Are there any Australian/Oceanian DV selectees out there?

[billystevenson 0]

...interested to share questions/information?

[littlej 23]

...interested to share questions/information?

Yes! me! i've got lots of questions too, have you sent your paperwork yet?

[skmin1 0]

Me too..... Loads of questions.

1- does it reall matter if you have a low number as a case number? Apparently it may....

2- any idea of when the interviews will be? Also is it safe to wait for the interview letter before booking the medical appointment?

Cheers

[billystevenson 0]

Case number has implications for when your interview occurs: see my other thread.

Yep, I've sent my material off to Kentucky: wondering if there's any way of knowing when and if it's been processed there?

[littlej 23]

i don't think we hear anything until they contact you for an interview. I had mine sent by courier so i at least know it's been delivered. @skmin1 interviews don't start until October

[skmin1 0]

Thanks guys. Least the gives quite a few months to get international police checks etc...... Just a point though how much spare time between being told of the interview and the interview itself? I'd like to leave the medical till quite late to give the 12 months validity as long as possible.

Also, whee are you all thinking of relocating to I the USA?

Cheers

[billystevenson 0]

I think it's 4-6 weeks between notification and interview.

My partner's family are in New York, so New York/Boston is where I'd be looking.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Just weighing in (though not from Oceania so ymmv*)

Medicals - see guidelines for your country - for ours we cannot book them until the interview date has been scheduled.

As these and police clearance expire, best to wait till you have a clearer idea when your interview will be before doing both

Send other forms in but KCC takes a while to get through the incoming forms (around a month). After say 6 weeks you can send them an email to check if they have your forms and all is ok with them. They can take a few days to answer mails. Make sure your full name, case number and date of birth in US format (month-day-year) is in your enquiry email or your only response will be to resend the query with this info.

Be prepared to have your life revolving around waiting for each month's visa bulletin!

And good luck to all of you.

*if you don't know this acronym look it up, it's a US term

Edited May 12, 2013 by SusieQQQ

[MJOZNZ 0]

Another Aussie here! Trying not to get excited cause I think my case number is high (1800+) - 4th try this year - how about you?

I am in Canada at the moment on a working holiday visa - will be heading back to Oz when it expires end of January 2014 - assume I won't get an interview until later next year, if at all!!

[billystevenson 0]

My case number is in the 1200s, so I'm hopeful...it is uncertain, though

[MattWatt 0]

Well now you've all got me worried - I'm ranked 2118 for OC. I assumed that that was reasonably low ranking in the grand scheme of things

[sam99 0]

Exciting times. I'm an Aussie and awaiting interview notification. I posted mine off last week. Does anyone know when interviews are likely to be? And once succesfull at the interview, how long till you have to go over to activate? Does it matter if you don't know your address yet? I want to travel around first before settling down. Anyone know much about these re entry permits. Eg/If you wanted to come back to Australia for a year can you?

[Rlavender 0]

Hi there,

Another Aussie here. I have lots of questions and have been doing a ton of reading online, I am nervous about the interview I get kind of nervous and have found no really clear information on what they might ask me, I'd love if anyone had any information to help me relax.

Case number wise mine is in the 2300's but overall I am not so stressed about that, I didn't think that would isolated to just Australia and they do say that people that have made it through may yet not meet the requirements.

I've sent my paperwork off to Kentucky, I am going to start on my immunizations, a lot of them I am lucky enough to already have because I was a nursing student, but I am going to leave my medical examination itself and xrays until closer to the date itself, I think that is wise when they have an expiry date. I had a look at previous years and traditionally there hasn't been that many Aussie applicants in the grand scheme of things so I think they should get through interviewing us fairly soon if they have staff dedicated to the task.

I don't have a completed degree but I am employed at the moment, I've some savings because I have wanted this for a long time but I get nervous when I hear other people have sponsors and work lined up. Where do other Aussie's stand on that?

[MattWatt 0]

Exciting times. I'm an Aussie and awaiting interview notification. I posted mine off last week. Does anyone know when interviews are likely to be? And once succesfull at the interview, how long till you have to go over to activate? Does it matter if you don't know your address yet? I want to travel around first before settling down. Anyone know much about these re entry permits. Eg/If you wanted to come back to Australia for a year can you?

Sam99 - application processing starts in August (most likely mid August when the indicative October Visa Bullitin numbers are released). Interviews starts from 1st October. If you're granted a visa, you get your passport back after about 6 weeks, then you have 6 months to 'activate' it by arriving in the US.

In regards to the re-entry permits, you only need one if you're going to be out of the US for more than 12 months. See this link for more info (http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/B5en.pdf).

Hope this helps.

[sam99 0]

Sam99 - application processing starts in August (most likely mid August when the indicative October Visa Bullitin numbers are released). Interviews starts from 1st October. If you're granted a visa, you get your passport back after about 6 weeks, then you have 6 months to 'activate' it by arriving in the US.

In regards to the re-entry permits, you only need one if you're going to be out of the US for more than 12 months. See this link for more info (http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/B5en.pdf).

Hope this helps.

Thanks MattWatt that does help