Travel to US on F1 visa during dv process

[aussie1138]

Hi

I am an Australian citizen who won the dv lottery 2009.

I currently possess a valid F1 student visa and am actively enrolled full time at my university. But I am physically temporarily abroad in Holland doing some research here (until end of June 2009).

I submitted my dv visa forms to KCC only just recently because I was hesitating whether I wanted to go through with the dv visa process or not. My case number is 2009OC000008xx so I don’t think my number will become available until May or June or so.

I have two questions
1) do you think I still have a chance of getting a dv visa interview (and visa) given that I submitted my forms so late?

2) I was hoping to travel to the US in April on my F1 for a week to visit my professor etc. I still have a valid F1 visa and recently signed I-20 and a letter from my professor. But I am worried that border control will see that I applied for the dv visa and deny me entry on the basis of intention to immigrate. I noticed that I didn’t have to put down my passport number on the forms, but I did put down my SSN and name/d.o.b. so I guess they can match my visa application to me that way? I had another friend who traveled on an L-visa during dv visa process and never got asked any questions but I just wanted to be sure. Do you think I’ll have problems traveling in April?

Many thanks

 

[anemeli]

1) do you think I still have a chance of getting a dv visa interview (and visa) given that I submitted my forms so late?

I have no idea about that.

2) I was hoping to travel to the US in April on my F1 for a week to visit my professor etc. I still have a valid F1 visa and recently signed I-20 and a letter from my professor. But I am worried that border control will see that I applied for the dv visa and deny me entry on the basis of intention to immigrate. I noticed that I didn’t have to put down my passport number on the forms, but I did put down my SSN and name/d.o.b. so I guess they can match my visa application to me that way? I had another friend who traveled on an L-visa during dv visa process and never got asked any questions but I just wanted to be sure. Do you think I’ll have problems traveling in April?

Many thanks

You almost certainly won't have a problem. I personally even renewed my F-1 after sending in my DV paperwork and had no problems whatsoever. It is true that officially even participating in the lottery (even if you don't win), shows immigrant intent and could give grounds for a non-immigrant status denial, but in practice this never comes up.