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Diversity Visa Lottery
 

What is the lottery?

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, makes available each year by random selection 55,000 permanent residence visas to persons from countries that have low rates of immigration to the United States. Eligibility to apply for this Program is determined by a person's place of birth not citizenship or residence. The list of excluded countries may vary from year to year.

What do you mean by "excluded countries"?

These are countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States during the five years immediately proceeding the registration period.

How do I apply for the lottery?

The only official way to apply for the DV lottery is directly through the official U.S. Department of State Website during the specified and limited-time registration period.

Entries are selected at random by computer, regardless of the date and time of receipt during that period. Successful applicants are invited to apply for an immigrant visa and will be required to establish their eligibility for a visa under current laws and regulations.

When is the next registration period?

Please see the official U.S. Department of State Website.

If I was born in one of the excluded countries, can I still apply?

If you are married, you may be eligible to claim your spouse's place of birth if he/she was born in one of the qualifying countries.

Note: In order to benefit from this provision, you must both be issued visas and enter the United States together. If you were born in an excluded country of which neither parent was born nor resident at the time of your birth, you may be able to claim one of their places of birth, provided it is an eligible country. In general people are not considered residents of a country in which they were not born or legally naturalized if they are only visiting the country temporarily or stationed in the country for business or professional reasons on behalf of a company or government.

Can both my spouse and I submit applications?

Yes. A husband and wife may each submit a separate application listing their spouse as the dependent.

What family members must I include on my entry?

You must list your spouse, even if you are currently separated from him/her and he/she does not intend immigrating with you. If you are legally divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse. For customary marriages, the important date is the date of the original marriage ceremony, not the date on which the marriage is registered. You must list all unmarried children under the age of 21 whether they are your natural children, your spouse's children by a previous marriage, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country. You must also list them even if they are no longer living with you.

Are photographs required for each family member, or only for the principal applicant?

Recent and individual photographs of the principal applicant, his or her spouse, and all natural children as well as legally adopted and stepchildren who are under 21 and unmarried are required, even if the children no longer reside with the applicant.

Note: Group family photographs are not acceptable.

If I list my spouse and children does this mean they must immigrate with me?

No. Including your spouse and/or children on your application does not mean that they must immigrate with you. However, if you do not include your spouse and/or children on your application to register and include them on your application for an immigrant visa, your application will be disqualified. This requirement only applies if your spouse and/or children were dependents at the time you submit your application to register for the lottery; it does not apply if your spouse and/or children were acquired after your application was submitted.

It is important to note, however, that if you are born in an excluded country and your spouse is not, and you are using your spouse's place of birth to apply to register for the program, you and your spouse will be required to immigrate to the U.S. together, if your application is successful.

What are the requirements for education or work experience?

  • Education: An applicant is required to have a high school education or equivalent. This is defined as successful completion of a twelve year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States, or if outside the United States, successful completion of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school education in the United States.
  • Work Experience: An applicant is required to have two years of work experience in the last five years in an occupation requiring at least two years training or experience. The determination on whether or not the applicant has the requisite work experience will be based on the Department of Labor's O*Net Online database.

What Occupations will Qualify for the Diversity Visa Program (eDV)?

The Department of Labor (DOL) O*Net Online database groups job experience into five "job zones." While many occupations are listed on the DOL Website, only certain specified occupations qualify for the Diversity Visa Program. To qualify for a Diversity Visa on the basis of your work experience, you must, within the past five years, have two years of experience in an occupation that is designated as Job Zone 4 or 5, classified in a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) range of 7.0 or higher.

How Do I Find the Qualifying Occupations on the Department of Labor Website?

Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the Department of Labor O*Net Online Database. Follow these steps to find out if your occupation qualifies: Select "Find Occupations" and then select a specific "Job Family". (For example, select Architecture and Engineering and click "GO". Then click on the link for the specific Occupation (For example, Aerospace Engineers). After selecting a specific Occupation link, select the tab "Job Zone" to find out the designated Job Zone number and Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating range.

Are there any fees involved in applying for the Program?

You are not required to pay a fee to submit an application to register for the Program. However, if your application is successful and you selected to apply for an immigrant visa, you, your spouse and children, if any, will be required to pay DV processing fee of $440 per person at the time of your formal interview at the U.S. Embassy. Further details will be provided with the appointment notice.

Is there a minimum age for applicants to apply for the DV Program?

There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the requirement of a high school education or work experience effectively disqualified most persons who are under the age of 18.

Can you apply if you are in the United States and can an application be mailed from the United States?

Yes, an applicant who is in the United States may apply for registration, provided he or she is eligible for the Program. The application may also be mailed from the United States.

Do you think it will help my chances of being successful if I hire an attorney or consultant?

No outside service can improve an applicant's chances of being selected, and nobody can guarantee an entry will win. The decision to hire an attorney or consultant in a visa matter is entirely up to the applicant. The procedures for entering the lottery can be completed without assistance by following simple instructions. However, if applicants prefer to use outside assistance, that is their choice. Unfortunately, there are other persons who are charging exorbitant rates and making unrealistic claims. The selection of winners in the lottery is made at random, using a computer.

I have applied for an immigrant visa in the immediate relative/family/employment based preference category; can I also apply to register for the Program?

Yes. Your registration for immigration in another immigrant visa category does not prohibit you from applying to register for this Program.

What can I do if I believe a company has taken money from me under false pretenses?

If you believe that you have a complaint against a company that has been advertising its service for the visa lottery, you should contact your local consumer affairs office or the Federal Trade Commission in the United States.

I have applied to register for the lottery, when will I know if I have been selected?

When an entry has been successfully selected, the entrant will be notified of their selection through the Entry Status Check available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website. The Kentucky Consular Center will continue to process the case until those selected to be visa applicants are instructed to appear for visa interviews at a U.S. consular office or until those qualifying to change status in the United States apply at a domestic USCIS office.

Important Note: Notifications to those selected in the random lottery are not sent by e-mail. Official notifications of selection will be made through - Entry Status Check, available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website. The KCC will no longer send selectee notifications or letters by regular postal mail. Should you receive an e-mail notification or a mailed letter about your E-DV selection, be aware that the notification is not legitimate. It is only after you are selected, and respond to the notification instructions made available to you via Entry Status Check, and processing begins on your case, that you may receive follow-up e-mail communication from the KCC informing you to review Entry Status Check for new information about your application. The KCC will not ask you to send money to them by mail or by services such as Western Union. Please note that the Embassy has no list of successful entrants.

I have been selected for the lottery and have been invited to apply for an immigrant visa. Why am I being told to apply early, when I have until September 30 in which to do so?

Being selected does not guarantee that a visa will be issued to you. A much larger pool of winners is selected than the 55, 000 visas available each year. Applicants, who delay applying for the visa on receiving notification of their registration, may find that there are unable to proceed with their application, as there are no visa numbers available for their use.

In addition, in order to actively receive a visa, applicants selected must meet all eligibility requirements under U.S. law, including any applicable special processing requirements established in response to the events of September 11, 2002. These requirements may significantly increase the level of scrutiny required and time necessary for processing of applications for those born in some of the countries listed for this Program, including but not limited to, countries identified as state sponsors of terrorism.

If I apply for the visa before September 30 and my application is denied under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, will I be guaranteed a visa number when I am ready to proceed?

No, even if you have applied for the visa, unless the visa is issued to you, no guarantees can be offered that a visa number will be available for your use when you are ready to proceed with your application.

I was selected for last year's lottery, but didn't get my visa by September 30, can I still go?

No. As you did not pursue your application, you can no longer benefit from your registration for the Program. You had only until September 30 in which to be issued an immigrant visa.

Important Notices

New Immigrants

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