DV 2018 OC Selectees

[Aussiemika]

The expiration date of the visa has no bearing on the PCC, only the medical exam.

Not what the consulate told me last week.
They specifically pointed that out and had the dates recorded on the application cover sheet.
Said if I got a new police report I could arrive prior to the medical expiration date instead.
Only a month difference in my case so not going to bother.

 

[Motherly12]

Good to know. I did the police check last week. Is it just the proof of name sheet? Or is there a different check?

 

[Sm1smom]

Not what the consulate told me last week.
They specifically pointed that out and had the dates recorded on the application cover sheet.
Said if I got a new police report I could arrive prior to the medical expiration date instead.
Only a month difference in my case so not going to bother.

Yours is the first I’ve heard of the visa expiration date being tied to the PCC date.

 

[Britsimon]

Not what the consulate told me last week.
They specifically pointed that out and had the dates recorded on the application cover sheet.
Said if I got a new police report I could arrive prior to the medical expiration date instead.
Only a month difference in my case so not going to bother.

Yours is the first I’ve heard of the visa expiration date being tied to the PCC date.

Yes - that is some sort of misunderstanding.

 

[Motherly12]

Will 2hrs be enough time for clearance during transit for our 'look see trip' or should I allow longer time for the layover? Thanks again

 

[SusieQQQ]

Will 2hrs be enough time for clearance during transit for our 'look see trip' or should I allow longer time for the layover? Thanks again

Usually safer to leave 3. You may get comfortably through in an hour, but you could be on a delayed flight landing at the same time as a number of others leading to long lines at immigration, and you’ll need to clear customs with your baggage - and depending where you are possibly change terminals - to catch your connection.

 

[LucyTheNerd]

You could take a chance as Sydney has been ok with that in the past. With some embassies it’s incredibly difficult - bear in mind you usually have to cancel your KCC-assigned interview slot before you get assigned a new slot by the embassy, and you have zero control over when your new appointment is, and some people have not been assigned new slots at all before the fiscal year ended. This past DV year it was even worse as rescheduled appointments lose their original reserved visa, and when DV2017 visas ran out in early September all such cases were unable to be issued visas. So, it’s risky. Sydney is about the only embassy I’d even consider taking that risk with, but the risk is still real that you don’t end up with a visa.

I'm also wondering about rescheduling interviews with the Sydney embassy. Does anybody else have any experience with this?

My situation is that I might be taking two short visits to the US this year, and I'd really like the first one to be on ESTA and the second to be my activation trip. But unfortunately I have a feeling that my interview will be scheduled before both trips.

My case number is OC9xx. Based on previous years' data, I would expect an interview around May. I'm attending a conference in the US in September, so I was thinking that that would work perfectly as an activation trip. However, I now have the possibility of a job interview in the US in June. Now I imagine that if I do two short return trips on the green card, the border control officers would not be very pleased and I would probably lose the green card.

The ideal situation would be that I travel for the job interview on ESTA in June, interview and be approved for the green card in July/August, and then do the activation trip in September. My question is - can anyone advise whether that is realistic? Or even possible? Has anyone had experience rescheduling interviews at the Sydney embassy? Is it possible to be at all "choosy" with dates, or is that wishful thinking?

If it's all looking a bit too dicey, then I will forgo the June trip and just activate in September as planned (the conference is more important than the job interview). Just thought I'd explore all options first though.

 

[EmilyW]

Sydney is good for reschedules, but I personally wouldn't risk an August interview if I could avoid it. Find yourself in AP and you're in a race against time.

 

[LucyTheNerd]

Sydney is good for reschedules, but I personally wouldn't risk an August interview if I could avoid it. Find yourself in AP and you're in a race against time.

Thanks Emily! That's certainly the vibe I'm getting - risky. I would hate to miss out altogether.

Another thought/question - could I potentially delay (rather than re-schedule) the interview? I have already submitted my DS260. But would it be possible to unlock, leave it unlocked for a while, then re-submit at a strategically later date? Or again, is that a bit of a risk?

 

[EmilyW]

@Britsimon is the expert on that so I'll let him answer!

 

[Britsimon]

Thanks Emily! That's certainly the vibe I'm getting - risky. I would hate to miss out altogether.

Another thought/question - could I potentially delay (rather than re-schedule) the interview? I have already submitted my DS260. But would it be possible to unlock, leave it unlocked for a while, then re-submit at a strategically later date? Or again, is that a bit of a risk?

You are more likely to have an April interview. Your concern about two short trips being a problem is not a valid concern. Delaying won't work, rescheduling is not wise. Bottom line, You should activate in June - and there is no problem with that.

 

[LucyTheNerd]

You are more likely to have an April interview. Your concern about two short trips being a problem is not a valid concern. Delaying won't work, rescheduling is not wise. Bottom line, You should activate in June - and there is no problem with that.

Thanks for the quick response! Much appreciated.

I just want to clarify what you said about "two short trips being a problem is not a valid concern". My understanding was that a one-off activation trip (short trip on a return ticket) is not a problem in most cases, as long as you then make the "permanent" move within 12 months or so. I had thought that the permanent move had to be the next trip after the activation? Is that not the case?? (I hope not - it would make it much more straightforward for me!)

So hypothetically, if I head over to activate in June, that obviously won't be a problem. But then, my worry is that when I next lob up at LAX in September for a another short stay before heading back "home" to Australia, they'll see that I haven't made the US my permanent residence yet, and deny entry. Because I wouldn't have substantial ties. Are you suggesting that they might actually be a bit more lenient? (Again, I really hope so!).

Thanks again for your help.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Thanks for the quick response! Much appreciated.

I just want to clarify what you said about "two short trips being a problem is not a valid concern". My understanding was that a one-off activation trip (short trip on a return ticket) is not a problem in most cases, as long as you then make the "permanent" move within 12 months or so. I had thought that the permanent move had to be the next trip after the activation? Is that not the case?? (I hope not - it would make it much more straightforward for me!)

So hypothetically, if I head over to activate in June, that obviously won't be a problem. But then, my worry is that when I next lob up at LAX in September for a another short stay before heading back "home" to Australia, they'll see that I haven't made the US my permanent residence yet, and deny entry. Because I wouldn't have substantial ties. Are you suggesting that they might actually be a bit more lenient? (Again, I really hope so!).

Thanks again for your help.

They cannot actually totally deny you entry on a green card. They can refer you to an immigration judge if they think you’ve abandoned residency. In your situation it would be highly unlikely, though you could expect questions certainly. In any case I presume you wouldn’t go all that way in June unless you thought you’d get the job, which might make the second trip kinda moot? In any case you can always do the “still busy sorting things out to make the final move” argument.

By the way there is another way to delay issuance- go to your interview as scheduled, be “unable” to present a critical document like police report at your interview, be put on AP pending that, submit it when you’re about ready to get your visa. Can’t get too cute with this but in your case eg would submit the “missing” doc soon as you return from your June trip. Your visa expiry will still be 6 months after your medical though but with a May interview that shouldn’t be a issue for a September trip. I’d cut the hassle and go with option one though.

 

[Britsimon]

Thanks for the quick response! Much appreciated.

I just want to clarify what you said about "two short trips being a problem is not a valid concern". My understanding was that a one-off activation trip (short trip on a return ticket) is not a problem in most cases, as long as you then make the "permanent" move within 12 months or so. I had thought that the permanent move had to be the next trip after the activation? Is that not the case?? (I hope not - it would make it much more straightforward for me!)

So hypothetically, if I head over to activate in June, that obviously won't be a problem. But then, my worry is that when I next lob up at LAX in September for a another short stay before heading back "home" to Australia, they'll see that I haven't made the US my permanent residence yet, and deny entry. Because I wouldn't have substantial ties. Are you suggesting that they might actually be a bit more lenient? (Again, I really hope so!).

Thanks again for your help.

Even with Trump in the WH the US is not a police state yet. So - here is what you need to think about.

As a US resident, you are free to come and go as you please. When you return you are "applying" for re-entry. If a CO believes you have abandoned your resident status they do one of two things - 1. admit you on parole and set an appointment for you to argue your case in front of an immigration judge or 2. ask you to relinquish your GC and admit you as a tourist. Never take option 2.

At ANY TIME an immigration officer is entitled to ask questions on re-entry to decide whether to admit you or not. That questioning is less likely with absences of 6 months or less, and is quite likely if you have been absent from 6 months to a year. The questions often center around whether you are living ion the USA or not (creating ties).

For people who do an activation trip, then leave, an absence of up to 12 months is quite common and reasonable. Any IO is going to understand it takes a while to tie up loose ends etc. But that does not mean that is the only time you can take a 12 (11.9) month absence, and it does not mean you cannot take shorter absences.

So, if your plan is to move within a few months after the September trip, then there really is no problem. You will have a chance to explain the two early trips and as long as you are not treating the GC as a visitors visa, you should be fine.

 

[Britsimon]

They cannot actually totally deny you entry on a green card. They can refer you to an immigration judge if they think you’ve abandoned residency. In your situation it would be highly unlikely, though you could expect questions certainly. In any case I presume you wouldn’t go all that way in June unless you thought you’d get the job, which might make the second trip kinda moot? In any case you can always do the “still busy sorting things out to make the final move” argument.

By the way there is another way to delay issuance- go to your interview as scheduled, be “unable” to present a critical document like police report at your interview, be put on AP pending that, submit it when you’re about ready to get your visa. Can’t get too cute with this but in your case eg would submit the “missing” doc soon as you return from your June trip. Your visa expiry will still be 6 months after your medical though but with a May interview that shouldn’t be a issue for a September trip. I’d cut the hassle and go with option one though.

Sorry - you beat me to it. My reply sat there for ages...

 

[LucyTheNerd]

In any case I presume you wouldn’t go all that way in June unless you thought you’d get the job, which might make the second trip kinda moot?

That's the plan! Get the job and then the second "trip" is indeed moot; it's the permanent move instead. I just don't want to put all my eggs in one basket. Hoping for the best but planning for the worst!

Thanks Emily, Susie and Simon so much for coming to the rescue with your wise advice. I will go with your recommendation and interview in April/May as planned. You sound confident that that will be ok, which gives me confidence!

I'm certainly not trying to use the green card as a visitor visa - I'd just prefer not to make the move until I've got a job lined up if at all possible, which might necessitate multiple trips before the Big One. Hopefully I don't get too nervous explaining that to the lovely person manning the border control desk. I'm jittery at the moment because there was a story in one of the Aussie newspapers just last week about a visa-related nightmare at LAX!!

[couldn't post the link because the board thinks I'm posting spam. But the title of the article is "US visa regulations: How a mistake got me banned from the US for life" if anyone wants to google]


Obviously her situation is completely different to mine though! I just need to chill out.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out guys, much appreciated.

 

[SusieQQQ]

I'd just prefer not to make the move until I've got a job lined up if at all possible, which might necessitate multiple trips before the Big One. Hopefully I don't get too nervous explaining that to the lovely person manning the border control desk.

.

You should be aware that getting an interview from abroad is fairly rare, and if you don’t get that job, you’ll probably have a much easier time landing a job once in the US than trying to get something else before you make the move. And while 2 trips shouldn’t be an issue, multiple ones will be. If June doesn’t work out you should do what most of the rest of us do...draw your savings, bite the bullet and take that leap of faith.

 

[LucyTheNerd]

You should be aware that getting an interview from abroad is fairly rare, and if you don’t get that job, you’ll probably have a much easier time landing a job once in the US than trying to get something else before you make the move. And while 2 trips shouldn’t be an issue, multiple ones will be. If June doesn’t work out you should do what most of the rest of us do...draw your savings, bite the bullet and take that leap of faith.

Yep, sorry, by "multiple" trips I did only mean the two I was talking about.....which up until yesterday was completely freaking me out because I thought it would automatically break the green-card rules. The plan is to hold out for the best, ideal opportunities in 2018; then indeed bite the bullet in 2019 and move with nothing lined up job-wise. (Either option is exciting!)

 

[EmilyW]

I moved without a job. It was fine. You'll be fine.

 

[Redman1]

Hi guys excited to be going for my interview in Sydney in March.
Just starting to get my documents together and I have managed to dig our my HSC certificate which i got for finishing year 12 in NSW along with a list of my year 12 courses. I also have my bachelors degree which I got through studying in the USA on a student visa. Will this be enough to prove my education?