Rayman22

Many thanks to you!! this is quite helpful and enlightening as well. I sure hope I can pull off both options in good time and successfully too. many thanks again for your help! I appreciate your take.

Thanks a lot....its a 3 year programme so I hope to earn my PhD in 2016 which means I'll be in the UK for about that long (at least during term time). I entered for the DV lottery at about the same time I applied to study. I have already accepted the fully funded PhD offer which I am really chuffed about, and was simply hoping that if I was lucky to be interviewed for the green card Visa successfully, that I shouldnt have to give up my studies entirely.....

I would like to get some clarification on a couple of issues if anyone will be so kind to help with answers.

I applied from my home country Nigeria but I recently got accepted to do a PhD in the UK this fall (October) .

My case number is just over 5,000 and I assume that this might mean an early interview schedule for me should I be scheduled for an interview at all. I was wondering if submitting the application forms a little later (say september) would postpone a possible interview date a little farther back just so I get settled in the UK before I start the process or if it will affect the potential for being selected for an interview all together.

secondly, I understand that one must enter the US within 6 months of being issued a visa. Since I'll just be starting a PhD in the UK I want to know if it'll be possible to enter the US for a couple of weeks and return to the UK? Are there any rules as to how long one must stay in the US on first entry?

Many thanks.