What is the Diversity Visa?
Diversity visas are given to citizens from countries with low immigration rates. They are provided through a lottery called the DV or Green Card Lottery. This random selection provides limited immigrant visas to those who meet the eligibility requirements. This lottery allows those who qualify to bypass the long wait for employment-based and family Green Cards.
Could this be you? To qualify, you must meet the following criteria:
● You’re a national of a country that has a low US immigration rate.
● You graduated from high school (or an equivalent) or have qualifying work experience.
The definition of “national” is vital here. Your birth generally defines your nationality, but exceptions exist, such as when the applicant’s spouse’s nationality is from another country. Qualifying work experience is two years of experience in an occupation requiring two or more years of training or practice. Your two-year period must be within the past five years.
The list of eligible and ineligible countries, determined and released by the Department of State, changes each year. This year’s eligible countries, broken down by regions, can be found here.
DV-2025’s Diversity Visa is Here
The electronic entry submission is open to those who believe they qualify for this visa. The openings run from noon EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, through noon EST (Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. To apply, visit https://dvprogram.state.gov/ and complete the electronic Diversity Visa (DV) entry Form E-DV. Due to potential website delays from heavy demand, consider applying early.
The program is congressionally mandated to release a maximum of 50,000 DVs annually (see the Immigration Act of 1990, Section 131, and the Immigration and National Act, Section 203[c]).
Register now if you meet the guidelines and wish to apply for a DV. The random lottery chooses who will receive the visas, which are distributed amongst six regions. More visas are allocated to areas with the lowest rates of immigration. Countries that send more than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the last five years are not permitted to receive any visas. As per the immigration rules, no individual country can receive over seven percent of DVs within one year.
Completed entries are submitted to the lottery drawing. You will know if yours has been accepted when you log into your account and have received a confirmation message. This information will also provide you with a confirmation number, which you will need when you check to see if you’ve been selected. Visit the Entrant Status Check on the DV website starting May 4, 2024, for the status of your entry.
What’s Next?
When you’re ready to apply for the Diversity Visa lottery, be sure to follow the instructions closely and submit your application early. In the meantime, keep your options open by contacting our professionals at Visa2US to find out what other Green Card alternatives you may have, such as the National Interest Waiver. Our skilled immigration attorneys are available day and night to answer your questions and clarify this often-confusing journey to becoming a United States citizen.
