Apply here for the Green Card official Lottery. ‘USGCIS’ stands for U.S. Green Card Lottery Internet Services and provides services to applicants to register, verify and submit on their behalf and consent their application in the Green Card Lottery.
Your country of eligibility will normally be the same as your country of birth. Your country of eligibility is not related to where you live. ”Native” ordinarily means someone born in a particular country, regardless of the individual’s current country of residence or nationality. For immigration purposes, “native” can also mean someone who is entitled to be “charged” to a country other than the one in which he/she was born under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. For example, if you were born in a country that is not eligible for this year’s DV program, you may claim chargeability to the country where your derivative spouse was born, but you will not be issued a DV-1 unless your spouse is also eligible for and issued a DV-2, and both of you must enter the United States together with the DVs. In a similar manner, a minor dependent child can be “charged” to a parent’s country of birth. Finally, if you were born in a country not eligible to participate in this year’s DV program, you can be “charged” to the country of birth of either of your parents as long as neither parent was a resident of the ineligible country at the time of the your birth. 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, studying in the country temporarily, or stationed temporarily in the country for business or professional reasons on behalf of a company or government from a country other than the country in which the applicant was born. If you claim alternate chargeability, you must indicate such information entering the right data in the registration form. Please be aware that listing an incorrect country of eligibility or chargeability (i.e., one to which you cannot establish a valid claim) may disqualify your entry.
Signatures are not required. Recent and individual photographs of you, your spouse, and all children under 21 years of age are required. Family or group photographs are not accepted. Refer to information on the photograph requirements Photo Conditions Page
DVs are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons from countries other than the countries that send large numbers of immigrants to the United States. The law states that no DVs shall be provided for natives of “high-admission” countries. The law defines this to mean countries from which a total of 50,000 persons in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based visa categories immigrated to the United States during the previous five years. Each year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adds the family and employment immigrant admission figures for the previous five years to identify the countries whose natives will be ineligible for the annual diversity lottery. Because there is a separate determination made before each annual E-DV (Electronic-Diversity Visa) entry period, the list of countries whose natives are not eligible may change from one year to the next.
By law, the U.S. DV program makes available a maximum of 55,000 permanent residence visas each year to eligible persons. However, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning as early as DV-1999, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated DVs will be made available for use under the NACARA program. The actual reduction of the limit by up to 5,000 DVs began with DV-2000 and is likely to remain in effect through the DV-2012 program. U.S. Government may change without notice the number of permanent residence visas available.
USCIS determines the regional DV limits for each year according to a formula specified in Section 203(c) of the INA. Once USCIS has completed these calculations, the regional visa limits will be announced.
5. WHAT IS THE NUMERICAL LIMIT FOR DV-2013? No entries will be accepted after the last day of the registration. The DV-2013 entry period will run through the registration period listed above. Each year, millions of people apply for the program during the registration period. The massive volume of entries creates an enormous amount of work in selecting and processing successful individuals. Holding the entry period during October and November ensures that selectees are notified in a timely manner and gives both the visa applicants and our embassies and consulates time to prepare and complete cases for visa issuance. You are strongly encouraged to enter early in the registration period. Excessive demand at end of the registration period may slow the system down. No entries whatsoever will be accepted after the last day.
Paper entries are not accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand resulted in website delays.
Yes, an applicant may be in the United States or in another country, and the entry may be submitted from the United States or from abroad.
Yes. You may choose us to submit your entry on your behalf, or prepare and submit it by yourself. However ONLY ONE entry by an individual is accepted. Make sure you register ONLY with us because you will be disqualified if more than ONE entry for you is received, regardless of who submitted the entry. The law allows only one entry by or for each person during each registration period. Individuals for whom more than one entry is submitted will be disqualified. The Department of State will employ sophisticated technology and other means to identify individuals who submit multiple entries during the registration period. People submitting more than one entry will be disqualified, and an electronic record will be permanently maintained by the Department of State. Individuals may apply for the program each year during the regular registration period.
Yes, a husband and a wife may each submit one entry if each meets the eligibility requirements. If either is selected, the other is entitled to derivative status.
On your entry you must list your spouse (husband or wife) and all unmarried children under 21 years of age. You must list your spouse even if you are currently separated from him/her, unless you are legally separated (i.e., there is a written agreement recognized by a court or a court order). If you are legally separated or divorced, you do not need to list your former spouse. You must list ALL your children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age at the time of initial submission on your behalf E-DV entry, whether they are your natural children, your spouse’s children, or children you have formally adopted in accordance with the laws of your country, unless such child is already a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. List all children under 21 years of age at the time of your electronic entry, even if they no longer reside with you or you do not intend for them to immigrate under the DV program. Children who are already U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents will not require or be issued a DV visa. However, you should include them on your registration.
The fact that you have listed family members on your entry does not mean that they must travel with you. They may choose to remain behind. However, if you include an eligible dependent on your visa application forms that you failed to include on your original entry, your case will be disqualified. This only applies to those who were family members at the time the original application was submitted, not those acquired at a later date. Your spouse may still submit a separate entry, even though he or she is listed on your entry, as long as both entries include details on all dependents in your family. See question #10 above.
You may prepare and submit your own entry, or have someone submit the entry for you. Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the individual directly, or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each person, and the entrant remains responsible for ensuring that information in the entry is correct and complete. All entrants, including those not selected, will be able to check the status of their entry through the Entry Status Check available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov or on our site www.expertgreencard.org. Entrants should keep their own confirmation page information so that they may independently check the status of their entry. By signing with us, USGCIS (www.expertgreencard.org) will submit for you, on your behalf your entry to DV Program.
The law and regulations require that every entrant must have at least a high school education or its equivalent or have, within the past five years, two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least two years’ training or experience. A “high school education or equivalent” is defined as successful completion of a twelve-year course of elementary and secondary education in the United States or successful completion in another country of a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to a high school education in the United States. Only formal courses of study meet this requirement; correspondence programs or equivalency certificates (such as the G.E.D.) are not acceptable. Documentary proof of education or work experience must be presented to the consular officer at the time of the visa interview.
To determine eligibility based on work experience, definitions from the Department of Labor’s (DOL) O*Net OnLine database will be used. The 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 DV Program. To qualify for a DV on the basis of your work experience, you must have, within the past five years, 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.
Qualifying DV Occupations are shown on the DOL 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. Following the same example, click 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. For additional information see the Diversity Visa List of Occupations webpage
At the KCC (Kentucky Consular Center), all entries received from each region will be individually numbered. After the end of the registration period, a computer will randomly select entries from among all the entries received for each geographic region. Within each region, the first entry randomly selected will be the first case registered; the second entry selected the second registration, etc. All entries received during the registration period will have an equal chance of being selected within each region. When an entry has been selected, the entrant will be notified of their selection through the Entry Status Check available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov. The KCC 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:
We, USGCIS Corporation (www.expertgreencard.org), will send email notifications to those selected in the random lottery. Please note that this notification is only informational. Should you receive another email notification about your E-DV selection, be aware that the message is not legitimate. You must wait for the official notification from KCC. Official notifications of selection will be made through - Entry Status Check, available from May 1, 2011 on the E-DV website www.dvlottery,state.gov. 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.
Yes, provided they are otherwise eligible to adjust status under the terms of Section 245 of the INA, selected individuals who are physically present in the United States may apply to USCIS for adjustment of status to permanent resident. Applicants must ensure that USCIS can complete action on their cases, including processing of any overseas derivatives, before September 30, 2013 since on that date registrations for the DV-2013 program expire. No visa numbers for the DV-2013 program will be available after midnight EST on September 30, 2013, under any circumstances.
All entrants, including those NOT selected, will be notified via email by USGCIS (www.expertgreencard.org). All entrants, including those NOT selected, may check the status of their entry through the Entry Status Check on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov and find out if their entry was or was not selected. Entrants should keep their own confirmation page information from the time of their entry until the completion of their visa application, if selected. Status information for DV-2013 will be available online sometime beteween May and June 2012. (Status information for the previous DV lottery, DV-2012, will be available online on or around July 15, 2011.
For DV-2013 we expect the same rules as for DV-2012. There were 50,000 DV visas available for DV-2012, but because it is likely that some of the first 50,000 persons who are selected will not qualify for visas or pursue their cases to visa issuance, more than 50,000 entries will be selected by the KCC to ensure that all of the available DV visas are issued. However, this also means that 10 there will not be a sufficient number of visas for all those who are initially selected. All applicants who are selected will be informed promptly of their place on the list through the E-DV website’s Entry Status Check. Interviews for the DV-2012 program will begin in October 2011. Selectees who provide information requested in the notification instructions will be informed of their visa interview appointment through the E-DV website’s Entry Status Check four to six weeks before the scheduled interviews with U.S. consular officers at overseas posts. Each month, visas will be issued to those applicants who are ready for issuance during that month, visa-number availability permitting. Once all of the 50,000 DV visas have been issued, the program will end. In principle, visa numbers could be finished before September 2011. Selected applicants who wish to receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. Random selection by the KCC computer as a selectee does not automatically guarantee that you will receive a visa. Only the first 50,000 selected applicants to qualify will be issued visas and you must qualify for the visa as well.
There is no minimum age to apply for the program, but the requirement of a high school education or work experience for each principal applicant at the time of application will effectively disqualify most persons who are under age 18.
USGCIS (www.expertgreencard.org) has fees for its services. See Fees. There is no fee charged by USCIS for submitting an electronic lottery entry. DV applicants must pay all required visa fees at the time of visa application directly to the consular cashier at the embassy or consulate. Details of required DV and immigration visa application fees will be included with the instructions sent by the KCC to applicants who are selected.
Applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility for immigrant visas specified in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). There are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa ineligibility aside from those ordinarily provided in the INA, nor is there special processing for waiver requests. Some general waiver provisions for people with close relatives who are U.S. Citizens or Lawful Permanent Resident aliens may be available to DV applicants as well, but the time constraints in the DV program will make it difficult for applicants to benefit from such provisions.
Yes, such persons may apply for the DV program.
For DV-2013 we expect the same rules as for DV-2012. Persons selected in the DV-2012 lottery are entitled to apply for visa issuance only during fiscal year 2012, from October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012. Applicants must obtain their visa or adjust status by the end of the fiscal year. There is no carry-over of DV benefits into the next year for persons who are selected but who do not obtain visas by September 30, 2012 (the end of the fiscal year.). Also, spouses and children who derive status from a DV-2012 registration can only obtain visas in the DV category between October 1, 2011 and September 30, 2012. Applicants who apply overseas will receive an appointment notification from the KCC through Entry Status Check on the E-DV website four to six weeks before the scheduled appointment.
The death of an individual selected in the lottery results in automatic revocation of the DV case. Any eligible spouse and/or children are no longer entitled to the DV visa for that entry.
No, you will not be able to save the form into another program for completion and submission later. The E-DV Entry Form is a Web form only. This makes it more “universal” than a proprietary word processor format.
Yes, this can be done. You can send us your photo via email or postal mail and in this latter case we will scan, process and upload it on your application. You can also replace your photo any time by logging into your account on our website.
You cannot save the application form on an external device but you can complete it progressively. We will assist you in filling it correctly. USGCIS (www.expertgreencard.org) offers you the possibility to change your information at any time by logging into your account on our website.
Once you have uploaded or sent us via email or regular mail your photo, our specialized consultants will verify if it meets the requirements. If not, it will be processed to meet these requirements. Should this not possible we will contact you and ask you to submit other images timely. It will be your responsibility to provide on time all required information including photos. USGCIS cannot be kept responsible or has no liability if your application is missing any mandatory information or photos.
Yes, you will be notified via email about your official submission. You will also have the possibility to request your confirmation file (page) that includes your confirmation number (entry received) on our website.
Keep your confirmation page. You will need it to check the status of your entry either logging in “My Account” on www.expertgreencard.org website, or through the Entry Status Check available on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov. Entry Status Check will be the sole means by which DV-2012 entrants are notified of their selection, provided instructions on how to proceed with their application, and notified of their immigrant visa interview appointment date and time. If you lose your confirmation information, you can find it on our website, in “My Account” page. Status information will be available from May 1, 2011. If you lose your confirmation information, you will not be able to check your DV entry status by yourself, and we will not resend the confirmation page information to you. Only the randomly selected individuals will be given additional instructions on how to pursue their DV visa application..
Persons not selected may verify the non-selection of their entry using their confirmation information through the official DV website, but they will not receive any additional instructions. The KCC will NOT forward the confirmation page information to you. U.S. Embassies and Consulates will NOT provide a list of those selected to continue the visa process.
Randomly selected entrants will receive notification instructions for the DV visa application process on the selectee confirmation page available through Entry Status Check on the E-DV website www.dvlottery.state.gov. The instructions say the selected applicants will pay all diversity and immigrant visa fees in person only at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate at the time of the visa application. The consular cashier or consular officer immediately gives the visa applicant a U.S. Government receipt for payment. Selected applicants applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate should never send money for DV fees through the mail, Western Union, or any other delivery service. Selected applicants who are already present in the United States and who file for adjustment of status will receive separate instructions on how to mail DV fees to a US bank.The E-DV lottery entries are submitted on the Internet, on the official U.S. Government E-DV website at www.dvlottery.state.gov. The KCC will not send notification letters to the selected applicants. The KCC, consular offices, or the U.S. Government have never sent e-mails to notify individuals they have been selected, and there are no plans to use e-mail for this purpose for the DV-2012 program. Selectees will only receive e-mail communications from the KCC alerting them that a visa appointment has been scheduled after they have responded to the notification instructions on Entry Status Check. Such e-mails will direct selectees to check their interview appointment details on Entry Status Check and will not contain information on the actual appointment date and time. The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs advises the public that only Internet sites including the “.gov” domain suffix are official government websites. Many other non-governmental websites (e.g., using the suffixes “.com” or “.org” or “.net”) provide immigration and visa related information and services. Regardless of the content of non-governmental websites, the Department of State does not endorse, recommend, or sponsor any information or material shown at these other websites.
Some websites may try to mislead customers and members of the public into thinking they are official websites and may contact you by e-mail to lure you to their offers. These websites may attempt to require you to pay for services such as forms and information about immigration procedures, which are otherwise free on the Department of State Visa Services website or through U.S. embassy consular sections’ websites. Additionally, these other websites may require you to pay for services you will not receive (such as fees for DV immigration applications and visas) in an effort to steal your money. If you send in money to one of these scams, you will never see it again. Also, you should be wary of sending any personal information to these websites that might be used for identity fraud/theft.
If you wish to file a complaint about Internet fraud, please see the econsumer.gov website, hosted by the Federal Trade Commission, in cooperation with consumer-protection agencies from 17 nations (http://www.econsumer.gov/english/). You may also report fraud to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center. To file a complaint about unsolicited email, contact the Department of Justice Contact Us page.
No, applicants who obtain a DV are not provided any type of assistance such as airfare, housing assistance, or subsidies. If you are selected to apply for a DV, you will be required to provide evidence that you will not become a public charge in the United States before being issued a visa. This evidence may be in the form of a combination of your personal assets, an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134) from a relative or friend residing in the United States, and/or an offer of employment from an employer in the United States.
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