DV 2019 AOS Only

[Sm1smom]

I asked them and they don't know. They told me that they think it's ok but they wouldn't recommend it because of the political climate. That's all I was told. I don't want it to be a problem while my AOS process especially since in the I-485, there is a part where it is asked to list all organizations, societies, associations etc. I've been member of the Red Cross in my country so I'll list it but for hospitals, I really don't have a clue. However, for my college applications, it is required.

I really wasn’t going to get into this originally but I feel a need to caution you. It’s not just a matter of listing the organizations you’ve volunteered with or being a Red Cross member. You want to make sure you don’t do anything that will unintentionally kick you out of status which effectively makes you ineligible for AOS. And it is not just a matter of not getting paid. The question that’s likely to be asked is the volunteer job you plan on performing, could this be for a job the hospital could have paid someone to perform, or is it a position exclusively carved out as a volunteer position on an ongoing basis (and not just created for you).

 

[SusieQQQ]

As long as you are not get paid for that it means you are still in your status. Visa F1 people are not allowed to work out of school but having some volunteering jobs which are related to your education is fine. Take it easy

Official source for that statement, please? Most NIVs have restrictions on volunteering, to “true” volunteer positions. Just because you don’t get paid doesn’t automatically mean you remain in status. Is F1 different, if so please provide the source? This is precisely why I suggested the poster consult the school office, who should have (but apparently can’t) been able to tell them what they can and can’t do on F1.

Here’s one uni that details it https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/students/employment-volunteer

 

[firstSA]

Hello,
This question may be already answered but I was not able to find a clear reply.
For consular processing; is the interview date determined based on the Visa Bulletin cut off date? Or it is based on the DS260 submission?

Thanks

 

[Sm1smom]

Hello,
This question may be already answered but I was not able to find a clear reply.
For consular processing; is the interview date determined based on the Visa Bulletin cut off date? Or it is based on the DS260 submission?

Thanks

Interview date for CP is based on both the CN meeting the VB cut off number and KCC ‘s completion of the DS260 form processing. A selectee’s CN may be current but if KCC hasn’t finished processing the form, the case will not get scheduled for a CP interview.

 

[AlyzGates]

Hey,
You can find an example of the type of volunteering I'm talking about in case you're curious if you google Volunteer Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Anyway, thank you very much Mom and SusieQQQ for your time and your help. I'm still trying to figure it out, if not, I'll try to do it next year after my AOS if possible.
Thanks once again and have a great day
Best,

 

[SusieQQQ]

Hey,
You can find an example of the type of volunteering I'm talking about in case you're curious if you google Volunteer Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
Anyway, thank you very much Mom and SusieQQQ for your time and your help. I'm still trying to figure it out, if not, I'll try to do it next year after my AOS if possible.
Thanks once again and have a great day
Best,

No-one here has the authority to tell you whether what you want to do is acceptable or not, you need to find that out for yourself - we just wanted to ensure you understand that there are some types of "volunteering" that could lead to a violation of status and therefore make you ineligible for AOS.

 

[Lnpsv]

The other question is about 30-60-90 rule. With my current H1-B status as for the main applicant and H-4 dependants, we shouldn't be worrying about it, right? This restriction doesn't applicable to us, correct?

It depends. Did you and your dependents recently entered the US?

Yes, we entered the US in August, 2018.

 

[Akramjoon]

Official source for that statement, please? Most NIVs have restrictions on volunteering, to “true” volunteer positions. Just because you don’t get paid doesn’t automatically mean you remain in status. Is F1 different, if so please provide the source? This is precisely why I suggested the poster consult the school office, who should have (but apparently can’t) been able to tell them what they can and can’t do on F1.

Here’s one uni that details it https://internationalcenter.umich.edu/students/employment-volunteer

There is no official source for that but I had the same condition and students specially medical ones have to do volunteering work along with their education and as I mentioned as long as it is related to their education and not out of school, it is fine. Also, graduate students can get a job related to their skills out of school and the Graduate education office give them permission.

 

[Sm1smom]

The other question is about 30-60-90 rule. With my current H1-B status as for the main applicant and H-4 dependants, we shouldn't be worrying about it, right? This restriction doesn't applicable to us, correct?



Yes, we entered the US in August, 2018.

Although having an immigrant intent is permissible on a H1B because it is a dua intent visa, I would hesitate to outrightly say someone in a H1B status doesn’t have to worry about the 90 day rule in view of this current administration’s stand on immigration. My suggestion is to apply the 90 day rule before submitting your AOS package.

 

[Sm1smom]

There is no official source for that but I had the same condition and students specially medical ones have to do volunteering work along with their education and as I mentioned as long as it is related to their education and not out of school, it is fine. Also, graduate students can get a job related to their skills out of school and the Graduate education office give them permission.

The person asking about volunteering in a medical hospital is not currently a medical student though - they are just planning on applying for admission to a medical school, so this is not the same thing as volunteering in their admitted field of study.

 

[SusieQQQ]

There is no official source for that but I had the same condition and students specially medical ones have to do volunteering work along with their education and as I mentioned as long as it is related to their education and not out of school, it is fine. Also, graduate students can get a job related to their skills out of school and the Graduate education office give them permission.

Actually, what you originally said was just that as long as you don’t get paid it’s fine, which isn’t true. This is precisely one of the assumptions that the link from U Michigan I posted warns against. Seeing as the poster won’t be able to say “akramjoon said it was ok” at the AOS interview I still suggest they get a reliable, authoritative opinion they can use if they need to.

 

[AlyzGates]

Hey,
Actually, your undergrad doesn't have to be related to med school to apply. You can have a biochem or a philosophy undergrad and apply as long as you have all the requirements. Med students have very different backgrounds usually. But clinical volunteering is required so you really know what you step into. I asked the hospital and they said that they have a lot of international students volunteering. Volunteering is mostly speaking to patients, observing what nurses do, feeding the patients and sometimes helping the nurses with very simple tasks. But I'll ask again to be sure. As you said, I don't wanna take a risk and be ineligible for AOS.
Thank you all once again for your advices. Any piece of advices is very precious.
Thank you Mom and SusieQQQ(your picture profile is very cool btw, I was wondering which anime it was) once again for giving your time and replying me,
Thanks,

Best

 

[Sm1smom]

Hey,
Actually, your undergrad doesn't have to be related to med school to apply. You can have a biochem or a philosophy undergrad and apply as long as you have all the requirements. Med students have very different backgrounds usually. But clinical volunteering is required so you really know what you step into. I asked the hospital and they said that they have a lot of international students volunteering. Volunteering is mostly speaking to patients, observing what nurses do, feeding the patients and sometimes helping the nurses with very simple tasks. But I'll ask again to be sure. As you said, I don't wanna take a risk and be ineligible for AOS.
Thank you all once again for your advices. Any piece of advices is very precious.
Thank you Mom and SusieQQQ(your picture profile is very cool btw, I was wondering which anime it was) once again for giving your time and replying me,
Thanks,

Best

Of course I know med students typically have various background before they get into med school. You clearly don’t seem to have grasped what my response to @Akramjoon’s post was trying to address - precisely why I didn’t even want to entertain the issue in the first place. So I’m just going to back off it now.

 

[J2nyi]

I have updated so far, will update this date as well.

Thanks so much traveller that’s very helpful

 

[Mshindi2018]

Hi mom,
I'm new here. I was selected for DV2019, AF12xxx and hope to be current in Jan. You provide a lot of info to AOSers and your help is invaluable to say the least - a big thank you!

I am not sure if you have answered this before but i have the following questions

1) Do kids under 14 also require to complete the immigration physical?
2) As a G-visa holder, do i need forms 508/566 for derivatives as well?
3) Finally if i become current in the next bulletin (i.e advance notification section) can i file 485 using early filing memo?

Thanks for your continued help to the DV community!

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi mom,
I'm new here. I was selected for DV2019, AF12xxx and hope to be current in Jan. You provide a lot of info to AOSers and your help is invaluable to say the least - a big thank you!

I am not sure if you have answered this before but i have the following questions

1) Do kids under 14 also require to complete the immigration physical?
2) As a G-visa holder, do i need forms 508/566 for derivatives as well?
3) Finally if i become current in the next bulletin (i.e advance notification section) can i file 485 using early filing memo?

Thanks for your continued help to the DV community!

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.

 

[Mshindi2018]

Thanks Mom!

 

[vanillasky]

Hi, I filed my change of status on 1st Nov. and my medical exam was done in May. Do you guys think based on new rules that my medical report is not valid anymore? Should I submit a new one in order to prevent an RFE?

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi, I filed my change of status on 1st Nov. and my medical exam was done in May. Do you guys think based on new rules that my medical report is not valid anymore? Should I submit a new one in order to prevent an RFE?

Yes there’s the possibility of your being asked to submit a new medical report.

Submitting additional documents following AOS package acceptance when a RFE hasn’t been issued is a waste of time. The new document being sent will not make its way to your case file.

 

[jimy ny]

Hello all,

I need your helpful thoughts. That being said, it may not be related to the subject of our discussion.

I live in university dorm. where i have seen that mails get misplaced in our mailbox by help desk/university staff.
i wanted to know your opinion in this matter, if this is a good idea to rent a PO BOX from USPS in postal office.
it seems i can change my postal address to this PO BOX address which is in Postal office location without telling KCC or USCIS that i am gonna change my address and i can manage it online.

For instance, when i am filling i485 form, i still can mention my dorm address in that form, and receive any mail/envelope in my PO BOX address!

With this option, i can have a peace of mind because my receiving mails are not gonna get misplaced with other students.


Shed some light in this matter please.