DV lottery approved / Next steps?

[Abdul R 0]

I go my DV visa approved. I am required to travel to the states and apply for the GC. 

What I want to know it is;

1) Can I apply for the GC and return in a week or two?

2) Do I need to stay in the US until  I get the GC?

3) Can I apply for jobs without a GC with just the visa as of now?

[Beast7 88]

25 minutes ago, Abdul R said:

I go my DV visa approved. I am required to travel to the states and apply for the GC. 

What I want to know it is;

1) Can I apply for the GC and return in a week or two?

2) Do I need to stay in the US until  I get the GC?

3) Can I apply for jobs without a GC with just the visa as of now?

Congrats and everything is well described in first answer by @Dee elle

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Comprehensive answer by dee-Elle, one concern is you don’t mention how long you plan to stay out of the US after you have activated your green card. Be aware you can stay out a maximum of 12 months, but absences longer than 6 months both invite increased scrutiny on return and reset your countdown clock for naturalization.

 

If you are planning to go back and then apply for jobs from outside the US, even with LPR status that will be difficult unless you’re in a very high demand job. Companies like to see US domicile and contact numbers (there are ways around that of course) and obviously interviews.

[doshambe 6]

(This is Abdul R. Just found my old account.)

Thanks for the support and helpful answers, much appreciated.

I plan to come back in about a month @SusieQQQ.

I do have some other questions.

1. On my DS260 form I gave an address of a Motel that I no longer want to be at. Can I change the mailing address of the GC to a new address after arriving in the US?

2. There are no direct flights to Atlanta, Georgia. So my first entry would most probably be in Dallas and would later require to take another flight after a days rest as I would have traveled around 16hrs by then. Where do I give the sealed packet at Dallas or Atlanta as my connecting flight from Dallas to Atlanta might be the next day and I would need a days rest in Dallas?

3. Also If I just travel to Seattle as my port of entry and provide the sealed packet there. But can I choose the GC to be mailed to Atlanta, Georgia?

Edited February 21, 2018 by doshambe
More information

[doshambe 6]

Much appreciated everyone. You have definitely been very helpful and have eased my mind. 

The mailing address, could it be a ship shop address that is automatically shipped to another country?

I really don't know if I can extend my initial leave until I resign from work. So I can only stay for around 10 days and have to get  back before finally moving to the US. 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

3 hours ago, doshambe said:

Much appreciated everyone. You have definitely been very helpful and have eased my mind. 

The mailing address, could it be a ship shop address that is automatically shipped to another country?

I really don't know if I can extend my initial leave until I resign from work. So I can only stay for around 10 days and have to get  back before finally moving to the US. 

No, USPS may not deliver USCIS mail to certain types of addresses, including those. Plus, it is not a smart idea to put a green card in ordinary mail to go overseas even if you have a friend receive it first. 

[abum 324]

On 2/21/2018 at 7:42 AM, doshambe said:

(This is Abdul R. Just found my old account.)

Thanks for the support and helpful answers, much appreciated.

I plan to come back in about a month @SusieQQQ.

I do have some other questions.

1. On my DS260 form I gave an address of a Motel that I no longer want to be at. Can I change the mailing address of the GC to a new address after arriving in the US?

2. There are no direct flights to Atlanta, Georgia. So my first entry would most probably be in Dallas and would later require to take another flight after a days rest as I would have traveled around 16hrs by then. Where do I give the sealed packet at Dallas or Atlanta as my connecting flight from Dallas to Atlanta might be the next day and I would need a days rest in Dallas?

3. Also If I just travel to Seattle as my port of entry and provide the sealed packet there. But can I choose the GC to be mailed to Atlanta, Georgia?

1. YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS AT PORT OF ENTRY. Failure to do this will cost you a lot of money. (been there done that - mistake that i regret). So when entering the first time with your Immigrant visa, when handing over your packets, inform the officer that you address has changed. This is the final opportunity for you to change your address - else your GC will arrive at the motel (changing the address using form AR-11  form will not update USCIS in time for  the GC delivery). 

That, or you should not pay the fee (USD 165 if i am not mistaken) for the physical GC to be produced). Then pay it way later after you have changed the address on USCIS system - maybe 4-5 months after changing the address AR-11. Your GC should arrive around 4-6 weeks after that.

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

GC fee I believe has gone up to $220.

[doshambe 6]

Hi Susie. I really appreciate your reply. So right now I'm in the states. POE is Seattle. I let the officer at the airport know the change of address. Yet the same isn't reflecting on the website. I also got a ship shop ship address as another open option. How do I go about changing the address. There is no option online and the customer service representative kept repeating that I have to write a letter to the centre that is handling my case which I can't find. Please help I'm stuck in a bad place.

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

When you say the change of address isn’t reflecting on the website, which website are you talking about? It’s entirely possible one website hasn’t updated but that your details are actually on file.  (It’s Texas Service Center that handles green card production, I’m not sure if that’s what the person you spoke to meant. Did you tell them you came in on DV? As the only other center DV applicants deal with is KCC,but they have nothing more to do with the cases once they go to the embassies.)

 

there is an online option to change your address with uscis, https://egov.uscis.gov/coa/displayCOAForm.do but if you’ve already paid your green card fee I honestly wouldn’t do that now. I’ve seen so many reports that when people have changed online just after entering, the card goes to the previous address. 

 

And again, a ship shop option won’t work for green cards. USPS will return uscis mail to sender if it’s an address like that.

Edited March 1, 2018 by SusieQQQ

[doshambe 6]

Hi SusieQQQ,

 

I am so grateful to have found this website and you of course. Can I ask you some more questions

Q1- I checked my USCIS profile and the new address where I want it to be sent is appearing. I hope to God it is sent there. Also, you mentioned you lost yours and went through a different process to get a new one issued. WIll bother you if that ever happens, may it not.

Q2-So now I have my USCIS and receipt number. Why can I log in to "https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/" and not in "https://www.uscis.gov/". The one with DHS (Department of Homeland Security) requires an email address. Whereas the one without the DHS requires a username which I don't have.  Am I on track since you know my case by now. Am I required to be able to login to the other one that is "https://www.uscis.gov/"?

Q3-Now that I have a receipt number. Whats next? I asked at the airport about the SSN they said if I had asked for it on the form then it would be shipped out too within 3 months time. How can I track my SSN? I had specified that I would like to the Social Security Administrators to issue a Social Security Number.

 

I know I have been a complete wreck at this and hope to sort out everything, I just need your guidance as to how to go about it. I really appreciate what you guys are doing here.

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1. Sure

2. No idea

3. You can’t but it’s usually within 2 weeks, go visit your local SSA office if you haven’t received it within about 2 weeks of entry.

[doshambe 6]

1 hour ago, SusieQQQ said:

1. Sure

2. No idea

3. You can’t but it’s usually within 2 weeks, go visit your local SSA office if you haven’t received it within about 2 weeks of entry.

I am not here for more than 10 days. I am actually considering leaving sooner. Also from their website, I found the below

IMPORTANT:Call us if you do not receive your Social Security card after 3 weeks or if you change your mailing address after arrival in the United States. If you call us, please have this letter with you. It will help us answer your questions.

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

15 minutes ago, doshambe said:

I am not here for more than 10 days. I am actually considering leaving sooner. Also from their website, I found the below

IMPORTANT:Call us if you do not receive your Social Security card after 3 weeks or if you change your mailing address after arrival in the United States. If you call us, please have this letter with you. It will help us answer your questions.

 

Well, they don’t really have options for issuing overseas. If something goes wrong and it doesn’t arrive, you can’t really do anything about it till you are back in the US and can present yourself with proof of your status at an SSA office. But most of the time, they arrive with no problem. I presume the address for your GC and SSN card is someone you trust to keep them for you till you ge back.

[doshambe 6]

Well, I have spoken to them. They are my current hosts and seem to be very accommodating and kind people. Except for 1 confusion.

I wrote down the address at the airport and hope they send both the GC and the SSN at the same new address. Oh God, Please just tell people not to pay the USCIS fee until they arrive at the airport. It makes things so much easier.