DV Lottery Winners in Canada

[CalgarySteve 0]

Hi There,

I am new in this forum and already found some great information. I was wondering if other DV lottery winners, currently living in Canada, would like to share some information in this topic?

Originaly from Switzerland my wife won this year and we filed all the required forms in Kentucky, just waiting to hear back.

Our letter said Montreal and I was wondering if everyone living in Canada will have the interview in Montreal? We live in Calgary.

Also, I have seen a list of doctors for the medical, but the closest to us is probably Surrey, BC.

Did anyone hear from their embassy yet? What is the average notice before your interview appointment?

Just trying to help each other out. I will post an update as soon as we hear from the embassy.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

I can't answer for Canada specifically but seeing as no-one else has answered yet:

- for most countries there is only one interviewing post for DV visas so it's quite possible that Montreal is your only option.

- again, approved panel physicians tend to be few and far between. For some countries there is only one so count yourself "lucky" you have options!!!

- your notification for interview will usually come a few days after the visa bulletin with your number published. Depending on the exact date of VB publication vs your interview date, this tends to be 6-7 weeks before your interview. I'm not sure about Canada, but in most countries you can only make your medicals appointment once you have the letter with your interview date.

Hope that's of some help!

[CalgarySteve 0]

I can't answer for Canada specifically but seeing as no-one else has answered yet:

- for most countries there is only one interviewing post for DV visas so it's quite possible that Montreal is your only option.

- again, approved panel physicians tend to be few and far between. For some countries there is only one so count yourself "lucky" you have options!!!

- your notification for interview will usually come a few days after the visa bulletin with your number published. Depending on the exact date of VB publication vs your interview date, this tends to be 6-7 weeks before your interview. I'm not sure about Canada, but in most countries you can only make your medicals appointment once you have the letter with your interview date.

Hope that's of some help!

Hi Susie,

Thank you, that did help for sure. From what I found doing some more research, it appears as Montreal will be our only option. At least there is a doctor in Montreal as well, so we might get everything done in one trip and don't have to fly to opposite ends of the country twice...

Also, I am now breathing easier, knowing that there will likely be some notice that should be enough to book time off work and book flights and so on.

Thank you again Susie, and hoping to hear from other winners in Canada previous or current...

[uykuevi 0]

Hi,

We also won the DV lottery and we are living in Vancouver, BC.

At the same time we are PR in Canada and we are going to apply for citizenship up coming next months.

Yes, we have only the one option to take an interview in Montreal and we are lucky that we can get our medicals here in BC.

It depends to get an interview how your CN is small or big.

If you are from EU zone, and your case number is smaller than 15000, you can get an interview around January 2014.

If your case number is between 15000-30000 they will notify you around January to May. Then all the numbers will be active until enough space left.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate.

[CalgarySteve 0]

Hi Uykuevi,

Thank yo so much for your reply. Good luck with both, your citizenship and your GC application.

Our case is EU17XXX, so guess we have to wait and see. Still seems relatively low if it goes all the way to 30 or 40k.

Just curious how you found out about the case numbers and dates. Is there a way I can check myself as we get closer and past January?

Thanks again, greatly appreciated.

[luke_swiss 0]

Hey

Im swiss, and i won this year as well.

I live in Montreal.

So if you have any questions or just want to connect, let me know :-)

My case number is 13XXX but i sent my forms suuuper late because i didnt see the notification that i won hahaha.

So sharing our experiences would actually be really nice.

Hopp Schwiz! :-)

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

50 K is the world wide number each region has it's own serialization. Nigeria used to have the most of any of the African countries but now has too many people immigrating to be in the lottery. Make sure the winner has proof of education/skill

[mirela70 0]

Yes, they did not make it easy for people who live outside Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal.

We had to spend a week in Montreal to get the medical exams ready and go for an interview.

We are waiting for the passports now.

Does anyone know if after entering US and applying for the physical green card and security number we can go back to Canada instead of waiting to receive them?

We can give the address of a friend to receive them. The Canadian passports should allow us to travel back to Canada and later to US to pick the GC, right?

What is your experience?

Thanks!

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You have to be in the US under a legal status to reside ( so visitors/VWP/or allowed entry don't count ) If you have a student or employment visa and are legally able to live in the US you can apply for within the US. However applying in the US still means you wait to see if your number meets the cutoff for you region.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Yes, they did not make it easy for people who live outside Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal.

We had to spend a week in Montreal to get the medical exams ready and go for an interview.

We are waiting for the passports now.

Does anyone know if after entering US and applying for the physical green card and security number we can go back to Canada instead of waiting to receive them?

We can give the address of a friend to receive them. The Canadian passports should allow us to travel back to Canada and later to US to pick the GC, right?

What is your experience?

Thanks!

Yes, you can. You can stay out for up to a year - when you enter your immigrant visa gets endorsed and becomes a temporary green card for a year. But it's best not to stay out longer than 6 months to avoid a grilling on re-entry. Remember you can lose your green cards if you are deemed to have abandoned residency.

[mirela70 0]

You have to be in the US under a legal status to reside ( so visitors/VWP/or allowed entry don't count ) If you have a student or employment visa and are legally able to live in the US you can apply for within the US. However applying in the US still means you wait to see if your number meets the cutoff for you region.

Sorry, I should have been more clear - we went through the interview for the diversity visa and got approved. We are expecting the passports back with the visas any moment now.

My understanding is that once you enter the US you have to provide a mailing address where they send you the physical card. I think we should apply for social security number too - is this also going to be mailed? What else we should do? The idea is to go back to Canada where we have jobs and try to search for job in US and come back to US when we get job offer.

[antoniocanada 0]

Hello, i am from Europe, Croatia, but im currently in Canada so i have my interview in Montreal,

interview is scheduled on beggining of April, my case number is EU00025***

Any one here who wanna share some info let me know, i just discovered this forum today

[mirela70 0]

Hello, i am from Europe, Croatia, but im currently in Canada so i have my interview in Montreal,

interview is scheduled on beggining of April, my case number is EU00025***

Any one here who wanna share some info let me know, i just discovered this forum today

Few things:

- I was not sure if I had to pay the visa fee in advance or at the day of the interview - I was able to pay at the day of the interview - just bring the necessary amount in US dollars.

- Make sure you have copies of all documents. If you are a couple bring two copies of a shared documents like marriage certificate - they go to two separate piles, so you need two.

- We were asked for a "final address in U.S.". If you know where you will live give them that address, otherwise give an address of a friend, etc. If you do not have this address ready at the day of the interview you can email it later but they will not issue the visa without this address and it will slow you down.

[antoniocanada 0]

Thanks for reply, I have few more questions if you can answer.

How much is fee I have to pay at interview day?

And how do you give them final adress In USA? You have it written on piece of paper or it must be invitation letter from person in USA?

And I have all documents ready and translated.

Only thing I don't have is financial support document I-134 and bank statement with at least 10000$ and job offer, do I have to have all that?

How do you prove your financial independent?

I asked few people in USA to fill up I-134 but everybody is scared to do it and don't want.

[mirela70 0]

The fee is "Diversity Visa Lottery fee" - $330 per person. More information about the fees can be found here:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/fees-visa-services.html

I did not have I-134, I am not sure what it is. I had some bank statements and work contracts that was showing how much money I make with my profession in Canada.

I did not have the final address at the interview and had to email it later. You should be able to write it on a piece of paper and hand it to them at the interview.

Edited March 3, 2014 by mirela70