How to Prepare for Diversity Visa Interview?

Being selected in Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Lottery) is random. DV Lottery, also known as Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, makes 50,000 diversity visas available annually to people who wish to immigrate to the United States. For more information on DV Lottery, please see our related article, “Diversity Visa Lottery.”

This article will help answering some of the basic questions you may have if you would like to know how to prepare for the DV Lottery interview. However, we encourage you to talk to an experienced lawyer about your specific case in order to avoid any potential problems and complications.

If you are selected for the DV Lottery, and you submit the required online visa application, you will be notified of your scheduled interview by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be applying and be interviewed. After you have been notified of your scheduled interview, there are six important steps that you will need to take in advance of the interview date.

You must carefully review the scheduling information in the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website, noting the date, time, and location of your immigrant visa interview.

It is important to remember that there may be additional instructions provided by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be applying and be interviewed. So, you must carefully review the U.S. Embassy or Consulate interview instructions. To see this information, you can download the PDF version of the interview instructions based on the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be interviewed and they are available at the U.S. Department of State website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/diversity-visa-program-entry/diversity-visa-interview/diversity-visa-prepare-for-interview.html.

You (and each family member applying for a visa with you) are required to schedule a medical appointment with an authorized physician in your home country or the country where you will be interviewed. It is important that you complete your medical examination, along with any required vaccinations, before your scheduled visa interview date..

To complete your medical examination, along with any required vaccinations, before your scheduled visa interview date, you must complete the following steps:

1. You must contact a physician and schedule your medical appointment because the embassy or consulate will not do this for you.
2. You must explain that the examination is for an immigrant visa application and give the physician the date of the interview appointment.
3. The physician will tell you the cost of the examination and tests.
4. When your medical exam is completed, you will be given a medical exam envelope.
5. You must bring the medical exam envelope sealed (not open) to your visa interview. Some physicians will send the medical exam results directly to the embassy or consulate.

You must gather photographs and all remaining required documents.

Photographs: Each DV applicant will need to bring two (2) identical passport-style photographs to the interview. To review the detailed information about photo requirements, please visit the U.S. Department of State website: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/general/photos.html.

Required Documents: Each applicant will be required to present the following items:

1. Appointment information. You must print your appointment information from the Entrant Status Check on the E-DV website.
2. DS-260 confirmation page. You can print this from the Consular Electronic Application Center at https://ceac.state.gov/ceac/, any time after you complete your DS-260 application.
3. Passport(s). You must have a valid passport for six months beyond the intended date of entry into the United States for you and each family member applying for a visa.
4. Original documents or certified copies. You must bring original documents or certified copies of all applicable civil documents, and one photocopy of each document. To follow the instructions on how to prepare supporting documents, please see our related article, “What If I Was Selected in DV Lottery When I Am Still Living in My Country.”

You must review additional information by visiting the U.S. Embassy or Consulate website where you will be interviewed for any additional information.

Before you are being interviewed, you and each applicant must pay the DV Lottery fee. For example, For DV-2016 and DV-2015 applicants the fee is $330 per person. This fee is nonrefundable, whether a visa is issued or not.

It is important to remember that fee payment procedures vary between different U.S. Embassies and Consulates. At most locations, you should make arrangements to pay your fees before your interview date and time by following the instructions of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be interviewed. A few U.S. Embassies and Consulates collect fees in the consular section at the time of your interview. Therefore, you must look at the specific instructions for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will be interviewed so that you can follow the appropriate procedures.

Also, other fees may apply to other parts of the process, such as medical examination fees, or local government fees to obtain certified copies of records.

It is important for you to prepare for your interview thoroughly and carefully. If you do not prepare for your interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate thoroughly and carefully, your visa may be delayed or even denied. For that reason, it is important to have an experienced U.S. immigration attorney help you in this process. A good lawyer will help you submit the online forms, collect the required documents, and prepare you and your family for the interview.

NOTICE: The information contained on this page site is intended to educate the general public and is not intended to provide legal advice. To ensure proper handling of your individual situation, please call +1-703-527-1779

Attorneys at I.S. Law Firm have helped many people from different countries immigrate to the United States. To explore your immigration options, please contact us at +1-703-527-1779 or via e-mail: [email protected].