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Diversity Lottery

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Diversity Lottery refers to the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, which issues visas specifically for immigrants who are citizens of countries from where few immigrants have come to the United States in the past. The program is referred to as a lottery because registrants are randomly selected to apply for a visa.[1]

Overview

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program was established by the Immigration Act of 1990. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of State's Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Through the program, also called the Diversity Lottery, about 50,000 diversity immigrant visas are made available each year. The full number of available visas are not always issued. The visas are distributed throughout six geographic regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South and Central America. A single country may receive no more than 7 percent of available visas. These visas go to nationals of countries from where fewer than 50,000 immigrants came to the United States over the previous five years. The countries eligible for diversity visas varies from year to year.[1][2][3][4]

Through the lottery system, individuals who register for the program are randomly selected to apply for a Diversity Visa. Those who are selected must still apply and be vetted through the traditional visa process before receiving a visa and entering the United States. Diversity Visa applicants must also meet education and work experience requirements. If a Diversity Visa is awarded and the immigrant is granted entry into the United States, he or she enters as a lawful permanent resident, or Green Card holder, and may live and work in the country on a permanent basis.[5][6]

Countries eligible for Diversity Visas in 2017

The following is a list of countries by region whose nationals were eligible for Diversity Visas in 2017.[7]

Africa

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • Rwanda
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Asia

  • Afghanistan
  • Bahrain
  • Bhutan
  • Brunei
  • Burma
  • Cambodia
  • Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mongolia
  • Nepal
  • North Korea
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka
  • Syria
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Yemen

Europe

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Armenia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kosovo
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macau Special Administrative Region
  • Macedonia
  • Malta
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Montenegro
  • Netherlands
  • Northern Ireland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vatican City

North America

  • The Bahamas

Oceania

  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Marshall Islands
  • Federated States of Micronesia
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Palau
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
  • Vanuatu
  • Samoa

South and Central America and the Caribbean

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bolivia
  • Chile
  • Costa Rica
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guyana
  • Honduras
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Suriname
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uruguay
  • Venezuela

Process

The diversity visa process begins with individuals registering with the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program; registrations are accepted only during a certain window of time each year. Each registrant receives a confirmation number. From the group of registrants, the State Department randomly selects individuals to formally begin the visa application process. Registrants must use their confirmation numbers to check the status of their entry in the program; the U.S. Department of State does not use any other form of notification.[8][9]

If a registrant is selected, he or she moves on to the next step in the application process. However, before submitting a visa application, he or she must have the required education or work experience: a high school diploma (or equivalent), or two years of experience in qualifying occupations, which are determined by the U.S. Department of Labor. If a registrant meets these qualifications, then he or she may prepare and officially submit a visa application online.[10]

The Kentucky Consular Center reviews all diversity visa applications and schedules interviews for applicants at the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Prior to the interview, an applicant must gather supporting financial and civil documentation, such as birth certificates or any court and police records. A medical examination is also required, and each applicant must pay a fee of $330 per person. Fingerprints are taken at the interview.[11][12][13][14]

Immediately following the interview, the consular officer informs the applicant whether his or her visa application is approved or denied. If a visa is awarded, the individual is not guaranteed entry into the United States; at the point of entry, an officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection evaluates the individual's visa and other documents and decides whether or not to allow entry. An individual with a diversity visa who is admitted into the United States enters as a lawful permanent resident. A visa may be denied for health, criminal, or security reasons. If a visa is denied, the deciding consular officer must inform the applicant of the reason for the denial or ineligibility. Some individuals may be able to apply for a waiver of the ineligibility.[15][16]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Entry," accessed January 12, 2017
  2. ↑ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Green Card Through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program," accessed January 12, 2017
  3. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "Kentucky Consular Center Information," accessed January 15, 2017
  4. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "Instructions for the 2018 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program," accessed August 14, 2017
  5. ↑ U.S. Department of States, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Confirm Your Qualifications," accessed January 12, 2017
  6. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - After the Interview," accessed January 12, 2017
  7. ↑ U.S. Department of State, "Instructions for the 2017 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program," accessed November 1, 2017
  8. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Submit an Entry," accessed January 12, 2017
  9. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Selection of Applicants," accessed January 12, 2017
  10. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Confirm Your Qualifications," accessed January 12, 2017
  11. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Prepare Supporting Documents," accessed January 15, 2017
  12. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Interview," accessed January 15, 2017
  13. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Prepare for the Interview," accessed January 15, 2017
  14. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - Visa Applicant Interview," accessed January 15, 2017
  15. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "The Diversity Visa Process - After the Interview," accessed January 15, 2017
  16. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, "Ineligibilities and Waivers: Laws," accessed January 10, 2017
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