I have decided to record some video interviews with people, because I love to hear their experiences and I think you will too. I’ll be speaking to people at different stages of the process, from various countries and backgrounds. Over a period of time this will build into a library of interviews that you can watch at your own pace, and according to stories you can relate to.
Click the link on each person’s name to watch that interview.
Enjoy!
March 15, 2021 at 19:15
Hi BritSiomn
I have few questions
I want to apply to my parents from Nepal, what type of visa and form, I have Green Card (PR) holder,
Thanks
March 16, 2021 at 02:55
I only advise on DV lottery.
December 30, 2020 at 02:07
I AM A 2021 WINNER FROM OC FIJI MY CASE IS 2021OC003074
I HAVE SUBMITTED ALL REQUIREMENT DOCS
KCC HAVE ALSO RECEIVED ALL DOCS AND KCC SAYS I AM READY FOR THE INTERVIEW
NOW DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR MY NUMBER TO BECOME CURRENT
December 30, 2020 at 02:43
Yes.
December 29, 2020 at 16:51
Thanks vey much Brit. Wishing you and family a happy, peaceful and blessed 2021.
December 28, 2020 at 18:10
Dear Brit,
PP 10014: The US embassy website confirms that “U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and those holding valid immigrant visas on the effective date of the original Proclamation (April 23, 2020) are not subject to the proclamation. The proclamation is not retroactive.” (you also mentioned this fact in one of your live Q&A sessions).
Bullet point (1) under Section 2 of this PP states “….this proclamation shall apply only to aliens who: (i) are outside the United States on the effective date of this proclamation”.
Although I had a valid immigrant visa at the time this PP was issued, I was outside the US (in Shengen area) on the effective date PP10014 was issuedd (my visa expired on 01 June; the re-issued visa will expire n 21 March, with annotation “subject to PP10014. May be subject to PP 9993”). I plan to take up your advice to travel before 20 January.
What are the possibilities that the airline check-in counter denying boarding the flight, and the US Immigration at the port of entry denying entry, should the immigrant ban were extended beyond 31/12/2020 (even though I had a valid visa on 23 April)?
I understand from your live Q&A session that it is unlikely a new visa would be issued if I’m not able to enter the States by 21 March.
Thanks & Season’s Greetings.
Beryl
December 28, 2020 at 19:03
Print out the statement you quoted above, just in case the airline is confused. BUT, I don’t think the ban will be extended anyway.
December 24, 2020 at 19:21
Hi Brit,
I submitted my DS 260 on 26th Sep. 2020 and yet to receive KCC email requesting for docs. My number got current in the latest VB released. Should I send KCC an email or excersice patience?
Kindly advice (2021AF109**)
December 24, 2020 at 19:57
You could email them if you wish.
December 23, 2020 at 14:47
DVD2019 winner here from South Africa. Moved to New York City just before the pandemic hit and borders closed. Happy to be interviewed if you need subjects…
December 23, 2020 at 17:57
Cool – thanks Dan, I’ll ping you.
December 24, 2020 at 17:50
DaninHarlem can you give me your mail?
I could benefit from your experience!!
From somalia
December 23, 2020 at 11:29
thank you very much
December 23, 2020 at 03:54
please concerning the social media identifier should i write hptt/www.facebook/nanayaa or just nanayaa?
December 23, 2020 at 04:58
Either is OK
December 23, 2020 at 03:14
Please my brother initially opened my ds 260 form to fill for me, I made him stop so I can do it myself and sign. When I continued filling it because of poor internet in my area I got errors and I’m not able to access the form, so i tell him to open the form and check if its ok. My question is do i have to add him as the prepare of the application or not, and wont the KCC or my embassy know that another person entered the form especially since he is in a different country. 2. Ghana we have regions can i write that as the state/province? 3. Some of my addresses i dont know the zip codes can i write my country code(0233) for those ones or “does not apply”
December 23, 2020 at 04:59
1. No need to add him.
2. Yes
3. Does not apply
December 24, 2020 at 17:48
Hey dear brit Regard the I-34 you said the new one is 8 pages
So what is the process that the sponsor will fill it and who will he file it to,
Does he print it and fill it and then send it to me scanned?
December 24, 2020 at 18:40
“Does he print it and fill it and then send it to me scanned”
This.
December 21, 2020 at 18:47
I said that if i enter my dv case number into website DS-260 to start dv process the system says this case number is currently unavilable. this a common problem or not
December 22, 2020 at 13:40
Did you tried to write the case number without the zeros? Eg :2021EU27450
December 21, 2020 at 17:24
I am 2021 dv winner from ethiopia
i have one problem on Ds- form to apply form. That is when i use the online Ds-260 system by entering a case number, the system displays this case number is currently unavailable. So what shall i do? please give your hands on how to fix my problem?
December 21, 2020 at 17:53
From what you have said I have no idea what you may be doing wrong. Read the tips at the following link.
https://britsimonsays.com/dv2021-basic-questions/
December 20, 2020 at 03:02
Thank you for your help
December 20, 2020 at 02:20
Thanks for your feedback. also the places i have stayed some were just few months, others too I stayed on campuses during my secondary and first degree in different cities in my country, do I have to state all those addresses or select important ones. last question in the entry if a family member do the first entry for you to win does it call for disqualification because you didn’t enter it yourself?
December 20, 2020 at 02:24
List main addresses.
No problem with someone else entering.
December 20, 2020 at 00:58
Hello Britsimon,
Please question but haven’t received any responds.
Please the question, I made my brother applied the lottery for me and I was selected in dv 2021AF29***. We were in a different country studying in the same city and when he was entering the lottery he used his address instead of mine. My question is in completing my ds 260 where I’m supposed to indicate where I have lived since 16, do I have to use the address he used in entering or my residential address in that country? or both?
December 20, 2020 at 01:43
Just your actual address.
December 19, 2020 at 12:59
Hi Brit,
I really need an advice from you. I have won the DV2020 and issued my visa in Sep 2020. By that time I was single. I’m planing to get married by end of this year and go to USA by January 2021. As per your blog post I guess I have to Submit Form I-130 for getting PR for my wife.
My question is since I have to submit my recent year tax reports with that, I could not submit that form for at least 1-2 years right? Is there any possibility to get this done? Can someone else sponsor for her? Could you please direct me into the right direction because I want to live as a family as soon as possible.
December 19, 2020 at 14:57
Yes someone else can submit an I-864 – but that form (unlike the I-134) is legally binding, so it is a much bigger ask of someone than the I-134 used in DV lottery cases. I’m not an expert on the I-130 process, so I cannot guide you whether you need to wait to have tax reports for yourself or not.
December 17, 2020 at 12:49
Good morning Mr Simone I am a winner of Dv2021 I have submitted my DS260 since June They send me the DS260 confirmation The same day but since that I didn’t get any message from Kcc for documents require my case number is under 2900 my question is why I still don’t get any message from kCc till now?I have those friend who has a case number 4000 and something he already get a message from kCc and my case number is ahead to his is it normal? thank you
December 17, 2020 at 15:45
Well first of all, cases don’t all take the same time to process. But it is also possible that you missed the email – that it went to a spam folder. Contact KCC and ask if they want your documents.
December 17, 2020 at 21:43
Thanks you so much
Any documents on my Gmail even in spam
But I also send them a message thank you for your support
December 15, 2020 at 15:36
Hello Mr. Simon,
First thank you for your blog about the immigration processes to the United States. It’s through your blog I follow since 2019 that I came to know the whole DV lottery process; later on, I was selected for DV-2021.
In 2020 with a video you posted guiding us how to make a good DV photo, I follow all the steps and finally I was selected for the first time with case number AF37K (N.B: I have applied the diversity visa program since 2011).
It the first time I comment here since I follow you, but today I could not continue without thanking you for the above inspiring video interviews of people selected in past years … their experience in United States and their backgrounds … wow it’s amazing!!
Gracias BritSimon
December 15, 2020 at 16:23
Thank you for saying so Paulo!
December 14, 2020 at 23:40
It is said that KCC started to send document completion mail for DV 2021 IT IS TRUE? what would happen for 2020?
December 15, 2020 at 03:51
Of course it’s true. It’s perfectly normal. DV2020 cases need to wait and see what happens with the lawsuit.
December 16, 2020 at 05:25
Dear Mr. Brit,
Thank you very much for your continuous support and assistance.
I just want to express a little bit of my view on the current situation.
Now everyone is talking about DV 2021 while the situation with COVID has not changed in whole. The question that arises is? What will happen with DV 2020 when it is these participants who have been most affected because they were in the epicentre of the COVID situation at that time.I am the winner of DV 2020 with a high case number but with a great inner hope that DV 2020 cannot be ignored. And I hope that these participants will be given duly attention and not be deprived of their dreams. You know very well that such winnings do not happen every day and for someone it may be just a lottery and for someone it is the realization of all their dreams. And I am one of the most patient winner of DV 2020 who follows your updates 24 hours a day and hopes for a happy ending.
Thank you Mr. Brit!
December 14, 2020 at 22:58
Hi Brit,
My wife and I would be happy to share our experience too. We are DV2020 with FTJ process, so maybe it would be helpful for somebody, though I know our case is very unique.
If you consider our interview, please let’s follow up on it early in January, as I’m waiting for my wife to come (she has her flight on Jan 1, fingers crossed)…
My best regards,
Serge
December 14, 2020 at 23:23
That would be great.
December 14, 2020 at 21:17
Hi Brit,this is a great and motivational interview with julius.can’t wait to land on the land of opportunities.I am dv2021winner AF23***.I haven’t received any email requesting for documents yet but i am very hopeful i will get in and get the visa with my family.thanks again.
December 14, 2020 at 20:53
Hi Mr Simon,
Hope you and your family doing good.
Please: I would like you give me an advise on these few questions.
(1) I want to know if I can book my flight early January between the 1st –10th?
(2) Is it setting to lockdown the entire America after the new administration take office, I am asking this because I’m also thinking if I am not able to do earlier book, then can go for January 29th, will this not be a risk to me?
Thanks for your response.
December 14, 2020 at 21:48
1. Yes, but make sure the ticket can be changed.
2. I can’t predict what Biden will do.
December 13, 2020 at 05:19
Hi mr brit I am a dv lottery winner. So we book our fights tickets with turkey air line. To travel on 12/12/2020.but the airline officer requested that we provide a ETA Document befor we could travel
1 who offer this document. Fight company or embassy
2. Should I go to the embassy to ask the document or I should call the
December 13, 2020 at 05:58
Well you are banned from entering, so I don’t know what the embassy will say.
December 13, 2020 at 15:01
Ok sir.meaning I have to get to the embassy and collect the document?
December 14, 2020 at 22:51
Hi Dv,
Are you exempt from the immigration ban?
December 13, 2020 at 03:36
Hey, I really liked listening to the interview. Great idea! I would be keen to hear from recent winners about their experience with the medical, and what is involved. I understand certain points may be quite personal, however, if anyone is willing to share certain (general) points, I feel this information would be quite useful.
December 10, 2020 at 16:31
Hello sir,
Am from africa and already got a visa from dv2020.
I just need to know if the European ban stays in place on January and when travelling my fly passed through Europe before arriving in USA, will I have any problem to enter USA because of that?
Am already booking a fly on early January.
Thanks for answer me sir.
December 10, 2020 at 16:47
You can’t have any connecting flight through the Schengen area. If you do, you will be unable to enter the USA for 14 days.
December 17, 2020 at 00:17
I am bit confused BritSimon. You said multiple times in your videos that you suggest that we book our flight
in early January because the ban possibly isn’t going to be extended. So we did exactly that. (We had our visa issued in September – DV2020 winner). But now you say that if we are in Schengen area we cannot go? We are from Greece and we booked from Athens To JFK with a stop in Amsterdam. Didn’t you say that travelling after January 1st with the condition that the ban isn’t extended that we are good to go? I’m not accusing you for anything i’m just asking because as soon as i saw the comment i was devastated. So 10014 is one thing and 9993 is another? Please clarify. Thanks in advance sorry for the long message.
December 17, 2020 at 00:41
I’m sorry you misunderstood. You cannot travel from, or even transit through, the Schengen area (including Amsterdam). That has been clear to me all along, and I thought I was clear to everyone as I have said that countless times in articles and videos. In fact, in response to a question from you I specifically said to you “not through Schengen”. So, unless they remove that ban 9993 you cannot travel from or through Schengen. No one is exempt from that apart from US citizens and existing LPRs (again as I have previously explained to you).
Biden might remove it, but he has not said anything about it to my knowledge.
https://britsimonsays.com/update-from-the-aila-team-and-clarification-of-where-we-stand-now/comment-page-1/#comment-248200
December 17, 2020 at 01:59
Thank you very much for the response. I remember my question and your response from October 5. Yes you were very clear. But somehow i thought that when you said wait for the ban to end in December 31 that the Schengen ban was also going to end along with 10014. So two choices left as i see it.
1. Travel outside Schengen for 14 days (lets say January 3 to 16) and then try to enter USA January 17.
2. Wait to see what happens after Biden takes over. What would you do?
And one last thing. People from DV2020 are waiting for the 9095 visas. If that goes well then 9095 visas will be issued in January or February. With six months being the usual visa validity time they will have until July or August to go to USA. Does that mean that someone like me that my visa expires in March may have the possibility to extend his visa
even though such thing has not happened before? I mean do the layers also took that into consideration? Because if Biden takes over and doesn’t act quickly and March goes by then people like me that their visa expires in March lose any chance?
December 17, 2020 at 05:43
I can’t choose for you between 1 and 2. With what we know today, both will work.
I don’t think we can rely on visas being re-issued, and I doubt we will have the final court decision in January or February. So – plan to enter before the expiry.
December 17, 2020 at 11:41
Hi Nik,
My suggestion to everyone who already has a visa issued and lives in the Schengen area (in case the schengen ban is not lifted in january) would be to travel to a non schengen country, stay there for 15 days and leave to go to the US. For example travel to Albania, Turkey or Serbia, stay there for 2 weeks and leave for the US. I am from Albania and I have a couple of friends who have traveled recently to the US even on a tourist visa with a transit in Istanbul or Beograd.
December 18, 2020 at 01:01
Thanks for the response Ilda. I’m reviewing my options. I will do something similar to what you propose.
December 18, 2020 at 19:21
Hello Ilda,
Are you sure Turkish is not in schengen area?
Because I ask this to brit Simon coz I was trying to book on Turkish airlines but a friend tell me that Istanbul is in Europe.
I do a research and I found that Turkish is not in schengen but in European union.
So how to do now for people in that situation?
Personally I’ve already booked on kenyan airlines
December 18, 2020 at 19:33
@K martial. Turkey is not a schengen country and not in European Union.
December 19, 2020 at 00:22
Hello again BritSimon,
I’m flabbergasted again and in need of your help please.
As we discussed before i listened to your advice so me and my wife are planning to go to Serbia for 14 days and then enter USA. But another problem i found is the following and i need your guidance. Anyone traveling to NYC must complete a “New York State Traveler Health Form”. I’m reading this form but i’m a little confused. It says that if you’re coming from a CDC level 2 OR 3 Health Notice country you must have a negative covid 19 test and you have to fill this Traveler Health Form. Then quarantine for 3 days in NYC and the fourth day you test again for covid and if it’s negative then you’re good to go outside. Problem is that i found the list with CDC’s level 2’s and 3’s and almost every country in this list is in them. Worstly i see that Serbia-Albania-Turkey-Greece etc are all at CDC Level 4. Does this affect us? Links Provided below.
New York State Traveler Health Form: https://forms.ny.gov/s3/Welcome-to-New-York-State-Traveler-Health-Form
interm_guidance_travel_advisory.pdf:https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/11/interm_guidance_travel_advisory.pdf
COVID-19 Travel Advisory: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory#traveler-health-form
CDC’s list: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html#travel-5
December 19, 2020 at 05:05
I can’t be the source of info for everyone’s travel arrangements.
December 19, 2020 at 13:36
I’m sorry BritSimon i understand completely. It’s just that everywhere we look obstacles emerge and everything seems
unsure. We searched for answers in our embassy in Greece and in Greek embassy in the states but we got only automated email responses and no representatives are picking up the phone just recorded messages. Of course you’re not going to be the source of info for everyone’s travel arrangements i understand. You’re always very helpful and i appreciate all your efforts. Your site and youtube is our major source of info and we learned so much. Have a nice day.
December 19, 2020 at 14:15
Yes, I understand. It’s a pity that things are so inconsistent right now. Changes are happening rapidly in various rules that affect travel planning. For that reason it is impossible for me to describe all the rules that will be applied to every person’s travel plan. In other words, if I did try and tell you an answer, it would be the wrong answer for someone else, and within a couple of days it could be the wrong answer for you too.
Don’t stress about it. Understand the advantage of short term planning (increased costs of travel, but decreased stress). Good luck.
December 10, 2020 at 03:42
MashaAllah 3 times won many people waiting for wining 10 years
December 8, 2020 at 16:07
I will be happy to have an interview. My husband and I have won 3 times- he won in dv2020 and we both won in dv2021, however, we are afraid we will not be able to have interviews because of embassies not proccessing us
December 8, 2020 at 16:33
3 times??? Wow – that’s amazing! Let’s talk again about an interview when you have an interview date – we can talk about your prep.
December 8, 2020 at 04:30
Excellent idea.
December 7, 2020 at 18:00
I am DV 2020 with four derivative in the AF region. We got our visas already and making booking plans. I have been following you since 2019 that I got my 1NL and then discovered your blog. You have guided me through out the process and I am indebted to you for such kind gesture. I will be have to do an interview with you if you wish
December 7, 2020 at 15:09
If you do need my interview…