Visa success - Sydney consulate. Happy to answer questions :)

[josh000]

If they assured you by email I would print that reassurrance email and take it to the interview. I have read of people getting denied even with Uni degrees because they did not have high school certificate. However, it probably depends on the country. The Sydney consulate may be more lenient than say a consulate in a 3rd world country, where no high school certificate may raise some questions. I had my year 12 certificate, year 10 and degree certificates - but Sydney consulate only wanted to see the year 12 certificate.

I will print that email for sure, just to be safe.

Although I think it makes sense. The official requirement says you must have completed high school or a course to get into college. That's what they use as the bar. So if you have advanced college degrees then obviously you were admitted to college and must have completed or satisfied the requirement to do so.

I find it hard to believe anyone from a first world country with a higher education would be refused on that basis. Do you have any more info on the people refused with uni degrees and without highschool degrees? Probably they were refused for some other reason....

 

[tevolo]

I will print that email for sure, just to be safe.

Although I think it makes sense. The official requirement says you must have completed high school or a course to get into college. That's what they use as the bar. So if you have advanced college degrees then obviously you were admitted to college and must have completed or satisfied the requirement to do so.

I find it hard to believe anyone from a first world country with a higher education would be refused on that basis. Do you have any more info on the people refused with uni degrees and without highschool degrees? Probably they were refused for some other reason....

I read the stories on this website a while ago - can't remember the details but it was more than one case. How did you get into Uni, through a bridging course or something similar? You should take all educational certificates you have obtain, including any courses you did to get into Uni. Sorry, I didn't mean to stress you out - I think you will be fine, especially if they informed you by email.

 

[josh000]

I read the stories on this website a while ago - can't remember the details but it was more than one case. How did you get into Uni, through a bridging course or something similar? You should take all educational certificates you have obtain, including any courses you did to get into Uni. Sorry, I didn't mean to stress you out - I think you will be fine, especially if they informed you by email.

I did a diploma at TAFE which counted as the first year of my uni course. All good not too stressed out...I'm like 95% sure I will be fine so long as they honor that email...which they don't have to.

But yeah pretty sure I should be fine....the bigger issue is raising as much money as I can by the date of my interview!

 

[josh000]

Just had a question about your birth certificate....to get my it seems only one type is available. I assume the type you got was considered long form, but did you have to specify that at all when you were getting it?

 

[adsy]

Just had a question about your birth certificate....to get my it seems only one type is available. I assume the type you got was considered long form, but did you have to specify that at all when you were getting it?

Yeah as far as I know, there is only one available that you can get from the Birth/Deaths/Marriages place. If you are worried about the one you have, just get an updated one. It takes about 5 minutes to fill out the form and get a new one.

 

[pru]

adsy! tevolo!

I addressed this to QWERTY, because he appears such an expert - but hasn't evden won yet - so wanted to double check with you guys - could you please let me know if you just presented your hsc certificate - the pretty one - that stated you had successfully completed your HSC - and TER - and Record of Achievement or just the the pretty looking one by itself?
ta

 

[Qewty]

I addressed this to QWERTY, because he appears such an expert - but hasn't evden won yet - so wanted to double check with you guys - could you please let me know if you just presented your hsc certificate - the pretty one - that stated you had successfully completed your HSC - and TER - and Record of Achievement or just the the pretty looking one by itself?
ta

Hi Pru

Hopefully someone who has won that has their HSC can answer your question for you Oh, and I am a 'she', and I have never said I have won (or that I was an expert ), I am just getting very organised. Check my signature and you will see my status. All the very best.

Q e w t y

 

[Abbie]

Delay with police check?

Hi guys,

I have officially just been granted the Visa along with my wife!! So excited, it's been a very long journey. Awesome to see your passport have a US Visa Page in it

Happy to answer questions, if I can. Remember though my experience was through the Australian Sydney consulate.

Some advice:

- Any and all questions, you should email the embassy first. They really are great at getting back to you with answers, it just takes about 5 working days for them to respond.
- Interview is nothing to stress about, even if you don't have all the documentation, they allow you to send it in later. I didn't have my police check, so they said just mail it in when you get it.
- Changing interview dates is not a problem, we had to due to being Married after our initial interview. We postponed the interview date to 5 weeks after our wedding...again, was not a problem at all.
- Read and re-read and re-read again all the instructions on the US Visa website. Also make sure to read any info specific to your consulate. There is a link to it on either step 3 or 4 on the website. For example, the Sydney specific conditions state you must bring a 3kg Express post bag to the interview.
- I was asked no questions what so ever about where I am going to live, how I am going to support myself or how much money I have. This is something that is only very specific to other countries, not Australia. BUT it doesn't hurt to have an answer prepared. They won't want to see proof of it though (remember it says no where on the instructions that you will need it...again, Sydney only though)

Any other q's please ask, this forum was such a great help to me the past 8 months.

Adsy

What was the reaction to not having the police check at the interview? Did you send it in before they gave you the visa? and did they hold your passport in wait?

 

[adsy]

I addressed this to QWERTY, because he appears such an expert - but hasn't evden won yet - so wanted to double check with you guys - could you please let me know if you just presented your hsc certificate - the pretty one - that stated you had successfully completed your HSC - and TER - and Record of Achievement or just the the pretty looking one by itself?
ta

All I had was a pretty certificate that said I had completed VCE. One sheet of paper. All good.

In terms of the Police check, they weren't concerned, they just said to send it in asap. I sent it in the next day, and my passports arrived a few days later.

 

[pru]

qwerty - sorry wasn't having a go, just from the way you write I had no idea that you hadn't been selected!
adsy! thank you so much! I'll still prob take my pretty paper and TER!
ta

 

[sw8pea76]

was isionasm

Hi quick questions for those who have interviewed in Sydney re photographs - did you take two photographs as well as the ones you submitted to the KCC? The official website is quite clear that you only take them if you didn't submit them with your application

Photograph Requirements

Important Notice: If you did not submit photographs to the NVC, as required, then you must take them with you to your immigrant visa interview.

You must provide two identical color photographs. Review Photograph Requirements for size specifications and more information.

But I don't want to leave anything to chance and have to go racing off for more on the day!

 

[sw8pea76]

I've just heard back from the consulate - I have to take ONE photo if the photos I submitted are more than 6 months old...which they are as I submitted my forms back in July. Sigh.

One more question, do we need to take the chest x-ray to the interview? I can't find it mentioned anywhere, and there will be an xray report in the medical report, so surely not...

 

[pru]

funny question - my degree is A3 size and my birth certificate foolscape - do they want real size copies or shrunk to A4?

 

[Abbie]

I think we did stress a bit more than necessary. In the end, our interview in Sydney was very quick and we got our passports/visas 2 days later. However, we have children, born in different countries, have lived in the US before and also lived in other countries - so we had a lot of documents we had to bring - just in case. Also, US immigration has mistakes on our visas before. We had to take previous passports because they had previous US visas in them and our children hold multiple passports. Hence, what to take to the interview partly depends on individual/family circumstances.

Do children need to attend the interview? under 18?

 

[mdawoodm]

Hi guys,

I have officially just been granted the Visa along with my wife!! So excited, it's been a very long journey. Awesome to see your passport have a US Visa Page in it

Happy to answer questions, if I can. Remember though my experience was through the Australian Sydney consulate.

Some advice:

- Any and all questions, you should email the embassy first. They really are great at getting back to you with answers, it just takes about 5 working days for them to respond.
- Interview is nothing to stress about, even if you don't have all the documentation, they allow you to send it in later. I didn't have my police check, so they said just mail it in when you get it.
- Changing interview dates is not a problem, we had to due to being Married after our initial interview. We postponed the interview date to 5 weeks after our wedding...again, was not a problem at all.
- Read and re-read and re-read again all the instructions on the US Visa website. Also make sure to read any info specific to your consulate. There is a link to it on either step 3 or 4 on the website. For example, the Sydney specific conditions state you must bring a 3kg Express post bag to the interview.
- I was asked no questions what so ever about where I am going to live, how I am going to support myself or how much money I have. This is something that is only very specific to other countries, not Australia. BUT it doesn't hurt to have an answer prepared. They won't want to see proof of it though (remember it says no where on the instructions that you will need it...again, Sydney only though)

Any other q's please ask, this forum was such a great help to me the past 8 months.

Adsy

First of all, a very warm congratulations on your win. I wish you and your family good luck in US! I am a selectee for DV-2013, so wish me some luck as well.
And here goes my list of questions.

1) Does belonging to a third world country help your case, or will it go against you? Who has more chances of having the consular officer be more strict towards him/her, one from a first world country like Australia, or one from a third world country like Afghanistan?

2) I applied for the lottery based on my 12 year education. Currently, I am pursuing my four year(8 semesters) honours degree. I have finished 5 semesters, and I think by the time I appear for the interview, I would have finished the sixth one as well. Could I show all my university transcripts at the time of the interview, and would this action go in favour of me, or against me?

3) As a person whose mother language is far far away from English, yet I have got 7.5 band in IELTS, do you think this would make my case a little stronger? And would they agree to see my IELTS report form in the first place, or they really don't bother about IELTS?

4) Does the consular officer have a pre-defined set of questions infront of him/her, which she is obligated to ask? Or does he/she have the liberty to deviate from those questions and have some debate with the interviewee, so that the interviewee could clear his/her case?

5) Could you please tell us about your profession, and your experience in the field. I assume that the consular officer must have been aware of your profession and experience, wasn't he/she?

6) Did you provide them bank statements and affidavit of support from somebody in US?

7) Did you provide them your own bank statements and other assets?

8) And lastly, please give me some valuable suggestions, I am desperate to go to that country. I am really tired in this part of the world. It is a lifetime oppurtunity, I don't want to lose it. I am sure you understand how I am feeling at the moment!


The list of questions is long, but I am sure are a generous person, and will go through it!

Thank you very much and best of luck!

 

[byonzan]

hi, plz can anyone help me with my problem.....i interviewed last june 19..everything was alrite except my qualification problem...they seem to be unsure about my 12 certificate coz they told that they never had any cases from nepal..they told me me that they will confirm with kathmandu that is back home in nepal. and even told that after confirming they gonna send my passport n sealed envelope which i was suggested not to open untill i m there in us immigration in airport.....but i m feeling like its been too long i have been waiting for my passport. i tried contacting through email but didn't get any reply..even tried with contact no. but that was only for non immigrant...i don't know how i m supposed get contact..i m in melbourne so i can't go upto there also...so plz can anyone help me with this...that would be great...