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DIVERSITY VISA (DV) GREEN CARD LOTTERY
The DV-2010 Lottery online entry begins at Noon EDT on October 2, 2008, and ends at Noon EST on December 1, 2008. Information about the DV Lottery can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html
The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
Please Note: There have been instances of fraudulent websites posing as official U.S. Government sites. Some companies posing as the U.S. Government have sought money in order to "complete" lottery entry forms. There is no charge to download and complete the Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form. The Department of State notifies successful Diversity Visa applicants by letter, and NOT by email. To learn more see the Department of State Warning, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html as well as http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt003.shtm for the Federal Trade Commission Warning.
The results for DV-2008 Lottery can be viewed here.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
If you are traveling abroad this season, please contact the International Scholar Services Office to make sure that you have the correct documents. If you are applying for a visa, you should also check for the latest information at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. J Exchange Visa holders can bring DS-2019s to the ISS office during business hours for a travel signature without an appointment. H-1B visa holders require a valid H-1B visa and H-1B approval notice for re-entry into the United States. H-4 dependents (if any) need valid H-4 visas and H-4 approval notices (if any) for re-entry, as well. Please contact International Scholar Services with questions at 395-2188.
You may also require a valid visa from the country you plan to visit. Visa requirements can be found at the Consulate General webpage for the country you plan to visit.
EXPIRATION OF WORK AUTHORIZATION
We would like to remind you of the importance of being up-to-date with your immigration status and ability to work in the United States. If your nonimmigrant status will end before the end of your Caltech appointment, please notify your ISS advisor. ISS urges you to make an appointment to discuss any expiration and/or changes to your nonimmigrant status well in advance of a needed change or extension. Extending immigration status can take several weeks to several months. Please plan accordingly and feel free to contact us with any questions.
UPDATING YOUR ADDRESS
To report a change of address, please use your access.caltech account: www.access.caltech.edu. In addition, if you are in H, TN, O, or E status you should report a change of address to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Form AR-11 at the following link: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa found at www.uscis.gov . F-1 and J-1 students need to report any address changes to their home institutions.
USCIS Processing Times and Case Status
Applications with USCIS are processed in the order they are received by application type. The average processing times for all applications are posted on the website https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/ptimes.jsp Processing times are an estimate of how long it will take to complete your case. Each case is different; so some cases may take longer than others. You can use your receipt to check your case status on Case Status Online.
Please feel free to contact our office with any questions that you may have at (626) 395-2188 or at visa@caltech.edu
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