Questions from an expat

[casatoor]

Hello everyone, I didn't win the Greencard yet but I have participated in the DV-2017 draw and I am starting to think ahead just in case I have a good news on May, so I have some questions and hopefully I will have some answers

I work in expatriation since 2012 (my native country being Algeria) where I started to work in South Africa for two years with a legit work permit, I am saying legit because in June 2014 I left SA to work for Gabon with my wife with only business visa, where I was able to stay two months then I had to renew my business visa in Algeria and went back again for about two months or so, the company for which I work was doing all the administrative part to get me the visa but it took ages and I never had it until I left Gabon in January 2015.

If you look at my contract it says" permanent worker" in Gabon but actually it was not the case for the government of Gabon I imagine, as I never had a legit work permit even though the process of having one was launched by my company.

So my question is regarding the Police clearance, as if I understood well, if someone lives in a country more than 6 months he/she needs to provide one, in my case should I provide one ? if yes the problem would be with the Gabonese government as I never had a residence or work permit there.

Another problem that I might face is that since then I moved to Indonesia where I am right now and I still don't have my work permit which is taken ages as well, hopefully, I will have it end of March, so my question regarding this is as follow:
When I filled the GC lottery form I have put myself as living in Algeria (which was true), so If by any luck I am selected for DV-2017, can I change my address to have my interview here in Indonesia or should I go back to Algeria to do it ?
if I need to go back, I am a little afraid as in some cases the embassy will retain the passport for administrative processing, which already happened to me when I was in Johannesburg they kept my passport for about 4 months even though I already travelled there before.

Also another question, I will make it short, my son was born in US last March, of course we paid all the expenses related to his birth and we didn't intend to have him born but when we took the decision it was the easiest way for us, anyway do you think this can add chances to have AP ? my opinion is yes as they will probably need to check if everything was paid before we left US, which I understand perfectly.

 

[Sloner]

Embassy for an interview, you can choose the country where it provides immigration visas.I n your case, this Jakarta.

 

[SusieQQQ]

You need a clearance for each country you've lived in for 12 months, other than your current country where it is 6 months.
If you are selected you put your current address in the DS260 and that will determine interview location.
But really there is plenty of time to figure it all out if you are selected. No point stressing about something that may not happen...

Incidentally location of interview is not what determines administrative processing. Your own details are (nationality, travel history etc). So there is no advantage from that angle to changing location, though obviously it's easier to do it where you reside.

 

[Britsimon]

Hello everyone, I didn't win the Greencard yet but I have participated in the DV-2017 draw and I am starting to think ahead just in case I have a good news on May, so I have some questions and hopefully I will have some answers

I work in expatriation since 2012 (my native country being Algeria) where I started to work in South Africa for two years with a legit work permit, I am saying legit because in June 2014 I left SA to work for Gabon with my wife with only business visa, where I was able to stay two months then I had to renew my business visa in Algeria and went back again for about two months or so, the company for which I work was doing all the administrative part to get me the visa but it took ages and I never had it until I left Gabon in January 2015.

If you look at my contract it says" permanent worker" in Gabon but actually it was not the case for the government of Gabon I imagine, as I never had a legit work permit even though the process of having one was launched by my company.

So my question is regarding the Police clearance, as if I understood well, if someone lives in a country more than 6 months he/she needs to provide one, in my case should I provide one ? if yes the problem would be with the Gabonese government as I never had a residence or work permit there.

Another problem that I might face is that since then I moved to Indonesia where I am right now and I still don't have my work permit which is taken ages as well, hopefully, I will have it end of March, so my question regarding this is as follow:
When I filled the GC lottery form I have put myself as living in Algeria (which was true), so If by any luck I am selected for DV-2017, can I change my address to have my interview here in Indonesia or should I go back to Algeria to do it ?
if I need to go back, I am a little afraid as in some cases the embassy will retain the passport for administrative processing, which already happened to me when I was in Johannesburg they kept my passport for about 4 months even though I already travelled there before.

Also another question, I will make it short, my son was born in US last March, of course we paid all the expenses related to his birth and we didn't intend to have him born but when we took the decision it was the easiest way for us, anyway do you think this can add chances to have AP ? my opinion is yes as they will probably need to check if everything was paid before we left US, which I understand perfectly.

Wow this is a long post with lots of points and questions. Your chances of being selected are less than 1 in 100 and if you are selected you will have many months to get all these questions answered - so let's wait and see if you are selected...

 

[casatoor]

Thank you so much for all your replies, and you are right no need to stress for something that may not happen. I tried three or four times already with no luck but as I'm having some really good friends of mine been selected and accepted it makes me think more about it.
Let's wait and see what happens on May.

Also I would like to thank you for this forum, many useful information that I didn't know
Cheers

 

[Pierre82]

Thank you so much for all your replies, and you are right no need to stress for something that may not happen. I tried three or four times already with no luck but as I'm having some really good friends of mine been selected and accepted it makes me think more about it.
Let's wait and see what happens on May.

Also I would like to thank you for this forum, many useful information that I didn't know
Cheers

Good luck on the DV 2017 and relax since the chance of winning this is very low. This is my second time trying and the first not selected experience was sad but you need to keep on with life and keep on trying while it last

 

[SusieQQQ]

I was kind of "sure" I would win the first 2 times I entered - no luck - missed the next one due to trying to enter in the last couple of hours (system kept freezing), then when I won on my 3rd try I had been completely sure we would not win

 

[Pierre82]

I was kind of "sure" I would win the first 2 times I entered - no luck - missed the next one due to trying to enter in the last couple of hours (system kept freezing), then when I won on my 3rd try I had been completely sure we would not win

That's a very good story and you never give up and kept trying. I got really sad the first time but now that I understand a lot more the process, its better to keep calm and wait for the results. I will never give up while the DV program is active

 

[Guarapa]

That's a very good story and you never give up and kept trying. I got really sad the first time but now that I understand a lot more the process, its better to keep calm and wait for the results. I will never give up while the DV program is active

That's the attitude. I participated 8 times in a row before winning on my 9th try. Never give up man!

 

[Pierre82]

That's the attitude. I participated 8 times in a row before winning on my 9th try. Never give up man!

That's good to know that you finally got selected and that you kept applying without giving up. I know of people that after the 1st or 2nd time they give up after they know how difficult it is to win this and all the process behind it. I will make sure to post my winning year and hoping that this is my year, if not keep on trying but I'm very calm compared to last year that I was really anxious on this time of the year lol.