Disclose prior diversity lottery entries?

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Hello! Have any of your SO's entered the DV lottery in the past, and if so, is that something that you disclosed or that came up in a name check? Has anyone been questioned about that in the interview? My SO entered a few times in years past. He was never selected and never went further in the process than just filling out the free online form to enter. If they don't keep track of online entries I don't really want to call attention to this, but I suspect it will probably come up and I'm trying to figure out the best time and way to address it. My SO can't be the only one with this background.....right?

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Its been a while but I think there is a question that asks directly if you have ever appllied for a visa before on the DS forms.

Honesty is always the best policy. If the question is asked, answer it directly and honestly.

I dont know anyone personally that has applied for the lottery before doing a spousal visa but my husband had an aquaintance back home who was petitioned by a canadian before his american fiance and it didnt cause any problems. Mind you, youre consulate is much harder than ours was.

Ask your husband why he applied for the vias lottery and get him prepared to answer with confidence just in case it is asked in the interview.

I think it may be a red flag(since it was "a few times") but I dont know about your guys consul and the amount of family visas they process where that may be a common thing.

Good Luck

[sachinky 464]

Chances are they will know about it and they might or might not question him about it. I can't remember but I think you have to disclose it on one of the forms. A heads-up, since you said 'a few times,' it is definitely a red-flag.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Thank you both for the responses. I could be wrong, but I don't think any of the forms ask about DV lottery entries. There are other visa issuance questions, like have you ever been refused a visa or has someone else filed a family immigrant petition on your behalf in the past, but I don't think there are any that would cover entering the lottery.

With that said, if it's likely to come up in a name check or in AP, I'd rather that we get in front of the issue by addressing it in an earlier submission. I am looking for any advice on whether the appropriate place to do that is in the I-129F packet, a statement or affidavit or some other written document to bring to the interview, or just to be ready for questions (or to perhaps bring it up verbally at the interview).

Also, without going into too much detail, the short answer on why he did it was basically just because it was free, easy, online, and all his friends and classmates were doing it. We'll be honest in how we address it - whether in a written submission or in interview responses - but I would be interested in any advice on how much detail to go into, especially if you recommend that we add a statement to the I-129F. I don't want to treat the issue flippantly because I do see how it would be of concern to the CO's, but at the same time, the honest answer really is that he didn't see it as that big of a deal at the time.

Thank you again for the responses! They are very helpful as we start off this process.

[KittyPollitt 284]

Thank you both for the responses. I could be wrong, but I don't think any of the forms ask about DV lottery entries. There are other visa issuance questions, like have you ever been refused a visa or has someone else filed a family immigrant petition on your behalf in the past, but I don't think there are any that would cover entering the lottery.

With that said, if it's likely to come up in a name check or in AP, I'd rather that we get in front of the issue by addressing it in an earlier submission. I am looking for any advice on whether the appropriate place to do that is in the I-129F packet, a statement or affidavit or some other written document to bring to the interview, or just to be ready for questions (or to perhaps bring it up verbally at the interview).

Also, without going into too much detail, the short answer on why he did it was basically just because it was free, easy, online, and all his friends and classmates were doing it. We'll be honest in how we address it - whether in a written submission or in interview responses - but I would be interested in any advice on how much detail to go into, especially if you recommend that we add a statement to the I-129F. I don't want to treat the issue flippantly because I do see how it would be of concern to the CO's, but at the same time, the honest answer really is that he didn't see it as that big of a deal at the time.

Thank you again for the responses! They are very helpful as we start off this process.

I haven't met a Moroccan man under the age of 30 YET who hasn't entered the lottery at least once. My ex in America actually won it and earned his citizenship last year.. It's something that college kids do on the school's computer.. No one really expects to win it, but what the heck, why not try? Doesn't mean they're desperate for a green card! Not unlike my grandma doing pick 3 once a week- just because she buys a ticket in the pharmacy now and then, does that make her a gambler?

I wouldn't make that big a deal out of it, my SO entered twice in his late teens/early 20's, and hadn't even thought about it since.. If you make it a big deal by bringing it up in the petition, that might make them more suspicious than you not mentioning it at all...

[sachinky 464]

If it comes up during the interview, address it then.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Thanks again! That's a good point, that I don't want to make it into a mountain if it really is a totally common little molehill....which I have to think that coming out of Morocco it is. My fiance and I have discussed this quite a bit for months and it does sound like "everybody does it."

I'm interested if anybody else had that in their SO's past and whether or not they disclosed it separately or if it came up at the interview or if they feel it impacted their petition in any way.

[oldahmed 38]

Thanks again! That's a good point, that I don't want to make it into a mountain if it really is a totally common little molehill....which I have to think that coming out of Morocco it is. My fiance and I have discussed this quite a bit for months and it does sound like "everybody does it."

I'm interested if anybody else had that in their SO's past and whether or not they disclosed it separately or if it came up at the interview or if they feel it impacted their petition in any way.

First, if you wanna disclose this information I don't see where on any form you can do that. A DV entry is not a visa application, so I don't see where you can disclose it.

secondly, in my opinion disclosing, a detail you are not asked about gives the feeling that you are trying to "come clean." Don't answer a question you are not asked.

My fiancee had at least one DV entry prior to our K-1 application. We didn't give this detail any attention and she was not asked about it.

Don't pay any attention to it, but if your fiance is asked (which I doubt) he just tells the truth.

Good luck.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Entering a lottery is not the same as filling out the visa application. Had you won the lottery and filed out the paper work afterward then you have something to worry about reporting.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

Thanks again! I knew it wasn't the type of thing that required reporting, since he wasn't actually picked to apply for the visa, but I wasn't sure if it was recommended to bring it to the CO's attention anyway. It sounds like the consensus is that it's not worth it. Thanks!

[CasandraYounes 0]

My husband applied for it, but never won it. They didn't ask him any questions pertaining to that during his interview nor was it asked on the forms we filled out. Hope that helps.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

My husband applied for it, but never won it. They didn't ask him any questions pertaining to that during his interview nor was it asked on the forms we filled out. Hope that helps.

It definitely helps, thank you! I think we'll end up just being prepared in the event they do question him at the interview, but otherwise not bring it up.