DV 2017 AOS Only

[Sm1smom]

I guess by "worthwhile" I mean likely to go anywhere or expedite anything. Although, I would assume that not following up with an INFOPASS obviously results in zero chance of any acceleration, whereas going through with one will only be better than that. Is it likely that I'd be able to get any traction in speeding things up at this point in the process / cycle?

No one here can guarantee you precisely how big of an impact an INFOPASS is likely to have on your case. But knowing not going on an INFOPASS when a case has been pending for a while has ZERO impact on moving the case along, I think you should be able to deduce what the next line of action should be.

For some going on an INFOPASS has helped their FO in realizing DV based AOS cases shouldn't be treated like other AOS cases. For some, it has given them an idea of what's responsible for the delay they're experiencing- pending background check. For some, it has helped push the case along in the background without their being aware of the fact that they had such an impact.

 

[atx]

Hey there,

After sending in your AOS package, is it a bad idea to get a new job and therefore get a new visa (I am on an E3) before getting your green card back?

 

[pilepoil99]

Hi Sm1smom,

First of all, thank you for all the help you provide here. I have 2 questions for you:

1/ I have a french Baccalaureat (equivalent to the high school diploma), how do i prove to the FO that it's actually the case. Do i only need to give them the french diploma and a translation and they will figure out by themselves that's it's equivalent to a US high School diploma ?

2/ My wife's name is nowhere in all the documents from KCC, how can the officer know that she was included with me in the lottery as a dependent ?

Thank you

 

[Sm1smom]

Hey there,

After sending in your AOS package, is it a bad idea to get a new job and therefore get a new visa (I am on an E3) before getting your green card back?

A visa is basically a document that allows you to enter the country, so I'm not sure what you mean by getting a new visa in this case.

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi Sm1smom,

First of all, thank you for all the help you provide here. I have 2 questions for you:

1/ I have a french Baccalaureat (equivalent to the high school diploma), how do i prove to the FO that it's actually the case. Do i only need to give them the french diploma and a translation and they will figure out by themselves that's it's equivalent to a US high School diploma ?

2/ My wife's name is nowhere in all the documents from KCC, how can the officer know that she was included with me in the lottery as a dependent ?

Thank you

1. You may give the translation - some FOs though do request an for the diploma to be evaluated. So I suggest you look into getting an evaluated report.

2. The officer will know by virtue of the fact that she's your wife. If you got married after your DV selection, be prepared to prove your marriage is genuine.

 

[Wendpanga]

Hi Sm1smom,

First of all, thank you for all the help you provide here. I have 2 questions for you:

1/ I have a french Baccalaureat (equivalent to the high school diploma), how do i prove to the FO that it's actually the case. Do i only need to give them the french diploma and a translation and they will figure out by themselves that's it's equivalent to a US high School diploma ?

2/ My wife's name is nowhere in all the documents from KCC, how can the officer know that she was included with me in the lottery as a dependent ?

Thank you

I also only have the transcript of my french high school diploma, not even the physical diploma ( I never asked the Academy of Bordeaux for it). I think it should be fine as long as you have a certified translation of what you have.
I only used my transcript to get in my university here in the US.

 

[CountryGirl]

Hi Sm1smom,

First of all, thank you for all the help you provide here. I have 2 questions for you:

1/ I have a french Baccalaureat (equivalent to the high school diploma), how do i prove to the FO that it's actually the case. Do i only need to give them the french diploma and a translation and they will figure out by themselves that's it's equivalent to a US high School diploma ?

2/ My wife's name is nowhere in all the documents from KCC, how can the officer know that she was included with me in the lottery as a dependent ?

Thank you

I also have a Baccalaureate diploma and they accepted it. But I presented the actual diploma with an English translation. No need of transcripts. But I'm at the university here, too, and I sent the transcript from my studies here. I don't know if they just assumed I had the high school because of that.

 

[CountryGirl]

Hello people!!

I'm the happiest woman in the world right now. I just left the federal building with my GC petition already approved on the spot.

My interview experience:
We arrived half hour prior to our interview appointment and better we did because we spent about 40 minutes on line to get into the building and pass the security.
Once we checked - in and presented our letter appointment we waited about 15-20 minutes until we were called for the actual interview.

The interview:
We went through most of the form questions (all no, no drugs, no weapons, no military, no organizations...). After that he asked A Lot of questions about our marriage, the parents of the other, our life together... It was weird because we got married long before we came to USA and we have been married for several years now... But after about 20-25 minutes he kept our passports and he told us to wait outside. After about another 20 minutes we were called again and he told us that our petition had been approved and that we'll receive our GC in a few days on the mail.
By the time we went outside the building, we got the text update about our case "New card is being processed"

I'm extremely thankful for all your help and your patience. Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

My best wishes to all of you that are on your way to the GC.

 

[atx]

A visa is basically a document that allows you to enter the country, so I'm not sure what you mean by getting a new visa in this case.

Thanks for the reply.

If I get a new job, I will have to go back to Australia and get a new E3 visa. If I get a new E3 visa after I send my AOS package and before I get my green card visa, my visa will no longer match the copy that I sent in my AOS package - does that make sense? I'm worried that if I get a new E3 visa (and it doesn't reflect what I sent in my AOS package), this will cause delays or trouble for the officer reviewing my case.

Thanks again!

 

[Sm1smom]

Thanks for the reply.

If I get a new job, I will have to go back to Australia and get a new E3 visa. If I get a new E3 visa after I send my AOS package and before I get my green card visa, my visa will no longer match the copy that I sent in my AOS package - does that make sense? I'm worried that if I get a new E3 visa (and it doesn't reflect what I sent in my AOS package), this will cause delays or trouble for the officer reviewing my case.

Thanks again!

The potential new visa not matching what you already sent with your AOS package isn't what you should be worrying about in my opinion as it isn't going to be an issue.

However, I hope you are aware that traveling outside the US without an approved AP card while your AOS petition is pending means your petition would be considered abandoned and would therefore be denied.

Also with the current volatile immigration situation in the US, the possibility of a CBP officer denying you admission back into the US on the basis of having demonstrated an immigrant intent with your AOS petition (even though the guidelines issued by the USCIS state that applications for E classification, including extensions or change of status, cannot be denied solely on the basis of an approved permanent labor certification or pending or approved immigrant visa petition) should not be ruled out.

 

[JohnF.]

I have visited our FO in Charleston, SC for an Infopass on 2/24. Our biometrics were done on 12/20, and we have not heard anything back, other than my husband's EAD card being approved. I inquired about our case, they confirmed that our background check was cleared, they received our file two weeks ago, and thee officer said that since we are DV loterry winners, they will put our case in the interview line. KCC confirmed that our file was not requested yet, so the officer said they will request it, and if all documents are ok, they will approve our case without an interview since we already went there. They gave us 30-45 days to review our case and possibly approve it. It was an encouraging and positive Infopass.

 

[JohnF.]

Hello people!!

I'm the happiest woman in the world right now. I just left the federal building with my GC petition already approved on the spot.

My interview experience:
We arrived half hour prior to our interview appointment and better we did because we spent about 40 minutes on line to get into the building and pass the security.
Once we checked - in and presented our letter appointment we waited about 15-20 minutes until we were called for the actual interview.

The interview:
We went through most of the form questions (all no, no drugs, no weapons, no military, no organizations...). After that he asked A Lot of questions about our marriage, the parents of the other, our life together... It was weird because we got married long before we came to USA and we have been married for several years now... But after about 20-25 minutes he kept our passports and he told us to wait outside. After about another 20 minutes we were called again and he told us that our petition had been approved and that we'll receive our GC in a few days on the mail.
By the time we went outside the building, we got the text update about our case "New card is being processed"

I'm extremely thankful for all your help and your patience. Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

My best wishes to all of you that are on your way to the GC.

Congrats! So encouraging for us who are still waiting!

 

[Supersonic2016]

Still waiting to be cleared by FBI after 4 months, since I remember I grew up in a liberal not religious open minded family, I have been the pioneer of criticism of religions and stuff like that. I lived and worked in England for 4.5 years and so on.
I don't know what FBI is looking for? What are they checking?

 

[Sm1smom]

Still waiting to be cleared by FBI after 4 months, since I remember I grew up in a liberal not religious open minded family, I have been the pioneer of criticism of religions and stuff like that. I lived and worked in England for 4.5 years and so on.
I don't know what FBI is looking for? What are they checking?

Have you paid any attention to the responses Simon and I have given you in the past at all? You're from Iran, aren't you? It is standard practice, as a matter of fact expected, for Iranians to be subjected to extensive background checks. For DV cases, that is 5 months on average, for none DV - this takes years. We have AOS cases (none DV based) which have been pending for 1-2 years plus.

In your case, in addition to being from Iran, you've travelled extensively - England, China, UAE, and you know where else, those are things they need to look into in addition to your being Iranian and the fact that your government doesn't cooperate nor provide information easily to the US government.

By the way, what is your area of study? That is another factor that can lead to extensive background checks, just so you know.

 

[atx]

The potential new visa not matching what you already sent with your AOS package isn't what you should be worrying about in my opinion as it isn't going to be an issue.

However, I hope you are aware that traveling outside the US without an approved AP card while your AOS petition is pending means your petition would be considered abandoned and would therefore be denied.

Also with the current volatile immigration situation in the US, the possibility of a CBP officer denying you admission back into the US on the basis of having demonstrated an immigrant intent with your AOS petition (even though the guidelines issued by the USCIS state that applications for E classification, including extensions or change of status, cannot be denied solely on the basis of an approved permanent labor certification or pending or approved immigrant visa petition) should not be ruled out.

Wow I didn't know I was not allowed to leave the country while my AOS petition is pending! Already booked a holiday to Canada in July and my number (OC13xx) probably won't become current until July (I will send the petition in June) so things aren't looking too good. Do you have any ideas as to how I can get my green card and go on my holiday to Canada? I assume it is risky to leave the country (even with an AP) while my petition is pending as I risk not being allowed back into the US as I am showing intent to reside in the US (not what my E3 visa says).

 

[Ruw02]

Have you paid any attention to the responses Simon and I have given you in the past at all? You're from Iran, aren't you? It is standard practice, as a matter of fact expected, for Iranians to be subjected to extensive background checks. For DV cases, that is 5 months on average, for none DV - this takes years. We have AOS cases (none DV based) which have been pending for 1-2 years plus.

In your case, in addition to being from Iran, you've travelled extensively - England, China, UAE, and you know where else, those are things they need to look into in addition to your being Iranian and the fact that your government doesn't cooperate nor provide information easily to the US government.

By the way, what is your area of study? That is another factor that can lead to extensive background checks, just so you know.

Area of study too? what areas of study, for example lead to extensive background checks?

 

[mira88]

Wow I didn't know I was not allowed to leave the country while my AOS petition is pending! Already booked a holiday to Canada in July and my number (OC13xx) probably won't become current until July (I will send the petition in June) so things aren't looking too good. Do you have any ideas as to how I can get my green card and go on my holiday to Canada? I assume it is risky to leave the country (even with an AP) while my petition is pending as I risk not being allowed back into the US as I am showing intent to reside in the US (not what my E3 visa says).

AP card takes an average of 3 months to be issued after you send your application. If you think your case will be current in July then you will probably get your AP card in September at the earliest. This means that you have to cancel your trip to Canada or your AOS petition will be denied.
Just to give you some insight, I sent my AOS package with AP application in mid November,my green card was approved mid February. I didn't receive an AP card and they terminated my case since I received a green card already.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Still waiting to be cleared by FBI after 4 months, since I remember I grew up in a liberal not religious open minded family, I have been the pioneer of criticism of religions and stuff like that. I lived and worked in England for 4.5 years and so on.
I don't know what FBI is looking for? What are they checking?

I doubt the FBI had bugs in every single Iranian home to know the politics of every one-day potential immigrant.

Plus, what mom said.

 

[Supersonic2016]

Thanks for the response, I am not complaining, As I know DV lottery is not a right and is a chance and privilege to me, I only told you my concerns and frastration cause my fiancée is waiting in Iran for so long for me and my relationship is on jeopardy. Anyway, my PhD is Mechanical Engineering and I know this is another factor that needs to be checked by FBI.

Have you paid any attention to the responses Simon and I have given you in the past at all? You're from Iran, aren't you? It is standard practice, as a matter of fact expected, for Iranians to be subjected to extensive background checks. For DV cases, that is 5 months on average, for none DV - this takes years. We have AOS cases (none DV based) which have been pending for 1-2 years plus.

In your case, in addition to being from Iran, you've travelled extensively - England, China, UAE, and you know where else, those are things they need to look into in addition to your being Iranian and the fact that your government doesn't cooperate nor provide information easily to the US government.

By the way, what is your area of study? That is another factor that can lead to extensive background checks, just so you know.

 

[Supersonic2016]

I doubt the FBI had bugs in every single Iranian home to know the politics of every one-day potential immigrant.

Plus, what mom said.

I know they have no idea who is whom. But, for example, my travel to China was because my room mate who was my best friend in UK in England when I was Student there was from China, after two years he returned to China he invited me to his Wedding and I travelled to China to attend his Wedding and visit Chinese historical places.
The other thing is, for sending the package They did not ask us for the other visas we have on our passports but I put a copy of my previous and current passport visas from all around the world to make thme sure I traveled a lot I thought that would be an advantage for me but it made it complicated