Diversity Lottery
We provide representation to those who have won the lottery and must prepare their applications for permanent residence. Winners of the DV-2005 will be informed with notification letters that will be sent within about nine months of the end of the application period to the address indicated on the entry. Anyone who does not receive a letter will know that his/her application has not been selected. Below we have provided some general information on the Lottery and application procedures.

Overview: 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. The lottery is administered by the State Department's National Visa Center, which 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. Winners will also be allowed to bring their spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21 to the United States.

Eligibility: Each year the Department of State publishes a list of countries whose nationals are eligible to submit a lottery entry. Applicants, and/ or their spouse must be native of a country that is on the published list, in order to participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery. Applicants must also have a high school diploma or the equivalent, or 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.

Application: Before each year's lottery drawing, the Department of State will publish explicit instructions on how to apply for the lottery. There is no fee for submitting an entry. Moreover, paper entries are NO longer accepted. In fact, for the DV-2005 Diversity Visa Lottery the Department of State will ONLY accept completed Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Forms submitted ELECTRONICALLY at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov. The DV-2005 entry period will begin on Saturday, November 1, 2003 and will last 60 days through Tuesday, December 30, 2003. The Department of State will send DV lottery entrants an electronic confirmation notice upon receipt of a completed DV Entry Form. The entry will be disqualified if more than ONE entry for the applicant is received, or if all required photos are not submitted. Instructions might be found on line at http://travel.state.gov/dv2002.html.

For more information, you may also call the State Department's Visa Lottery Information Center at 1-900-884-8840. 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. You might also visit the following website: http://travel.state.gov/dv2005.html to find out on how to participate in the Diversity Visa Lottery Program.