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Hey everyone, welcome back to my corner of the internet! If you’re new here, my name is Alin Luffy, and I’m so glad you found me. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share if you enjoy this content. And to my amazing family who’s been here from the start, thank you! Your support means the world to me.
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Today, I’m going to share something truly special: how I won the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery on my first attempt and made it to the United States. I’m currently in Indianapolis, Indiana, and let me tell you, it’s been an incredible journey. I’m even holding my visa right here! I’m now just waiting for my green card, which should arrive within one to three months.
The Beginning: A Surprise Opportunity
My DV journey began in China in November 2020. To be honest, I had no idea what the DV Lottery was. It was my boyfriend (now husband!) who introduced me to it. He had applied before and suggested we try. I was a bit clueless, but I thought, “Why not?”
We took the photos together, and he handled the application, asking me for basic information like my city and country of birth. After submitting, we knew the results wouldn’t be out until May, about eight long months later.
Check out more success stories: My One-Time Miracle: How Wining the DV Lottery Changed My Life (True Success Story)
The Winning Call
May 8th rolled around, and my boyfriend checked the results. He looked at his first, and unfortunately, he wasn’t selected. Then, he checked mine. “You won!” he exclaimed. I was shocked! I didn’t even know what to do next.
Here’s a piece of advice: don’t put all your hopes into the DV Lottery. Approach it with a relaxed attitude, and you might just get lucky.
The Long Road Ahead: Paperwork and Patience
My boyfriend and I were dating at the time, not married. We decided to tackle the process together. The next step was to fill out the DS-260 form, but we delayed it because we wanted to travel together as a married couple.
We started gathering documents in July 2021. Since we’re from French-speaking countries, we had to get everything translated and sent from our home countries to China, which took a long time.
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By February 2022, we had all our documents ready, but we still weren’t married. In China, foreigners have to get married at their embassy, and our embassy’s officials were away, causing further delays. We finally got married in April 2022.
After that, we completed the DS-260 form. We received our first interview appointment for June 10th, 2022, but we missed it! We were waiting for an email notification, not realizing we also had to check the website and our status online.
We contacted the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou through their website, explaining our situation. They were understanding and rescheduled our interview for September 14th, 2022.
Medical Checks and the Final Interview
Getting the interview letter meant we had to get medical checkups at designated hospitals. If you’re in China, I can share the hospital I went to in Beijing. If you’re elsewhere, check the embassy’s website for recommended hospitals.
After the medical checkup, we received a sealed package with the results, which we weren’t supposed to open. We took it with us to the interview in Guangzhou.
The interview day was nerve-wracking, but we were prepared. We’ll share the interview questions and our experience in a separate video, so stay tuned! Since I was the principal applicant, I answered most of the questions.
The best part? We found out we were approved on the same day! The U.S. doesn’t play around with visas; they give you the results right then and there.
Lessons Learned: Relationships and Patience
This journey taught me valuable lessons:
- Project your future in relationships: Don’t settle for temporary. Consider if your partner is someone you can build a future with.
- Stay calm and patient: The DV process takes time. Don’t rush. Gather your documents, translate them, and fill out the DS-260 carefully.
- Follow instructions carefully: Go to the designated hospitals for your medical checkups.
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Looking Ahead: My Life in the USA
And that’s my story! It’s been a long and challenging journey, but I’m finally here. If you’re interested in living abroad or learning more about the DV process, subscribe and stay tuned. I’ll be sharing updates about my life in the U.S.
Thank you for joining me on this adventure. See you in the next video!
Key Takeaways:
- The DV Lottery process requires patience and attention to detail.
- Relationship decisions can significantly impact your journey.
- Following official instructions is crucial for success.
I hope this blog post helps!
