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How long the whole process is?

M

majanikol

Registered Users (C)
Hi everyone,
I have two questions. I am a DV-2005 winner and I'm currently waiting for my number to show up. They will be working on numbers up to 14,900 in January, and my number is 16,xxx. Now, my question is: if, for instance the cut off number for February is 17,000 it means that at that moment I will be able to go and set up an interview. How long will, approximately, the whole process lasts from setting up the interview to getting the stamp in the passport. I'd like to know this for I have some medical problems that I wish to solve in my home country and therefore would love to travel in May or June.
My second question is: I am going to change the address in a couple of weeks. Since I'm an international student I'll let the INS know through SEVIS. Do you think that the change of address could change anything in my process? I know that it sounds silly, but with everything that we all probably went through I'm getting a kind of paranoid.
Thanks!
Maya
 
First of all, you don't get to set your own appointment for interview. BCIS will do it for you after your number becomes current.

Sure, if you move within the same city, nothing will happen to your process. Do notify BCIS directly by mail and phone about your new address. Do not rely on SEVIS, since it's a different thing completely. Now, if you move to a different state, you will be under a different state's judisdiction, your file will have to get transferred, may get lost, etc.
 
Thanks Lucy Mo! I have one more question though. If my number shows up in February or March, do you think I will be able to travel to my home country in May or June? Just to let you know that for the moment I can't leave the country for I'm on F1 visa, married to a permanent resident.
Thank you so much!
Maya
 
if your number shows up in February or March, it doesn't mean that your interview will happen in the same month. It takes about a month or two sometimes for the interview to happen after the number becomes current. Then, if the interview goes well, BCIS may stamp your passport with I-551 (green card) or they may send you through a very lengthy administrative/security check. People have been known to wait for several months for the check to end, and sometimes it took so long, they didn't get their visas/AOS until after September 30. They never got their green cards. Sorry.

if I were you, I wouldn't plan on travelling until you actually have a gc.
 
To LucyMO

Hi LucyMo,
I wonder whether you can explain a little bit more about the process after one wins the lottory number..

1. Win Lottory??
2. Wait for KCC letter ??
3. Wait for Interview??
4. Assigned a visa number??
5. submit AOS??
6. Approval of AOS and stamp??
7. wait for card?

if not correct, please revise. Please also add the estimate time frame if you know or your tips.

Thanks!
 
I am more familiar with the consular processing myself. :)

1. get the first packet with notification letter and applications to fill out
2. fill them out and send them to KCC
3. wait for the interview
4. get all the docs required
5. get an interview date
6. go through the medical
7. go through the interview - either get a visa right away or go through security check (lasts from several days to several months)
8. enter the U.S. within 6 months of issue date on the visa
9. get a green card (plastic) in the mail
 
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