Embassy of the United States

2011 Diversity Visa Lottery Program Registration Period Opens

The registration period for the 2011 Diversity Visa Lottery Program (DV-2011) opens tomorrow, October 2, 2009.  Entries for the DV-2011 lottery are free and must be submitted electronically using the State Department’s dedicated website for entries:  www.dvlottery.state.gov.  Entries are accepted ONLY during the open registration that runs until noon Eastern Standard Time, Monday, November 30, 2009. 

There is no fee to apply for the Diversity Visa Program.  Only one entry per person is permitted, and multiple entries disqualify the applicant.  Entrants will be asked to provide an email address as part of their entry.  Individuals are encouraged to apply early during the registration period to avoid the possibility of system delays that can occur close to the entry deadline.  No entries will be accepted after the noon deadline on November 30, 2009. 

The annual Diversity Visa program makes visas available to persons meeting simple, but strict, eligibility requirements.  A computer-generated, random lottery drawing chooses selectees for Diversity Visas.  The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no visas going to nationals of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. over the past five years.  Within each region, no single country may receive more than seven percent of the available Diversity Visas in any one year.

For DV-2011, natives of the following countries are NOT eligible to apply because these countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years:

Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.

Individuals from eligible countries may prepare and submit their own entries or have someone submit the entry for them.  There is no fee charged by the Department of State to register in the DV-2011 program, and any website that charges a fee should be viewed with caution.  Regardless of whether an entry is submitted by the individual directly or assistance is provided by an attorney, friend, relative, etc., only one entry may be submitted in the name of each individual, and the person entering the lottery remains responsible for ensuring that the information is correct and complete.  If the entry is selected, the notification letter will be sent only to the mailing address provided on the entry.  Special technology and other means are used to identify those who commit fraud for the purposes of illegal immigration or those who submit multiple entries.  Entrants should hold on to their own confirmation page information so they may independently check the status of their entry.  Starting July 1, 2010, entry status information will be available online.  All entrants, including those not selected, will be able to check the status of their entry through the e-DV website. 

For detailed information about entry requirements, along with frequently asked questions about the DV lottery, please see the instructions for the DV-2011 Diversity Visa lottery on the State Department’s Consular Affairs Website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html.

If you require further information, please contact:
                        
The Public Affairs Office
U.S. Embassy Dublin
Office:  353-1-668-8777x2104