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Qualifying for DV by Work Experience

M

mandb

Registered Users (C)
Hi Everyone.

Has anyone here been successful in getting a DV based on their work experience ?

If so, could you please tell me what specific items of evidence you supplied ?

My spouse (selectee) has the relevant amount of experience in a qualifying occupation and we want to make sure we provide the right evidence at the interview (which is scheduled for very soon).

Any advice from previous successful applicants would be very much appreciated. :)
 
ZukotheCat said:
occupation ranking - http://www.onetonline.org/, more info what and how much - http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_4756.html

A work booklet from the Bureau for Employment recording those 2 years of work experience and overly truthful statements help.
Comprising both qualifications (experience and education) is not a problem at all.
Click to expand...

Yes Zuko, we have checked all the instructions at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_4756.html ....
... and also O*Net.... The job description is definitely eligible. (Job Zone 4 SPV 7.0 < 8.0).

We are now trying to find out exctly which documents / evidence have been used successfully by someone who has qualified for the DV by Work Experience.
 
mandb said:
Yes Zuko, we have checked all the instructions at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_4756.html ....
... and also O*Net.... The job description is definitely eligible. (Job Zone 4 SPV 7.0 < 8.0).

We are now trying to find out exctly which documents / evidence have been used successfully by someone who has qualified for the DV by Work Experience.
Click to expand...


There's no specific guideline or rule as to what document is required. It can be in the form of work contracts (originals of course) over the years or an affidavit letter from an employer (original).

In my case I'm taking an affidavit letter to the interview. Chances are they won't even ask me for it as I already have the high school diploma and other documents. It's just really to play safe.

If you recall in the DV selectee instructions it was a high school diploma OR work experience of 2 years under O Net i.e. one or the other.


Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
 
Momo1980 said:
There's no specific guideline or rule as to what document is required. It can be in the form of work contracts (originals of course) over the years or an affidavit letter from an employer (original).

In my case I'm taking an affidavit letter to the interview. Chances are they won't even ask me for it as I already have the high school diploma and other documents. It's just really to play safe.

If you recall in the DV selectee instructions it was a high school diploma OR work experience of 2 years under O Net i.e. one or the other.


Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
Click to expand...


Thankyou Momo1980. :)

Yes, it seems there is no specific guideline.... We have searched everywhere for information, but keep coming up with the same vague description as stated in the DV instructions.

My Spouse did not complete a High School Diploma (she completed Year 11), so we are relying on proving her Qualifying Work Experience.

We have her Letters Of Appointment (Work Contracts) as scanned documents.
We can show a print out out of the email from the Government H.R. Department when they sent it to her.
There is a Letter (Original) from her Direct Manager (on Government Letterhead) outlining the timeframe of employment, Tasks / Duties etc.... which is also backed up with an Affidavit.
Do you think this would be acceptable / sufficient ?

Aside from that, we can present written references / Affidavits from senior work colleagues, some actual examples of work, her C.V. / Resume and some Work Related Qualifications.

The remaing question seems to be how much evidence is required to provide the best case possible ?
 
Read the DV instructions carefully.

It is not ONLY the work exp. that matters, she needs to have 'formal training' related to that job by way of a diploma and/or voc. training cert etc.
I hope she got proof of that as well.

Best!
 
NuvF said:
Read the DV instructions carefully.

It is not ONLY the work exp. that matters, she needs to have 'formal training' related to that job by way of a diploma and/or voc. training cert etc.
I hope she got proof of that as well.

Best!
Click to expand...

Sorry NuvF, I have to disagree and I want to challenge it to make sure we understand it correctly. Here is what it says:-

"If you are qualifying with work experience, you must have two years of experience in the last five years, in an occupation which, by U.S. Department of Labor definitions, requires at least two years of training or experience that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating of 7.0 or higher. "

My position is:-

In their (DOL) definition the job is one that requires at least two years of training OR experience. Doing the job for two years (within the last 5) is all that is needed, the fact that the USDOL think you can't do the job without two years of training experience is not relevant, and there is no need to prove the training/education that allowed the person to perform the role.

Do you disagree NuvF? Not "posturing" here, I just want to get it right.

In fact, based on previous posts "Mrs mandb" has a 5 year progression toward her current role (for which she also has a diploma). But even if she had not had the years of progression (experience) or the diploma she could have qualified with 2 years work experience only (if that experience had all been in the right job).
 
NuvF said:
Read the DV instructions carefully.

It is not ONLY the work exp. that matters, she needs to have 'formal training' related to that job by way of a diploma and/or voc. training cert etc.
I hope she got proof of that as well.

Best!
Click to expand...


NuvF, I'm going with britsimon on this one. Where does it say that formal training is required by way or a diploma or vocational training certificate? I certainly can't remember anywhere from all my DV readings and research.

It is illogical because some people have a background in one thing and end up working in another e.g. my background is accounting and finance but my career has been in printing/packaging which I have done for 8 years. What diploma or training certificate could I possibly show for this if my training was hands on on a day to day basis?

If that were the case there'd be whole palaver in relation to this issue that everyone would be in effect headless chickens saying "oh my God what do I do now?" to themselves.

In relation to work experience, all that is needed is two years work experience as per the O Net guidelines in Job Zone 4 or 5 with rating of 7.0 or higher.

A simple affidavit letter attesting that a specific person worked a specific job (as per O Net guidelines) is more than sufficient to show at the interview.

Correct me if I am mistaken britsimon :)


Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
 
mandb said:
Thankyou Momo1980. :)

Yes, it seems there is no specific guideline.... We have searched everywhere for information, but keep coming up with the same vague description as stated in the DV instructions.

My Spouse did not complete a High School Diploma (she completed Year 11), so we are relying on proving her Qualifying Work Experience.

We have her Letters Of Appointment (Work Contracts) as scanned documents.
We can show a print out out of the email from the Government H.R. Department when they sent it to her.
There is a Letter (Original) from her Direct Manager (on Government Letterhead) outlining the timeframe of employment, Tasks / Duties etc.... which is also backed up with an Affidavit.
Do you think this would be acceptable / sufficient ?

Aside from that, we can present written references / Affidavits from senior work colleagues, some actual examples of work, her C.V. / Resume and some Work Related Qualifications.

The remaing question seems to be how much evidence is required to provide the best case possible ?
Click to expand...



mandb my friend, if you can clearly show your spouse's work experience with any documentation (as per O Net) then you're absolutely fine.

You can take something from a simple affidavit letter to employment contracts/letters of appointment. All they must do is show your spouse was in that vocation for two years as per O Net.


Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
 
Curiously where does everyone in here fall under O Net? It'd be interesting to see what kind of vocations are common in the DV.
 
Momo1980 said:
NuvF, I'm going with britsimon on this one. Where does it say that formal training is required by way or a diploma or vocational training certificate? I certainly can't remember anywhere from all my DV readings and research.

It is illogical because some people have a background in one thing and end up working in another e.g. my background is accounting and finance but my career has been in printing/packaging which I have done for 8 years. What diploma or training certificate could I possibly show for this if my training was hands on on a day to day basis?

If that were the case there'd be whole palaver in relation to this issue that everyone would be in effect headless chickens saying "oh my God what do I do now?" to themselves.

In relation to work experience, all that is needed is two years work experience as per the O Net guidelines in Job Zone 4 or 5 with rating of 7.0 or higher.

A simple affidavit letter attesting that a specific person worked a specific job (as per O Net guidelines) is more than sufficient to show at the interview.

Correct me if I am mistaken britsimon :)


Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
Click to expand...

I think that is all correct Momo. I personally would go armed with more than an affidavit, in fact the sort of documentation that mandb has put together sounds exactly right. I would make up a nice file of those documents and provide a copy of that during the interview. I think that the co, faced with a well documented case at the correct level would have no problem in ticking the "qualified through experience" box. They aren't trying to catch people out and deny them for sport - they just want the evidence that makes their decision justified (so they can avoid criticism). In mandbs' case much of the documentation will be from a government organisation, so will present a convincing argument.
 
Momo1980 said:
Curiously where does everyone in here fall under O Net? It'd be interesting to see what kind of vocations are common in the DV.
Click to expand...

My job is in IT - ERP database applications. I don't have a degree but have 20 years experience and vocational training which has been assessed as sufficient to meet the degree requirements for an H1 visa.
 
Mine is a family business so I'm guessing I'll just have to go with a letter but I also have my high school diploma and school leaving certificate which shows 13 years of education.
 
Plus in my case I was just thrown into the deep end from day 1; my father took me into the printshop and said "here you go, run the place and I'm sitting watching TV in my office" so it was pretty much hands on for me from the outset and I didn't go to a printing school. I went from production to finance to marketing to directorship in about 8 years of slogging.

Thats why I'm wondering how I'll prove to the consular officer about my work experience if they ask and a letter is all I can think of.

I did however inform USAID yesterday when they awarded us a contract (because we're registered federal government suppliers) that I have DV interview in August and that I wanted to complete and hand over their work before I left. They're in the same building as the US Embassy so I'm presuming or guessing they'll "talk" to each other.
 
Momo1980 said:
NuvF, I'm going with britsimon on this one. Where does it say that formal training is required by way or a diploma or vocational training certificate? I certainly can't remember anywhere from all my DV readings and research.....
Click to expand...

First, in reading DV instructions you need to be ‘careful’ than taking it ‘literally’…..a case in point is what they say about kids >=21 yrs!!. There’s a whole lot of stuff riding behind that; specifically the INA and related admin. procedures, rulings, official opinions & memos.

Second, in few cases that I have seen here in the forum (and one I know personally) ALWAYS the COs’ stand was that “You need to show a Degree/Diploma, that is what O’Net say!”

Third, even after nearly 2 decades of DV program there is no comprehensive ‘applicant guidelines or rules’ that one can rely on for these issues, so I am not going to hit my head on the rock and say I am correct, if I am not, so be it!

Having said that, I think we would be very naive to think that the DV program would prefer for someone with ‘just’ 2 yrs exp. in lieu of a HS diploma, just naive IMHO!

DV instructions just pass the ball over to O’Net guidelines and that’s what the CO s would follow. In that sense for those who do not have HS, the bar is very high. Zone 4 & 5 say one would need considerable and comprehensive ‘preparedness’ for those jobs respectively. The lowest 1-5% is those without a ‘formal preparedness’ from what I have seen.

One could argue that the ‘preparedness’ is the on the job experience rather than formal training, well you can certainly argue your case with the CO on that and influence his ‘discretion’ to include you in that 1-5% bracket, pl. go well prepared!

IMO job based DV is very risky and without proof of ‘formal training’ chances are very low.
But of course one could still spend money to try and check their luck. IF however the CO seems negative, try to convince him to get your case to DoS in DC for an AO (admin. opinion), that way they would have a chance to go through your case more comprehensively for a ruling.

Best!
 
Thankyou all for your responses and thoughts. :)

As I have mentioned, the evidence we intend to supply (If acceptable / sufficient) is:

We have her Letters Of Appointment (Work Contracts) as scanned documents.
We can show a print out out of the email from the Government H.R. Department when they sent it to her.
There is a Letter (Original) from her Direct Manager (on Government Letterhead) outlining the timeframe of employment, Tasks / Duties etc.... which is also backed up with an Affidavit.
Do you think this would be acceptable / sufficient ?

Aside from that, we can present written references / Affidavits from senior work colleagues, some actual examples of work, her C.V. / Resume and some Work Related Qualifications.

"Mrs. Mandb" does happen to have qualifications to support the evidence, so that is not a consern for us.
She has a Job Specific Diploma, as well as Globally Recognised Job Specific Certifications (One of which is through a U.S. Based International Organisation.

As everyone seems to agree, the guidelines are vague and it sounds like the best option is to provide as much evidence (in any form) as possible.
If anyone can think of anything that I have not listed which they think could be essential or very beneficial, I would be most appreciative of your suggetions. :)
 
NuvF said:
First, in reading DV instructions you need to be ‘careful’ than taking it ‘literally’…..a case in point is what they say about kids >=21 yrs!!. There’s a whole lot of stuff riding behind that; specifically the INA and related admin. procedures, rulings, official opinions & memos.

Second, in few cases that I have seen here in the forum (and one I know personally) ALWAYS the COs’ stand was that “You need to show a Degree/Diploma, that is what O’Net say!”

Third, even after nearly 2 decades of DV program there is no comprehensive ‘applicant guidelines or rules’ that one can rely on for these issues, so I am not going to hit my head on the rock and say I am correct, if I am not, so be it!

Having said that, I think we would be very naive to think that the DV program would prefer for someone with ‘just’ 2 yrs exp. in lieu of a HS diploma, just naive IMHO!

DV instructions just pass the ball over to O’Net guidelines and that’s what the CO s would follow. In that sense for those who do not have HS, the bar is very high. Zone 4 & 5 say one would need considerable and comprehensive ‘preparedness’ for those jobs respectively. The lowest 1-5% is those without a ‘formal preparedness’ from what I have seen.

One could argue that the ‘preparedness’ is the on the job experience rather than formal training, well you can certainly argue your case with the CO on that and influence his ‘discretion’ to include you in that 1-5% bracket, pl. go well prepared!

IMO job based DV is very risky and without proof of ‘formal training’ chances are very low.
But of course one could still spend money to try and check their luck. IF however the CO seems negative, try to convince him to get your case to DoS in DC for an AO (admin. opinion), that way they would have a chance to go through your case more comprehensively for a ruling.

Best!
Click to expand...


Hey NuvF,

I'm not denying what is specified on the O Net site at all. However, some people have a degree/diploma in one field and end up working in another.

Case in point I studied accounting/ACCA in the UK and dropped it in my final year and entered the printing/packaging industry since 2005 in a family owned business. I didn't go to a printing school or obtain a printing degree and my experience was completely hands on (and the printing industry is more hands on than classroom).

The point being what certificate or diploma do I show to a consular officer from a family business that has been my own and which I learnt from scratch without going to school for it? Its like that HSBC CEO who had a degree in sociology but became a banker without a banking degree in a manner of speaking.

Also, my company is also a registered Federal Government supplier because we've done work for the US Embassy and USAID and on their network/database I am the point of contact so I'm pretty sure the consular officer would know I'm not lying to him/her.

Also my parents have always obtained US visas with the same company background and as I mentioned it on my forms I'm pretty certain they've done their background check already because Tanzania has a very low amount of DV applicants. I also mentioned on my forms that I'm going to America as an entrepreneur for a small/medium business under my DV.

It is in plain black and white ink that to qualify for DV requires either a high school diploma OR work experience of 2 years under O Net requirements so there's no argument there and I'm sure everyone here would agree with me.


Read the below from O Net: it says most of these occupations require graduate school however there is no hard and fast rule that it is an absolute MUST per say according to my interpretation of it.




Let us visit my specific case just for the sake of discussion. Here's the job family I fall under according to my assessment:


11-1011.00 - Chief Executives

Sample of reported job titles: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), President, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Vice President, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Executive Director, Executive Vice President (EVP), Finance Vice President, General Manager, Operations Vice President. - We don't have CEO in our company structure but I would fall under Director/Executive Director.


Job Zone

Title Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Education Most of these occupations require graduate school(no hard and fast rule or MUST). For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). I haven't got a printing degree (PhD in or Masters in printing? Yeah right lol! 90% of the people out there in the industry don't have printing degrees especially the owners! Only the graphic designers or pre-press people or machine operators have some form of certificates) as I had no plans to go into printing and it was just by circumstance that I fell into the family business. The only tangible form of evidence are my ACCA exam results.

Related Experience Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. I've got 8 years experience in the printing and packaging industry.

Job Training Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. As per my work experience period above of 8 years, I already have the training/experience/knowledge because I was thrown into the deep end and worked my way up from the production floor to pre-press to finance to directorship/final decision maker.

Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. One can't run any large industry without coordination or supervision or communication or technology, and as we all know business owners are more engrossed in the business (from liaising with clients (wheeling and dealing) to obtaining orders to production to delivery to payment to finance to feasibility/strategic planning for expansion etc.) than the workers.

SVP Range (8.0 and above)

Education

Percentage of Respondents Education Level Required
Not available Bachelor's degree
Not available Master's degree
Not available Doctoral or professional degree
 
@Momo & mandb

I am sure the CO s are privy to more specific info and guidelines than what we laymen out here know, so I wish you 2 best of luck!
Both of you seems well knowledgeable what you are getting into and well prepared, that's v good to know.

I went by the few cases that I know along the years.
Job based DV intvw. exp./info. are very rare in this forum. There may have been many who tried/try but few share it here. I'm sure your exp. will help others if you would come back and share what you come to know at your intvws.

All I ve known were asked for diploma/degree to match O'net and denied first. One persisted with cpl of follow up emails 'cos he had a matching diploma and matching exp. per O'net. He did the correct thing by paying only for himself as PA first than for all family. He gave up hope but in Sept. he was asked to come back with family for intvw. and was approved. If you find the CO seems hesitant/not informed/negative try pursue him to get supervisory advise and also ask to send the case details to DC for an AO. I hope the time will be on your side!

Best!
 
Certainly those within those professions or working as them e.g. accounting, law, medicine would be asked for degrees/diplomas which goes without saying.

If we go as per O Net to the word, it means I'd have to have a management degree or Masters degree to "prove" that I am in fact qualified to run or own an industry? I think it'd be more applicable for those employed in an industry to show this but business owners don't all have degrees according to the people I've met.

If that was the case and it was an absolute MUST, then all DV hopefuls including myself are simply wasting our time with the DV. This means that each and every DV selectee is scrutinised by the consular officer because of O Net to the word?

I highly doubt it because not all Africans DV applicants or applicants in general for that matter all have degrees (some DV winners I've met with degrees from their countries were cleaners or working low-end jobs in the US!).

Some people who have traveled to America previously (like myself) have applied for B1/B2 visas with the same consistent information supplied on the DV forms. If it was all false beeswax, we'd not get visitors' visas to begin with let alone a DV visa.



Here's a few counter scenarios of my own from real life:

1) My father's cousin was a DV winner and he didn't even have a high school diploma or degree under O Net and he and his family of 5 kids all got visas? Hell the guy even came back to Tanzania after 5 years because he couldn't get a job there and after a year over here he went back to America and is working a menial job.

2) The above guy's sister applied for the DV the year before he did and she hadn't worked a day in her life and didn't even go to school and didn't even know how to drive a car until she got to the USA!

3) One local Tanzanian woman applied for the DV two years ago or something if I'm not mistaken and she was just a secretary which is nowhere under O Net requirements and didn't even have any money yet she got a green card.

4) Another local Tanzanian woman applied for the DV and she was just an accounts clerk or something yet she got a green card.



I highly doubt consular officers would be so rigid and just go by the O Net book and they would definitely exercise an element of their personal judgement (they can always tell when someone is lying!) during the interview. I think they'd also look at a combination of aspects e.g. previous visits to the US (not overstaying), financial background from previous applications (if any), family relations in the US (if any) etc.

For example my brother graduated in the US and lives in Maryland and is awaiting his green card by virtue of marriage. My aunt and uncle emigrated from Tanzania in 2001 and they are indicated on my forms as to where I will live (same information used on visa applications previously by myself and my family). I think all factors like these form a background picture for a DV applicant.

More than anything I think the consular officers would be more concerned about someone becoming a potential public charge. Why would they ask questions like how many times an applicant has been to America on previous occasions or what they currently do for a living? I think its a manner of gauging if someone will potentially become a public charge.

I think the consular officers just "know" when they key in the applicant surname on the computer (if that person's name is already in their records) in front of them that someone is a genuine case or potential liability.

I think it really comes down to individual situations/backgrounds of applicants and what information the consular officers are privy to and we can only speculate and debate the matter on the forum...


On another note, let us not forget the DV programme emphasises that it is aimed towards countries with low levels of immigration to the US. In the case of major African countries and despite all the publicity and press conferences on the DV, Tanzania for its size has a very poor quota of DV applicants as opposed to Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and DRC.

There's probably a decent quota/allocation of green cards for Tanzania which nobody is bothered to take up like other countries. Either people aren't aware of it fully and if they are they simply aren't bothered about applying and packing their bags and scooting off to the US or their finances or circumstances won't allow them or they've got it good here. I mean I've never seen more than 200 people going through from Tanzania compared to the thousands in other countries so perhaps the "scrutinising" is a little less compared to other countries with large numbers of applicants.

I do know that many Tanzanians get rejected for B1/B2 visas (three weeks ago out of 40 or so applicants, only 5 got visas!) because from what I'm hearing Tanzanians waltz into the USA on visitors' visas then toss their passports away and go into hiding as illegal immigrants so the US Embassy is a little afraid of this even the applicants have all the documents. Our office administrator who visited the US some 5 years ago was turned down for a visa despite having all the documents because if I'm not mistaken her sister was an illegal in the US then got married and became a legalised resident and she told me the consular officer didn't even open her documents to look at them and simply rejected her application so I'm guessing the consular officer was afraid our office administrator would pull a stunt upon entry and also disappear in the USA.




In conclusion, personally I'm not worried about the work experience aspect because the US Embassy already has my work experience history and history of previous US visits and my company has previously done printing work for the US Embassy and if they ask the USAID staff on work we've done for them, I'm sure they'll attest to the information being genuine and I'll be taking along the I-134 in case and a letter from my fellow directors about my role in the company.

If anything I still have my high school diploma and school leaving certificate from the same school the US Embassy staff send their kids to, so I know that'll hold weight for them and the high school diploma is the basic pre-requisite for a DV application as we all know plus all the important civil documents :)


Best of luck to all!



Case No - DV2013AF0007XXXX (applied the first time and got it the first time - lucky me!)
Entry Checked - 1st May 2012
Forms Sent To KCC - 10th May 2012
Received By KCC - 12th May 2012
Confirmation From KCC - 25th May 2012 after I sent them an email
2nd NL - 14th June 2013
Police Clearance (TZ) - 13th June 2013
Police Clearance (UK) - 21st June 2013
Medicals - Completed 24th June 2013
Interview - Wednesday, August 7th 2013 @ 8am - US Embassy Tanzania
Visa Pick up - Hopefully August 11th
Departure Date - August 17th 2013
Port of Entry - Washington Dulles
 
NUvf, I've been thinking about this today. The more I've thought about it the more CERTAIN I am that your position was not correct and the cases you have mentioned must have had other factors being considered. Let me explain my thinking.

I am a test for the rule as you thoink (or thought) it is applied. I have no degree at all and my let's assume my education does not meet the 12 year US rule. I ran several businesses for around 12 years prior to moving into IT about 20 years ago. Very quickly within that 20 years I was practicing in IT software consultancy at a level which would be a qualifying O*Net role. During those 20 years I have very successfully sold my consulting services with virtually no gaps in contracts. Over half that time was for American companies so I have billed millions of dollars for my time, the clients routinely paying several times more for my time, than college educated staff working alongside me. According to the rule as you suggested it would be applied I would not qualify on work experience because I don't have a degree that would be "required" to do the job I do. Is it likely I would be denied a DV visa based on work experience alone - absolutely not, NO WAY.

Interestingly, the O*Net definition for my role lists 22% of the people doing my role have some college education, but no degree. The O*Net job definitions list a great number of very specific qualities and the database says "Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not."

So - I believe I can say quite categorically there is NO requirement for a degree (or other vocational education) as part of the work experience qualification for DV candidates. If you think about it, there would be no point in having the work experience route since the candidates would be already qualified on the educational route...

As for Mrs Mandb and Momo - they are well prepared for their cases and I have NO doubt that they will achieve success. As you say I am looking forward to both of their stories being posted here to help others prepare - assuming the lottery continues of course...
 
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