DV 2017 Winners

[Ashrafabdi 1]

I am also a winner of 2017 and also happy

[robertcrew 0]

Congratulations!

Based on my experience (5xx for Oceania in 2016), if the numbers remain the same you should expect your visa interview to scheduled around February/March next year in Sydney. If you haven't already, send an email to listserv@calist.state.gov, and in the body write "Subscribe Visa-Bulletin" without the quotes. They'll email you a regular bulletin which lists the diversity visa cut-off number each month, when next month's number is higher than yours, that's when they'll email you to let you know when to come to Sydney.

You have to travel to the US within 6 months of the interview/medical assessment, if you don't go within 6 months of the interview, you lose the visa forever, and have to reapply another year, if 6 months have passed since the medical you will need to go back to Sydney and do it again which is a major expense. Once you arrive in the US they stamp your visa for unlimited entry for 12 months, so you can go for a little trip first and make the big move later if you want.

Another tip is to make sure you have all your paperwork ready in advance before your interview. In my case the AFP took months longer than normal to prepare my police certificate, so I didn't have it at the interview. What this means is you get a "221(g) administrative refusal letter", and the embassy holds on to your passport and ID papers until you post them the missing document - no big deal - but for the rest of your life when entering the US, and they ask you "have you ever been denied a visa", you must answer "yes".

A couple of other things you might not have picked up on yet is that you need to register for and pay US tax on your global income - if you still have any Australian income you will have to pay US tax on it, but get a deduction for what you paid in Australian tax. If you stop doing this they consider that you have renounced your green card. As a permanent resident you will be free to enter and leave the US as you wish, but if you leave for more than 6 months you should get a reentry permit first, and if you leave for more than a year they might cancel your green card.

[Ashrafabdi 1]

I am From Somalia , I was also selected and I am my way of filling the DS 260

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Once you arrive in the US they stamp your visa for unlimited entry for 12 months, so you can go for a little trip first and make the big move later if you want.

...but if you leave for more than 6 months you should get a reentry permit first, and if you leave for more than a year they might cancel your green card.

I'm going to clarify these two sentences as they are not entirely correct and especially the first has confused people by still referring to it as a "visa". Once you enter the US, your visa - which is a one time immigrant visa - is endorsed to become proof of uour permanent resident status. So it is not a "visa" giving you "unlimited entry", and if you try to tell an airline official it is a visa you will face trouble - as others have reported. The correct way to refer to it now is a temporary green card that you can use for a year.

You need a re-entry permit for absences of 12 or more months, not 6 months. If you leave for more than 12 months without one, then indeed you face getting your green card revoked. If you are out the country longer than 6 months, your residency for naturalization purposes resets to your latest entry date (whether or not you have a reentry permit).

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Just to warn any "single ladies " out ther that a green card marriage can not only lose you your green card, but get you banned from the US for life.

[Ontarkie 13,918]

~~administrative action taken on user who was trying to commit a DV scam~~

[blessjay 0]

After submitting the D260 form what next plZz

[blessjay 0]

After submitting the D260 form what next plZz

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Wait. While you are waiting get all your civil documents as per the instructions - except your police certificate as these expire so best to get it when you get your interview notification, or if you are following the visa bulletin and can see your number will come up shortly. You won't hear anything further from KCC until your interview is scheduled, then you will get the notification usually 6-8 weeks before the interview.

[blessjay 0]

Wait. While you are waiting get all your civil documents as per the instructions - except your police certificate as these expire so best to get it when you get your interview notification, or if you are following the visa bulletin and can see your number will come up shortly. You won't hear anything further from KCC until your interview is scheduled, then you will get the notification usually 6-8 weeks before the interview.

[blessjay 0]

How do i check the visa bulletin and is the police certificate compulsory even if u've never been arrested .am leaving in Ghana plz

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

How do i check the visa bulletin and is the police certificate compulsory even if u've never been arrested .am leaving in Ghana plz

Yes the police certificate is compulsory. Please read the sites linked from your selection letter to find out about the documents you need, and click on the 'reciprocity by country' link in those pages to get any Ghana-specific info.

The britsimonsays website has a lot of useful DV info, including how to read the visa bulletin for DV selectees.

[blessjay 0]

Thanks a lots for ur help ......

[Verica 0]

Hi everyone!

My boyfriend (now husband got selected for further processing for 2017. We've been together for six years and three days ago we got married. We have a couple of questions:

1. I'm in my final year of University. I've already passed all my exams and I only have to write my final thesis to get my diploma. I will get my diploma in September or October. Should I write in the DS 260 that I'm still a student with no diploma, or should I write that I already have a diploma? Because we want to fill the DS 260 form as soon as possible.

2. He wrote my name (as his spouse) with my maiden name, so that's why when we got married I kept it and I didn't put his surname. Do you think it will be a problem and can I change my surname and add it later for the DS form?

Thanks in advance.
Hope to get some answers.

Hugs

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

Hi everyone!

My boyfriend (now husband got selected for further processing for 2017. We've been together for six years and three days ago we got married. We have a couple of questions:

1. I'm in my final year of University. I've already passed all my exams and I only have to write my final thesis to get my diploma. I will get my diploma in September or October. Should I write in the DS 260 that I'm still a student with no diploma, or should I write that I already have a diploma? Because we want to fill the DS 260 form as soon as possible.

2. He wrote my name (as his spouse) with my maiden name, so that's why when we got married I kept it and I didn't put his surname. Do you think it will be a problem and can I change my surname and add it later for the DS form?

Thanks in advance.

Hope to get some answers.

Hugs

1. You fill in the correct response as at the date you complete the DS260, so no diploma.

2. I'm a bit confused by this question , did your husband enter you as his spouse on the entry form even though you were not married yet?