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DV 2016 OC Selectees

EmilyW said:
In Sydney, you can't take any gadgets in but books and pencils are fine. Both of mine took a book each in, a book both of them had been dying to start but I wouldn't let them. Once we were in the embassy, I finally handed the books over and they were silent the whole time. They even read during the interview.

@MelbourneBen, to answer your questions, you will get an email telling you to check the site where you found out if you had won the lottery. Check that site and you'll find that the letter has changed from the original congratulatory letter to a letter outlining your interview date and time.

You will get your 2NL two weeks after the VB is released. So towards the end of the month. Where you end up in terms of date and time depends. @CBDK had a lower CN than me but my interview ended up being before hers (albeit on the same day).
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As I suspected, the USTravelDocs site is pretty much useless. I'll eagerly await my 2NL, hopefully it should arrive before Christmas. With a bit of luck I'll be able to use my holiday to Hawaii on 28/2 as my activation trip too.

Thanks as always for your help, EmilyW!!
 
guestgulkan said:
We'll be in Hawaii at the same time :)
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Cool. We're only there for a short trip (28/2 - 4/3). We saw EXTREMELY cheap flights a few months ago and figured it was worth the risk. We thought our interview would be late Jan - early Feb and so we could use these cheap flight for our activation trip.

How long are you going there for? Are you staying on Oahu?
 
Hi guys

I am sitting down to write this after the excitement has waned down to some extent. Apologies for coming back late :)
-----------------------------------------------

We reached the embassy at around 7.45 am for our scheduled interview at 8.30 am. I was a little surprised that the security had already started lining up the IV and NIV applicants to go in. We quickly presented our appointment letter and got in the queue.

We passed through the first security check. Since we had left most of the stuff in the vehicle and only had our passports and documents in hand, we passed through the checkpoint rather quickly and were ushered through the building in another security check - this is where the sealed medical was also x-rayed, stamped and we were directed to the interview waiting area.

The room was fairly empty but within 15 minutes, it was full of NIV and IV applicants - I could count 5 families who were on DV.

After waiting for 10 minutes, my wife was called up to a booth where we handed over our DS-260 confirmation page, Birth certificates, passports, medical, school and University results with Year 12 results being handed first, and marriage certificate. Our fingerprints were also taken.

We were told to take a seat and wait for the cashier to call us up. By this time, the kids were becoming restless - luckily, there was a breakout room for kids and my wife took them in while I waited to pay the DV fee. After waiting for an hour, our name was called up by the cashier - I paid the fee, got my receipt and took a seat to wait for the actual interview. After 2 hours, the CO called us up and by this time, my son was fast asleep.

The actual interview took 5 minutes - we were asked 3 questions:
1) Where do we intend to stay in the States.
2) How old were our kids
3) What was my wife's qualification and work experience.

The CO asked us to take our oaths, took our fingerprints once more and congratulated us for keeping everything in order. He told us that we could pick up our passports the following day.

No financial evidence/AoS was asked for and the CO also did not ask for evidence of our work experience. Pretty much a straight forward process.

We jumped with joy after exiting the embassy - no care in the world if others were looking at us. USA here we come!!!
 
Congratulations brother....you will do well in the states. I'm glad you got out.


LazyDoggie said:
Hi guys

I am sitting down to write this after the excitement has waned down to some extent. Apologies for coming back late :)
-----------------------------------------------

We reached the embassy at around 7.45 am for our scheduled interview at 8.30 am. I was a little surprised that the security had already started lining up the IV and NIV applicants to go in. We quickly presented our appointment letter and got in the queue.

We passed through the first security check. Since we had left most of the stuff in the vehicle and only had our passports and documents in hand, we passed through the checkpoint rather quickly and were ushered through the building in another security check - this is where the sealed medical was also x-rayed, stamped and we were directed to the interview waiting area.

The room was fairly empty but within 15 minutes, it was full of NIV and IV applicants - I could count 5 families who were on DV.

After waiting for 10 minutes, my wife was called up to a booth where we handed over our DS-260 confirmation page, Birth certificates, passports, medical, school and University results with Year 12 results being handed first, and marriage certificate. Our fingerprints were also taken.

We were told to take a seat and wait for the cashier to call us up. By this time, the kids were becoming restless - luckily, there was a breakout room for kids and my wife took them in while I waited to pay the DV fee. After waiting for an hour, our name was called up by the cashier - I paid the fee, got my receipt and took a seat to wait for the actual interview. After 2 hours, the CO called us up and by this time, my son was fast asleep.

The actual interview took 5 minutes - we were asked 3 questions:
1) Where do we intend to stay in the States.
2) How old were our kids
3) What was my wife's qualification and work experience.

The CO asked us to take our oaths, took our fingerprints once more and congratulated us for keeping everything in order. He told us that we could pick up our passports the following day.

No financial evidence/AoS was asked for and the CO also did not ask for evidence of our work experience. Pretty much a straight forward process.

We jumped with joy after exiting the embassy - no care in the world if others were looking at us. USA here we come!!!
Click to expand...
 
thought I'd check back in with all and let you know where we're at. We had the interview last Tuesday (just over a week ago) and even though we were put on AP (due to my medical arriving late) we received approval and our passports were delivered on Friday.

Now it's a matter of us figuring out whether it's the right move for financial/career reasons. Oh the joy. Glad we've secured it though. At least our options are open :)
 
Elle30 said:
thought I'd check back in with all and let you know where we're at. We had the interview last Tuesday (just over a week ago) and even though we were put on AP (due to my medical arriving late) we received approval and our passports were delivered on Friday.

Now it's a matter of us figuring out whether it's the right move for financial/career reasons. Oh the joy. Glad we've secured it though. At least our options are open :)
Click to expand...


Congratulations. You have a few months to weigh your options!
 
LazyDoggie said:
Hi guys

I am sitting down to write this after the excitement has waned down to some extent. Apologies for coming back late :)
-----------------------------------------------

We reached the embassy at around 7.45 am for our scheduled interview at 8.30 am. I was a little surprised that the security had already started lining up the IV and NIV applicants to go in. We quickly presented our appointment letter and got in the queue.

We passed through the first security check. Since we had left most of the stuff in the vehicle and only had our passports and documents in hand, we passed through the checkpoint rather quickly and were ushered through the building in another security check - this is where the sealed medical was also x-rayed, stamped and we were directed to the interview waiting area.

The room was fairly empty but within 15 minutes, it was full of NIV and IV applicants - I could count 5 families who were on DV.

After waiting for 10 minutes, my wife was called up to a booth where we handed over our DS-260 confirmation page, Birth certificates, passports, medical, school and University results with Year 12 results being handed first, and marriage certificate. Our fingerprints were also taken.

We were told to take a seat and wait for the cashier to call us up. By this time, the kids were becoming restless - luckily, there was a breakout room for kids and my wife took them in while I waited to pay the DV fee. After waiting for an hour, our name was called up by the cashier - I paid the fee, got my receipt and took a seat to wait for the actual interview. After 2 hours, the CO called us up and by this time, my son was fast asleep.

The actual interview took 5 minutes - we were asked 3 questions:
1) Where do we intend to stay in the States.
2) How old were our kids
3) What was my wife's qualification and work experience.

The CO asked us to take our oaths, took our fingerprints once more and congratulated us for keeping everything in order. He told us that we could pick up our passports the following day.

No financial evidence/AoS was asked for and the CO also did not ask for evidence of our work experience. Pretty much a straight forward process.

We jumped with joy after exiting the embassy - no care in the world if others were looking at us. USA here we come!!!
Click to expand...

You really made it so easy for the CO I think that's why you only had three qns "congratulated us for keeping everything in order" ..Congratulations once again as we are still waiting for our turn next year!!!!
 
Elle30 said:
thought I'd check back in with all and let you know where we're at. We had the interview last Tuesday (just over a week ago) and even though we were put on AP (due to my medical arriving late) we received approval and our passports were delivered on Friday.

Now it's a matter of us figuring out whether it's the right move for financial/career reasons. Oh the joy. Glad we've secured it though. At least our options are open :)
Click to expand...

If it helps, this move is not right for us for financial or career reasons. We're still doing it because life should be an adventure, not a march in the safety zone to retirement.
 
EmilyW said:
If it helps, this move is not right for us for financial or career reasons. We're still doing it because life should be an adventure, not a march in the safety zone to retirement.
Click to expand...

While I love your attitude about it, I do think it's a fair question, especially for a winner from another first world country.
 
@Britsimon you can post up my interview experience on your blog, if you think the length is ok.

SusieQQQ said:
While I love your attitude about it, I do think it's a fair question, especially for a winner from another first world country.
Click to expand...

Fully agree. Even winners from third world countries face this issue. In the excitement of being a selectee, we (third world winners) sometimes forget that US is not always a "land of milk and honey " - going from being established and financially secure in your home country to starting from scratch in US is indeed a huge challenge - sometimes a challenge beyond imagination. After winning, when the excitement wanes, the realization sets in.

However, personally, I fully concur with @EmilyW - I am also one of the adventurous types and do not easily get fazed by challenges.
 
Hi guys,

Does anyone know if you can start working as soon as you get the visa granted? or you have to wait till you get the physical green card and/or work permit as that could take a few months

Cheers
 
Carlos/Maria said:
Hi guys,

Does anyone know if you can start working as soon as you get the visa granted? or you have to wait till you get the physical green card and/or work permit as that could take a few months

Cheers
Click to expand...

Immediately, but you kind of need your social number to fill in the paperwork.
 
Carlos/Maria said:
Hi guys,

Does anyone know if you can start working as soon as you get the visa granted? or you have to wait till you get the physical green card and/or work permit as that could take a few months

Cheers
Click to expand...

Legally, you are authorized to work the moment you activate your LPR status (by entering the USA). You don't have to wait to get the plastic card - the temporary visa is used as prrof to show you are an LPR

However, it might take 2 to 3 weeks to get your SSN - and some companies may not want to hire you until they see that SSN (some will, some won't).

In addition some employers might not understand the temporary visa - but there is information about that in the I9 form, which is what employers are supposed to refer to....
 
Thanks for the feedback guys...

Would you happen to know where I can find legal info on that so I can give it to my future employer in case the HR department is no well versed on the matter.

Appreciated
 
Carlos/Maria said:
Thanks for the feedback guys...

Would you happen to know where I can find legal info on that so I can give it to my future employer in case the HR department is no well versed on the matter.

Appreciated
Click to expand...

It's stated on the I-90 form like Simon posted above:

The arrival portion of Form I-94/I-94A with a temporary I-551 stamp and a photograph of the individual. The employee must present the actual Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) by the expiration date of the temporary I-551 stamp, or, if there is no expiration date, within 1 year from the date of issue. (p.4)

Foreign passport that contains a temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I-551 printed notation on a machine- readable immigrant visa (p.9)

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-9.pdf
​
Also listed on USCIS website:
http://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents/list-documents/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
 
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