Diversity Visa Program: Path to Green Card

November 2, 2021

The Diversity Visa Deadline is November 9th, 2021!!

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) defines “Diversity Immigrants” as individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Under its annual Diversity Visa Program, the Department of State will be issuing 55,000 Diversity Visas (DVs) in Fiscal Year 2023. However, these visas are issued by random lottery.

Eligibility

The following countries have historically high rates of immigration to the United States, meaning that individuals from these countries may NOT apply for a DV:

Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Entry

You must submit entries electronically at dvprogram.state.gov. The application window opened on October 6th, 2021, and will close at 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 9th, 2021. You must have a high school education OR two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training.

Your entry submission is free and must be fully complete to be considered. 

You must keep the confirmation number and printout of the confirmation screen. Without this information, an you will not be able to log into the online system to access your application information.

Required information includes:

  • full legal name (in Last, First, Middle order),
  • gender,
  • birth date, city, and country,
  • country of eligibility for DV,
  • passport information,
  • entrant photographs,
  • mailing address,
  • country of residence,
  • phone number,
  • email address,
  • educational information,
  • marital status
  • number of children.

Further instructions display if the entry is selected. Entrants will fill out the DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, and will have an interview with a consular officer.

The US Department of State will not email or otherwise notify applicants if they have been selected for a DV or not. Applicants will ONLY be notified through Entrant Status Check. 

We Can Help!

If you are not selected or are an applicant from a country of historically high rates of immigration to the United States, you may have other options. Contact our office to find out.

If you are selected, congratulations! We can help with the Immigrant Visa Electronic Application or if you need a waiver. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with all your immigration questions. 

Schedule your free initial consultation via: https://www.migrationusa.org/appointment/

By: Tom De Kesel, MRC Immigration Attorney & Ishika Bhasin – November 2, 2021

More information: https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2023-Instructions-Translations/DV-2023-Instructions-English.pdf