FY 2016 Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Opens October 1

From Fragomen.com, 09/22/2014

The State Department will begin accepting online registrations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery starting Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at noon EDT. Foreign nationals who wish to enter the lottery have until Monday, November 3, 2014 at noon EST to file online.

The DV lottery program makes 50,000 green card numbers available each year through random selection. FY 2016 lottery results will be announced in May 2015. Foreign nationals selected in the FY 2016 lottery can submit their green card applications starting on October 1, 2015.

Who Is Eligible to Enter the Lottery? 

The DV lottery is open to natives of countries that have historically low rates of immigration to the United States. Entrants must have a high school education (or equivalent) or at least two years of qualifying work experience.

Individuals from countries with high rates of U.S. immigration are not eligible to register.
This year, those born in the following countries are ineligible: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

People born in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can participate.

DV lottery applicants may include a spouse (same-sex or opposite-sex) and children in their initial entries or add a spouse and children after their initial registration.

Those people who cannot register because their country of birth is excluded may be able to qualify through a spouse who was born in an eligible country or, in certain circumstances, through a parent’s country of birth.

Registering for the Lottery 

To register, entrants must submit an online form and a digital photo through the official DV lottery website. Only one entry is permitted per person. If there are multiple registrations on behalf of one person, all of them are disqualified.

Applicants must carefully follow the State Department’s official lottery instructions. Lottery entries and digital photos that do not precisely conform to the instructions will be disqualified.

Once the application is accepted, applicants will receive a confirmation number, which can be used to check the status of their application.

How Are Lottery Winners Chosen and Notified? 

The State Department chooses lottery winners by random computer selection. Results will be published starting May 2, 2015 through at least June 30, 2016, on the official DV lottery entry status website.

Foreign nationals can learn whether they were selected only by visiting the official website and entering their confirmation number. The State Department does not notify entrants by letter, e-mail, fax or telephone. The official website is the only legitimate source of lottery results.

Guarding Against Lottery Fraud 

Unfortunately, DV lottery fraud is very common. However, foreign nationals can and should take a few precautions to protect themselves.

• Look out for deceptive lottery websites. The only authorized DV lottery website is located on the State Department website. The State Department does not use or authorize any outside individual or company to accept lottery applications or operate the lottery. But websites posing as official government sites or claiming to have State Department authorization abound. They should be avoided.
• The State Department does not charge a fee for lottery registrations. A website, individual or company claiming there is a government fee to enter the lottery is fraudulent.
• If lottery assistance is needed, seek competent advice. Applicants may use a lawyer or other representative to prepare a lottery registration, but they should be wary of commercial websites that claim to register applicants outside of the registration period or purport to be authorized by the State Department to accept registrations for a fee.
• Beware of lottery e-mails, letters or faxes that claim to be from the State Department. The State Department does not send e-mails, letters or faxes about the DV lottery. The official website is the only legitimate source of information about lottery results and the only place to submit a lottery registration.
• Be skeptical of any communication claiming a foreign national has won the DV lottery when he or she did not register or registered in a previous year.
• Avoid sending money or personal information to questionable individuals or companies.
• Learn more about DV lottery fraud by visiting the websites of the State Departmentand the Federal Trade Commission.

State Department Selects FY 2014 Diversity Visa Lottery Winners

From Fragomen.com, 05/02/2013

The U.S. State Department has chosen the winners of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Diversity Visa Lottery (DV lottery). Foreign nationals who entered the lottery can visit the official Entrant Status Check website to learn whether they were selected to submit an application for permanent residence. 

If you entered the FY 2014 lottery, the only legitimate way to learn whether you have been selected is to visit the official website and enter the confirmation number of your entry, along with your last name or date of birth and a randomly generated authentication code. The State Department does not send direct notification to lottery winners, so beware of letters, emails or faxes that claim you have won the lottery because they are likely to be fraudulent. 

If your lottery entry was selected, the Entrant Status Check website will provide information on how to proceed with an application for permanent residence. If your entry was not chosen, the status check website will state that fact. 

Each fiscal year, the State Department makes 50,000 immigrant visas available through the DV lottery. Foreign nationals submit their lottery entries online during a designated time period. For the FY 2014 lottery, that period ran from October 2, 2012 to November 3, 2012. Individuals selected in the lottery are eligible to submit an application for permanent residence during FY 2014, which begins on October 1, 2013. 

Protect Yourself Against DV Lottery Fraud 

DV lottery fraud is common. Unscrupulous individuals set up deceptive web pages that pose as official government sites or purport to be authorized by the State Department to accept or administer lottery entries, sometimes for a very high fee. They also try to entice foreign nationals to provide personal information and money with promises of winning lottery entries. 

Take precautions to avoid becoming a victim of lottery fraud. Though you may seek legal counsel or other assistance in preparing a lottery application, be wary of commercial enterprises that claim you have won the lottery, purport to register applicants outside the official registration period or claim to be authorized by the government. No fees or personal information should be sent to a questionable individual or entity. Detailed information on DV lottery fraud is available from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the State Department.