 You will find most of your immediate questions
(about DV2010) answered among the
'Frequently Asked Questions' below.
 There are many benefits related to becoming a Green card visa holder through the American Visa Diversity Program.
It is actually a very flexible form of Permanent Residency that will benefit not just yourself, but your whole family.
(1) What is the Green Card Visa Lottery (DV2010)?
(2) What is the American Green Card?
(3) Who is eligible to apply for the Green Card Visa Lottery Program?
(4) What are the education or work experience requirements?
(5) Why are some countries excluded from the Diversity Program-which are they?
(6) If you are not eligible by birth is there any other way to enter the Diversity Program?
(7) How many entries are allowed?
(8) How long do you remain entitled to apply for Visas in the DV-2010 category?
(9) Do you have to re-apply every year for the lottery to be considered?
(10) Are both husbands and wives each able to submit a separate application?
(11) May someone act on behalf of an applicant?
(12) Are there any different requirements in the application procedure for this diversity visa registration compared to previous lottery registrations?
(13) How old should you be to apply for the lottery?
(14 How is the Green Card Visa Lottery Program run?
(15) How do the Visas get apportioned?
(16) Is it better to hand deliver or send the application by Registered or certified mail?
(17) If you win, how are you informed and what do you do?
(18) Can registered applicants adjust their status with the INS?
(19) Why this lottery is called DV-2010?
(20) What number of applicants will be registered?
(21) If you reside in the USA are you still eligible to apply?
(22) Can green card lottery applicants apply for a waiver on any of the grounds of visa ineligibility?
(23) Can you still apply if you are already registered for an immigrant visa in another Category?
(24) What are the possibilities of winning?
(25) Where does the Lottery take place?
(26) Deadline - When should I apply?
(27) Why have this web site?
(1) What is the Green Card Lottery?
The United States has a program*, called DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA LOTTERY (also known as GREEN CARD LOTTERY), making available each year by random selection 50,000 permanent residence visas (GREEN CARDS) to people from around the world. The program's objective is to issue Green Cards to individuals born in countries which historically have low levels of immigration to the United States. << top >>
(2) What is an American Green Card?
An American ' Green Card' is a Permanent Residence Visa of the U.S.A. Holders of a Green Card are given the legal right to work and reside permanently in the United States. All Green Card holders are entitled to receive health, education, and various other benefit entitlements. As a Green Card winner, you can always apply for U.S. Citizenship at a later date. Ownership of a Green Card does not affect your present citizenship. Both you and your family could become winners if you don't delay and apply today. << top >>
(3) Who is eligible to apply for the Green Card Lottery?
To apply, an applicant must be a native of an eligible country, they must also fulfil one of two criteria 1) To have a high school education or its equivalent; or 2) Two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience. If an applicant does not fulfil these requirements, they should not submit an entry to the Visa Lottery program. << top >>
If in doubt use our unique 'eligibility wizard'. Our e-wizard™ analyzer automatically confirms your eligibilitly status for DV2010. It's immediate and very simple to use.
(4) What are the education or work experience requirements?
The law and regulations require that every applicant must fulfil one of two criteria
1) To have a high school education or its equivalent. 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. Documentary proof of education or work experience should not be submitted with the lottery application, but must be presented to the consular officer at the time of immigrant visa application interview.
2) Or an applicant must have at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience. The U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine database will be used to determine qualifying work experience. << top >>
If in doubt use our unique 'eligibility wizard'. Our e-wizard™ analyzer automatically confirms your eligibilitly status for DV2010. It's immediate and very simple to use.
(5) Why are some countries excluded from the Diversity Program-which are they?
Diversity visas are intended to provide an immigration opportunity for persons from countries other than the countries that send large numbers of immigrants to the U.S. The law states that no diversity visas 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 period of the previous five years. Each year, the USCIS adds the family and employment immigrant admission figures for the previous five years in order 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 entry period, the list of countries whose natives are not eligible may change from one year to the next.
No visas are available to countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past 5 year such as.
Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St. Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands) and Vietnam. If you were born in these countries you cannot, participate in the Diversity Program this year.
Note that persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible to apply.
Anyone not born in one of the above excluded countries may apply. Click here to find out your eligibility. It is important to note that visa lottery eligibility is based on place of birth not residence or citizenship. You are eligible from wherever you are currently living. You do not have to speak English. You do not need to have relatives in the USA. << top >>
(6) If you are not eligible by birth is there any other way to enter the Diversity Program?
According to Section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, if a person was born in an ineligible country but his/her spouse was born in an eligible country, such person can claim the spouse's country of birth rather than his/her own. For example, a person born in an excluded country such as Canada may still apply if his or her spouse was born in a qualifying country.
Another option is that, if a person was born in an ineligible country, but neither of his/her parents was born there or resided there at the time of the birth, such person may be able to claim nativity in one of the parents' country of birth. For example, if one of your parents was born in Belgium and the other was born in Switzerland, and you were born in United Kingdom while they were visiting the United Kingdom, but had not established residency; you could claim Belgium or Switzerland as your qualifying country. << top >>
If in doubt use our unique 'eligibility wizard'. Our e-wizard™ analyzer automatically confirms your eligibilitly status for DV2010. It's immediate and very simple to use.
(7) How many entries are allowed?
Every individual is limited to only one application. If an applicant submits more than one application they will be disqualified from entering the Green Card Lottery. However, submission of an application during one or more previous DV lotteries has no effect on entitlement to participate in the DV-2010 lottery.
The Department utilizes special technology and other means to identify those who commit fraud for the purposes of illegal immigration or who submit multiple entries. << top >>
(8) How long do you remain entitled to apply for Visas in the DV-2010 category?
Under the law, persons registered following this DV-2010 application period are entitled to apply for visa issuance ONLY DURING FISCAL YEAR 2010. There is no carry-over of benefit into another year for persons who are registered but who do not obtain visas during Fiscal Year-2010. << top >>
(9) Do you have to re-apply every year for the lottery to be considered?
Yes. Your application will only be considered for the year/application period which you filed for and it will not be carried over for the following year. << top >>
(10) Are both husbands and wives each able to submit a separate application?
A husband and wife may each submit a separate lottery application. If you receive a Green Card through the lottery, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 will also be entitled to get green cards at the same time as you. Unmarried children under 21 may also be included on each of their parents' application forms. All children over 21 years of age must file separate applications. By submitting separate applications for you and your spouse you are likely to double your chances of winning. << top >>
(11) May someone else act on behalf of an applicant?
Yes, applicants may have someone act on their behalf. Regardless of whether an application is submitted by the applicant directly, or assistance is provided by a submission service, attorney, friend or relative only one application may be submitted in the name of each person. Only one notification letter will be sent for each case registered, to the address provided on the application. << top >>
(12) Are there any different requirements in the application procedure for this diversity visa registration compared to previous lottery registrations?
There have been different requirements for each DV registration. For example, New digital photograph specifications as ruled by the US State Department state that; Photographs must be recent photo(s) of the applicant and his/her spouse and each child, including all natural children as well as all legally-adopted and stepchildren (excepting a child who is already a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident) even if a child(ren) no longer reside with the applicant, their photograph must be uploaded with their electronic entry form. Each family member must upload a separate photo for each family member. << top >>
(13) How old should you be to apply for the lottery?
Providing you fulfil the current criteria, there are no specific age requirements. Please take into account however, that the requirement of a high school education or work experience for each principal applicant, at the time of visa issuance effectively disqualifies most prospective applicants who are under age 18. << top >>
(14) How is the Green Card Visa Lottery run?
It is run electronically via the US Department of State who implemented the electronic registration system beginning with DV-2005. in order to make the Diversity Visa process work more efficiently and remain secure. << top >>
(15) How do the Visas get apportioned?
The way in which the visas get apportioned is determined by the INS. They determine the DV regional limits for each year according to a formula, as specified in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Once the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has completed the calculations, the DV-2010 the regional visa limits will be announced. << top >>
(16) Is it better to hand deliver or send the application by Registered or certified mail?
There is only one way to enter the DV-2010 lottery. You must submit an Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form (E-DV Entry Form) << top >>
(17) If you win, how are you informed and what do you do?
From 1st April 2009 the US Consular Center will notify thousands of people that they have won the opportunity to apply for a permanent resident visa allowing them to live and work in the U.S.A. Winners will be notified by mail during 1st April - 31st July 2009 and will be provided further instructions. Applicants who have not been selected will NOT be notified. U.S. embassies and consulates do not provide a list of successful applicants. Anyone who does NOT receive a letter will know that his/her application has not been selected.
DV-2010 visas will be issued between October 1, 2009 and September 30, 2010. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements under U.S. law in order to be issued visas. << top >>
(18) Can registered applicants adjust their status with the INS?
Yes they can, provided they are otherwise eligible to adjust their status under the terms of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Registered applicants who are physically present in the United States may apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for adjustment of status to permanent resident. Applicants must ensure that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) can COMPLETE ACTION on their cases before September 30, 2008, since on that date registrations for the Fiscal Year 2008 DV- 2010 program terminate. << top >>
(19) Why this lottery is called DV-2010?
This lottery is called "DV-2010" because visas will be issued during the Fiscal Year 2010. << top >>
(20) What number of applicants will be registered?
There are 50,000 DV visas available for Fiscal Year 2010, but more than that number of individuals will be registered. A total of about 110,000 persons, both principal applicants and their spouses and children, will be registered. Since it is likely that some of the first 50,000 persons who are registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance. All applicants who are registered will be informed promptly of their place on the list. Each month visas will be issued, according to registration lottery rank order, to those applicants who are ready for visa issuance during that month. Once all of the Fiscal Year 2010 visas have been issued, the program for the year will end. Registered applicants who wish to receive visas must be prepared to act promptly on their cases. << top >>
(21) If you reside in the USA are you still eligible to apply?
Yes, you are still eligible to apply. An application can be sent in from within the US or any other country. << top >>
(22) Can green card visa lottery applicants apply for a waiver on any of the grounds of visa ineligibility?
No. All applicants are subject to all grounds of ineligibility specified in the Immigration and Nationality act (INA) and there are no special provisions for the waiver of any ground of visa ineligibility other than those generally provided in the act. << top >>
(23) Can you still apply if you are already registered for an immigrant visa in another Category?
Yes, you can still apply under these conditions. << top >>
(24) What are the possibilities of winning?
The possibilities of winning are excellent but firstly your application needs to be entered electronically in the correct manner and on time. One thing for sure, is that you stand no chance of winning if you do not enter. << top >>
(25) Where does the Lottery take place?
The Lottery takes place at The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, USA. << top >>
(26) Deadline - When should I apply?
For DV 2010, you must apply between noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Wednesday, October 3, 2007 and noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5) Sunday, December 2, 2007. Paper entries will not be accepted.
Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in website delays. No entries will be accepted after noon EST on December 2, 2007. << click here to apply right away >>
If you missed this deadline you may apply for the next DV Program. << top >>
(27) Why have this web site?
This web site just provides simplified information to help applicants remain informed, so that they can apply correcty to the DV Program. << top >>
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