Every year, the United States Department of State (DOS) holds a lottery in which random selection is used to provide immigrant visas to people who are natives of certain countries or whose parent was born in one of those countries. Immigrants selected in the diversity lottery are given the opportunity to apply for permanent residence in the U.S. Those approved for permanent residence may bring their unmarried children under the age of 21, as well as their spouse. The countries are chosen based on their low rates of immigration to the U.S.

Am I Eligible To Enter The Diversity Visa Lottery?

To apply for the program, an applicant must meet two basic criteria. First, he or she must be a native of one of the approved countries; sometimes, it is sufficient if one parent was born in an approved country. The DOS publishes a list of the countries eligible every year before the program is conducted. The list can be obtained from the DOS Web site, http://travel.state.gov, or from an U.S. embassy or consulate, and a person may be physically present in the U.S. when he or she applies. Second, an applicant must have a high school diploma or its defined equivalent or must have two years of recent work experience in an occupation that requires two years or more of training or experience to perform. Occupations that will qualify a person to apply for the program are listed on the DOS website.

How Do I Apply?

The DOS publishes very detailed instructions every year, usually in August, about how to apply for the diversity visa program. Because millions of applications are rejected every year for not following instructions, it is important to follow the instructions exactly.

Starting in 2003, the DOS required applicants to complete an electronic form at a designated website and to supply a digital photograph, rather than submitting applications on paper. Photographs are required both of the applicant and of his or her spouse and children. The electronic submissions are designed both to improve the efficiency of the program and to reduce fraud.

Although there is no charge for entering the diversity visa program, minimal fees are associated with the visas issued if an applicant wins the lottery.

How Will I Know Whether I Won?

Notifications are sent to those who won the diversity lottery within about nine months after the end of the application period. If an applicant loses, he or she will not receive a notification; however, if an applicant wins, he or she will be notified at the address provided on his or her application. Winners are given instructions on how to proceed. However, winners do not receive visas unless they are otherwise qualified for admission and there is a sufficient number of remaining diversity visas.

Copyright 2010 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.