Someone with previous DV Experience

[Louza 10]

Hello all,

I wanted to hear from DV selectee's that had spouses and children immigrating with them to the USA. Was the interview a smooth one? If there were any redflags how were they overcome & did you or did you not get the visa in the end?

I am particularly interested in knowing how CO's deal with the police certificates? Is the selectee's PC the only one of importance? Or do they look at both spouses equally? (I am asking since they only care about the selectee's education and work experience and not the spouse).

There's a reason I'm asking about the PC's and I will go into details if necessary.

Thanks in advance

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Hi Louza, they need both spouses' police certificates. It's different from the education issue. They won't give a visa to someone who has a material criminal record. I'm not sure if this would mean denying the applicant as well though or only the spouse.

[DutchFrank 1]

I am particularly interested in knowing how CO's deal with the police certificates? Is the selectee's PC the only one of importance? Or do they look at both spouses equally? (I am asking since they only care about the selectee's education and work experience and not the spouse).

There's a reason I'm asking about the PC's and I will go into details if necessary.

You need to have police records for everyone from 16 years and up and I think all will matter..

[Louza 10]

Thanks for the responses guys. I remember this question on the DS-230 and I assume it's to make it easier for them to determine which PC's are needed from the different countries of residence.

I am asking these questions on the behalf of my SIL who has her interview coming up at the end of the month. She hired an agent to take care of the paperwork and I believe he is a total idiot who has no idea what he's doing. He has convinced her that she is the only one that will be questioned thoroughly on the day of the interview, that may be true but there is no way the CO will overlook her husbands missing PC from a country he resided in for 11 years! When I pushed her to ask him about the matter he told her they will only ask about the PC if he was living there 5 years ago but since he moved from the country 14 years ago then they won't ask him about it.

She's so anxious and freaked out about the interview and I think her agent is doing more harm than good. Just a week ago he told her that they might need a co-sponsor so she asked my husband to fill out the paperwork and he gentley explained to her that he can't sponsor a family of 4 with his current income. Do they even ask DV applicant's for co-sponsors? Would it be better if they show proof of assets on the day of the interview?

Thank you.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Louza

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

They may ask for a sponsor if proof of assets isn't enough.

As for the police certificate... Well, at least it's early in the fiscal year, so when they send them away telling them they can't get the visa till it's submitted there will be time to organise it and send it in. There are some countries where police certificates are unavailable - Sudan is one - and they will know that and not expect a certificate, but other than those they will want one for all countries resided in 12 months or more since age 16.

[Louza 10]

They may ask for a sponsor if proof of assets isn't enough.

As for the police certificate... Well, at least it's early in the fiscal year, so when they send them away telling them they can't get the visa till it's submitted there will be time to organise it and send it in. There are some countries where police certificates are unavailable - Sudan is one - and they will know that and not expect a certificate, but other than those they will want one for all countries resided in 12 months or more since age 16.

Actually Sudan does issue PC's. I was able to get mine last year for my interview.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Some places insist that DV applicants have a signed I134 others seem to care less. Even person must clear medical and police certificate but only the winner must show that they qualify to have won. So if the winner doesn't qualify they wouldn't care if the spouse has a PHD they deny the family. If the winner is healthy and the spouse has an excludable illness they will deny the spouse. If there is police issues they will deny that party. DO NOT count on them giving you time to come up with extra documents DV lottery can be a one interview all or nothing thing.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Actually Sudan does issue PC's. I was able to get mine last year for my interview.

The website lists Sudan police certificates as "unavailable" and another forum has a Sudanese reporting as successful at a recent interview without one. Apparently they were available for a while but are no longer.

DO NOT count on them giving you time to come up with extra documents DV lottery can be a one interview all or nothing thing.

I don't agree with this post. My own experience and the reported experience of others is that you are put under administrative processing if short of documents - it's a specific category on the AP form so this is clearly usual practice. Obviously it's a problem if you're near the fiscal year end don't have the time to get the documents.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Louza, the following is the dvselectee page for civil documents from Sudan:

NOTE: There is currently on-going conflict in the states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Civilians in rebel-controlled areas of these states do not receive or have access to government services. Accordingly, birth, marriage, divorce, and military records may not be available to certain residents in these states.

Birth Certificates

Available. Birth certificates are available through the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Social Affairs. When official records are not available, persons born in the Southern Sudan can often obtain birth certificates issued by various mission authorities.

Marriage and Divorce Certificates

Available. Marriages in Sudan are conducted by religious authorities and those certificates may be authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for submission to foreign government authorities. Certificates of Divorce may be obtained from the court that granted the divorce.

Police Records

Unavailable.

Military Records

Available. Each person discharged from the Sudan Defense Force or from the Sudan Police is issued a discharge certificate. Duplicates can be obtained by applying to the appropriate headquarters.

Travel Document Information

Sudanese machine readable passports do not always provide a full English translation of Arabic names. Post may issue visas in the new passports if the consular officer is satisfied that the passport accurately reflects the bearer's identity. When the passport does not contain a full English translation of the bearer's name and the consular officer cannot determine the applicant's true identity, post should request the applicant, if otherwise qualified, return with a passport containing the appropriate amendment, i.e. providing a translation of the entire name of the bearer from Arabic to English.

[Louza 10]

Ok forget me from last year, my brother in law and his wife just got their PC's 2 weeks ago from Sudan. That information is inaccurate. :s

Edited October 16, 2013 by Louza

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Ok forget me from last year, my brother in law and his wife just got their PC's 2 weeks ago from Sudan. That information is inaccurate. :s

Interesting... I wonder what Cairo does then if people arrive without PCs given the DoS's own website says they're unavailable!

[Louza 10]

Is it true that DV winners that immigrate to the US get a certain amount of money per month for each of their children? Like if a couple has 2 kids, and each kid is to get $250 they would be getting $500 a month? And if this is true, where is this money coming from? :S

Edited October 21, 2013 by Louza

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Is it true that DV winners that immigrate to the US get a certain amount of money per month for each of their children? Like if a couple has 2 kids, and each kid is to get $250 they would be getting $500 a month? And if this is true, where is this money coming from? :S

No. They are very clear that all you get is a visa. There is no financial or other assistance (unless you count a fairly comprehensive guide for new immigrants that they publish).

[Louza 10]

No. They are very clear that all you get is a visa. There is no financial or other assistance (unless you count a fairly comprehensive guide for new immigrants that they publish).

I don't get it. How do people come up with these stories? A DV winner has my SIL convinced that they will be receiving monthly payments (from somewhere) where it's to my understanding when you sign the DS-230 you're basically swearing you won't be a public charge.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I lot of sites that want a fee for their services claim to know secret ways of getting free eduaction/ housing/ living money Most of what they suggest will go against the not being a public charge clause and in the end get the new immigrant deported. But the visa agents doesn't really care about the immigrant