Online registration for Diversity Visa Lottery (green-card lottery) begins soon! Entries for the DV-2018 Diversity Visa program must be submitted electronically at www.dvlottery.state.gov between Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concludes on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-4).
Do not wait until the last week of the registration period to enter, as heavy demand usually results in website delays. No late entries or paper entries will be accepted. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. The Department of State uses sophisticated technology to detect multiple entries. Individuals with more than one entry will be disqualified.
Related:
Diversity Visa (Green Card Lottery)
What If I Was Selected in DV Lottery When I Am Still Living in My Country?
What If I Was Selected in Diversity Visa Lottery When I Am Already in the United States?
How to Prepare for Diversity Visa Interview?
What to Expect During Diversity Visa Interview?
What to Expect After Diversity Visa Interview?
The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered annually by the Department of State. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for a class of “diversity immigrants,” from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For fiscal year 2008, 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV program. Applicants who are selected in the lottery (“selectees”) must meet simple, but strict, eligibility requirements in order to qualify for a diversity visa. Selectees are chosen through a randomized computer drawing. Diversity visas are distributed among six geographic regions and no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available DVs in any one year.
Please be advised that participants of the DV lottery and those who wish to participate are often targeted by scammers. For example, some businesses might misrepresent their services when it comes to offering to help people trying to enter the Diversity Visa program. They may claim to have an affiliation with the U.S. government; special expertise or a special entry form that is required for the DV program; a high success rate for DV entries; an ability to increase an entrant’s chances of being selected; or that people from ineligible countries are still “qualified” to enter. Such unscrupulous businesses may charge substantial fees to complete the application process or sell you your confirmation code if you get selected. You might also receive fraudulent e-mails and letters from people or entities claiming to be affiliated with the United States government saying that you have won the Diversity Visa lottery and asking you to pay for your visa. Please be aware that such emails and letters are scams sent out in an attempt to extract money from people hoping to immigrate to the United States.
In order to protect yourself from DV lottery scams, please remember:
- There is no charge to enter the DV program. Once you have submitted your entry, you will receive an acknowledgment from the State Department, as well as a unique confirmation number. If you are selected, you will pay the appropriate visa application and program fees in person at the U.S. embassy or consulate on the day of your visa interview.
- Selection of entries is random. The DV selection process takes place through a computer-generated random drawing. There is no way to increase an applicant’s chance of selection.
- Submit only one entry. If you (or someone working on your behalf) submit more than one entry for you, all of your entries will be disqualified. Spouses who are eligible for the DV program can apply separately; the spouse who is not selected can apply for a Diversity Visa based on the selected spouse’s entry. Having your spouse submit his or her own application is the only legitimate way to increase your family’s chance of immigrating to the United States through the DV program.
- The State Department does not notify selected applicants by mail or by email. Beginning with the DV-2012 program, entrants are responsible for checking the status of their applications through the Entrant Status Check online at www.dvlottery.state.gov.
- You may hire an attorney to enter the DV program for you, but your chance of being selected is the same, provided that you submit your information correctly on your own.
Related:
What If I Was Selected in DV Lottery When I Am Still Living in My Country?
What If I Was Selected in Diversity Visa Lottery When I Am Already in the United States?
How to Prepare for Diversity Visa Interview?
What to Expect During Diversity Visa Interview?
What to Expect After Diversity Visa Interview?
Attorneys at I.S. Law Firm have submitted DV Lottery applications for many people from different countries who wish to immigrate to the United States. To explore your immigration options, please contact us at +1-703-527-1779 or via e-mail: [email protected].
