also be checking our son who missed out because he aged out so couldn't come with us has applied I so hope he gets in and we can all live together again :)
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Such a tricky one!
You will take him to college in US soon ad you settle?
 
Hershal said:
We also re entered for DV 2016, I am looking forward t seeing the results, however I will feel a bit sorry if I get selected again and some one misses out.
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I don't think anyone would miss out. The same number of visas will be allocated. You'd increase the non-response rate which would make the border-line CN people happy.
 
Hershal said:
In regards to getting your SSN sent to Australia. I don't think they will directly send it from the office. We even had issues getting it sent to New York while attempting to apply for it in Florida. (However we have been told that this is lies as it can be done, anyways sending internationally I don't know).

...

Now when it comes to the bank accounts. Yes you will need a postal address. They don't want to see proof, just it can't be a PO Box or anything like that. ....

On a side note and don't know how true it is I was told by the agency that handled our DV Visa and who is forwarding our green card and SSN to us that you can apply for a SSN at a US embassy in your home Country. If someone could confirm the accuracy of this it would be great. For us the information came after we already went to the US to activate and apply so it was pointless for us.
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The SSA won't send the SS cards directly overseas.
The advice about applying for a SSN at an embassy is confusing, because if you have no status in the U.S. (which you won't have if you haven't activated your visa yet) you can't get a SSN.

Also, be aware that banks differ in what they want to see. Some apparently don't even need any U.S. address. Unlike Hershal's, ours did actually want to see proof of address (lease or utility bill sent to that address).
 
SusieQQQ said:
The SSA won't send the SS cards directly overseas.
The advice about applying for a SSN at an embassy is confusing, because if you have no status in the U.S. (which you won't have if you haven't activated your visa yet) you can't get a SSN.

Also, be aware that banks differ in what they want to see. Some apparently don't even need any U.S. address. Unlike Hershal's, ours did actually want to see proof of address (lease or utility bill sent to that address).
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It was a little confusing about the SSN I did think the same. But as we were in the U.S. Activating it didn't really apply so I didn't think twice about it.

Regarding the bank account. We went through Bank of America. The bank lender we saw was from Jamaica so she knew a lot about getting your green card and getting a credit score when you first immigrate. so maybe that also helped in not needing proof. Unsure. But she also said she just needs a postal
Address and it could be a friends.
 
Hershal said:
It was a little confusing about the SSN I did think the same. But as we were in the U.S. Activating it didn't really apply so I didn't think twice about it.

Regarding the bank account. We went through Bank of America. The bank lender we saw was from Jamaica so she knew a lot about getting your green card and getting a credit score when you first immigrate. so maybe that also helped in not needing proof. Unsure. But she also said she just needs a postal
Address and it could be a friends.
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Yes have heard Bank of America doesn't need SSN or proof of address to open, I know people who have opened accounts there just using passports.

Funnily enough my banker (different bank) also won the DV lottery!!!!
 
MattWatt said:
13 more days of anguish you mean.

Selected for DV-2014 (high CN, no interview).
Not selected for DV-2015 :(
Fingers crossed for DV-2016.
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Ha ha I love the confidence of that signature @MattWatt. I'm hoping you will be rewarded with selection and a low number. Same to the other anxious little vegemites who have lengthened their anxious waits by starting pre-selection.

On another note, I have received my Social Security card and I can't remember what people have said about the greencard, does that follow soon after or does it take longer?
I am finding it curious that everything I do they want to run a check on me, but when I say that you won't find anything as I've only been here a few weeks they say that it won't matter anyway. It helps to say I have a good job with a healthy salary. I have contacted a car dealer, and even though I can pay cash, he has said that he can set me up with a car loan to get my credit rating started, so I am going to do that, as I'd rather pay with American dollars than convert Aussie dollars at the moment. I am feeling very lucky as my boss is allowing me to live in her house, her son in law is a branch manager at a credit union, so I have opened an account there and her boyfriend is a car salesman so he is helping with the car. I really have lucked out. The only downside to all of this is that Pueblo Colorado is a shit hole and I don't really want to stay here too long. Just hoping that over time I learn to like it because I have some great opportunities here. At least those beautiful mountains aren't too far away. I am still feeling very grateful for this lottery win.
 
Deb7a said:
The only downside to all of this is that Pueblo Colorado is a shit hole and I don't really want to stay here too long.
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Pueblo itself is yeh not the best, but the natural wonders nearby.. the Rocky Mountains, Royal Gorge and Great Sand Dunes.. Spectacular. I only have good memories of Pueblo but I suppose realistically it was a re-fueling site for me and I don't have to live there.
 
guestgulkan said:
Pueblo itself is yeh not the best, but the natural wonders nearby.. the Rocky Mountains, Royal Gorge and Great Sand Dunes.. Spectacular. I only have good memories of Pueblo but I suppose realistically it was a re-fueling site for me and I don't have to live there.
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Thanks, I needed to hear that. I will go look at those things. I need a beauty fix lol
 
Deb7a said:
Ha ha I love the confidence of that signature @MattWatt. I'm hoping you will be rewarded with selection and a low number. Same to the other anxious little vegemites who have lengthened their anxious waits by starting pre-selection.

On another note, I have received my Social Security card and I can't remember what people have said about the greencard, does that follow soon after or does it take longer?
I am finding it curious that everything I do they want to run a check on me, but when I say that you won't find anything as I've only been here a few weeks they say that it won't matter anyway. It helps to say I have a good job with a healthy salary. I have contacted a car dealer, and even though I can pay cash, he has said that he can set me up with a car loan to get my credit rating started, so I am going to do that, as I'd rather pay with American dollars than convert Aussie dollars at the moment. I am feeling very lucky as my boss is allowing me to live in her house, her son in law is a branch manager at a credit union, so I have opened an account there and her boyfriend is a car salesman so he is helping with the car. I really have lucked out. The only downside to all of this is that Pueblo Colorado is a shit hole and I don't really want to stay here too long. Just hoping that over time I learn to like it because I have some great opportunities here. At least those beautiful mountains aren't too far away. I am still feeling very grateful for this lottery win.
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The Green Card definitely takes longer to arrive, mine took a month or two but apparently it can take even longer.
 
Deb7a said:
Thanks, I needed to hear that. I will go look at those things. I need a beauty fix lol
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Have you ever driven your car over a wooden suspension bridge? Go to Royal Gorge. It'll recharge your batteries.

Btw in nearby Canon city they have that bar where all the waitresses are packing loaded pistols. Nice place to stop for lunch.
 
CBDK said:
hi everyone - i've been on my farewell tour across Australia and am now back in Sydney (Australia is so fricken amazing....highly recommend ticking some places you'd like to see in Oz off the list before heading to the US)! Currently sitting on the floor of our empty apartment waiting to move into a hotel...will stay there for the next 4 days before flying to Toronto. Toronto is then my POE so will report back on whether or not it is as straightforward as having the POE actually in the US.
p.s i have looked at my visa stamp countless times....thank god I managed to take a good photo now that i'm stuck with it for the foreseeable future!
2nls this week! That's where the fun begins!
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I look like I'm busting a fart in my photo. And one of my kids looks like he smelt said imaginary fart in his.
 
Deb7a said:
Ha ha I love the confidence of that signature @MattWatt. I'm hoping you will be rewarded with selection and a low number. Same to the other anxious little vegemites who have lengthened their anxious waits by starting pre-selection.

On another note, I have received my Social Security card and I can't remember what people have said about the greencard, does that follow soon after or does it take longer?
I am finding it curious that everything I do they want to run a check on me, but when I say that you won't find anything as I've only been here a few weeks they say that it won't matter anyway. It helps to say I have a good job with a healthy salary. I have contacted a car dealer, and even though I can pay cash, he has said that he can set me up with a car loan to get my credit rating started, so I am going to do that, as I'd rather pay with American dollars than convert Aussie dollars at the moment. I am feeling very lucky as my boss is allowing me to live in her house, her son in law is a branch manager at a credit union, so I have opened an account there and her boyfriend is a car salesman so he is helping with the car. I really have lucked out. The only downside to all of this is that Pueblo Colorado is a shit hole and I don't really want to stay here too long. Just hoping that over time I learn to like it because I have some great opportunities here. At least those beautiful mountains aren't too far away. I am still feeling very grateful for this lottery win.
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I know how you can improve that place to live selection. Drive due West and don't stop until you smell the sea. California baby!
 
Deb7a said:
Thanks, I needed to hear that. I will go look at those things. I need a beauty fix lol
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There is so much beauty in the area.
Is there a possibility of moving to a nearby town that is nicer to live in but within commuting distance of Pueblo? I have a couple of friends who do this for Denver, not sure how easy that is to do in the rest of the state.
 
Britsimon said:
I know how you can improve that place to live selection. Drive due West and don't stop until you smell the sea. California baby!
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Ha ha yes, the ocean is beckoning. I have lived by the ocean my entire life and the past 30 years in absolute paradise, so this place calls for a slight attitude adjustment. Since I only work a 4 day week (still have to get my 40 hrs tho) I will be taking long weekend trips to places of beauty as often as I can. Just have to get a car. @guestgulkan I will definitely go check out those pistol packing waitresses lol.
@SusieQQQ I think I will just give this a shot for the time being as my work days will be long. I will escape to the mountains as often as possible. I have made some nice friends already so that helps. I am used to a 3 minute or less commute to work, and because I start at 7.30am and finish at 6 I don't really want to add hours of traveling time to my day at this point and I think from Pueblo, anything in commuting distance is just as bad. Manitou Springs would be my pick I think but that is a good hour away I think. I will investigate for sure.
 
Deb7a said:
Ha ha yes, the ocean is beckoning. I have lived by the ocean my entire life and the past 30 years in absolute paradise, so this place calls for a slight attitude adjustment. Since I only work a 4 day week (still have to get my 40 hrs tho) I will be taking long weekend trips to places of beauty as often as I can. Just have to get a car. @guestgulkan I will definitely go check out those pistol packing waitresses lol.
@SusieQQQ I think I will just give this a shot for the time being as my work days will be long. I will escape to the mountains as often as possible. I have made some nice friends already so that helps. I am used to a 3 minute or less commute to work, and because I start at 7.30am and finish at 6 I don't really want to add hours of traveling time to my day at this point and I think from Pueblo, anything in commuting distance is just as bad. Manitou Springs would be my pick I think but that is a good hour away I think. I will investigate for sure.
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Oh yeah if you are at work that long but have 3 day weekends it doesn't make sense to move ....make enough to buy a weekend cabin the mountains though ;)
 
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