Hello there!

My situation is this: I applied fot the DV-Lottery 2006 back in January,
and two days ago I received an envelope from the Kentucky Consular
Center containing a letter and some forms to fill out and send back.

The thing is that, after reading the information they sent me and some I
found on Internet, I've some doubts about some particular topics. I hope
someone will be able to help me.

1-¿Is there any major difference between holding a US Citizenship and a
Green Card?

2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay at
in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because one of
the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA where
you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an
"address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if
different from the one in the previous question".

3-¿Can a Green Card "expire"? For example, let's suppose that I finally
win the Green Card, move to the US, and after some time, I decide to
move back to my country or any other. ¿Would this, or any similar
situation, make the Green Card invalid for life or anything?

4-¿Is it possible to give up a Green Card? ¿Is it a proccess that takes
long? ¿Can a person who previously gave up his Green Card enter the US
again in the future (as a tourist, student, or in any other condition),
or even ask for it again?

5-Let's suppose that I win and I'm called for an interview at the
Consulate it my town so that they can decide whether to finally give me
the Green Card or not. Let's suppose that, for some reason, they decide
they won't give it to me, or I, for some reason (like finding out during
the interview something I dislike about holding a Green Card), decide
not to accept it. ¿Would I be forced to pay the $375 fee anyway?

That's all. I know they are many questions and some of them may sound
stupid, but I'm just trying to prevent any unpleasent surprise that
might appear in the future as a consequence of not having had this
information now. Well, thank you so very much to you all!

Bye bye
Maldono

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

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Maldono wrote:
| Hello there!
|
| My situation is this: I applied fot the DV-Lottery 2006 back in January,
| and two days ago I received an envelope from the Kentucky Consular
| Center containing a letter and some forms to fill out and send back.
|
| The thing is that, after reading the information they sent me and some I
| found on Internet, I've some doubts about some particular topics. I hope
| someone will be able to help me.
|
| 1-¿Is there any major difference between holding a US Citizenship and a
| Green Card?

Yes. A Green Card allows you to live in the USA, but you are still
considered a foreigner, can still get deported, can't vote, etc.

You can get US citizenship after you had your GC for five years and meet
a few other requirements.

| 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay at
| in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because one of
| the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA where
| you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an
| "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if
| different from the one in the previous question".

Having a Green Card indeed requires you to live in the USA permanently.
If you move out of the USA, you would lose the GC.

| 3-¿Can a Green Card "expire"? For example, let's suppose that I finally
| win the Green Card, move to the US, and after some time, I decide to
| move back to my country or any other. ¿Would this, or any similar
| situation, make the Green Card invalid for life or anything?

Yes. Please visit my FAQ site at http://www.kkeane.com for more
information on this (and other) subjects.

| 4-¿Is it possible to give up a Green Card? ¿Is it a proccess that takes
| long? ¿Can a person who previously gave up his Green Card enter the US
| again in the future (as a tourist, student, or in any other condition),
| or even ask for it again?

You can indeed give up your GC. It's very simple, you just show up at a
US consulate, fill out one form, give them the GC, and are done. In most
cases, you can travel to the USA again as a tourist. You can also get a
Green Card again, but would have to qualify for it again. You cannot get
it based on the fact that you had a Green Card.

| 5-Let's suppose that I win and I'm called for an interview at the
| Consulate it my town so that they can decide whether to finally give me
| the Green Card or not. Let's suppose that, for some reason, they decide
| they won't give it to me, or I, for some reason (like finding out during
| the interview something I dislike about holding a Green Card), decide
| not to accept it. ¿Would I be forced to pay the $375 fee anyway?

Probably. Also, if they decide to deny you the GC, it would likely be
for a reason that would also prevent you from traveling to the USA as a
tourist.

- --
Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I
encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than
relying on usenet newsgroups.

Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under
construction)

My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection.
See my Web site for information on how to contact me.

Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site
http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome.
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Maldono wrote: | Hello there! | | My situation is this: I applied fot the DV-Lottery 2006 back in | January, | and two days ago I received an envelope from the Kentucky Consular | Center containing a letter and some forms to fill out and send back. | | The thing is that, after reading the information they sent me and | some I | found on Internet, I've some doubts about some particular topics. I | hope | someone will be able to help me. | | 1-¿Is there any major difference between holding a US Citizenship | and a | Green Card? Yes. A Green Card allows you to live in the USA, but you are still considered a foreigner, can still get deported, can't vote, etc. You can get US citizenship after you had your GC for five years and meet a few other requirements. | 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay | at | in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because | one of | the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA | where | you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an | "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if | different from the one in the previous question". Having a Green Card indeed requires you to live in the USA permanently. If you move out of the USA, you would lose the GC. | 3-¿Can a Green Card "expire"? For example, let's suppose that I | finally | win the Green Card, move to the US, and after some time, I decide to | move back to my country or any other. ¿Would this, or any similar | situation, make the Green Card invalid for life or anything? Yes. Please visit my FAQ site at http://www.kkeane.com for more information on this (and other) subjects. | 4-¿Is it possible to give up a Green Card? ¿Is it a proccess that | takes | long? ¿Can a person who previously gave up his Green Card enter the | US | again in the future (as a tourist, student, or in any other | condition), | or even ask for it again? You can indeed give up your GC. It's very simple, you just show up at a US consulate, fill out one form, give them the GC, and are done. In most cases, you can travel to the USA again as a tourist. You can also get a Green Card again, but would have to qualify for it again. You cannot get it based on the fact that you had a Green Card. | 5-Let's suppose that I win and I'm called for an interview at the | Consulate it my town so that they can decide whether to finally give | me | the Green Card or not. Let's suppose that, for some reason, they | decide | they won't give it to me, or I, for some reason (like finding out | during | the interview something I dislike about holding a Green Card), | decide | not to accept it. ¿Would I be forced to pay the $375 fee anyway? Probably. Also, if they decide to deny you the GC, it would likely be for a reason that would also prevent you from traveling to the USA as a tourist. - -- Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than relying on usenet newsgroups. Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under construction) My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection. See my Web site for information on how to contact me. Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFCiOgqyUlVTFdHXskRAm3vAJ9/oMszsyf10liJvUYMIcjkxg03RgCcCSIY JYq7WlMSqSZpun1/06LOFzw= =0GIE -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

[QUOTE=Ingo Pakleppa]-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
| 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay
| at
| in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because one
| of
| the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA
| where
| you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an
| "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if
| different from the one in the previous question".

Having a Green Card indeed requires you to live in the USA permanently.
If you move out of the USA, you would lose the GC.

Thank you very much Ingo! I have everything clearer now, except for the
question I quoted above. What I actually meant was if I have to already
have a house in the US or any other place to stay in order to be able to
get the Green Card. I mean, I have never been to the US, I don't have
any relatives or close friends there, I even have no idea where in the
US I would move to if
I should finally win the Green Card. So, if they asked me, as an
obligatory requirement, for a permanent address in the US where I would
live if they gave me a Green Card (which is what they do in this form
they sent me, but I don't know if it is a requirement or they ask just
in case I had a house there), I just wouldn't be able to answer, since I
have no place to stay in the US right now. If it weren't a requirement
right now, if I got the visa, I could go there and find somewhere to
stay, but if it is a requirement to have a place in the US to stay
before getting a Green Card, I wouldn't be able to get it. So, what I
would like to know is whether having a permanent address in the US
before they give me a Green Card is an obligatory requirement to be able
to get it. Any idea? Thanks once again, bye!

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[QUOTE=Ingo Pakleppa]-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 | 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay | at | in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because | one of | the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA | where | you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an | "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if | different from the one in the previous question". Having a Green Card indeed requires you to live in the USA permanently. If you move out of the USA, you would lose the GC. Thank you very much Ingo! I have everything clearer now, except for the question I quoted above. What I actually meant was if I have to already have a house in the US or any other place to stay in order to be able to get the Green Card. I mean, I have never been to the US, I don't have any relatives or close friends there, I even have no idea where in the US I would move to if I should finally win the Green Card. So, if they asked me, as an obligatory requirement, for a permanent address in the US where I would live if they gave me a Green Card (which is what they do in this form they sent me, but I don't know if it is a requirement or they ask just in case I had a house there), I just wouldn't be able to answer, since I have no place to stay in the US right now. If it weren't a requirement right now, if I got the visa, I could go there and find somewhere to stay, but if it is a requirement to have a place in the US to stay before getting a Green Card, I wouldn't be able to get it. So, what I would like to know is whether having a permanent address in the US before they give me a Green Card is an obligatory requirement to be able to get it. Any idea? Thanks once again, bye!

I don't think you would need an address in the US while just filling
the forms, you aren't a resident after all...but I think it's there
for people who have family or friends that they may still with if
they moved.

Regarding the fee, you apply, you pay the fee, you change your mind
later, you won't get a refund.

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[QUOTE=Ingo Pakleppa]-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 | 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay | at | in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because | one of | the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA | where | you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an | "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if | different from the one in the previous question". Having a Green Card indeed requires you to live in the USA permanently. If you move out of the USA, you would lose the GC. Thank you very much Ingo! I have everything clearer now, except for the question I quoted above. What I actually meant was if I have to already have a house in the US or any other place to stay in order to be able to get the Green Card. I mean, I have never been to the US, I don't have any relatives or close friends there, I even have no idea where in the US I would move to if I should finally win the Green Card. So, if they asked me, as an obligatory requirement, for a permanent address in the US where I would live if they gave me a Green Card (which is what they do in this form they sent me, but I don't know if it is a requirement or they ask just in case I had a house there), I just wouldn't be able to answer, since I have no place to stay in the US right now. If it weren't a requirement right now, if I got the visa, I could go there and find somewhere to stay, but if it is a requirement to have a place in the US to stay before getting a Green Card, I wouldn't be able to get it. So, what I would like to know is whether having a permanent address in the US before they give me a Green Card is an obligatory requirement to be able to get it. Any idea? Thanks once again, bye!

We ran in to exactly the same problem for DV2000! Why they insist you
have a US address when you don't live there is totally beyond me -- they
obviously haven't thought it out very well! You need to fill something
in on the form otherwise they'll just send it back to you complete with
yellow highlighter (I speak from experience here!). We eventually used
the address of a friend of a friend of a friend.

Surely you know someone in the States? Alternatively, perhaps you could
open a US mailing address over the Web (dunno if this meets the
requirements, though). Some offer a service without a PO Box number. I
know that you can change the address when you enter -- but this
presumably won't be much help to you. Where are you thinking of staying
when you first arrive. If it's, for example, an apartment complex, you
could maybe contact the management now and make arrangements for it to
go to the office there.

The address you give, BTW, is the one they mail your green card to.
Took about 2 weeks from landing for ours. Hate to think what happens if
you don't receive it but knowing US bureaucracy I would hazard it's
long, painful, tedious and expensive for you but sadistically
satisfying for them.

finally, if you've ever wanted to experience the States, you've got the
best visa possible without question -- enjoy it!

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

I don't think you would need an address in the US while just filling the forms, you aren't a resident after all...but I think it's there for people who have family or friends that they may still with if they moved. Regarding the fee, you apply, you pay the fee, you change your mind later, you won't get a refund.

You do! Don't try to apply logic to US bureaucracy. That way lies
madness!

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

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Bob wrote:
|
| I don't think you would need an address in the US while just filling
| the forms, you aren't a resident after all...but I think it's there
| for people who have family or friends that they may still with if
| they moved.

Agreed. Note that the question even says "if known." It would help if
you had some kind of contact, for two reasons. First, there is the
public charge concern. While it is OK not to know where you will be
living, the consulate will still need to make sure that you won't end up
homeless.

Second, you do need to give an address where the actual Green Card will
be mailed. I think it may be possible to rent a mailbox for such a purpose.

- --
Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I
encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than
relying on usenet newsgroups.

Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under
construction)

My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection.
See my Web site for information on how to contact me.

Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site
http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome.
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Bob wrote: | | I don't think you would need an address in the US while just filling | the forms, you aren't a resident after all...but I think it's there | for people who have family or friends that they may still with if | they moved. Agreed. Note that the question even says "if known." It would help if you had some kind of contact, for two reasons. First, there is the public charge concern. While it is OK not to know where you will be living, the consulate will still need to make sure that you won't end up homeless. Second, you do need to give an address where the actual Green Card will be mailed. I think it may be possible to rent a mailbox for such a purpose. - -- Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than relying on usenet newsgroups. Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under construction) My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection. See my Web site for information on how to contact me. Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFCiTEgyUlVTFdHXskRAj22AKCpkUHaQFALChBgzRmrE/cPwWpphwCfXnv7 Th/OozBk9MXXA2y/kLJBXcA= =Zgvc -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

$20k liquid seems to be the most often quoted figure to put the consular
officer's mind @ rest.

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

$20k liquid seems to be the most often quoted figure to put the consular officer's mind @ rest.

I just wrote 'not yet known' in the form where it asked for an address.
During the interview (BTW, the fees will total 755$!) they asked for the
address as it will be required to send the SSN and GC to that address. I
just gave the address c/o a colleague in the US. You can change the
address when you enter the US and present the final packet to the
immigration officer.

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

I just wrote 'not yet known' in the form where it asked for an address. During the interview (BTW, the fees will total 755$!) they asked for the address as it will be required to send the SSN and GC to that address. I just gave the address c/o a colleague in the US. You can change the address when you enter the US and present the final packet to the immigration officer.

Thank you very much to you all guys! It's all a lot clearer now. Though
I don't know whether for better or worse :( Seems like it's gonna be way
more complicated than I thought.

Judging by all your answers, concerning the permanent address subject, I
think that the best thing will be giving them the address of some kind
of real contact in he US (I'll talk to some of my relatives, since some
of them have been to the US before, and see if they have any kind of
contact), and if it should not be possible, rent a mailbox on the web
and give that as the "mailing address", and write "not yet known" or
something similar on the "permanent address" question. I just have a few
doubts about this:

1-¿Would that legally work in this case? I mean, wouldn't the
authorities taking care of all this consider it illegal, not valid, or
something? Has anyone done that before?
2-¿What kind of address will I need in my case? I read that there are
different kinds of mailbox, like P.O. , etc, but I really have no idea
about the differences. For example, I found this page on the web
(www.mbex.net) which offers these kind of services, but they say this
"1. Your Own U.S. Address If you currently do not have a U.S. presence,
you probably find it very difficult to purchase many items that are
available only in the U.S., whether through Amazon.com, eBay, e-tailers
or wholesalers. You can pay for them using PayPal or credit card, but
many retailers require a U.S. address for shipping. We solve your
problem by providing you a unique and valid U.S. address. It is not a P.
O. Box. Your retailer can ship your items through UPS, FedEx or US
Postal Service. You may use it for your business as well. Here is a
sample address:

ABC Company
Attn: John Doe
1840 W. Whittier Blvd #499
La Habra, California 90631, USA"

Is this what I need? Or do I need a P.O. Box (whatever it is)?

Another site I found was www.mbe.com , which in his U.S. Postal Services
section says, among other things, this "Certified Mail: Certified Mail
provides a receipt of mailing for official documents such as income tax
forms, contracts or payments. The receipt is stored at the recipient’s
post office for two years."

I really have no idea what kind of service I should ask for!!

3-Can anyone recommend some "serious" companies which provides the
service I need? I found a lot on Internet, but I'd like to know the name
of a company which I could really trust.

Oh, and concerning the fees, unfortunately, I think you're dead right
hbmies :( :( . And I think it could even be more that 755 if you include
this "Affidavit of Support Review (only when AOS is reviewed domestically)-Form-
I864: $70". I checked travel.state.gov/visa/vofees.html#perm again and
seems like the $375 fee is only for one form proccessing! That's
something they didn't tell in the letter they sent. So, supposing that I
wouldn't be granted the Green Card after the interview, would I have to
pay 755 DOLLARS?? Or "just" the $375 named before? Any idea???

Cause I'm thinking it a lot now whether I should send them back the
forms or not... I'm 19 and jobless (in fact, I haven't had a job before,
but I'm looking for one now) at the moment. I could afford all the fees
(even if it finally were over 800 dollars) since I've been saving money
for a long time and I could ask for more to my family if needed, but...
Will the consulate officer give a Green Card to a currently unemployed
19 years old guy?? I always had my doubts on it, but I said "hey, I've
nothing to lose by trying" (I don't mean by this that I wasn't
considering moving to the US seriously, I REALLY am, and I've been
considering it for many years). But now I find out that I could even
lose up to 755!! Doesn't sound good at all... So, does anyone know what
kind of financial support they require to finally grant a Green Card??
It's not that I'm some toughtless guy who had no idea when applied for
the lottery. My plan was to move to the US and try to get a job which
required languages abbilites, since I can speak perfect (native)
Spanish, English, some french and some italian (I would have to improve
a little, though) as well. And if all went well, go to college. But the
thing is that I don't know whether the consulate officer will consider
this as a "likely to be succesful" plan and grant me a green card based
on it. And if he didn't, I would be losing a lot of money here... Any
piece of advice??

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!
Bye byee

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Thank you very much to you all guys! It's all a lot clearer now. Though I don't know whether for better or worse :( Seems like it's gonna be way more complicated than I thought. Judging by all your answers, concerning the permanent address subject, I think that the best thing will be giving them the address of some kind of real contact in he US (I'll talk to some of my relatives, since some of them have been to the US before, and see if they have any kind of contact), and if it should not be possible, rent a mailbox on the web and give that as the "mailing address", and write "not yet known" or something similar on the "permanent address" question. I just have a few doubts about this: 1-¿Would that legally work in this case? I mean, wouldn't the authorities taking care of all this consider it illegal, not valid, or something? Has anyone done that before? 2-¿What kind of address will I need in my case? I read that there are different kinds of mailbox, like P.O. , etc, but I really have no idea about the differences. For example, I found this page on the web (www.mbex.net) which offers these kind of services, but they say this "1. Your Own U.S. Address If you currently do not have a U.S. presence, you probably find it very difficult to purchase many items that are available only in the U.S., whether through Amazon.com, eBay, e-tailers or wholesalers. You can pay for them using PayPal or credit card, but many retailers require a U.S. address for shipping. We solve your problem by providing you a unique and valid U.S. address. It is not a P. O. Box. Your retailer can ship your items through UPS, FedEx or US Postal Service. You may use it for your business as well. Here is a sample address: ABC Company Attn: John Doe 1840 W. Whittier Blvd #499 La Habra, California 90631, USA" Is this what I need? Or do I need a P.O. Box (whatever it is)? Another site I found was www.mbe.com , which in his U.S. Postal Services section says, among other things, this "Certified Mail: Certified Mail provides a receipt of mailing for official documents such as income tax forms, contracts or payments. The receipt is stored at the recipient’s post office for two years." I really have no idea what kind of service I should ask for!! 3-Can anyone recommend some "serious" companies which provides the service I need? I found a lot on Internet, but I'd like to know the name of a company which I could really trust. Oh, and concerning the fees, unfortunately, I think you're dead right hbmies :( :( . And I think it could even be more that 755 if you include this "Affidavit of Support Review (only when AOS is reviewed domestically)-Form-I864: $70". I checked travel.state.gov/visa/vofees.html#perm again and seems like the $375 fee is only for one form proccessing! That's something they didn't tell in the letter they sent. So, supposing that I wouldn't be granted the Green Card after the interview, would I have to pay 755 DOLLARS?? Or "just" the $375 named before? Any idea??? Cause I'm thinking it a lot now whether I should send them back the forms or not... I'm 19 and jobless (in fact, I haven't had a job before, but I'm looking for one now) at the moment. I could afford all the fees (even if it finally were over 800 dollars) since I've been saving money for a long time and I could ask for more to my family if needed, but... Will the consulate officer give a Green Card to a currently unemployed 19 years old guy?? I always had my doubts on it, but I said "hey, I've nothing to lose by trying" (I don't mean by this that I wasn't considering moving to the US seriously, I REALLY am, and I've been considering it for many years). But now I find out that I could even lose up to 755!! Doesn't sound good at all... So, does anyone know what kind of financial support they require to finally grant a Green Card?? It's not that I'm some toughtless guy who had no idea when applied for the lottery. My plan was to move to the US and try to get a job which required languages abbilites, since I can speak perfect (native) Spanish, English, some french and some italian (I would have to improve a little, though) as well. And if all went well, go to college. But the thing is that I don't know whether the consulate officer will consider this as a "likely to be succesful" plan and grant me a green card based on it. And if he didn't, I would be losing a lot of money here... Any piece of advice?? THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!! Bye byee

The costs will add up. You've got a medical, shots, airfare to consider
yet. I'd budget at least $2k for getting here with a visa, and would
give you little chance of success if you land without an *absolute*
minimum of $5k in your hands. As stated before, the consular officer is
unlikely to be happy without you showing access to $20k. Having said
that, if you want to try America you will have no better opportunity
than with a DV.

There are a couple of specialist boards for those in your current
predicament. Try:
http://www.clalar.dk/dv-lottery/index.php
http://www.eskimo.com/~parents/webpre//dv/

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

The costs will add up. You've got a medical, shots, airfare to consider yet. I'd budget at least $2k for getting here with a visa, and would give you little chance of success if you land without an *absolute* minimum of $5k in your hands. As stated before, the consular officer is unlikely to be happy without you showing access to $20k. Having said that, if you want to try America you will have no better opportunity than with a DV. There are a couple of specialist boards for those in your current predicament. Try: http://www.clalar.dk/dv-lottery/index.php http://www.eskimo.com/~parents/webpre//dv/

Thanks Fatbrit! Well, actually, I never thought of going there without a
good amount of money in my pockets. I think I'll have a job soon here,
and I will start saving as much as I can once I get it. But I don't
understand the amounts you just wrote :P What does the "k" stand for??
How much is that in dollars?
Oh, and I'm checking the sites you gave me. They're great! I think I'll
ask for further help (if I need it) there, seems like the perfect place.
Thanks a lot! Byeee

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Thanks Fatbrit! Well, actually, I never thought of going there without a good amount of money in my pockets. I think I'll have a job soon here, and I will start saving as much as I can once I get it. But I don't understand the amounts you just wrote :P What does the "k" stand for?? How much is that in dollars? Oh, and I'm checking the sites you gave me. They're great! I think I'll ask for further help (if I need it) there, seems like the perfect place. Thanks a lot! Byeee

k=1000 (k is the abreviation for kilo). So, $5K=$5000

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Thanks Fatbrit! Well, actually, I never thought of going there without a good amount of money in my pockets. I think I'll have a job soon here, and I will start saving as much as I can once I get it. But I don't understand the amounts you just wrote :P What does the "k" stand for?? How much is that in dollars? Oh, and I'm checking the sites you gave me. They're great! I think I'll ask for further help (if I need it) there, seems like the perfect place. Thanks a lot! Byeee

$2k = two thousand US dollars
$5k = five thousand US dollars
$20k = twenty thousand US dollars

Good luck!

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Hello there! My situation is this: I applied fot the DV-Lottery 2006 back in January, and two days ago I received an envelope from the Kentucky Consular Center containing a letter and some forms to fill out and send back. The thing is that, after reading the information they sent me and some I found on Internet, I've some doubts about some particular topics. I hope someone will be able to help me. 1-¿Is there any major difference between holding a US Citizenship and a Green Card? 2-¿Is it a requirement to have a permanent address in the US to stay at in order to qualify to receive the Green Card? I ask this because one of the questions in the form asks for a "permanent address in the USA where you intend to live, if known", and the next question asks for an "address in the USA where you want your Green Card to be mailed, if different from the one in the previous question". 3-¿Can a Green Card "expire"? For example, let's suppose that I finally win the Green Card, move to the US, and after some time, I decide to move back to my country or any other. ¿Would this, or any similar situation, make the Green Card invalid for life or anything? 4-¿Is it possible to give up a Green Card? ¿Is it a proccess that takes long? ¿Can a person who previously gave up his Green Card enter the US again in the future (as a tourist, student, or in any other condition), or even ask for it again? 5-Let's suppose that I win and I'm called for an interview at the Consulate it my town so that they can decide whether to finally give me the Green Card or not. Let's suppose that, for some reason, they decide they won't give it to me, or I, for some reason (like finding out during the interview something I dislike about holding a Green Card), decide not to accept it. ¿Would I be forced to pay the $375 fee anyway? That's all. I know they are many questions and some of them may sound stupid, but I'm just trying to prevent any unpleasent surprise that might appear in the future as a consequence of not having had this information now. Well, thank you so very much to you all! Bye bye Maldono

Yes, major differences. You would be eligible to apply for
naturalization five years (less 90 days) after becoming a
permanent resident.




No, it is not a requirement. However, it is good to have an address
where your green card can be mailed as when you enter with the approved
DV from the US Consulate your green card will be made and sent to the
address given.




Your green card can be revoked if you commit certain crimes, or you can
abandon it. If you move back to your country for more than a year
without proper authorization from the CIS, then your green card be
considered abandoned. It is for residing in the US, not for having as a
travel visa.



Yes and yes



No refunds. The $375 is the processing fee. Even if you are denied or
if you refused to accept the processing still took place.

--
I'm not an attorney. This disclaimer is valid in NYS!
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Yes, major differences. You would be eligible to apply for naturalization five years (less 90 days) after becoming a permanent resident. No, it is not a requirement. However, it is good to have an address where your green card can be mailed as when you enter with the approved DV from the US Consulate your green card will be made and sent to the address given. Your green card can be revoked if you commit certain crimes, or you can abandon it. If you move back to your country for more than a year without proper authorization from the CIS, then your green card be considered abandoned. It is for residing in the US, not for having as a travel visa. Yes and yes No refunds. The $375 is the processing fee. Even if you are denied or if you refused to accept the processing still took place.

Thank you all for your help!! I really can't explain how much I
appreciate this. I have some other doubts, but I'll write them in new
threads, just to prevent from making a mess here! Thanks once again!

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Maldono wrote:
|>I just wrote 'not yet known' in the form where it asked for an
|>address. During the interview (BTW, the fees will total 755$!) they
|>asked for the address as it will be required to send the SSN and GC to
|>that address. I just gave the address c/o a colleague in the US. You
|>can change the address when you enter the US and present the final
|>packet to the immigration officer.
|
|
| Thank you very much to you all guys! It's all a lot clearer now. Though
| I don't know whether for better or worse :( Seems like it's gonna be way
| more complicated than I thought.
|
| Judging by all your answers, concerning the permanent address subject, I
| think that the best thing will be giving them the address of some kind
| of real contact in he US (I'll talk to some of my relatives, since some
| of them have been to the US before, and see if they have any kind of
| contact), and if it should not be possible, rent a mailbox on the web
| and give that as the "mailing address", and write "not yet known" or
| something similar on the "permanent address" question. I just have a few
| doubts about this:
|
| 1-¿Would that legally work in this case? I mean, wouldn't the
| authorities taking care of all this consider it illegal, not valid, or
| something? Has anyone done that before?

Not really. Remember, the *only* purpose of this address is that the GC
will be mailed there. The actual "permanent address" where you reside
can be "not known".

| 2-¿What kind of address will I need in my case? I read that there are
| different kinds of mailbox, like P.O. , etc, but I really have no idea
| about the differences.

There are really just two types of mailbox: P.O. Boxes and private
mailboxes. P.O. Boxes are Post Office boxes. That is, you rent a box
from the US postal service at a post office. I don't even know if you
can do that through the Web - you'd have to check at usps.gov (I think
usps.com will also work). These P.O. Boxes are "official" so to speak.

The second type are private mailboxes. There are some large chains who
offer these services (for instance, what used to be Mailboxes Etc. and
now is the UPS stores), as well as quite a few smaller private
companies, sometimes mom-and-pop stores. Those are "unofficial" and the
address is often made to look like apartment addresses within a
building. That's what you are describing below. In the example address,
#499 would be the mailbox number.

| Another site I found was www.mbe.com , which in his U.S. Postal Services
| section says, among other things, this "Certified Mail: Certified Mail
| provides a receipt of mailing for official documents such as income tax
| forms, contracts or payments. The receipt is stored at the recipient?s
| post office for two years."
|
| I really have no idea what kind of service I should ask for!!

Certified mail is of interest for things that you send, not for things
that you receive. It also has nothing to do with mailboxes.

| 3-Can anyone recommend some "serious" companies which provides the
| service I need? I found a lot on Internet, but I'd like to know the name
| of a company which I could really trust.

I would go with the UPS Store or Kinko's (I'm not sure if Kinkos offers
mailboxes). Kinko's is owned by FedEx.

| Oh, and concerning the fees, unfortunately, I think you're dead right
| hbmies :( :( . And I think it could even be more that 755 if you include
| this "Affidavit of Support Review (only when AOS is reviewed
domestically)-Form-
| I864: $70".

The I-864 is not for you. That form is used by people who immigrate
through relatives, and in a few other specific circumstances.

| I checked travel.state.gov/visa/vofees.html#perm again and
| seems like the $375 fee is only for one form proccessing! That's
| something they didn't tell in the letter they sent. So, supposing that I
| wouldn't be granted the Green Card after the interview, would I have to
| pay 755 DOLLARS?? Or "just" the $375 named before? Any idea???

There indeed are several fees involved:

- - the application fee (for filing the application, not refundable)
- - the DV lottery fee (also for filing the application, not refundable.
This is a surcharge that lottery winners pay to finance the actual lottery).
- - the visa issuance fee (that one is for actually issuing the immigrant
visa).

I'm not sure about the exact amounts, nor whether I got the names of the
fees exactly right.

Don't forget incidentals that can add up. The medical exam, travel to
the consulate for the interview, and later of course the airfare etc.

| Cause I'm thinking it a lot now whether I should send them back the
| forms or not... I'm 19 and jobless (in fact, I haven't had a job before,
| but I'm looking for one now) at the moment. I could afford all the fees
| (even if it finally were over 800 dollars) since I've been saving money
| for a long time and I could ask for more to my family if needed, but...
| Will the consulate officer give a Green Card to a currently unemployed
| 19 years old guy??

That is a very valid concern. You will have to show a couple things:

- - You must have a high school diploma. At your age, you probably have
it, but I just wanted to mention it in case you dropped out of high
school or something like that.

- - You must prove that you will not become a public charge. That's going
to be tricky for you. Most types of immigrant will have a sponsor. In
that case, the sponsor's income must be 125% of the income of the
poverty level. I'm not sure how this is handled with the DV lottery. If
you know somebody in the USA, it may be best to ask them if they can
fill out an affidavit of support for you (on form I-134). With that
form, they basically promise to pay for you should you not be able to
make enough money yourself.

The other possibility is that you, yourself, show that you have enough
money (your parents may need to help with that). I'm not sure how much
would be required for DV lottery.

| It's not that I'm some toughtless guy who had no idea when applied for
| the lottery. My plan was to move to the US and try to get a job which
| required languages abbilites, since I can speak perfect (native)
| Spanish, English, some french and some italian (I would have to improve
| a little, though) as well.

Knowing Spanish will help you a lot. There are plenty of jobs for people
who speak English and Spanish fluently.

- --
Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I
encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than
relying on usenet newsgroups.

Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under
construction)

My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection.
See my Web site for information on how to contact me.

Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site
http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome.
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Maldono wrote: |>I just wrote 'not yet known' in the form where it asked for an |>address. During the interview (BTW, the fees will total 755$!) they |>asked for the address as it will be required to send the SSN and GC |>to |>that address. I just gave the address c/o a colleague in the US. You |>can change the address when you enter the US and present the final |>packet to the immigration officer. | | | Thank you very much to you all guys! It's all a lot clearer now. | Though | I don't know whether for better or worse :( Seems like it's gonna be | way | more complicated than I thought. | | Judging by all your answers, concerning the permanent address | subject, I | think that the best thing will be giving them the address of some | kind | of real contact in he US (I'll talk to some of my relatives, since | some | of them have been to the US before, and see if they have any kind of | contact), and if it should not be possible, rent a mailbox on the | web | and give that as the "mailing address", and write "not yet known" or | something similar on the "permanent address" question. I just have a | few | doubts about this: | | 1-¿Would that legally work in this case? I mean, wouldn't the | authorities taking care of all this consider it illegal, not valid, | or | something? Has anyone done that before? Not really. Remember, the *only* purpose of this address is that the GC will be mailed there. The actual "permanent address" where you reside can be "not known". | 2-¿What kind of address will I need in my case? I read that there | are | different kinds of mailbox, like P.O. , etc, but I really have no | idea | about the differences. There are really just two types of mailbox: P.O. Boxes and private mailboxes. P.O. Boxes are Post Office boxes. That is, you rent a box from the US postal service at a post office. I don't even know if you can do that through the Web - you'd have to check at usps.gov (I think usps.com will also work). These P.O. Boxes are "official" so to speak. The second type are private mailboxes. There are some large chains who offer these services (for instance, what used to be Mailboxes Etc. and now is the UPS stores), as well as quite a few smaller private companies, sometimes mom-and-pop stores. Those are "unofficial" and the address is often made to look like apartment addresses within a building. That's what you are describing below. In the example address, #499 would be the mailbox number. | Another site I found was www.mbe.com , which in his U.S. Postal | Services | section says, among other things, this "Certified Mail: Certified | Mail | provides a receipt of mailing for official documents such as income | tax | forms, contracts or payments. The receipt is stored at the | recipient?s | post office for two years." | | I really have no idea what kind of service I should ask for!! Certified mail is of interest for things that you send, not for things that you receive. It also has nothing to do with mailboxes. | 3-Can anyone recommend some "serious" companies which provides the | service I need? I found a lot on Internet, but I'd like to know the | name | of a company which I could really trust. I would go with the UPS Store or Kinko's (I'm not sure if Kinkos offers mailboxes). Kinko's is owned by FedEx. | Oh, and concerning the fees, unfortunately, I think you're dead | right | hbmies :( :( . And I think it could even be more that 755 if you | include | this "Affidavit of Support Review (only when AOS is reviewed domestically)-Form- | I864: $70". The I-864 is not for you. That form is used by people who immigrate through relatives, and in a few other specific circumstances. | I checked travel.state.gov/visa/vofees.html#perm again and | seems like the $375 fee is only for one form proccessing! That's | something they didn't tell in the letter they sent. So, supposing | that I | wouldn't be granted the Green Card after the interview, would I have | to | pay 755 DOLLARS?? Or "just" the $375 named before? Any idea??? There indeed are several fees involved: - - the application fee (for filing the application, not refundable) - - the DV lottery fee (also for filing the application, not refundable. This is a surcharge that lottery winners pay to finance the actual lottery). - - the visa issuance fee (that one is for actually issuing the immigrant visa). I'm not sure about the exact amounts, nor whether I got the names of the fees exactly right. Don't forget incidentals that can add up. The medical exam, travel to the consulate for the interview, and later of course the airfare etc. | Cause I'm thinking it a lot now whether I should send them back the | forms or not... I'm 19 and jobless (in fact, I haven't had a job | before, | but I'm looking for one now) at the moment. I could afford all the | fees | (even if it finally were over 800 dollars) since I've been saving | money | for a long time and I could ask for more to my family if needed, | but... | Will the consulate officer give a Green Card to a currently | unemployed | 19 years old guy?? That is a very valid concern. You will have to show a couple things: - - You must have a high school diploma. At your age, you probably have it, but I just wanted to mention it in case you dropped out of high school or something like that. - - You must prove that you will not become a public charge. That's going to be tricky for you. Most types of immigrant will have a sponsor. In that case, the sponsor's income must be 125% of the income of the poverty level. I'm not sure how this is handled with the DV lottery. If you know somebody in the USA, it may be best to ask them if they can fill out an affidavit of support for you (on form I-134). With that form, they basically promise to pay for you should you not be able to make enough money yourself. The other possibility is that you, yourself, show that you have enough money (your parents may need to help with that). I'm not sure how much would be required for DV lottery. | It's not that I'm some toughtless guy who had no idea when applied | for | the lottery. My plan was to move to the US and try to get a job | which | required languages abbilites, since I can speak perfect (native) | Spanish, English, some french and some italian (I would have to | improve | a little, though) as well. Knowing Spanish will help you a lot. There are plenty of jobs for people who speak English and Spanish fluently. - -- Remember, I am strictly a layperson without any legal training. I encourage everybody to seek competent legal counsel rather than relying on usenet newsgroups. Please visit my new FAQ at http://www.kkeane.com (always under construction) My email address in usenet posts is now invalid for Spam protection. See my Web site for information on how to contact me. Please feel free to enjoy some of my photographs at my Web site http://www.ingopakleppa.com ! Comments are welcome. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFCipBCyUlVTFdHXskRAoMjAKCBv14wS39/VKX0HB1sTUSFcXCohgCeLDHe gkh/B26X38VVlaIU73x8wUU= =wgS7 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

I got the DV only a month back in Frankfurt, Germany, so here are my
experiences:

Costs:

$755 for the actual visa to be paid at the consulate before the
interview. This fee is required before they touch your papers at all,
and is not refundable in case they reject your application

EUR125 for the medical exam by the panel doctor. This includes a
physical (they look at everything, even genitals), an x-ray, an aids &
sysphillis test. You have show proof that you are vaccinated (or immune)
against mumps, measles, rubella, varicella, IPV etc. I either was
vaccianated or had these earlier, so no costs there.

The travel to and from the consulate cost me 200 EUR. I was lucky to
know people in Frankfurt, so no costs to overnight. But you will need to
overnight as the appointments for all are in the early morning.

Criteria for DV:
The cashier at the consulate happened to be a guy from the same place my
father comes from, so he told me that all they look for is a highschool
diploma (mittlere reife in germany, which is only 10years of school!) or
a university degree. And you need to show you have cash to survive the
first few months till you get a job in the US. In my case I showed my
bank statements. You can also bring a summary from your bank about your
assests. If you don't have that, you need a support declaration by your
family here (with bank statements) or someone in the US.

They also would like to see a job offer to you from someone in the US.
No employer in their right mind will issue such a letter, but some
agencies help. Some guys whom I met later at the medical came thru
www.americandream.de who arranged such letters. One guy got a job in
Utah, the other in Mississippi ;)

You also need a police statement showing you never did a crime. The
format and who issues this in your country can be found in the
reciprocity data on the USCIS website.

Other than the above, your medical and fingerprint record should be
clean.

--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com