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Posted by Tatiana Durbak on March 17, 2002 at 14:58:25:
In Reply to: Re: I need YOUR sound advice posted by Andrij on March 16, 2002 at 00:50:50:
Andriju!
Most likely the consular officials do not know if someone applied for the "lottery." I do not think that there are enough people to go through each application and enter each name in the computer system. They do enter the names of those who have "won."
However, that is not a good reason to lie at the interview, b/c lying at a consular interview could get a person into trouble -- if not immediately, then later on. Of course, lying is not a habit one should get into in any circumstance.
From my perspective, a question about whether someone applied for the "lottery" is an inappropriate and immaterial question for the reasons that I stated previously.
Once again, good luck to your friend. I imagine that the interview will go far more easily than your friend expects, unless your friend has other problems.
: Shanovna Pani Durbak:
: Thank you very much for your reply. Everything seems pretty clear to me now except for one thing. Do they know at the U.S. Consulate whether or not one has applied for the Green Card Lottery? I suppose they do since when I was there last time the consular officer was checking something on his computer but eventually I ended up not having been asked such a question.
: Once again, thanks a lot for your replying and my friend will need your good wishes of luck!
: Andrij
: --------------------------------------------------
: : : Pryvit! I need a sound advice on this issue:
: : : Two years ago a friend of mine applied for the Green Card Lottery, but
: : : did not win. If she ever goes to the U.S. Consulate here in Ukraine
: : : for a non-immigrant visa, should she mention her participation in that
: : : thing or is it better to keep silent on that matter?
: : : Please let me know on this via e-mail as it is very important to me.
: : : I simply want to help out my friend. This is her DREAM and I dig on
: : : it. So I want to help as much as I can.
: : : Thanks a lot for your time and huge thanks in advance!
: : Andriju!
: : When one goes to a consular interview, it is very important to tell the truth. Lying to a consular officer to get into the US is visa fraud and has serious consequences.
: : However, it is also VERY important to answer only those questions that are asked.
: : Applying for the visa lottery is not the same as applying for a visa. One applies for the chance to make a decision at a later time whether or not one will want to apply for the immigrant visa. Many people who "win" the lottery do not then apply for immigrant visas. If that question is asked, one should tell the truth, but one should also remind the officer that one was not applying for an immigrant visa. Possibly the person was not sure at the time if he or she would really want to emigrate.
: : Good luck to your friend.