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DV 2017 OC Selectees

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say thanks for how hard everyone works to make this process smooth and successful for everyone.

I'm all jittery cos everything is happening now. I've got a two digit case number, filled out my DS260 early and have interviews lined up for my office in NY and GA. I've started cleaning out my considerable amount of crap and taking it to the op-shop. :p

I only just read that the interviews in Sydney take place on a Tuesday, so that's good to know. I've been telling work for a while that based on my case number and the promptness of filling in my DS260 that I'll have to take a ~mysterious~ day off in October to go to the embassy. It's chill that everyone has been so supportive of me at work, helping me prepare for the internal job interviews and what not.

Does anyone know with the assets if I can just bring a proof of balance print out from the bank? I'm going to have the $10,000 USD suggested, but it's going to be a loan from my parents, so it'll only exist in there from now until the interview is over. I will likely have a written job offer from work, and I have someone in the US willing to provide their details on the public charge form (I know there's a name, but I CBF looking it up). It's the only part of my application that I'm not 100% certain on that might trip me up. :confused:

It's all so exciting. I have a long distance boyfriend in the USA. We've been going out for 18 months now, and he's spent so much money coming over to Australia to visit. I just entered the EDV as a "lol, imagine if..." proposition, and it's seeming like we don't have to imagine much more! I know I can't really celebrate until I have the visa in my hands, but it's so close...

So in short (TL:DR), do you think I'm prepared enough regarding the finances, and thanks so much!
 
BenCreswick said:
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say thanks for how hard everyone works to make this process smooth and successful for everyone.

I'm all jittery cos everything is happening now. I've got a two digit case number, filled out my DS260 early and have interviews lined up for my office in NY and GA. I've started cleaning out my considerable amount of crap and taking it to the op-shop. :p

I only just read that the interviews in Sydney take place on a Tuesday, so that's good to know. I've been telling work for a while that based on my case number and the promptness of filling in my DS260 that I'll have to take a ~mysterious~ day off in October to go to the embassy. It's chill that everyone has been so supportive of me at work, helping me prepare for the internal job interviews and what not.

Does anyone know with the assets if I can just bring a proof of balance print out from the bank? I'm going to have the $10,000 USD suggested, but it's going to be a loan from my parents, so it'll only exist in there from now until the interview is over. I will likely have a written job offer from work, and I have someone in the US willing to provide their details on the public charge form (I know there's a name, but I CBF looking it up). It's the only part of my application that I'm not 100% certain on that might trip me up. :confused:

It's all so exciting. I have a long distance boyfriend in the USA. We've been going out for 18 months now, and he's spent so much money coming over to Australia to visit. I just entered the EDV as a "lol, imagine if..." proposition, and it's seeming like we don't have to imagine much more! I know I can't really celebrate until I have the visa in my hands, but it's so close...

So in short (TL:DR), do you think I'm prepared enough regarding the finances, and thanks so much!
Click to expand...

OOPS! Don't mind me. I've read through the earlier pages of the forum, and it states that the Sydney office is unlikely to ask further questions about money.
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for great answers.

1. Typically how long does it take them to process DS260 form once submitted and approved?
2. After DS260 form is submitted and approved, how long does it take until you have got on the interview?

I am trying to work out once DS260 is submitted to interview date - what is the approximate timeframe in days or months?

Thanks.
 
Jasse said:
Hi everyone,

Thanks for great answers.

1. Typically how long does it take them to process DS260 form once submitted and approved?
2. After DS260 form is submitted and approved, how long does it take until you have got on the interview?

I am trying to work out once DS260 is submitted to interview date - what is the approximate timeframe in days or months?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

KCC does not process and 'approve' the DS260 form. They process the submitted form and schedule an interview if the CN is current based on the cut-off numbers on the VB.

DS 260 processing used to take about 3-4 months in the past. Interview notifications gets sent about 6-8 weeks before the interview month.
 
EmilyW said:
Jasse, with all respect, @Britsimon has answered this question previously for you: http://forums.immigration.com/threads/dv-gc-question-student.331498/#post-2433735
Click to expand...
Thanks EmilyW for your concern. But the question regarding lag between from DS260 to interview was not answered I can assure you that.

Apologies, I may ask another question which might have been answered before, but I need to know these things precisely as I don't want to miss out on the DV visa.

My CN is 8## in Sydney office, I have not unlocked DS260 yet. I want to get an interview around Aug/early Sep 2017, so should I submit my DS260 in early May 2017? Is this correct? Will submitting DS260 in May 2017 could mean that they might have run out of visas by Aug/Sep 2017 or that they have received way to many DS260's beforehand already and they wont process mine (as I have delayed purposely) and/or I may not get an interview date.

.
 
Last edited:
Jasse said:
Thanks EmilyW for your concern. But the question regarding lag between from DS260 to interview was not answered I can assure you that.

Apologies, I may ask another question which might have been answered before, but I need to know these things precisely as I don't want to miss out on the DV visa.

My CN is 8## in Sydney office, I have not unlocked DS260 yet. I want to get an interview around Aug/early Sep 2017, so should I submit my DS260 in early May 2017? Is this correct? Will submitting DS260 in May 2017 could mean that they might have run out of visas by Aug/Sep 2017 or that they have received way to many DS260's beforehand already and they wont process mine (as I have delayed purposely) and/or I may not get an interview date.

.
Click to expand...

From reading others responses, it appears that there is enough visas to go around this year. Remember though, that September is the last month for processing, so if you made errors in your DS260 or are placed on AP that there is a risk of the time frame ending. If you had an interview in July, you would have six months for an activation trip, so you could fly in and fly out around the end of that to extend the processing if need be.
 
Hmm.. I am confused now, so when do you think would be ideal time to lodge DS260? I want to enter US as late as possible that means interview as late as possible and also don't want to lose out on the DV.
 
Jasse said:
Hmm.. I am confused now, so when do you think would be ideal time to lodge DS260? I want to enter US as late as possible that means interview as late as possible and also don't want to lose out on the DV.
Click to expand...

So we know that the DS260 in previous years takes around two months to process, then they must schedule you an interview when your CN is ready.
When you interview, you hopefully will be approved right away. However, you can be placed on AP, short for additional processing.

Lets say you fill in your DS260 in July for a September interview and you get scheduled for the very last week of September. You have all of your documentation there, but they want a little more info on lets say your finances. You get placed on AP and now it's the 1st of October. From my understanding if the visa hasn't been issued by the 30th of September, you're outta luck.

Now this is all second hand learnings from other posts, so please know this may not be 100% accurate. All of this information is extremely well documented in these archives, britsimonsays.com and of course the Sydney embassy's website and the State Departments site.

So in short, the ideal time is when you're prepared to.
 
Thanks again. So, taking into account the worst case scenario that there maybe AP, etc. When do you think I should submit the DS260 the latest?
 
Jasse said:
Thanks again. So, taking into account the worst case scenario that there maybe AP, etc. When do you think I should submit the DS260 the latest?
Click to expand...

We're talking in hypothetical. I think it's best if you analyse the risk and return of the situation (So if it's submitted late, and I am placed on AP and missed out, what has the lost opportunity cost me?) and make your decision.

I'd personally be making sure my interview was early as possible, but as a single relatively unencumbered individual, I don't have a lot of loose ends that need tying up.
 
Jasse said:
Thanks EmilyW for your concern. But the question regarding lag between from DS260 to interview was not answered I can assure you that.

Apologies, I may ask another question which might have been answered before, but I need to know these things precisely as I don't want to miss out on the DV visa.
Click to expand...

Agreed the timing between DS processing and interview scheduling wasn't previously answered (because that wasn't your previous question).

However Simon's previous response http://forums.immigration.com/threads/dv-gc-question-student.331498/#post-2433735 which Emily referenced clearly addresses this:

Jasse said:
Hmm.. I am confused now, so when do you think would be ideal time to lodge DS260? I want to enter US as late as possible that means interview as late as possible and also don't want to lose out on the DV.
Click to expand...

And this:

Jasse said:
Thanks again. So, taking into account the worst case scenario that there maybe AP, etc. When do you think I should submit the DS260 the latest?
Click to expand...
 
BenCreswick said:
So we know that the DS260 in previous years takes around two months to process, then they must schedule you an interview when your CN is ready.
When you interview, you hopefully will be approved right away. However, you can be placed on AP, short for additional processing.

Lets say you fill in your DS260 in July for a September interview and you get scheduled for the very last week of September. You have all of your documentation there, but they want a little more info on lets say your finances. You get placed on AP and now it's the 1st of October. From my understanding if the visa hasn't been issued by the 30th of September, you're outta luck.

Now this is all second hand learnings from other posts, so please know this may not be 100% accurate. All of this information is extremely well documented in these archives, britsimonsays.com and of course the Sydney embassy's website and the State Departments site.

So in short, the ideal time is when you're prepared to.
Click to expand...

Actually, submitting the DS260 form in July with the hope of getting a September interview is a very risky move which may cost the whoever tries that an interview slot as a matter of fact. The interview slots are filled up and released 6 - 8 weeks in advance, meaning September interviews get scheduled in July, and KCC needs 2-4 months to process the DS forms before scheduling the interview.
 
Sm1smom said:
Actually, submitting the DS260 form in July with the hope of getting a September interview is a very risky move which may cost the whoever tries that an interview slot as a matter of fact. The interview slots are filled up and released 6 - 8 weeks in advance, meaning September interviews get scheduled in July, and KCC needs 2-4 months to process the DS forms before scheduling the interview.
Click to expand...

Thanks again. In that case submitting the DS260 in late March or early April 2017 will solve the above issue?
If you unlock DS260 now, can it remain unlock for 8-10 months, will they mind?
 
Sm1smom said:
Actually, submitting the DS260 form in July with the hope of getting a September interview is a very risky move which may cost the whoever tries that an interview slot as a matter of fact. The interview slots are filled up and released 6 - 8 weeks in advance, meaning September interviews get scheduled in July, and KCC needs 2-4 months to process the DS forms before scheduling the interview.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying.
 
My advice would be to submit mid May next year at the very latest, anything later than that seems awfully risky. This way to will get a small buffer/window. Be sure to check your DS-260 super thoroughly.
 
You need to decide what risk is greater to you - that you don't fine-tune your timing (possible implication: cost of an extra return ticket to keep a granted green card active) or missing out on a green card entirely. Given that DS260s have in the past taken up to 4 months to process, I'd consider any submission later than March to be effectively accepting the risk that you'll miss out on a green card; at the same time, submitting in March - if KCC is operating at best efficiency - could get you a (long shot but possible) June interview. Decide which would be more problematic for you...
 
Jasse said:
Hmm.. I am confused now, so when do you think would be ideal time to lodge DS260? I want to enter US as late as possible that means interview as late as possible and also don't want to lose out on the DV.
Click to expand...

I had given you that exact advice and timeline in the earlier thread that Emily had pointed out. I had suggested April or May submission.

Now about the processing time. We don't knssing time reducesow how long the processing time will be for DV2017 yet. Last two years it started out being about 4 months BUT that processing time reduces as the backlog reduces. I think the backlog will be less of a problem this year (which is why October VB started lower) - but in any case it will be around 4 to 6 weeks by the April/May time period I had suggested previously. Which, again, is why I suggested it in the other thread.
 
Jasse said:
Thanks again. In that case submitting the DS260 in late March or early April 2017 will solve the above issue?
If you unlock DS260 now, can it remain unlock for 8-10 months, will they mind?
Click to expand...

And I also told you to unlock it when you asked before. Did you do that?? If you didn't follow my advice they will have completed processing. In that case there is a high chance they will schedule the interview any when your case becomes current (which will be earlier than you wanted). That has happened in other cases I have dealt with - so cases were scheduled while their form was unlocked BECAUSE they did not unlock soon enough to halt processing. I told you to unlock on May 18th - that would have worked!

If you get scheduled too early you can ask the embassy to reschedule, but I can tell you from recent case experience that then becomes a nailbiting wait to see if they will schedule you at all, and if they do, it will probably be in August or September when all the other cases have been handled.
 
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