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Visa Lottery -
Diversity Visa (DV)
Also known as
Immigration Lottery or Diversity Visa (DV)
What
is it?
Each year, 50,000 immigrant visas
are made available through a lottery to people who come from countries with low
rates of immigration to the United States. None of these visas are available for
people who come from countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the
United States in the past five years. The State Department's National Visa
Center holds the lottery every year, and chooses winners randomly from all
qualified entries. Anyone who is given a visa through the Diversity Visa Lottery
Program will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United States.
You will also be allowed to bring your spouse and any unmarried children under
the age of 21 to the United States.
The Lottery Visas (popular name)
or Diversity Visas (official name) are divided among six geographic regions. Not more than 3,500 visas (7% of
the 50,000 visa limit) may be provided to immigrants from any one country.
This year's Lottery (DV-2001)
(see results from last year's Diversity Lottery,
DV-2000)
(See also FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions)
The dates
and deadlines for the next US Immigration diversity- lottery visa
(DV-2001) are officially known.
You may submit your dossier only between noon Oct.4th to noon Nov. 3rd ,
1999.
See below for more
details on how to apply.
Eligible
African Countries
Each year when the Diversity Visas (DV) are
awarded, a list of eligible countries is provided by the US Department of
State. For AFRICA, Eligible countries for DV-2001 are:
| ALGERIA
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CONGO, DEMOCRATIC
REP. |
GUINEA-BISSAU
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NAMIBIA
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TANZANIA
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| ANGOLA |
COTE D'IVOIRE
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KENYA
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NIGER
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TOGO
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|
BENIN
|
DJIBOUTI
|
LESOTHO
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NIGERIA
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TUNISIA
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| BOTSWANA |
EGYPT
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LIBERIA |
RWANDA
|
UGANDA
|
|
BURKINA FASO
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EQUATORIAL GUINEA |
LIBYA
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SAO TOME
& PRINCIPE |
ZAMBIA
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| BURUNDI |
|
MADAGASCAR
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SENEGAL
|
ZIMBABWE
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|
CAMEROON
|
ERITREA
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MALAWI
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SEYCHELLES
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| CAPE VERDE |
ETHIOPIA
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MALI
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SIERRA LEONE
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|
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REP.
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GABON
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MAURITANIA
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SOMALIA
|
|
| CHAD |
GAMBIA,THE
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MAURITIUS
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SOUTH AFRICA
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|
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COMOROS |
GHANA
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MOROCCO
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SUDAN
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|
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CONGO |
GUINEA
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MOZAMBIQUE
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SWAZILAND
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Diversity Visa Application procedures
Who is Eligible to Enter the
Diversity Visa Lottery?
- You or your spouse must be a native of a country that is eligible to
participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery. You may also be eligible to apply
if your parent was born in a country that is eligible to participate. (The
State Department will publish the names of countries
that are eligible to participate before each year's lottery.)
- You must have a high school diploma or the equivalent, defined in the
United States as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and
secondary education; OR you must have two years of work experience within
the last five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of
training or experience to perform.
How Do I Apply?
Before each year's lottery drawing, the Department of State will publish
explicit instructions on how to apply in press releases and the Federal
Register. Please follow all directions exactly. Millions of applicants
are rejected each year for failure to follow the directions. Please watch the State
Department Website for
more information on the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. Instructions are usually
posted in August, and the registration period is usually held in October each
year. For further information and details, we have provided resource links at
the bottom of this page. See bottom of this page for related resources.
Before you apply for the Diversity Visa, you must make
sure you meet the following requirements:
You must be able to
provide proof of a high school degree
or two years of work experience if you are selected as a winner of the
Diversity Visa.
1) either
successfully completed the equivalent of 12 years of elementary and secondary
education. A "high school education or
equivalent" is defined as the successful completion of a twelve-year course
of elementary and secondary education comparable to that of a high school
degree in the United States
2) or, within the past five
years, had two years of work experience in an occupation requiring at least
two years training or experience. Qualifying work experience shall be based upon
the most recent edition of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles published
by the Employment and Training Administration of the United States
Department of Labor.
NOTE: Documentary proof of education or work experience
should NOT be submitted with the application, but must be presented to the
consular officer at the time of formal immigrant visa application if you
were a winner.
To apply, you need to
provide:
- Applicant’s full name (last,
first, middle names)
- Applicant’s Date and Place of Birth
- Name , Date , Place of Birth of Spouse / Children
under the age of 21 and not married who may accompany the applicant if
a visa number is won.
- Applicant’s Mailing Address
(Street Number, Street Name, City or Town, State or Province,
Country). If your country does not have street number, provide your
PO. Box and all the necessary address information.
- Applicant’s Native Country
(Place you were born , your birth
place: this will help determine the elligibility of your native country)
- Applicant’s Signature
- Photograph (1.5" X 1.5") or ("37mm X
37mm")
- Eligibility of Applicant's Native Country
(is your country eligible? Specify "AFRICA REGION" and see
the table above for a listing of your country)
For a better
chance of being processed, type your application with a typewriter or a
computer. Also, sign your application with original signature.
For your convenience,
we have provided a sample form that shows you what
type of you need to provide on your DV Visa entry. You may print the form as is,
or create one that looks the same.
Your visa Lottery
entry must be mailed to:
DV-2001 Program
National Visa Center
Portsmouth, N.H. 00213
U.S.A.
See our FAQ for
more information
AFRICAHOME.COM can help you with your
Dviersity Lottery Application
Because
millions of applications are rejected every year due to incompleteness
or inadequate provision of information, AFRICAHOME.COM can help ensure
that your application reaches the correct INS location. Because we are
based in the United States, we can best ensure the security of your
application and guarantee that it will reach the Lottery office that
will process it. If you want us to send your application to the right
location for you, then you may send us:
- your form
filled out completely as stated above and on the sample form
- your phone number, fax or e-mail address, that is, any contact
information that may help us contact you quickly and efficiently in case
we estimate that your form is inadequately filled or that the
information you provided is incomplete.
We request
a US $35 fee for this service. Order this service now - Commandez ce service
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FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
How Much Does the Lottery Cost?
There is no fee for entering the diversity visa lottery. If you win, you must
pay a fee for an immigrant visa and a separate visa lottery surcharge.
How Can I Find Out If I Won?
Only the winners will be notified by mail at the addresses listed on
their applications. Winners will be sent instructions and information on fees.
Being selected as a winner in the diversity visa lottery does not automatically
guarantee that you will be issued a visa, even if you are qualified. The number
of entries selected is greater than the number of immigrant visas available,
because not everyone selected will be qualified for the visa or will choose to
complete the processing. Once all 50,000 visas have been issued, the diversity
visa program for the year will end.
When will results be known?
Note: Applicants must meet ALL
eligibility requirements under U.S. law in order to be issued visas. If you do
not qualify under the terms explained above, do not apply.
Processing of
applications and issuance of diversity visas to successful applicants and their
eligible family members MUST occur by September 30, 2001. Family members may not
obtain diversity visas to follow to join the applicant in the U.S. after this
date. You must therefore make sure you have claimed your visa as soon as you
have been notified of your selection by the National Visa Center.
What is a Green Card Visa ?
Green Card Visa is a permanent residency Visa and legal alien status .You
will have every right of a U.S. citizen except voting.
What are the benefits of a Green Card Visa ?
Legal status in United States and benefits of education , work , government
support , and all opportunities that United States has to offer .
Who is eligible for the Green Card Lottery ?
Practically everybody providing they meet the essential guidelines and if
their Native Country is eligible.
What is a Native Country ?
"Native" ordinarily means someone born within a particular country,
regardless of the individual's current country of residence or nationality.
"Native" also means someone entitled to be "charged" to a
particular country under the provisions of Section 202(b) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act. Applicants for Diversity Visa registration may under Section
202(b) claim chargeability to the country of birth of a spouse; a minor
dependent child can be charged to the country of birth of a parent; and an
applicant born in a country of which neither parent was a native or a resident
at the time of his/her birth may be charged to the country of birth of either
parent. An applicant who claims the benefit of alternate chargeability must
include a statement to that effect on the application for registration .
Can each spouse file separately ?
Yes , That will enhance your chance of winning to double the odds .
Can I apply for the Lottery Visa if I reside in U.S. ?
Yes , U.S. government does not prohibit any body that lives in U.S. to enter
the Lottery Visa . You have the exact chance as any person who is residing
outside of U.S. and it does not interfere with any other type of application for
US Immigration.
Can I apply for multiple
entries ?
NO , we can not emphasize enough on this item , yearly
over 500,000 applications are disqualified because of multiple entries "
same person can not have several applications submitted within the same year
" You can enter the lottery program every year , but only once a year .
Related Resources
For
more information on the Diversity Visa Lottery Program
- Federal
Register
- Please watch the State
Department Website for more information on the
Diversity Visa Lottery Program. You may also call the State Department's Visa
Lottery Information Center at 1-900-884-8840 (if you are in the US) for more information. Please
note: There is a charge for each call. You may also contact your nearest
U.S. Embassy or Consulate. A listing of U.S. Embassies and Consulates can be
found at the State
Department Website.
- Interested persons may also
call (202) 331-7199, which describes the various means to obtain further
details on entering the DV-2001 program. Applicants overseas may contact the
nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instructions on the DV lottery. DV
information is also available in the Visa Bulletin on the
Internet at http://travel.state.gov or
via the Consular Affairs automated fax at (202) 647-3000 (code 1103). Calls
to the automated fax service must be made from a fax machine using the
receiver or voice option of the caller's fax equipment.
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