DV 2012 winner - a few questions

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Hi all,

I hope you don't mind a few questions, but I've just received notification that I've been successful in making the first cut for the DV 2012 program. I've got a few questions about the process from here on out.

1) I'm going to mail all of my documents to the Kentucky Consular Center on Tuesday via FedEx, do you know how long they take to process it before I'll be eligible to do my visa interview at a consulate?

2) There's a small chance I'll be out of the country for the next few months for work, would it be possible to do my consular interview at a different US Consulate than the one I listed on the Supplementary DV form?

3) Am I right in thinking that this visa does not expire, as long as I meet the usual requirements for staying the the USA for the set amount of time each year?

4) What type of visa are you actually issued with the DV Lottery (H-1B, F-1 etc?)? Or do you get issued a green card right away?

Many thanks for your help,

RVM

[milimelo 4,477]

Hi all,

I hope you don't mind a few questions, but I've just received notification that I've been successful in making the first cut for the DV 2012 program. I've got a few questions about the process from here on out.

1) I'm going to mail all of my documents to the Kentucky Consular Center on Tuesday via FedEx, do you know how long they take to process it before I'll be eligible to do my visa interview at a consulate?

2) There's a small chance I'll be out of the country for the next few months for work, would it be possible to do my consular interview at a different US Consulate than the one I listed on the Supplementary DV form?

3) Am I right in thinking that this visa does not expire, as long as I meet the usual requirements for staying the the USA for the set amount of time each year?

4) What type of visa are you actually issued with the DV Lottery (H-1B, F-1 etc?)? Or do you get issued a green card right away?

Many thanks for your help,

RVM

Do what you're instructed to do for mailing documents. Follow the visa bulletin on travel.state.gov and it will show current processing of the DV visa numbers

DV lottery visa interviews are normally done at the US embassy of the country you applied from and were selected unless the country does not have Immigrant visa unit (very rare).

Immigrant visa expires 6 months from the date of issuance. Once you enter the US you will receive a green card - for your benefit, it's best to read a little booklet called Now that you're a permanent resident. Green card comes with rules and responsibilities and it is not unheard of people losing it if they use it as a visit visa. It is for maintaining PERMANENT residence in the US - meaning living and working in the US.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

The UK isn't allowed to enter the DV lottery. I assume you have roots to an allowed country which is where your interview will be scheduled. They will start processing the visas and continue until they have reasched the limits for the year at which point no more winners will get visas. If you miss your scheduled interview you will be placed at end of the line for that country and will probably not get a visa unless there are a very low number of qualified entrants for that country. Nigeria has a huge number of entrants but most of the winners are disqualified for not meeting educational requirements .

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Thanks a lot guys for the answers. I'm from Northern Ireland, so do qualify for the DV program.

Milli - thanks a lot for the answers. So how does the green card part of it work exactly? Is it possible to get the green card before you enter the USA, or do you have to enter the country beforehand? I'm asking because having the green card beforehand would allow me to apply for jobs before I moved to the the USA (and consequently less stressful). Moving to the USA without a job would be a pretty big leap of faith, and potentially very expensive, and so if I can even start applying for jobs before I move that would be a huge help. Any clarification on how the DV visa works (both for entry and getting the green card) would be really appreciated.

At what stage would I file for the I-485?

I definitely want to move to the USA permanently and live there, it's just that my current job involves a lot of travel so I have to make sure that won't disrupt my application.

Many thanks!

Edited May 1, 2011 by Rearviewmirror

[milimelo 4,477]

Thanks a lot guys for the answers. I'm from Northern Ireland, so do qualify for the DV program.

Milli - thanks a lot for the answers. So how does the green card part of it work exactly? Is it possible to get the green card before you enter the USA, or do you have to enter the country beforehand? I'm asking because having the green card beforehand would allow me to apply for jobs before I moved to the the USA (and consequently less stressful). Moving to the USA without a job would be a pretty big leap of faith, and potentially very expensive, and so if I can even start applying for jobs before I move that would be a huge help. Any clarification on how the DV visa works (both for entry and getting the green card) would be really appreciated.

At what stage would I file for the I-485?

I definitely want to move to the USA permanently and live there, it's just that my current job involves a lot of travel so I have to make sure that won't disrupt my application.

Many thanks!

You DON"T pay for I-485 -- DV immigration is different - you'll pay around $2000 at the embassy and be issued immigrant visa if you fulfill education requirements.

Once you have the visa, you enter the US and you are stamped as a permanent resident - I-551 stamp which serves as a green card for a year or until you get the real one in the mail. You CAN NOT and WILL NOT be issued a green card until you activate your immigrant visa by entering the US.

Have a friend in the US whose address you can use until you get settled? Once you have your visa you can definitely start looking for jobs and putting work-authorized - legal permanent resident on your resume.

Edited May 2, 2011 by milimelo

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Thanks again for the quick reply So am I right in thinking I can go to the USA, activate my visa, get stamped as a permanent resident and then am free to leave the USA again briefly to get my affairs in order (and have enough money saved up to make the permanent move) and sort out a more permanent move to the USA/apply for jobs as a permanent resident?

I think I read that as long as you're only out of the USA for less than a year, your green card status remains alright? I'm currently in the process of applying for grad school in the USA as well, so it would be a lot easier to make the permanent move a little closer to Fall 2012, than right away.

Do you have any idea how long the process usually takes specifically how long it takes from sending in my info to the KCC and getting a visa interview? Even a ballpark figure would be great.

Thanks a lot again - I can't believe how helpful this site has been already!

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

I believe interviews don't start until September, and then it depends what your number is as to when you get your visa. Once you have the visa, you have 6 months to use it, so mid 2012 is do-able as a move date.

Once you activated the greencard, you must spend more time inside the USA than outside- so yes, you can come to the USA and leave again a few days later to get your affairs in order, but try to stay outside the US less than 6 months.

[milimelo 4,477]

Fiscal Year 2012 - doesn't start before October 1, 2011, ending September 30, 2012. Depending how low or high your 2012EURXXXX number is you will know what are your chances for actually getting the visa - that's why you want to keep an eye on the visa bulletin as it tells you the processing dates.

[Rearviewmirror 397]

Thanks again guys, I'm really pleased I found this forum as there doesn't seem to be a whole heap of info on the net with regards to how diversity visas are processed once you're actually selected.

So if it's fiscal year 2012, then my interview shouldn't be before October 2012?

That's excellent news that I will have a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to moving to the USA permanently. I'm hoping to be moving to the USA in Fall 2012 anyway for grad school, and so if I was successful I could come over early-2012 for a couple of weeks to house hunt and get my green card, then come back in summer 2012 permanently once I have a little money saved up and am ready for grad school (plus I don't have to panic about getting my whole life in a suitcase within 6 months).

My visa number is lower than 2012EUR00001800, so I hope that means I've got a good chance. How do I actually interpret the visa bulletin, for example at the minute it says Europe - 29,450, does that mean everyone with a case number under 29,450 is eligible for processing?

Edited May 2, 2011 by Rearviewmirror

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

So if it's fiscal year 2012, then my interview shouldn't be before October 2012?

No, it will be sometime between October 2011 and September 2012. You can definitely travel ont eh Visa Waiver program for house hunting etc before you have your visa.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

It means that they will process until they reach that many approvals. So if person number 1 never finished high school and their training doesn't match anything on the list of qualifying occupations they will be denied, So starting with person number 1 for the region and until they have the right number or until time runs out they will work their way through the list. Past stats That should give you an idea of how many per country got approved in the past.

[Rearviewmirror 397]

No, it will be sometime between October 2011 and September 2012. You can definitely travel ont eh Visa Waiver program for house hunting etc before you have your visa.

Sorry, typo on my part Penguin - I meant to say that my interview won't be before October 2011

I'm not too worried about visiting sooner, it's more that I might get called away overseas for work over the next couple of months, so it's great news that my interview won't happen before October and I won't need to worry about missing it as I'll be back in the UK by then.

As a fellow Irish poster, am I right in thinking my university degree will supercede my 'high school' qualifications? I have all my GCSE/A-level certificates as well as my degree, but we don't really do high-school transcripts the same way - just making sure what I've already got will suffice for any visa interview.

[littlesunbee 0]

Little correction here. TECHNICALLY, once you have been selected for further processing for permanent residence, you are technically not allowed to go to the US as a tourist, since you have an intention to immigrate (even if it's not during that very visit). The Visa Waiver Program doesn't grant you double intent (such as the H1-B visa, for example). All those people who are in the US on a visa (and hence apply for adjustment of status) have to fill out a form to be authorized to leave the country and reenter. So I suggest you stay abroad until you get approved.

[littlesunbee 0]

Sorry, typo on my part Penguin - I meant to say that my interview won't be before October 2011

I'm not too worried about visiting sooner, it's more that I might get called away overseas for work over the next couple of months, so it's great news that my interview won't happen before October and I won't need to worry about missing it as I'll be back in the UK by then.

As a fellow Irish poster, am I right in thinking my university degree will supercede my 'high school' qualifications? I have all my GCSE/A-level certificates as well as my degree, but we don't really do high-school transcripts the same way - just making sure what I've already got will suffice for any visa interview.

Yes, if you have a university degree it automatically entails that you got your high school diploma. The highest degree assumes that you got the lower level degree.

[Rearviewmirror 397]

That's kind of annoying about not being allowed to visit the USA as a tourist - I was hoping to go see friends over the summer. Is there any way I can inquire about this? I don't want to ruin my visa application by going on holiday!