Alwyn

Good to know about the immigration office, where can I find it?

You can apply anywhere and have them posted to an address. It is however advisable to wait about 2 weeks after entering the country before applying or they won't have all the necessary information to complete your application and you will have to probably wait longer to get the SSN.

Boer you might just want to check if there are any risks at starting so soon after your work visa starts. My company advised me to wait a year before proceeding to green card application. These Fragomen looks like the IBM of immigration, hope there service is not the same for the little guy...

Do anyone on the forum have any experience with greencard applications filed as EB2 from a technical skilled perspective (non-managerial)?

I tend to agree with you in regards to not hiding the information. I will probably need an extension to the tax deadline as doing so would mean providing information on interest expenses and rental income (huge loss this year). On a related note, what happens if 5 years from now I decide that still not having a green card I've had enough and move to Oz or Nz? What will happen with claimed losses on real estate?

I'm currently rushing to get my tax claims in but I have a concern about declaring my SA interests which complicates things. I bought a house in SA in 2007 at the worst possible time. If I were to declare this on my US income I will have to eventually pay capital gains tax (more than in SA) on the house, BUT unlike people with US properties I have not been able to claim 5 years of ridiculous SA mortgage interest from my US income. As such it makes it a very bad economic decision to do so. I know of many people in the same boat who just don't mention the SA interests. I wonder what the US will do once you sell the house and transfer the proceeds to the US when you are eventually able ( big if) to get a mortgage on a home here.

On what level of residency do this apply or is it for any US tax payer?

If I understand the DV Lottery mechanics correctly then the only way your chances of winning can improve is if less people from your own country enter?

All I have to think of when thinking of going back to SA is how it would be to be old and alone living in an alien world with all my kids having emigrated somewhere. What was I thinking of again?

Ha, just got the notification that I can check in tomorrow Pity you can't donate tickets to anyone

I'm curious, how can you just 'get' a green card outside the US via the employment route having not worked in the US and gone through the whole process on this side?

Most people who come over here on work visa buy return tickets because they are cheaper. Has anyone had any issues from carriers like Delta after not pitching up for those flights or trying to do the right thing and cancel those return legs? Advice on the best approach?