Number of questions

[Niceb 2]

All all. I am new to this forum. After applying for the DV lottery since 2001 I finally won DV 2015. I am very excited and really wanted it badly. However I have a number of questions and concerns. Firstly my case number is quite high. It's EU000133XX. Do I have a chance of getting an interview? If so when? I currently reside in Brazil so I have chosen Rio to be interviewed. Is that also going to effect my application?

Second question. I've already completed my application. I lived in London for around 2 months during my university summer holidays mainly travelling and casual work. It was in the 90's so I really can't remember the details so I omitted it. I still had my parents house as my principal residence which it was. I read somewhere that could cause me to get disqualified. Is that the case? If so should I try request to modify my application although I really can't remember the address.

Third question. I also lived in Australia for a few years. Before I left I got a full police check. However that is three years ago. I haven't set foot in Australia since. Would that police check still be valid or do I need to get it again?

Final question. I have all my university documents. Do I also need to get my high school certificate or will the university documents suffice?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

All all. I am new to this forum. After applying for the DV lottery since 2001 I finally won DV 2015. I am very excited and really wanted it badly. However I have a number of questions and concerns. Firstly my case number is quite high. It's EU000133XX. Do I have a chance of getting an interview? If so when? I currently reside in Brazil so I have chosen Rio to be interviewed. Is that also going to effect my application?

Second question. I've already completed my application. I lived in London for around 2 months during my university summer holidays mainly travelling and casual work. It was in the 90's so I really can't remember the details so I omitted it. I still had my parents house as my principal residence which it was. I read somewhere that could cause me to get disqualified. Is that the case? If so should I try request to modify my application although I really can't remember the address.

Third question. I also lived in Australia for a few years. Before I left I got a full police check. However that is three years ago. I haven't set foot in Australia since. Would that police check still be valid or do I need to get it again?

Final question. I have all my university documents. Do I also need to get my high school certificate or will the university documents suffice?

Absolutely no problem with that number, it's not actually very high at all for Europe. And it makes no difference where you interview.

2 months in London during a vacation was quite clearly a temporary stay not a residence as such so I don't see any problem in leaving that off. It will not get you disqualified.

Your Australian police certificate will have expired. Check the reciprocity by country pages, they will have an explanation of how to get one from outside the country. Look into how long it is expected to take - you don't want to get it too early or it will expire again, but you don't want to leave it too late and not have it for your interview as that will cause delays.

Some consulates want to see high school diploma, even if you have a university degree. Best to have it.

[Niceb 2]

Thanks, what about my case number? When should I expect to get my interview?

[Niceb 2]

My next question is how long does the process take from start to finish? Once a winner gets called for an interview and submits the correct documentation, how long does it take before one can move to the U.S.?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

My next question is how long does the process take from start to finish? Once a winner gets called for an interview and submits the correct documentation, how long does it take before one can move to the U.S.?

If the start of the process is when you get selected, it's long! But once you are notified of your interview date it is pretty quick. You'll get notification 6-7 weeks ahead of your interview. Assuming everything is in order and you get approved, you'll get your visa back within a few days to a week. You can move immediately, and must use the visa before it expires ( usually 6 month expiry). There are some people who get placed on "administrative processing" where they need to do background checks and that can take weeks or months. Typically this only happens to people from parts of the world where they are concerned about terrorism.

[Niceb 2]

Thanks Susie, you have been so helpful. Some other things that is playing on my mind big time. With the original application for the lottery, the photo that I submitted of my husband was very low resolution. The reason being was he didn't give me a photo in time and I had to find something that would fit the dimensions that was a plan headshot. It went through the photo validator but I am worried about the low resolution. Also one of my siblings lived illegally in the U.S. for around three years but returned to Europe about six years ago. I've read that an applicant can be disqualified for anything as the demand is so high. I've already been through the Australian visa process before which I didn't get due to a problem with my employer rather than myself. I don't want to get my hopes up and find that I am bitterly disappointed again. What impact do you think the above will have on my application?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Thanks Susie, you have been so helpful. Some other things that is playing on my mind big time. With the original application for the lottery, the photo that I submitted of my husband was very low resolution. The reason being was he didn't give me a photo in time and I had to find something that would fit the dimensions that was a plan headshot. It went through the photo validator but I am worried about the low resolution. Also one of my siblings lived illegally in the U.S. for around three years but returned to Europe about six years ago. I've read that an applicant can be disqualified for anything as the demand is so high. I've already been through the Australian visa process before which I didn't get due to a problem with my employer rather than myself. I don't want to get my hopes up and find that I am bitterly disappointed again. What impact do you think the above will have on my application?

If the photo was unacceptable your application would have been disqualified before you were notified about selection - so stop worrying about that

It's nonsense that they "look for reasons" to disqualify you. This may be true for non-immigrant visas particularly in certain countries - but remember this is an immigrant visa and they have a quota they want to fill. Just about anyone who has been through the process - with perhaps the exception of those unfortunate to be living in countries where terrorism is a problem (for the US) and makes the process difficult - will tell you that these guys are quite eager to approve you. If you have an interview and you meet the requirements, you will get the visa. I cannot see that your sibling could have any effect on your case at all. US immigration law does not visit the sins of all the relatives on the applicant!

Also remember they manage the demand... they don't have thousands of people a day banging on the consulate door This is precisely the purpose of the case number ranking system. If someone doesn't get a visa it is because there is a clear disqualifying factor, or - we haven't seen for a while except for individual country cases for years but a possibility in DV2014 - the cases are cut off before fiscal year end because more people do in fact process forms than they have visas available.

[Niceb 2]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I want the visa so badly and don't want to go through what I went through in Australia all over again. Just one final question, I have lived in four countries. A least two of those countries is a long and complicated process to get the police certificates. It will take at least 2-3 months. When approximately will I have my interview?

[Niceb 2]

I have resided in four countries to date. One of them was for only 10 months. Do I need a police check for it?

Does the US have an expiry date on police checks? For example, if I request some of them now and they are valid for 2 years from the countries the originate from and my interview is early next year, would the consulate except them? I live in Brazil and things get frequently lost in the mail and are even worse by international courier service. I want to ensure that I have everything well in hand before the interview.

We won't have jobs lined up. Would it be possible for my husband to enter the US on a holiday with me once we get the visa and then leave again and continue to work until I secure a job? If so, what's the time limit for reentry?