Ask the Consul
Diversity Immigrant Visa Program
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered by the Department of State and provides a maximum of 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) each year to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The Dominican citizens received more than 40,000 immigrant visas during the last fiscal year and are not eligible to participate.
For 2011, individuals born in the following countries are not eligible for DVs because each of these countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five years:
BRAZIL, CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PERU, PHILIPPINES, POLAND, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM.
Entries for the 2011 DV lottery must be submitted electronically between noon, Friday, October 2, 2009, and noon, Monday, November 30, 2009. Applicants may access the electronic DV Entry Form at www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. 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 November 30, 2009.
The U.S. Government employs no outside consultants or private services to operate the DV program. Any intermediaries or others who offer assistance to prepare DV entries do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. Government. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the entrant's discretion, and the entrant remains responsible for ensuring that the information is correct and complete.
There are many myths about the DV lottery, and many potential applicants fall victim to visa fixers who claim to be able to help applicants win the lottery for a price. For more information regarding the DV lottery, please visit www.travel.state.gov.